Wikileaks leaks no big deal
Andrew Exum on the leaked Afghanistan documents:
I’m a researcher who studies Afghanistan and have no regular access to classified information, yet I have seen nothing in the documents that has either surprised me or told me anything of significance. I suspect that’s the case even for someone who reads only a third of the articles on Afghanistan in his local newspaper.
And:
[Wikileaks founder Julian] Assange has said that the publication of these documents is analogous to the publication of the Pentagon Papers, only more significant. This is ridiculous.
Publication of the documents has, however, made Julian Assange a celebrity. Mission accomplished.
posted by Anonymous at 5:59 PM |
3 Comments:
I'm guessing this will be climategate in reverse.
Climategate emails: Right wing blogs see it as significant and demonstrates the corruption climate science, which is getting further away from 'settled'. Left wing blogs go in to harm minimising mode, close ranks, poo-poo damning evidence, protect their ideology, laud 'independent' inquiries that are a complete whitewash.
Well find out in a week or two but we are already seeing the harm minimisation to what is potentially a significant breach in national security. This is notably coming from the government but right wing blogs will soon catch on.
This scumbag wouldn't be interested if its harmful or not. The smug expression says it all. Whether or not there's anything new the media attention will rehash things that extremists have missed or forgotten.
This material will be used to inflame anti west hatred (no doubt a plus in this idiots eyes) and justify more violence and attacks towards the west and the coalition forces. Again no biggie for the big J. As long as his profile is raised. Narcissism means anything goes. Screw the morals. On that note not a lot of 'leaks' being aired from China or North Korea I see. Wonder why. Could it be that's not part of the Assange targeted group?
If we had any balls as a culture this piece of garbage would be in a 6 x 4 stone cell with no light.
"Mr. Assange says he is a journalist, but he is not. He is an activist, and to what end it is not clear. This week — as when he released a video in April showing American helicopter gunships killing Iraqi civilians in 2007 — he has been throwing around the term “war crimes,” but offers no context for the events he is judging. It seems that the death of any civilian in war, an unavoidable occurrence, is a “crime.”
If his desire is to promote peace, Mr. Assange and his brand of activism are not as helpful as he imagines. By muddying the waters between journalism and activism, and by throwing his organization into the debate on Afghanistan with little apparent regard for the hard moral choices and dearth of good policy options facing decision-makers, he is being as reckless and destructive as the contemptible soldier or soldiers who leaked the documents in the first place."
Contemptible - excellent description
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