wikileaks

[Mr. P]

I think this guy is heading to jail for this latest release.
GOOD!

[jimnyc]

I think this guy is heading to jail for this latest release.
GOOD!

I'm all for freedom of speech and things like the FOIA - but releasing such huge amounts of confidential information should be considered "treasonous" and I think should be prosecuted in some manner whether the leaker is from the US or not.

[SassyLady]

I'm all for freedom of speech and things like the FOIA - but releasing such huge amounts of confidential information should be considered "treasonous" and I think should be prosecuted in some manner whether the leaker is from the US or not.

The sad thing is that releasing this information will only make those who participate in this type of thing be more careful in the future about how they do their business ... doesn't change the fact that the business will still be done....i.e., telling the world that Egypt wants us to bomb Iran will not change the fact that Egypt wants us to bomb Iran ... the only thing that will change is that they will be careful who they say it too.

Can't see how the wikileaks makes the world a better place to live.

[Gaffer]

I do have to wonder how much of the leaks would have been published if Bush were still in office. This guy is not only endangering our country and troops but other countries as well. Someone need to throw him in a deep dark hole somewhere and leave him there.

[Kathianne]

I do have to wonder how much of the leaks would have been published if Bush were still in office. This guy is not only endangering our country and troops but other countries as well. Someone need to throw him in a deep dark hole somewhere and leave him there.

I don't know, would have to see the dates and which administration was doing the following:

http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2010/11/28/sleazy-wikileaks/?singlepage=true


Sleazy WikiLeaks Meets the Digital Ninnies of the State Department

Posted By Roger L Simon On November 28, 2010 @ 11:25 am In Uncategorized | 93 Comments

The criminality of self-righteous WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange aside, the State Department or other government nincompoops who authored the leaked documents and emails calling Sarkozy a “naked emperor,” etc., deserve to be terminated for extreme doofuss-ness. These days, a school child knows that what you write digitally is forever indelible.

If you have something nasty to say, do it over the water cooler or at a cocktail party, where you can deny you ever said it. Even write it down, if you must, on the back of a business card or scrap of note paper. They can be burned or flushed down the toilet. But for heaven’s sake don’t type it into a computer. There are no shredders for emails and Word docs. Are these people nitwits or do they have the impulse control of a two year old?

Okay, I admit it. Like most of us, I’ve done it myself — hit “reply all,” when I meant “reply,” and spent days cleaning up my mess. But I don’t work for the government. Much as I’d like to think otherwise, if I call Hamid Karzai “paranoid,” it’s of little consequence. If I brand Angela Merkel “Teflon,” it has less than zero affect on our relations with Germany...

But in any case, it was not Bush that led to a 'plea' like this:

http://legalinsurrection.blogspot.com/2010/11/wikileaks-completes-obamas.html


Sunday, November 28, 2010
Wikileaks Completes Obama's Transformation Into Jimmy Carter
The U.S. Embassy takeover in Tehran on November 4, 1979, was the start of 444 days which came to define Jimmy Carter. The U.S. government was revealed to be powerless and the President weak. Those among us who were alive and conscious during those days have embedded the feelings of helplessness.

There have been many comparisons of Barack Obama to Jimmy Carter, focused on the economy. But the continuing leak of documents by Wikileaks has become for Obama what the Iranian hostage crisis was to Carter.

The Wikileaks folks trot the globe with impunity and funnel documents to the press at will, for the purpose of damaging U.S. relations with other countries, our war efforts, and our intelligence capability. And we do almost nothing about it.

Whether or not someone gets killed as a direct result of a Wikileaks disclosure, the damage to our country is deep, as allies and sources among enemies will stop cooperating with us for fear of exposure, our diplomats will be hesitant to speak frankly with headquarters, and our intelligence on al-Qaeda and others will be compromised.

We are the laughingstock of the world, an impotent superpower whose response to those who aid our enemies is to write a letter asking them not to do it. Yes, Harold Koh the State Department's chief lawyer, sent a demand freakin' letter to Wikileaks. It went something like this (my paraphrase): ed. snark follows:




Dear Wikileaks,

Please give us our stuff back because it was really mean of you to take it and give it to all your friends.

Sincerely,

Harold Koh

Here is the letter which should have been delivered months ago:


Dear Wikileaks,

If you publish any more material we will hunt you down no matter the cost, and you either will be killed while resisting arrest or you will spend the rest of your lives in solitary confinement in a Supermax prison, where the highlight of your day will be 1 hour spent in a cage instead of your cell. Don't look up, that sound of propellers in the air is not a Predator drone.

Sincerely,

Harold Koh

Want to get a clue how clueless is the White House? Get this paragraph from the White House statement on the leak (emphasis mine):


President Obama supports responsible, accountable, and open government at home and around the world, but this reckless and dangerous action runs counter to that goal. By releasing stolen and classified documents, Wikileaks has put at risk not only the cause of human rights but also the lives and work of these individuals. We condemn in the strongest terms the unauthorized disclosure of classified documents and sensitive national security information.

