Pentagon destroyed 10,000 copies of army officer's book

The Pentagon has admitted buying up and destroying 10,000 copies of an insider's account of life in Afghanistan by an army intelligence officer.

It said that the book, Operation Dark Heart by Lt Col Anthony Shaffer, threatened to divulge state secrets.

Lt Col Shaffer, a bronze star recipient, said he had no intention of jeopardising American lives or damaging national security.

"The whole premise smacks of retaliation," he told CNN. "Someone buying 10,000 books to suppress a story in this digital age is ludicrous."

The book was cleared for publication by his superiors at the US army reserve command despite being critical of strategy in Afghanistan.

But shortly before it was due to leave the warehouse, the Pentagon's intelligence unit raised concerns.

The author has said he has fallen victim to an increased sensitivity about inside information following the release by the Wikileaks website of thousands of military documents detailing the conduct of the war, and the resignation of Gen Stanley McChrystal as US commander in Afghanistan because of disparaging comments about the Barack Obama administration made by his aides to a magazine.

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