Russia bounties: Disclosure smells like treason

Re: “US: Russia offered bounties for killing coalition troops,” (TNT, 6/28).

I am livid with the American press, especially the New York Times, the AP, our News Tribune, as well as television “news.”

The reason: reporting an alleged leak of classified information as news, concerning Russians paying bounties for U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan.

Shame on the New York Times for not recognizing the allegedly disclosed tip as a piece of treason, and for reporting it as news apparently without verification.

The source, if he or she exists, should be prosecuted for treason. I would guess that if such intelligence exists, it would be classified “Secret” or “Top Secret” with caveats.

There is good reason why security agencies aren’t commenting. Without verification, this tip could be a completely fabricated story.

I am very sad, angry and tired of a press that is generally happy to make news, cause deaths and destabilize foreign relations by revealing U.S. classified information.

This story was originally published July 11, 2020 at 10:03 AM with the headline "Russia bounties: Disclosure smells like treason."