Oh yes, let's be sure to get in a pitch for "responsible, accountable, and open government."

Have we lost our minds? Wikileaks is about hurting us, bringing us down, damaging our relations with others, rendering us impotent. This is not about open government policy, as if Wikileaks went a bit too far on its class project....

Now here's someone who's certainly for free speech and transparency, no?

http://twitter.com/lsanger/status/8617774721015808#


@wikileaks Speaking as Wikipedia's co-founder, I consider you enemies of the U.S.--not just the government, but the people. 12:26 PM Nov 27th via web in reply to wikileaks Retweeted by 100+ people

lsanger
Larry Sanger

[Gaffer]

So I'm not the only one that thinks he or they need to be put away somewhere for life, or buried.

They can locate and shut down copyright websites but can't locate this turkey?

[Mr. P]

So I'm not the only one that thinks he or they need to be put away somewhere for life, or buried.

They can locate and shut down copyright websites but can't locate this turkey?
Kinda makes ya wonder if it isn't part of the dark LORDS plan to destroy this country, huh? ....I'll get me tin foil hat now.

[NightTrain]

Assange needs to go away in a similar fashion as Hoffa. The only problem is, of course, of the howls of outrage from liberals the world over and 40 years of documentaries showcasing competing conspiracy theories.


You have to admit, though, that the emails referring to Sarkozy as a naked emperor are pretty funny... even though the humorists will probably lose their jobs over it.

[LiberalNation]

A non citizen can't commit treason against a country he doesn't even live in. What makes you think it's just one guy anyway. Wiki forcing transparency works for me.

[Kathianne]

A non citizen can't commit treason against a country he doesn't even live in. What makes you think it's just one guy anyway. Wiki forcing transparency works for me.

He's guilty of espionage. If i steal something and give it to you... and you know that the goods are stolen, you are committing a crime as well if you keep those goods. He's published classified information stolen by someone. He's as guilty of espionage as the person who gave him the information.

The soldier that originally stole them is guilty of treason.

[LiberalNation]

He's not in the US. He's not headed to jail or charged with anything.

[NightTrain]

A non citizen can't commit treason against a country he doesn't even live in. What makes you think it's just one guy anyway. Wiki forcing transparency works for me.

So even if it turns out to be you and perhaps a few of your military buddies ending up getting ambushed due to wikileaks leaking strategies, methods and other information to the world - you're still good with it?

That 'transparency' may include a large hole blown in your torso, in your particular circumstance.

[Kathianne]

He's not in the US. He's not headed to jail or charged with anything.

Holder announced they are seeking warrant for the Australian.

The soldier is already in brig, transfer to Quantico pending mental evaluation.

[SassyLady]

Holder announced they are seeking warrant for the Australian.

The soldier is already in brig, transfer to Quantico pending mental evaluation.

Hasn't he been in Quantico for a few months? Since the first wikileak flood? How long does it take to do a mental eval?

[LiberalNation]

Assange isn't in australia either. Warrant won't make a difference. He's in Swiss land. Yeah diplomatic cables that embarrass diplomats I don't see getting me blown up.

[LuvRPgrl]

So I'm not the only one that thinks he or they need to be put away somewhere for life, or buried.

They can locate and shut down copyright websites but can't locate this turkey?

Jail the guy for life, and once a week make him spend an hour at the gravesites of soldiers who may have died because of what he did, then another hour with some of the kids of the men and women who have died in battle and let them tell him how much they miss their father/mother.

[Little-Acorn]

If it can be proven beyond a reasonable doubt that U.S. agents and their allies DIED because this guy released info that told our enemies who/where they were, why shouldn't he be tried on multiple counts of first-degree murder?

[gabosaurus]

I don't understand why conservative Republicans (especially teabaggers) don't fully support the Wikileaks revelations. I thought you were about transparency in government. Shouldn't all this information be made public?

[NightTrain]

Assange isn't in australia either. Warrant won't make a difference. He's in Swiss land. Yeah diplomatic cables that embarrass diplomats I don't see getting me blown up.

There's quite a bit more to it than a few embarrassed diplomats, young lady.

Leaked Cables Reveal Location of European Nukes
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503543_162-20024059-503543.html

Nuclear weapons residing in Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium in late 2009 were a crucial chess piece in international disarmament negotiations, according to leaked U.S. diplomatic cables from the website Wikileaks.
In a conversation between U.S. Ambassador Philip D. Murphy and German National Security Advisor Christoph Heusgen reprinted in one cable, the two statesmen discussed German concerns about taking nuclear weapons out of the country.

"Heusgen said that from his perspective, it made no sense to unilaterally withdraw 'the 20' tactical nuclear weapons still in Germany while Russia maintains 'thousands' of them. It would only be worth it if both sides drew down," the cable states.

So now the world knows exactly how many nukes we have stationed in Germany. This is not the kind of info we'd like our enemies to have.


