Sunday, December 12, 2010

Wikileaks


The U.S. Justice Department opened a criminal probe of Wikileaks and founder Julian Assange after the leak of diplomatic cables. Attorney General Eric Holder affirmed the probe was “not saber-rattling” but "an active, ongoing criminal investigation. The Washington Post reported that the department was considering charges under the Espionage Act. Prosecutors have a hard time with this because of First Amendment protections for the press.

I have mixed feeling about this whole case.

I believe there is information that should be classified. Lives and policy are at stake. I also believe way too much government information is classified to hide improprieties.

We’re told the leaks have made it impossible for people with influence to confide in our ambassadors. I believe their self-interests will trump that idea.

You can’t call Assange’s actions treasonous; the worst he can be accused of is bad citizenship – except he’s not a citizen. I don’t blame Assange, I blame the State Department for the leaks.

There have actually been calls for Hillary’s resignation. Let’s get real--- the government has its own private internet to contain information but this information is spread out over the world. Any one of thousands of government employees with a flash drive can take anything they want.

If Bush’s yellow cake uranium lie had been leaked in time, maybe we wouldn’t have invaded Iraq. When the information was exposed, not only was it too late but they outed Valerie Plame in retribution. (This was a controlled leak I still think Karl Rove should be prosecuted for.)

Probably the most important information we’re getting from the leaks is the fact of Arab nations wanting us to go to war with Iran.

Americans should be in the loop when it comes to war! Aren’t our representatives representing us?

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I agree that freedom of the press might trump charging Assange with Espionage.

Private Manning, who leaked this material, he should clearly be charged and vigorously prosecuted. We don't get to apply our own moral code to classified material. Leaking anything classified is a crime.

Occasionally and individual will come across something so greviously wrong that he/she feels compelled to make the truth be known. The person who does this is rightly exposed to personal risk. History determines if this person is a hero and if the risk and sacrifice was honorable. Private Manning does not fall into this category. Leaking 250,000 documents was reckless. There is no possibility that he knew the contents of all those documents.

Colin Powell, when addressing the U.N. in the buildup to the Iraq War, had an opportunity to become a hero and expose the truth. He chose the safe road and is now a footnote in history where he could have been President.

Jamie