Military Warns Congress: Obama Intimidates Military? Coburn Balks

In an exclusive story, we learn that Military Intelligence warned Congress against transferring 25 specific terrorist detainees out of Guantanamo Bay. The Military could have taken one more step to voice their opinion but they did not do so.

Senator Tom Coburn

The Military, through the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), could have raised a "formal objection" to actions by Congress to move the detainees. The Washington Times is in possession of a letter written by Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) sent to the Director of National Intelligence (DNI), Dennis C. Blair, stating that the DIA did not file a formal objection because it was their understanding that the moves were a foregone conclusion. In Coburn's letter to Blair, he said that policy considerations outweighing intelligence concerns is "highly troubling." Yes, it's highly troubling. The "formal objection" allows making a more forceful statement and it should bear more weight with Congress. It is beyond troubling to think that our Military would hesitate to file the objection, when at least five of the specific detainees are considered "highly dangerous and likely to return to the battlefield." Even without the 5 "highly dangerous" there are an additional 20 that the Military does not want released. Is the Obama administration so fierce and daunting that our Military cannot take the extra step available to them to make a very important point? Senator Coburn serves on the Intelligence Committee, the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and the Judiciary Committee.