The U.K. Guardain reports King Abdullah also has repeatedly urged the United States to attack Iran to destroy its nuclear program. Leaked U.S. diplomatic cables that describe how other Arab allies have secretly agitated for military action against Tehran.

Wars have started over less. Much less. Who do you think is going to be the meat shield between these two?


The New York Times summarizes meetings in 2009-10 between American officials and Ahmed Wali Karzai, the half brother of the Afghan president and a power broker in the Taliban's home turf of Kandahar.

While the meetings were, on the surface, cordial, diplomats added this note: "While we must deal with AWK as the head of the Provincial Council, he is widely understood to be corrupt and a narcotics trafficker."

A cable in Feb. 2010 said Mr. Karzai "demonstrated that he will dissemble when it suits his needs ...He appears not to understand the level of our knowledge of his activities. We will need to monitor his activity closely, and deliver a recurring, transparent message to him" about the limits of American tolerance.

Well, there goes any influence we may have had with the Afghans. It wouldn't take much to devolve into full blown conflict again, and this is potentially a good start.

Where are you going to be deployed, again?


Another U.S. cable has this to say of Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who in the U.S. view governs with the help of a cabal of incompetent advisors. Ankara Embassy officials depict a country on a path to an Islamist future -- a future that likely won't include European Union membership.

So I don't think it will surprise anyone when the need arises next time to use airports in Turkey or need a hand with a crisis that develops in the middle east to have Turkey refuse.


The publication of the secret cables on Sunday amplified widespread global alarm about Iran's nuclear ambitions and unveiled occasional U.S. pressure tactics aimed at hot spots in Afghanistan, Pakistan and North Korea. The leaks also disclosed bluntly candid impressions from both diplomats and other world leaders about America's allies and foes.

It is quite possible that Assange just ratcheted up the pressure to disarm Iran to the point that military confrontation is a foregone conclusion. Who do you think will be leading the charge into Iran? The French? Think again.


The Times highlighted documents that indicated the U.S. and South Korea were "gaming out an eventual collapse of North Korea" and discussing the prospects for a unified country if the isolated, communist North's economic troubles and political transition lead it to implode.

What do you think is going to happen once the Dear Leader reads about this? Sit and wait & hope for the best? Or launch a surprise invasion with a few nukes lobbed at Japan for good measure?

There's a lot of bad things in the works right now because of Assange on his merry adventure. And you, LN, most likely will be directly impacted by it.

Scariest of all, Hillary Clinton is leading the charge to soothe ruffled feathers of very unstable and power-mad lunatics. This can't end well.

[Mr. P]

I don't understand why conservative Republicans (especially teabaggers) don't fully support the Wikileaks revelations. I thought you were about transparency in government. Shouldn't all this information be made public?
You obviously don't understand "Classified" "Secret" "Top Secret" or "Eyes Only" do you. This is NOT public domain shit, Gab.

[Pagan]

Wikileaks is what happens when the Government is forced to go through the "full body scanner" :salute:

[revelarts]

the Amount of stuff coming out is surprising but... people keeping saying
IF someone dies, HE should be held responsible, Put in Jail .."visit the graves" "Jimmy Hoffaed" many here are ready to murder the guy BUT no one has found anybody really harmed yet. I'll add yet. I'm not completely comfortable with this particular leak but it seems to me that it's really not that bad, at least what I've heard and seen so far.

NIGHTT you put up a pretty good list but how much of that stuff was pretty much public knowledge anyway.

Even the number of nukes in Germany? Wasn't that number disclosed in disarmament treaties with mutual inspections and whatnot? Do we really think that the "enemies" don't know how many nukes we have?

The bit about the Arabs wanting to attack Iran , that's not that surprising either .More sunni vs shia crap? Why should we get in the middle of that Crap. We've got oil in Alaska, Off many coast and in the midwest. If the Saudis or others want to fight the Persians we should step aside. But we should NOT be taking advise from them or Israel about what we ought to do with our troops.

The fact that Karzi is a crook, and the Afghan Gov't is a corrupt joke is something I've been saying since i been here. If I know it, you know He knows that's what many think of him. And they are playing each other to the edges.

North Korea's leader is seemingly a truly crazy man. Who knows which way a failing state will jump. You may be right this might be a catalysts for him to Jump. But who knows which way. And who could ever prove it was the leaks here that made them make a move?

It is interesting to me that all the comment here sofar have been outrage about the LOW LIFE, HORRIBLE, TREASONOUS, ESPIONAGE and such but most people and even the news I've seen hasn't really criticized the events found in the docs.
Seems ashamed not to use it to clear the air and clean our own house a bit. A bit of transparency is good right. "If your doing nothing wrong whats the problem?"

