Rogers: WikiLeaks ‘Devastating’ for US Policy

WikiLeaks outing of classified diplomatic and military communication has had a “devastating” effect on U.S. diplomacy, Michigan GOP Rep. Mike Rogers, chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, tells The Hill.

“I have not been to a country yet that doesn’t bring that up within the first few minutes and about how damaging it was and how it breeds distrust,” Rogers said. “It’s hard to sit in these meetings and get lectured. And they’re right. The damage that this has done is real, and it’s significant. And it is long-lasting. This is not going to go away.”

He said it will take years to repair the damage. But Rogers does see hope on the horizon. The National Security Agency is working on a safe system to make sure that diplomatic communications never get compromised again.