‘Embarrassing’: Pentagon leaks damage US security, analysts say

Washington, DC – There is plenty of uncertainty about the supposed secret US government intelligence assessments circulating online: Are they authentic? Are they accurate? Who leaked them? And why?

Despite growing questions, experts seemed to agree on one thing: The leaks are damaging to Washington’s intelligence-gathering and foreign policy.

The documents include details of the Western military support to Ukraine, information about Russia’s war effort and intelligence collected from allied states.

US officials have not denied the validity of the documents, acknowledging that they “present a very serious risk to national security” and appear to be real, though in some cases altered. But they warned that the leaks “have the potential to spread disinformation”.

Analysts have said the leaks risk exposing intelligence sources and could cause a diplomatic headache for Washington.

Mick Mulroy, a former senior Pentagon official who also served in the CIA, called the leak “damaging”.

“I think the United States needs to do a better job of securing classified information,” Mulroy said.

The “biggest concern”, he added, is the possible compromising of methods of intelligence-gathering, including human sources. Mulroy stressed the importance of the “ability to protect our assets, protect our way of doing business, so we know information that goes into making policy”.

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