As I mentioned Most of the items really aren't that surprising are they? I mean if we read past the surface MSM we'd get most of this info.
So far the only leaked item I've seen that is a problem for everyone is the bombing in Yeman where a US political crony in Yeman has been claiming that he has been bombing "terrorist" when it's really been us.

well well so the gov't lies about such things, my my. Bombing people and saying others did it. wow. I'd never think that would happen but they where terrorist. the gov't said so. we can trust them. they are protecting us. (a was about to make of list of countries we are NOT at war with that we are bombing but I stopped myself, )
But the gov't would never lie about or not tell us about torture or assassinations,
just bombing of terrorist... i digress.

---!Cough!---

So yeah the Yemenese political crony may need to take a fat U.S. Check and get a fast camel out of Dogdikastan. But he may be able to weather the political fallout too, I'm not familiar with the situation there.
But um Ethier way Don't you take you chances when you pull Crap like that? If you were a political leader in a small country would you trust the U.S. Gov't to watch your back, even before these leaks, would you? Really? -CoughNoriegaCough formerally CoughSaddamCOUGH formerally KOUGHciaAssassinatedAllendeKough CoughUSoverthroughIran'sMossadeghCOUGHHH HAck... sputter WHEEEwww excuse me.
But yeah, You play with the Big boys in Washington you might get rich you might get burned really bad.

But I'm sure many here have no problem with not knowing what countries we're bombing, just trust the gov't.
And we need to kill anyone who tells us things we can read on the internet or figure out if were paying attention and don't assume that our gov't always tells the truth or is doing everything in our best interest.


Mr. P.
That's and interesting tinfoil observation you make there. the leaks not the biggest indicator of such a thing if you ask me. But that's not to say that it's not possible. But P don't worry about making the hat yourself. people will rush to put tinfoil hats on you as soon as you step across into some areas. :tinfoil:

[NightTrain]

So yeah the Yemenese political crony may need to take a fat U.S. Check and get a fast camel out of Dogdikastan.

Nice! :laugh2:


Mr. P.
But P don't worry about making the hat yourself. people will rush to put tinfoil hats on you as soon as you step across into some areas. :tinfoil:

:laugh2::laugh2::laugh2:

Nicely said, both of those had me laughing... my girlfriend got a chuckle out of them, too.

[NightTrain]

the Amount of stuff coming out is surprising but... people keeping saying
IF someone dies, HE should be held responsible, Put in Jail .."visit the graves" "Jimmy Hoffaed" many here are ready to murder the guy BUT no one has found anybody really harmed yet. I'll add yet. I'm not completely comfortable with this particular leak but it seems to me that it's really not that bad, at least what I've heard and seen so far.

I've only seen the tip of the iceberg - Wikileaks is down, I would assume that Uncle Sam is keeping it hammered until we can preemptively smooth things over with certain people that are the subject of unflattering descriptions and remarks made by our people reporting things as they see it in a blunt manner to their bosses.


NIGHTT you put up a pretty good list but how much of that stuff was pretty much public knowledge anyway.

None of it. It's one thing to suspect, it's another altogether when you have it in black and white straight from the source.

The Saudi / Iran thing alone is bad. The North Korea thing is frightening indeed - Jong Kong Dong Ill is as nutty as they come, this could easily push the paranoid fucker over the edge and make him come out of his corner swinging madly.


Even the number of nukes in Germany? Wasn't that number disclosed in disarmament treaties with mutual inspections and whatnot? Do we really think that the "enemies" don't know how many nukes we have?

Possibly a valid point with the Russians, but did China, Pakistan, Iran and North Korea have that info? I'd say not.


The bit about the Arabs wanting to attack Iran , that's not that surprising either .More sunni vs shia crap? Why should we get in the middle of that Crap.

I don't think that's a religious divide, I think it's genuine concern of a madman in their midst. We already offed Saddam, with Iran's nutcase taken out they'd breathe a collective sigh of relief.

It does raise a nice insight as to their MO, though : Try to get the USA to take out their bad guys, and remain silent while we get bad mouthed after doing so.


We've got oil in Alaska, Off many coast and in the midwest.

Yep, we've got lots. Liberals won't let us drill.


If the Saudis or others want to fight the Persians we should step aside. But we should NOT be taking advise from them or Israel about what we ought to do with our troops.

I'd like to agree with that, but if Iran won that war we'd be in a world of hurt. But stop with the Israel thing already. They are not our puppet masters.


The fact that Karzi is a crook, and the Afghan Gov't is a corrupt joke is something I've been saying since i been here. If I know it, you know He knows that's what many think of him. And they are playing each other to the edges.

Right, but now that everything is out in the open, what's going to happen? This guy is a power broker there, and what happens when he is kicked out? Throw his weight behind the Taliban? Stage a coup and kill his half brother? Any way this shakes out, he's going to have a serious axe to grind with the USA for inadvertently exposing him to the international community as a corrupt, drug running, low intelligence thug.

[SassyLady]

wikileaks founder's attorney, Mark Stevens, also does pro-bono work for OSI ... Open Society Institute - George Soros

Go figure .... Soros again .... hmmmmm.

[NightTrain]

wikileaks founder's attorney, Mark Stevens, also does pro-bono work for OSI ... Open Society Institute - George Soros

Go figure .... Soros again .... hmmmmm.

