Wikileaks WASHINGTON: Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Tuesday said the massive leak of secret diplomatic cables was embarrassing but would have only "modest" consequences for US foreign policy.
"Is this embarrassing? Yes. Is it awkward? Yes. Consequences for US foreign policy, I think fairly modest," Gates told reporters.
Gates, a former CIA director and intelligence analyst, said some reactions to the WikiLeaks website's disclosure of State Department cables were "significantly overwrought."
Other countries know that the United States government "leaks like a sieve" and this week's massive disclosure of classified files would not seriously derail Washington's diplomatic relations, he said.
"The fact is governments deal with the United States because it's in their interest, not because they like us, not because they trust us and not because they believe we can keep secrets," he said.
No comments:
Post a Comment