Anonymous military officials?

People will say things anonymously, and if the reporter has any sense they will respect that wish so that they may receive information in the future.

usa HAS NO good LANGUAGE - and might in no way HAVE ONE... this could be a political stunt for a undertaking that doesn't exist. This united states of america has constantly had a extensive chew of immigrants, legal and unlawful, who struggled with or did not talk English. In 231 years why the surprising decide for for a countrywide Language?

In most cases leaks come from junior officers with the permission and sometimes under the direction of senior officers. Usually the intent is to judge reaction to the plan.

Some are just officers a journalist has a relationship with.

Some times, it just means the journalist made up thier story.

example : the jessia lynch story in the Washington post

The one that came out before they even knew she was alive, that said she had faught untilher weapon jammed, etc

Well since everyone in her convoy was either dead or captured, no one could have actually kown what happened at that time.

So the chances of a actual officer telling that story to a journalist are about zero

The washington post just made the story up

Then after the real story came out and made the Post look like idiots and all the other media who repeated the Post story

They all tried to blame the Bush administration, instead of blaming the post, for making a story up.

As a member of the Military, you are free to express your own personal beliefs and or views. However, you are not free to speak on behalf of the Military or to say or do anything that may bring discredit to the Military, especially while in Uniform. It is just a way of saying that "they heard it from somebody that was in the Military" but "it is not an Official Military Statement" (which would be released by an "Official Military Spokesperson" or Public Affairs Officer, and that their "source" chooses to remain anonymous and therefore is protected under the First Amendment.

How true and factual is the info? Depends on the "source" and the integrity of the Journalist and if they have any corroborating facts...

That's the whole point. If they told you, they'd hafta kill you.

It can be anyone. From a lieutenant in the field to a general in the pentagon.

Depends on who said it anonymously.