Interesting... Soros may find himself in a tight spot if the FBI uncovers his involvement with Assange.

I wouldn't mind seeing him cuffed-n-stuffed. And waterboarded. :cool:

[SassyLady]

Interesting... Soros may find himself in a tight spot if the FBI uncovers his involvement with Assange.

I wouldn't mind seeing him cuffed-n-stuffed. And waterboarded. :cool:

Never let a good crisis go to waste ... isn't that a radical's battle cry? Soros is trying to bleed us to death ... with a thousand cuts ... to get the public to descend into chaos so the government can ride in and save every one ...

[LuvRPgrl]

You obviously don't understand "Classified" "Secret" "Top Secret" or "Eyes Only" do you. This is NOT public domain shit, Gab.

Actually Mr P, you could expand that "obviously you don't understand",
alot, a HUGE alot for the poster you responded to

[Kathianne]

Assange isn't in australia either. Warrant won't make a difference. He's in Swiss land. Yeah diplomatic cables that embarrass diplomats I don't see getting me blown up.

and perhaps why you should have thought a bit more before signing up with the military? Ever hear of the Zimmerman Telegram or X, Y, Z Affair? All part of what you did learn in history classes and both came very close to causing war.

[namvet]

I don't understand why conservative Republicans (especially teabaggers) don't fully support the Wikileaks revelations. I thought you were about transparency in government. Shouldn't all this information be made public?

lives are stake. which mean nothing to you

[revelarts]

I've only seen the tip of the iceberg - Wikileaks is down, I would assume that Uncle Sam is keeping it hammered until we can preemptively smooth things over with certain people that are the subject of unflattering descriptions and remarks made by our people reporting things as they see it in a blunt manner to their bosses.




None of it. It's one thing to suspect, it's another altogether when you have it in black and white straight from the source.

Yeah, they can't deny it.



The Saudi / Iran thing alone is bad. The North Korea thing is frightening indeed - Jong Kong Dong Ill is as nutty as they come, this could easily push the paranoid fucker over the edge and make him come out of his corner swinging madly.

True but Who could tell what would make him jump?



Possibly a valid point with the Russians, but did China, Pakistan, Iran and North Korea have that info? I'd say not.

Generally I'd be surprised if this info wasn't out there somewhere.
CHina , I'd say they know all about our nukes. if wikileaks can get it China's probably got it.
Pakistan, they are our allies our buddies. CIA and ISI are tight. no problemo.
Iran, like they can do anything about it.
North Korea needs to be concerned about our Subs with nukes. if they're thinking strait.



I don't think that's a religious divide, I think it's genuine concern of a madman in their midst. We already offed Saddam, with Iran's nutcase taken out they'd breathe a collective sigh of relief.

It does raise a nice insight as to their MO, though : Try to get the USA to take out their bad guys, and remain silent while we get bad mouthed after doing so.
It's both religious and political, And yes getting the big guy to beat up your enemy is always a good thing.



Yep, we've got lots. Liberals won't let us drill. Yep, a few oil companies are happy with the status quo as well, scarcity keeps profits high.




I'd like to agree with that, but if Iran won that war we'd be in a world of hurt. But stop with the Israel thing already. They are not our puppet masters.the Mullahs in Iran have yet to start any wars. the worse they've done is to stir up trouble in the neighborhood providing groups with guns and such. But we do that all the time , South America comes to mind. Not sure why they are so much more evil than we are in that dept. AS far as If there's a war, and If Iran wins and then we might be in a world of hurt. That's a lot of ifs. Winning in Iraq really hasn't helped us out to much, seems to me. And based on what the Suadis are saying they don't really want to go to war either.

Now I didn't say that Israel was our "puppet master" but the Saudis and Israelis have , in my opinion, to much influence on our foreign policy. the Bushes good friends the Saudis had more access and influence than any of us do. Do you think it's right that foreigners have more influence over the president than your senators or congressman?
I want Israel to thrive as a state and people. But I can't complain about the Suadis influence and not mention Israels. they both have their own shifting agendas that may not align with our own. that's all. Don't get me wrong. God bless Israel alright, and may God grant peace to Jerusalem and the Jews.



Right, but now that everything is out in the open, what's going to happen? This guy is a power broker there, and what happens when he is kicked out? Throw his weight behind the Taliban? Stage a coup and kill his half brother? Any way this shakes out, he's going to have a serious axe to grind with the USA for inadvertently exposing him to the international community as a corrupt, drug running, low intelligence thug.
This has been public knowledge for quite sometime. I think the only people who don't fully realize it, or acknowledge it, are many of the rank and file in the U.S..

But Overall Sure Potentially , maybe, possibly some item MIGHT cause someone some trouble but at this point it really not a problem, content wise.
How the leak happened is a real concern. But it's funny, a month or so ago I mention that the Los Alamos Nuke facility was leaking info and NO ONE HERE was UPSET or COMMENTED at ALL if i remember. Seems to me that that's an exponentially bigger deal than a lot of snarkry diplomatic comments slipping out the back door in the night. I've also mention Nukes secrets going out with FBI knowledge . No Comments there either. Where are the calls for Jail and Hoffa-ing, Treason, and espionage?

