WikiLeaks releases 250,000 diplomatic cables

[Amnesiac]

WASHINGTON — A cache of a quarter-million confidential American diplomatic cables, most of them from the past three years, provides an unprecedented look at backroom bargaining by embassies around the world, brutally candid views of foreign leaders and frank assessments of nuclear and terrorist threats.

Some of the cables, made available to The New York Times and several other news organizations, were written as recently as late February, revealing the Obama administration’s exchanges over crises and conflicts. The material was originally obtained by WikiLeaks, an organization devoted to revealing secret documents. WikiLeaks intends to make the archive public on its Web site in batches, beginning Sunday.

The anticipated disclosure of the cables is already sending shudders through the diplomatic establishment, and could conceivably strain relations with some countries, influencing international affairs in ways that are impossible to predict.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and American ambassadors around the world have been contacting foreign officials in recent days to alert them to the expected disclosures. On Saturday, the State Department’s legal adviser, Harold Hongju Koh, wrote to a lawyer for WikiLeaks informing the organization that the distribution of the cables was illegal and could endanger lives, disrupt military and counterterrorism operations and undermine international cooperation against nuclear proliferation and other threats.

The cables, a huge sampling of the daily traffic between the State Department and some 270 embassies and consulates, amount to a secret chronicle of the United States’ relations with the world in an age of war and terrorism.

WikiLeaks: trolling the West since 2007.

[DrkZ90]

I really hope there's something that can be done against those bastards from wikileaks, I would love to see them in jail.

[Sage]

I really hope there's something that can be done against those bastards from wikileaks, I would love to see them in jail.

I disagree. I think they do the world a profoundly great service- Some things must be made common knowledge.

[DrkZ90]

They are putting the world's diplomacy at risk, and endangering many lives. They are doing terrorists a huge favor...

[Sage]

They are putting the world's diplomacy at risk, and endangering many lives. They are doing terrorists a huge favor...

That's just what the ruling bodies want you to think.

[DrkZ90]

wearing a tinfoil hat I see...

[Sage]

wearing a tinfoil hat I see...

There's a difference between being paranoid and being reasonably distrustful. The report says a lot of the documents leaked are politicians unpublicized thoughts and opinions- ". . .backroom bargaining by embassies around the world, brutally candid views of foreign leaders and frank assessments of nuclear and terrorist threats." I want to know what these powerful people actually believe and not just the mild-mannered political language bullshit that comes out of their mouths on a daily basis.

[CaptainObvious]

There's a difference between being paranoid and being reasonably distrustful. The report says a lot of the documents leaked are politicians unpublicized thoughts and opinions- ". . .backroom bargaining by embassies around the world, brutally candid views of foreign leaders and frank assessments of nuclear and terrorist threats." I want to know what these powerful people actually believe and not just the mild-mannered political language bullshit that comes out of their mouths on a daily basis.

The libertarian, free access part of me applauds this and I have a gut instinct to be pleased about things like this that increase transparency of government.

Then the realist part of me hops in and realizes that this is probably not going to make the world a better place, when you net it out. Everyone who matters knows there's all kinds of interesting and potentially embarrassing stuff under the hood of any given government, and so this won't change any of their behavior. What it will do is ignite unrest in fickle publics, embarrass other countries, and just generally cause a bit of chaos for a while. Though philosophically I agree with the spirit behind the release, I don't know if I'd support taking that trade in practice...

[Donkey]

Look at this article: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-11858990

Shit's going down :D

[mrmcdonaldduck]

What i love is that every time that they are going to release documents, the guy goes to the US and says "cross out any name you want, that way no one has to die" or words to that affect, and america does nothing, and has a go at wikileaks saying it puts peoples lives in danger.

Frankly, its a good thing these documents are being released, helps keep the bastards honest, if you ask me. Also, it shows that what you say in private you shouldnt be afraid to say in public

[Peace God]

Haha this should put Obama in a interesting pickle. He promised (which doesnt mean much for a politician) to make Washington less secretive and have the public more involved in gov't affairs. He cant appear to be too harsh on these guys.

I do realise the risks of this (although exaggerated by some)... but for some reason i honestly couldnt care less. I have very little respect or sympathy for world leaders...especially here in america.

