Obama: Afghan Leaks A Firing Offense

President Barack Obama says he is angry about leaks from his deliberations on more troops for Afghanistan, and said he considers such disclosures a firing offense.

Obama, during a round of four network interviews before he left China for South Korea, told Chip Reid of CBS News: "[W]e have these deliberations in the Situation Room for a reason - because we are making decisions that are life-and-death, that affect how our troops will be able to operate in a theater of war."

With Obama nearing an announcement on whether to deploy additional troops to Afghanistan - within the "next several weeks," he told NBC - numerous news reports have speculated where he is headed, with information from officials about the options he is considering.

During the exchange, Reid asked: "Secretary Gates has made clear that he is furious about all the leaks [about Afghanistan deliberations]. And with it playing out on the front pages of the paper every day, some people said it makes you look indecisive. Are you that angry about these leaks, and do you think it makes you look uncertain?"

Obama: "I think I am angrier than Bob Gates about it, partly because we have these deliberations in the Situation Room for a reason - because we are making decisions that are life-and-death, that affect how our troops will be able to operate in a theater of war. For people to be releasing information during the course of deliberation - where we haven't made final decisions yet - I think is not appropriate."