[revelarts]

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2010/11/shocker-admits-saudi-donors-chief-financiers-al-qaeda-leaked-cable/


Our Good friends the Saudis...
What country were most of the 9-11 hijackers from IrAQ no? Saudi Arabia.
What country is Osama Bin Laden from , Afghanistan? , IRAN?, no wait Saudi Arabia



Shocking cable: US says Saudi donors are chief financiers of al Qaeda

A quick aside in a New York Times article about leaked diplomatic cables is sure to spark renewed interest about the role of the US' biggest ally in the Gulf supporting terrorism.

In their wide-ranging précis of the leaked cables, Times reporters Scott Shane and Andrew Lehren mention in passing a key detail from one of the diplomatic dispatches: "Saudi donors remain the chief financiers of Sunni militant groups like Al Qaeda."

No other details about the cable are provided by the Times. The referenced cable is not linked, and Raw Story has been unable to locate the specific language among additional cables published by The Guardian. (If you find the cable, please email john@rawstory.com).

The admission is stunning, though it has been largely kept from public view, and hasn't been admitted previously at such a high level. The "Blue Ribbon" Sept. 11, 2001 report noted that al Qaeda had raised money in Saudi Arabia but that no senior officials had provided material support.

Charges that Saudi donors have provided material support for terrorist groups -- including Iraqi insurgents -- are not new. A detailed Congressional Research Service report in 2007 highlighted repeated instances where Saudis were accused of supporting terrorist groups. The report was titled, "Saudi Arabia: Terrorist Financing Issues."

...

[Kathianne]

above post merged into like thread.

[Kathianne]

It may have been on LN's Rant thread, but wish is granted:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/nov/30/interpol-wanted-notice-julian-assange


WikiLeaks: Interpol issues wanted notice for Julian Assange

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange facing growing legal problems around world

Interpol poster for Julian Assange Interpol wanted notice for Julian Assange

The WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange, is tonight facing growing legal problems around the world, with the US announcing that it was investigating whether he had violated its espionage laws.

Assange's details were also added to Interpol's worldwide wanted list. Dated 30 November, the entry reads: "sex crimes" and says the warrant has been issued by the international public prosecution office in Gothenburg, Sweden. "If you have any information contact your national or local police." It reads: "Wanted: Assange, Julian Paul," and gives his birthplace as Townsville, Australia.

Friends said earlier that Assange was in a buoyant mood, however, despite the palpable fury emanating from Washington over the decision by WikiLeaks to start publishing more than a quarter of a million mainly classified US cables. He was said to be at a secret location somewhere outside London, along with fellow hackers and WikiLeaks enthusiasts.

In contrast to previous WikiLeaks releases, Assange has, on this occasion, kept a relatively low profile. His attempt to give an interview to Sky News via Skype was thwarted today by a faulty internet connection.

Assange's reluctance to emerge in public is understandable. It comes amid a rapid narrowing of his options. Several countries are currently either taking – or actively considering – aggressive legal moves against him. This lengthening list includes Sweden, Australia and now the US – but so far as can be made out, not Britain...

[Noir]

As far as the sex crimes go, this has been known about for a while but no charges were ever brought, and now he's pissed off some topdogs its suddenly an issue of the upmost importance, looks suspicious if nothing else, no?

[Kathianne]

As far as the sex crimes go, this has been known about for a while but no charges were ever brought, and now he's pissed off some topdogs its suddenly an issue of the upmost importance, looks suspicious if nothing else, no?

No. Seems they've been after this for a long time, now perhaps they are getting more info, but has to be expected with the exposure which of course was of his own choosing.

[Noir]

No. Seems they've been after this for a long time, now perhaps they are getting more info, but has to be expected with the exposure which of course was of his own choosing.

From the news i've heard (the BBC world service) prosecutors had previously reviewed the case and chose not to prosecute and there was no mention of new evidence. Maybe it'll all be clarified in the next few days, but i still say it smells weird.

[Little-Acorn]

I don't understand why conservative Republicans (especially teabaggers) don't fully support the Wikileaks revelations. I thought you were about transparency in government. Shouldn't all this information be made public?

Could you possibly be more shallow and obtuse?

The words I highlighted point out the basis for most of your posts.

[Abbey Marie]

With all this damaging and sometimes surprising information coming out, how can Wikileaks possibly think it will make the world a better place? (which was the gist of the leakers' comments today). Will Muslims like Egypt better, i.e.? This has all the indicia of actually heightening terrorist attacks.