[Chevy]

Wiki Leaks provides a great inside look at the problems on the government

[Azunite]

WikiLeaks is the only thing that makes people know things about stuff, it would be against rights to put them in jail

[karl]

Downing Street: WikiLeaks is threatening national security

Hillary Clinton ordered diplomats to spy on UN - even asking for DNA

WikiLeaks confirms it DID come under cyber attack ahead of release

Saudi Arabia repeatedly urged U.S. to launch strike against Iran
Mervyn King: Both Cameron and Osborne show a 'lack of depth'
World leader verdicts: Putin like Batman and Ahmadinejad's Hitler

One of American's leading politicians today called for WikiLeaks to be reclassified as a terrorist organisation after the latest release of top secret intelligence documents.
Congressman Peter King, the incoming chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, claimed that the data breach was 'worse than a military attack.'
'I am calling on the attorney general and supporting his efforts to fully prosecute WikiLeaks and its founder for violating the Espionage Act,' the Republican said.


He added he had written to the Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to ask if the group could be classed as a terrorist organisation.
'(The release) has put American lives at risk all over the world,' he said.
'This is worse even than a physical attack on Americans, it's worse than a military attack.'
The Obama administration was today attempting damage limitation after the publication of 250,000 top secret documents from embassies across the world.
Highly embarrassing missives from American diplomats revealed their real impressions of world leaders and highly sensitive political discussions.
These included the revelations that Mrs Clinton had asked for surveillance of UN diplomats and that the Saudi royal family had urged an attack on Iran.
But the leaks so far appear to have been less damaging than first thought. Instead anger has turned on WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. He is already facing allegations of rape in Sweden and Australia police are considering if he had broken any laws in releasing the information.


There have also been claims that the U.S. is putting pressure on Australia to cancel Assange's passport. This was flatly denied by attorney general Robert McClelland.
Downing Street today condemned the disclosures but said that officials expected several more days of revelations.
'The leaks and their publication are damaging to national security in the United States and in Britain, and elsewhere,' a spokesman said.
The secret U.S. embassy cables describe how Bank of England governor Mervyn King described David Cameron and George Osborne as political lightweights who lacked depth.



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1333879/WikiLeaks-Prince-Andrew-caught-scandal-US-contempt-world-revealed.html#ixzz16hUuVO28

[Amnesiac]

One of American's leading politicians today called for WikiLeaks to be reclassified as a terrorist organisation after the latest release of top secret intelligence documents.
Congressman Peter King, the incoming chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, claimed that the data breach was 'worse than a military attack.'
'I am calling on the attorney general and supporting his efforts to fully prosecute WikiLeaks and its founder for violating the Espionage Act,' the Republican said.

Whatever happened to "government for the people, by the people"? All this mostly unsurprising material comes out and suddenly WikiLeaks is under attack for showing us what our supposedly "transparent" leaders really think of other nations?

These documents just make me doubt my own government even more.

[karl]

Hunt WikiLeaks chief down like Osama bin Laden: Sarah Palin demands Assange is treated like Al Qaeda terrorist
By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 1:41 PM on 30th November 2010
Comments (8) Add to My Stories
U.S. launches criminal investigation into Assange
Australia looks into whether he has broken local laws

39-year-old is already facing rape inquiries in Sweden
Sarah Palin has demanded that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is hunted down like Osama bin Laden.
In an extraordinary outburst on Facebook, the former Alaska governor attacked the White House for 'incompetent handling of this whole fiasco.'
'First and foremost, what steps were taken to stop Wikileaks director Julian Assange from distributing this highly sensitive classified material especially after he had already published material not once but twice in the previous months?.' she wrote.
Enlarge Attack: Republican Sarah Palin (left) has claimed WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange should be treated like a terrorist

'Assange is not a "journalist," any more than the "editor" of al Qaeda's new English-language magazine Inspire is a "journalist."

'He is an anti-American operative with blood on his hands.

'His past posting of classified documents revealed the identity of more than 100 Afghan sources to the Taliban.

