Is a Leak Probe Wise?

With the leak of classified military intelligence info on Iraq gone straight to the New York Times, the Pentagon finally decides to start investigating -with criminal charges on the table.

As bad and unpatriotic as leaks are, especially the recent NYT leaks, I really don't think this particular witch-hunt would be very wise at the moment.

From Fox News:

The Pentagon is looking into how classified information indicating Iraq is moving closer to chaos wound up on the front page of Wednesday's New York Times, and is not ruling out an investigation that could lead to criminal charges.

A spokesman for U.S. Central Command, which has responsibility for operations in Iraq, confirmed to FOX News that a chart published in The Times is a real reflection of the thinking of military intelligence on the situation in Iraq as of Oct. 18, adding that an effort is underway to find out who leaked the chart...

As Confederate Yankee says, cracking down now is like " letting someone break into your house, steal your valuables and rough up your family, only to get pissed off when they trample on the grass while leaving."

I'll add to that. Laying the smack-down on a leaker over what's not much more than negative light on the DoD, would be widely viewed as no less than unadulterated vengeance. Nonetheless, the continuous leaking to, and pattern of behavior from a certain "news" paper is increasingly unsettling.

I'm sure the Left would have similar feelings if the Washington Times did the same thing to a Democratic President during a Democratic war. But everyone knows that wouldn't happen. What about moral-highground?

In other news, John Kerry is a Vietnam vet, Cindy Sheehan a Gold Star Mom, Michael J. Fox a Parkinson's sufferer, and Harold Ford Jr. is black (and don't forget it).