[REDWHITEBLUE2]

What we need is to go back to what worked in the 40's and 50's
Julian Assange should be hunted down and Shot like the Enemy SPY that he is

[Kathianne]

Seems Jack Shafer agrees with Assange (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40452461/ns/us_news-wikileaks_in_security/), that Hillary should go? Personally I respect her a bit more, she seems to trust no one:

http://www.slate.com/id/2276190/


WikiLeaks, Hillary Clinton, and the Smoking Gun
The leaked cables make it impossible for Hillary Clinton to continue as secretary of state.
By Jack Shafer
Posted Monday, Nov. 29, 2010, at 5:32 PM ET

A U.S. diplomat must possess patience, poise, and tact. He must also be attentive to cultural differences, a good observer, and proficient in several languages. When called upon, he must use his skills as a negotiator in the national interest. And, as the latest dump of WikiLeaks tells us, if the dip works for Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, he must also be prepared to spy on his fellow diplomats.

To be fair to Clinton, she isn't the first secretary of state to issue cables telling U.S. foreign service officers to spy on other diplomats. According to the leaked diplomatic cables, Condoleezza Rice likewise instructed State Department diplomats to collect such intelligence, and I wouldn't be surprised if previous secretaries of state encouraged if not instructed their diplomats to push information-collection all the way to intelligence-gathering.

But what makes Clinton's sleuthing unique is the paper trail that documents her spying-on-their-diplomats-with-our-diplomat orders, a paper trail that is now being splashed around the world on the Web and printed in top newspapers. No matter what sort of noises Clinton makes about how the disclosures are "an attack on America" and "the international community," as she did today, she's become the issue. She'll never be an effective negotiator with diplomats who refuse to forgive her exuberances, and even foreign diplomats who do forgive her will still regard her as the symbol of an overreaching United States. Diplomacy is about face, and the only way for other nations to save face will be to give them Clinton's scalp...

[Noir]

I've found tonights releases about the "Mafia state" in Russia pretty interesting, not that anyone didn't already know that.

[Mr. P]

Seems Jack Shafer agrees with Assange (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40452461/ns/us_news-wikileaks_in_security/), that Hillary should go? Personally I respect her a bit more, she seems to trust no one:

http://www.slate.com/id/2276190/
I tend to agree with Jack. Makes her toast for 2012 too.
Politics is a duty game and when ya get mud on your white suit it just doesn't come out, can't be covered up either.

Whatcha wanna bet she tries to turn it back on Bambam? Or .........BUSH! :laugh:

[fj1200]

Seems Jack Shafer agrees with Assange (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40452461/ns/us_news-wikileaks_in_security/), that Hillary should go? Personally I respect her a bit more, she seems to trust no one:

So is this how the new administration gets the whole world to like us now that Bush is out?

[NightTrain]

Sounds like Hillary is finished, I suppose there's some small measure of good out of this whole affair.

It's truly amazing, though, that this huge scandalous affair started with a misguided Private First Class stationed in Iraq who will spend the rest of his life in jail.

Why he had unlimited access to all that information and was able to download all of it is beyond me. There's a serious flaw in how access is handed out, there's no reason he needed to have access to that sort of intel.

A Private stationed in Iraq does not need to know about what our diplomats in Europe are talking and reporting about, or what our Intel community thinks about Khaddafi's latest blonde floozy or what the Hillary's latest orders to her people are.

[revelarts]

Sounds like Hillary is finished, I suppose there's some small measure of good out of this whole affair.

It's truly amazing, though, that this huge scandalous affair started with a misguided Private First Class stationed in Iraq who will spend the rest of his life in jail.

Why he had unlimited access to all that information and was able to download all of it is beyond me. There's a serious flaw in how access is handed out, there's no reason he needed to have access to that sort of intel.

A Private stationed in Iraq does not need to know about what our diplomats in Europe are talking and reporting about, or what our Intel community thinks about Khaddafi's latest blonde floozy or what the Hillary's latest orders to her people are.
I'm not going to comment on Hillary.

But the more i read into this the odder it becomes ,but apparently the private wasn't getting anywhere reporting torture and other problems through the proper channels. And watching men being picked up in iraq for writing against the iraqi gov't being picked up by us and handed over for torture. So he felt he should expose it some way. And because of 9-11 the rules on inter agency data had changed. There WAS More Open access on to info though certain systems so that more people would be aware of each others activities to be able to preempt attacks. But In this case that more open system back fired and exposed the gov't doing wrong.
DOH!. Can't have that.
Put the soldier in jail for doing his job according to the spirit of his commission. But uhh Anybody in jail for turning people over to torture on a regular basis. ummmm nooo. Has any one been hurt by the data dumps.
no.
even the pentagon has admitted that.
actually wikileaks has been fairly responsible in there "espionage".
Redacting names and events themselves then asking the gov't to do the same -they refused in the latest case- then asking newspapers to redact. Who in turn took it to the gov't for review. All before printing and broadcasting.

Responsible criminals at worse.
Heroic Criminals quite possible.

[Noir]

Another interesting leak.


Cable reveals US behind airstrike that killed 21 children in Yemen

A diplomatic cable released by WikiLeaks shows that the US military covered up the killing of dozens of civilians during a cruise missile strike in south Yemen in December 2009.

