I urge you to consider the leaked video that started this whole thing. It showed my tax dollars being used to murder innocent civilians. I think I have a right to know about these kinds of things. Furthermore, the US military refused to release this video to the public despite repeated requests from the press. These assholes are abusing their right to keep secrets in order to cover up their own asses and prevent their incompetence from being exposed.

Given that recent example, I am more inclined to trust Julian Assange’s judgement regarding threats to national security vs freedom of the press than I am willing to trust the Pentagon’s.

Specialist Manning committed treason

So did George Washington. Treason is as treason does.

it was THEM that LET you complain and bitch about how corrupt and evil they are

Really? Do they also allow me think my thoughts?

Because, if so, I’m embarrassed to say that I’m more interested in inter-BoingBoing drama than I am in the rather alarming story you posted above.

As for the rest of us, there are awful things countries do in emergencies because they know these things eventually blow over. I think Ellsberg is right – Assange is not only in danger, but it may be mortal danger. Remember the Rainbow Warrior, Ninoy Aquino, the invasion of Iraq, the Maine, US Occupation of (insert country name here,) Mordechai Vanunu – the list goes on and on. RUN!

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/12/us/politics/12leak.html?hp

“For example (and I’m just making this up off the top of my head), what if these documents reveal that all our goodwill towards Israel is just a sham to have a friendly military presence opposing Iran, and we actually hate them?”

and flip it on it’s head. What if these diplomatic communiques revealed that The United States LOVES Israel and we will do anything and everything they ask of us? – apologize, subsidize, weaponize? And then people can take a look and say, “Israel? They’re no bigger than New Hampshire. They have few people than Virginia. Why is Israel dragging our government around by the nose in a relationship that is way out of proportion to its stature?”

That’s democracy – fair, proportional representation and power, and that’s why we need the truth to be apparent to everyone.

Best of luck Julian! Your work is crucial and invaluable.

Pentagon papers, chapter and verse. “National security” means “it would tend to make us look bad.”

I do hope they release it all. People have a right to know what their government is up to. Who they are paying off, countries involved, people involved, games being played/paid by the media etc etc.

It’s the only way things will turn around and lead to positive change.

Expose it and expose what the US is doing.

Julian, if you need a place to lay low I have a great bed with your name on it, plus the beach is wonderful this time of year. Just hope this “Man-hunt” is overblown BS.

To my government: Freedom cannot be obtained under a corrupt system. Freedom of Information, and Transparency are the only things that can lead to a truly free society. Let the corruption come out, and never repeat the mistakes of secrecy again.

LOVE FOR MANNING, Just wish you could know….
THANK YOU JULIAN!
Oh, and F&@* YOU BP!

I’m with you. My initial reaction was to make Lamo the bad guy (because it’s too easy) but i’ve come around to believing their release could be catastrophic and am willing to trust his judgment on it. I hope someone at State can sit down with Julian (soonest) for a frank discussion. In fact, i imagine that’s precisely what this “manhunt” is about. They’re likely already trading IMs.

reCAPTCHA sez: By headland

I know, I know, but hear me out for a second: we tend to jump to conclusions whenever the government states its intention to hide something from us, assuming that it must have something to do with illegal or at least highly unethical activity (the Collateral Murder video being the perfect example; I am absolutely in favor of that leak). That’s not the case all the time though, and I think people should consider these on a case-by-case basis, rather than coming to the knee-jerk conclusion that, “It’s a secret document! We should see it!”

In the case of diplomatic cables, that’s a case where releasing classified information really could have serious consequences. Though we may not like it, deception and secrecy are fundamental to diplomacy and always have been, and to think otherwise is very naive. Nations have recognized this for a long time, and that’s why we have things like unopenable diplomatic bags, which don’t seem advantageous to anyone at first glance.

The thing is, diplomacy works because countries lie to each other, play other countries against each other for their own gain, and make mutually beneficial exchanges even when both sides don’t give a damn about the well-being of the other nation. The United States does it, and every other country does it, but if it’s only our diplomatic tactics that are brought into the open, we lose a great deal of bargaining power.

For example (and I’m just making this up off the top of my head), what if these documents reveal that all our goodwill towards Israel is just a sham to have a friendly military presence opposing Iran, and we actually hate them? Israel is pissed at us for using them, Middle Eastern countries are pissed at us for being manipulative and controlling (… ok, more manipulative and controlling), and the region is destabilized further. I think that’s an instance where revealing the truth just doesn’t help anybody.

Not to mention the fact that most countries use their consuls for surveillance purposes, and I’m not even talking about the illegal stuff, I mean just like reporting back to Washington things like “What’s the political situation like over there? How do people feel about America?”. Nothing wrong with that, but the nation in question would be pretty pissed that they’re under the magnifying glass, even if they’re doing the same thing at their consulate.

If everyone’s diplomatic secrets were revealed at the same time, that might be one thing, but if it’s just our cables that are out in the open, it would be a disaster. I hope Assagne is smart enough to realize that some things, like blueprints for fusion bombs, are secret for a reason, and that diplomatic cables are among those things.

… wow, this turned into a blog post. Sorry about that. And before you jump down my throat, I want to say one more time that I support Wikileaks’ mission and have actually donated to them in the past. I know that sounds like a “I’m not racist! I got black friends!” type of argument, but I really am in favor of transparency, just not when it hurts more than it helps.

Assange should come forward like a journalist would and hold a press conference, shine a lot of light on this BS and have done with it. This idea that one can hide from these people is BS, and Assange has been playing this for a while now. It’s quirky, like a spy novel and as that may play to increase the effectiveness of the group, it’s interesting to note who Assange’s interlockler is – US intelligence, who’s interests are not served by this play they take one side of.

I’m losing faith in the whole thing.

What I mean is, if there are important communications that would only shock higher levels of government (ie nuclear arms communications between countries) and only appear to be political mumbo jumbo to the average person, Wikileaks wouldn’t be interested in revealing it.

If they have footage of war crimes by the US, or civilians/civilian areas being ravaged by trigger happy apache gunners, I would hope that leaks so the parties involved can be indicted and shamed properly.

I would assume that’s how it is going to end up.

I agree with you that some information should remain secret not to protect somekind of “national interest” but to avoid possible conflict between countries.

Also Adrian Lamo has psychiatric issues i wouldn’t be so hard on him. Interesting character though, judging by the Wired article(s)

You said it yourself, their can be mutually beneficial deals without the need to deceive.

if their is no end to the lies, then their can be no beginning to the future.

Maybe I’m wrong though.