Guardian editor on Wikileaks/Cablegate: "Terrible" disclosures coming

"In the coming days, we are going to see some quite startling disclosures about Russia, the nature of the Russian state, and about bribery and corruption in other countries, particularly in Central Asia. We will see a wrath of disclosures about pretty terrible things going on around the world."— Investigations Executive Editor David Leigh of the Guardian, one of three news organizations given advanced access to the US State Dept. cables by WikiLeaks. (democracynow.org)

• [karl_jones]

  For the best in Central Asia political humor, see the cartoons of Ted Rall:

  http://www.indyweek.com/indyweek/next-stop-central-asia/Content?oid=1199165

• [ukcannonfodder]

  would love to see some info on Israel and the USA supported and bankrolled genocide of the Palestinian ppl.

• [ericmartinex1]

  I like how the media agencies hype up pretty mundane, open source, news gossip for readership.

  They also piecemeal the releases to milk this cow to the end. Too bad Bradley Manning’s in jail, because Julian just blew his last load. And in the end, it’s an initial burst of schadenfreude for the Amerikkka conspiracy crowd, but after a month, no one cares like the “sensational” Iraq/Afghanistan files.

  I know more interesting and relevant things going on such as the Euro and EU on the verge of collapsing.

• [Ernunnos]

  In other words, “In the coming days, we are going to find out just how much western media and governments have covered up for some of the world’s most abusive regimes.”

  • [Nadreck]

    Yes, the important part about all this is how it can be used in local, parochial politics. The part about the dying people is of secondary interest; if it is of interest at all. After all, these people aren’t in the West and cannot be expected to have any influence over their own conditions or social structures. That is the exclusive domain of we here in the West. Not a sparrow falls that we are not directly responsible for via our all-encompassing, micro-managing conspiracies.

    • [Ernunnos]

      I fully agree with you. I don’t think it’s our responsibility to fix the world, but that’s not a license to be silent, either. In fact, that’s all the more reason to speak out where we can. Words are cheap. On the other hand, words are cheap. Might as well spend them freely.

• [hassenpfeffer]

  Pfft. Scott Horton’s been covering these exact topics for years at harpers.org.

  BTW, what’s a “wrath of disclosures”? Any relation to a murder of crows?

• [Anonymous]

  I think he must have been misquoted as saying “wrath” instead of “raft”.

• [bjacques]

  I hope the bank leaks are already posted, and certainly the Russian ones. Otherwise Mr. Assange is risking a painful and edifying death, certainly if he stays in the UK, which has no real objection to Russia doing its dirty work there.

  Even then, I wonder if the injured parties are evolving a response beyond the obvious one. I can’t see the NY Times publishing anything good unless forced to. Even then they might choose an angle in line with their inclinations, because cocktail weenie withdrawal can be quite painful. Anyone else notice how much play they gave Iran in relation to other countries/areas of interest? The Guardian’s begging to be slapped with “D” notices and/or libel suits. I don’t know how things are done in Germany.

  All those caveats aside, I eagerly await the next releases. I find Mr. Assange’s ideas intriguing and I would like to subscribe to his newsletter.

  • [imag]

    I am beginning to wonder if Mr. A is long for the world… but I have no doubt at all that he has a serious dead man’s switch.

    It’s probably the only thing keeping him alive. The documents that would be released upon his death are probably non-redacted, very serious security breaches of a whole slew of parties.

    I’m sure he even has a few levels of releases, ones that he could use if he were imprisoned, documents that could be used for negotiation, etc. In fact, the encrypted file that got sent out a few months ago could contain all of these levels in one convenient group. All he, or a supporter, needs do is start releasing keys.

    The guy is not stupid – and he wouldn’t have stayed alive this long if the the powers that be didn’t think he could do them even more harm dead than alive.

• [Anonymous]

  The dictionary definition of ‘diplomacy’ has been changed forever. Who would be a tactful,subtle, discreet US diplomat?

• [Patrick Dodds]

  Yep, I’m also thinking Mr A ought to get the bank stuff out sharpish if he can – they’re going to make the governments’ responses so far look pitifully lacking in menace.