'Why was he not pursued with the same urgency we pursue al Qaeda and Taliban leaders?'
Palin claimed that the administration's inability to hunt down Assange showed a lack of effort.
It emerged today that the U.S. has opened a criminal investigation into whether the 39-year-old could be charged under its Espionage Act for releasing secret diplomatic documents.
And he is facing a separate criminal inquiry in his native Australia where police are investigating whether the latest leak has broken any local laws.
Mr Assange, who is believed to be in London, is already facing a criminal investigation in Sweden where two women have accused him of rape.
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder today said the American government is in the midst of an 'active, ongoing criminal investigation' into WikiLeaks.
The latest disclosures, involving classified and sensitive State Department documents, jeopardised the security of the nation, its diplomats, intelligence assets and relationships with foreign governments, General Holder said.
Speaking to the Washington Post, General Holder did not confirm whether Mr Assange would be charged for violations of the Espionage Act, nor whether such an indictment was imminent.

But former CIA general council Jeffrey H Smith told the newspaper: 'I'm confident that the Justice Department is figuring out how to prosecute him.'

Mr Assange was last night warned that he could face criminal charges if he ever returns to Australia.
Australian attorney general Robert McClelland said police are investigating whether the latest leak of secret U.S. documents had broken any Australian laws.
There have also been claims that the U.S. is putting pressure on Australia to cancel Mr Assange's Australian passport., but this was flatly denied by Mr McClelland.

More...Is Ivan Lewis the hound dog minister? Political websites name Labour MP as diplomat accused of sexual harassment
Exposed: Prince Andrew's four-letter tirade that shocked American ambassador

A range of options were under consideration by Australian government agencies in response to the latest disclosure of classified U.S. material, he said.
Mr McClelland told reporters there were 'potentially a number of criminal laws' that could have been breached.
Australia's Defence Minister Stephen Smith said later that a cross-government committee was studying the documents to see what damage could have been done by their release.
Mr Smith said: 'We need to take it... step by step, but our starting and end point is essentially protecting Australia's national interest.
'This is an act which again one has no option but to absolutely condemn it. It potentially puts national security interests and it puts the safety and welfare of individuals at stake.'
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard last week condemned the planned leaks as reckless and potentially harmful to national security interests.
On the warpath: U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said the latest WikiLeaks disclosures jeopardised the security of the nation, its diplomats, intelligence assets and relationships with foreign governments
Senior U.S. politicians, meanwhile, have launched a series of scathing attacks against Wikileaks, even demanding for the website to be treated as a terrorist organisation.
Peter King, a Republican congressman and incoming chairman of the House homeland security committee, called on Washington to pursue aggressively Wikileaks and Mr Assange for violating the Espionage Act.

Senator Joe Lieberman, chairman of the Senate homeland security committee, said those responsible for the 'outrageous, reckless and despicable' leaks 'are going to have blood on their hands'.
He urged the U.S. to do everything it could to shut down the whistle-blowing website.

According to Peter Hoekstra, the senior Republican on the House intelligence committee, the documents contained a 'whole number of time bombs' and he described the likely breakdown in trust between the US and other countries as a 'catastrophic issue'.
Mr Assange is already facing a criminal investigation in Sweden where two women have accused him of rape.
He strongly denies the charges, which stem from his encounters with two women during a visit to Sweden in August.
Enlarge Controversy: The WikiLeaks disclosures have made headlines around the world
Court documents filed by a Swedish prosecutor show Mr Assange is suspected of raping and sexually molesting a woman in the town of Enkoping, central Sweden.
He is suspected of sexual molestation and unlawful coercion of the second woman in Stockholm.
The prosecutor's office began an investigation into allegations of rape against Mr Assange in September.
The office now wants to detain him for questioning. If the request is granted, authorities could issue an international arrest warrant.
'The reason for my request is that we need to interrogate him. So far, we have not been able to meet him to carry out the interrogations,' said Marianne Ny, leading the case for the Prosecution Authority.
A police report shows that the women had met Mr Assange in connection with a seminar he gave in Stockholm on August 14. The women filed their complaints together six days later.
Investigators initially disagreed on how to deal with the case.
A Stockholm prosecutor started a rape investigation that was dropped by the city's chief prosecutor a day later. Ms Ny reopened it the following week.
He had been seeking to build a base in Sweden, where some his servers are located, because of its strict journalist protection laws.
Swedish immigration authorities denied Mr Assange a residence permit and earlier this month he said he may seek political asylum in Switzerland.



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1334341/Pressure-mounts-Julian-Assange-U-S-confirms-WikiLeaks-founder-charged-Espionage-Act.html#ixzz16m54O6Bt