The secret cable from January 2010 corroborated images released earlier this year by Amnesty International, implicating the US in the use of cluster bombs. The cable was sent by Yemen's President Ali Abdullah Saleh to US General David Petraeus, saying his government would "continue saying the bombs are ours, not yours."

According to the cable, this prompted Yemeni Deputy Prime Minister Rashad al-Alimi "to joke that he had just 'lied' by telling Parliament that the bombs in Arhab, Abyan, and Shebwa were American-made but deployed by the ROYG [Republic of Yemen Government]."

"The cable appears to confirm Amnesty International's finding that the Abyan strike was carried out by the US military, not Yemeni government forces," Philip Luther, a Deputy Director for Amnesty International, said.

On December 17, 2009, an alleged al-Qaeda training camp in Abyan was hit by a cruise missile, killing 41 local residents, including 14 women, 21 children, and 14 alleged al-Qaeda members.

After the attack, Amnesty International requested information from the Pentagon about US involvement in the missile attack, but received no response. The Pentagon later released a statement saying
that questions on operations against al-Qaeda should be posed to the Yemeni government.

"There must be an immediate investigation into the dozens of deaths of local residents in the Abyan air strike, including into the extent of US involvement," Luther said. "Those responsible for unlawful killings must be brought to justice."


Republican Congressman Peter King, the incoming chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, went so far as to say that the website should be deemed a "foreign terrorist organization."

"We're deeply skeptical that prosecuting WikiLeaks would be constitutional, or a good idea," Hina Shamsi, Director of the ACLU National Security Project, said. "The courts have made clear that the First Amendment protects independent third parties who publish classified information. Prosecuting WikiLeaks would be no different from prosecuting the media outlets that also published classified documents."

"Prosecuting publishers of classified information threatens investigative journalism that is necessary to an informed public debate about government conduct, and that is an unthinkable outcome."

[namvet]

pretty obvious he hates the US

[revelarts]

Do you have to hate a country to point out it's flaws and hypocrisies?
No.
If you love your country do you have to stand by it's gov't every time it lies to cover it's crack?
No.

[red states rule]

http://media.townhall.com/Townhall/Car/b/mrz120310dAPR20101203124548.jpg

[LuvRPgrl]

Over the years I have come to realize, especially with 7 kids, that I dont have the time or wherewithall to deal with details on issues like this. Hence, I have developed a lot of sources that are incredibly reliable.
From the postings Revelarts has done here, he has become one I would trust that what he posts, he posts with no alterior motives other than the truth, and I would also trust his ability to be pretty accurate in what he comes up with

I publicly thank you Rev for your work, many of us depend on others for accuracy in information, and reliability in no hidden agenda, which I have NEVER rec'd from a liberal, and only occasionally can fully depend on from Conservatives


I'm not going to comment on Hillary.

But the more i read into this the odder it becomes ,but apparently the private wasn't getting anywhere reporting torture and other problems through the proper channels. And watching men being picked up in iraq for writing against the iraqi gov't being picked up by us and handed over for torture. So he felt he should expose it some way. And because of 9-11 the rules on inter agency data had changed. There WAS More Open access on to info though certain systems so that more people would be aware of each others activities to be able to preempt attacks. But In this case that more open system back fired and exposed the gov't doing wrong.
DOH!. Can't have that.
Put the soldier in jail for doing his job according to the spirit of his commission. But uhh Anybody in jail for turning people over to torture on a regular basis. ummmm nooo. Has any one been hurt by the data dumps.
no.
even the pentagon has admitted that.
actually wikileaks has been fairly responsible in there "espionage".
Redacting names and events themselves then asking the gov't to do the same -they refused in the latest case- then asking newspapers to redact. Who in turn took it to the gov't for review. All before printing and broadcasting.

Responsible criminals at worse.
Heroic Criminals quite possible.

[LuvRPgrl]

Do you have to hate a country to point out it's flaws and hypocrisies?
No.
If you love your country do you have to stand by it's gov't every time it lies to cover it's crack?
No.

Because of the volatiale nature of ignorant, stupd and freaking emotially idiotic Muslims worldwide, I have no problem with any govt's involved in trying to make it appear Yemen did the bombing instead of the US, ONLY because it appears it was an ACCIDENT that civilians were killed. If it were shown the US bombed civilians intentionally, it would be different.

We know for a fact that very often, friendly fire kills our own, it happens. Civilians are sometimes accidentally killed, it happens.

Perhaps if those civies had been protesting Muslim extremist terrorists, they may not have been accidentally killed. Perhaps if worldwide, Muslims were standing up in unison and vehemently protesting Muslim terrorism, as vehemently as they protest against cartoons of mohamed that are published, we wouldn't have to be there WHERE US MILITARY MEN AND WOMEN ARE GIVING THEIR LIVES TO PROTECT THE FREEDOM OF MUSLIMS, and civilians sometimes are accidentally killed.