Am I alone in thinking wikileaks is a GOOD thing?

[Trajan]

I think Tunku has a good bead on it too....

1. Mr. Assange is a dangerous vandal masquerading as a moral crusader. What is his purpose in publishing this stolen material? There is no clear philosophy behind his actions, no higher aim, other than the gleeful humbling—the public embarrassment—of the United States, a country against which he and his neo-anarchist cohorts have waged their own private little war for well over a year. Mr. Assange detests the United States, detests the philosophy of Western free market democracies, and rejects the notion that the U.S. could ever conceivably wage war abroad that is not criminal. He is, in short, an avowed foe of our society and our way of life.

2. Mr. Assange has not engaged in a single act of “exposure” that disrupts our enemies. When he starts disrupting the enemy, I will begin to concede that he can be treated—remotely—as evenhanded or worthy of praise. Instead, he has by his leaks, and by the pseudo-moral rhetoric that has accompanied them, offered propagandistic succor to those who would harm us, in addition to the priceless intelligence that he has handed to them on a platter.

WikiLeaks Documents: Fallout from Diplomatic Cables' Exposure - The Daily Beast

 

[jillian]

I think Tunku has a good bead on it too....

1. Mr. Assange is a dangerous vandal masquerading as a moral crusader. What is his purpose in publishing this stolen material? There is no clear philosophy behind his actions, no higher aim, other than the gleeful humbling—the public embarrassment—of the United States, a country against which he and his neo-anarchist cohorts have waged their own private little war for well over a year. Mr. Assange detests the United States, detests the philosophy of Western free market democracies, and rejects the notion that the U.S. could ever conceivably wage war abroad that is not criminal. He is, in short, an avowed foe of our society and our way of life.

2. Mr. Assange has not engaged in a single act of “exposure” that disrupts our enemies. When he starts disrupting the enemy, I will begin to concede that he can be treated—remotely—as evenhanded or worthy of praise. Instead, he has by his leaks, and by the pseudo-moral rhetoric that has accompanied them, offered propagandistic succor to those who would harm us, in addition to the priceless intelligence that he has handed to them on a platter.

WikiLeaks Documents: Fallout from Diplomatic Cables' Exposure - The Daily Beast

apparently i'm not the only one who thinks assange hates the u.s.

 

[Dr Grump]

we know he was a hacker. and we know what he himself has said. given that no possible good can come from any of this, then his motivation is to hurt and embarrass the U.S.... which, again, does not a bit of good.

it achieves nothing but assange's 15 minutes of fame.

1) What has him being a hacker have to do with why he is doing this? Or his motivation?
2) A lot of good has come from this (IMO). I now know a lot of different things that I suspected, but now know to be fact.
3) I think he wants to hurt and embarass people who lead deceptive and Machiavallian lives that affect all of us. And I'm over the moon he is doing so.
4) Trust you Yanks to be so self-indulgent that you think it is all about you. There are other countries who are going to be embarassed, including Australia.
5) Well his 15 minutes has gone on for the best part of 6 months. I have already told you this in another form of communication that they interviewed a journo who had spent some time with Assange over the past couple of months. He said he is thrifty and he is not doing it for money, and that he is a very intense guy. From what he could make out, what motivates him appears to be in my point three.

 

[jillian]

1) What has him being a hacker have to do with why he is doing this? Or his motivation?
2) A lot of good has come from this (IMO). I now know a lot of different things that I suspected, but now know to be fact.
3) I think he wants to hurt and embarass people who lead deceptive and Machiavallian lives that affect all of us. And I'm over the moon he is doing so.
4) Trust you Yanks to be so self-indulgent that you think it is all about you. There are other countries who are going to be embarassed, including Australia.
5) Well his 15 minutes has gone on for the best part of 6 months. I have already told you this in another form of communication that they interviewed a journo who had spent some time with Assange over the past couple of months. He said he is thrifty and he is not doing it for money, and that he is a very intense guy. From what he could make out, what motivates him appears to be in my point three.

being a hacker requires a certain mindset. a combination of a sense of entitlement with a hatred of authority. i think that's exactly what assange has displayed. he's nothing but a grown up hacker, without consideration for the ramifications releasing information which he knows was stolen and wasn't his to release.

 

[Synthaholic]

its the re-enactors!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Run..Run for your life!!!!

you're not really going to try to defend the nazi fetishist, are you?

you mean the hobbyists who run around the woods in uniforms etc.?

You say tomato...

 

[Dr Grump]

1) What has him being a hacker have to do with why he is doing this? Or his motivation?
2) A lot of good has come from this (IMO). I now know a lot of different things that I suspected, but now know to be fact.
3) I think he wants to hurt and embarass people who lead deceptive and Machiavallian lives that affect all of us. And I'm over the moon he is doing so.
4) Trust you Yanks to be so self-indulgent that you think it is all about you. There are other countries who are going to be embarassed, including Australia.
5) Well his 15 minutes has gone on for the best part of 6 months. I have already told you this in another form of communication that they interviewed a journo who had spent some time with Assange over the past couple of months. He said he is thrifty and he is not doing it for money, and that he is a very intense guy. From what he could make out, what motivates him appears to be in my point three.

being a hacker requires a certain mindset. a combination of a sense of entitlement with a hatred of authority. i think that's exactly what assange has displayed. he's nothing but a grown up hacker, without consideration for the ramifications releasing information which he knows was stolen and wasn't his to release.

Oh, please do tell. How many hackers have you analysed psychologically? What tests did you give them? What were the results?

I absolutely think he has considered the ramifications, although from what I understand he doesn't care - not because of his ego, but because he honestly believes some people and govts think they are above the law. Just remember, if half these people weren't doing the shit they were doing, there would be no wikileaks...shrug...

 

[jillian]

1) What has him being a hacker have to do with why he is doing this? Or his motivation?
2) A lot of good has come from this (IMO). I now know a lot of different things that I suspected, but now know to be fact.
3) I think he wants to hurt and embarass people who lead deceptive and Machiavallian lives that affect all of us. And I'm over the moon he is doing so.
4) Trust you Yanks to be so self-indulgent that you think it is all about you. There are other countries who are going to be embarassed, including Australia.
5) Well his 15 minutes has gone on for the best part of 6 months. I have already told you this in another form of communication that they interviewed a journo who had spent some time with Assange over the past couple of months. He said he is thrifty and he is not doing it for money, and that he is a very intense guy. From what he could make out, what motivates him appears to be in my point three.

being a hacker requires a certain mindset. a combination of a sense of entitlement with a hatred of authority. i think that's exactly what assange has displayed. he's nothing but a grown up hacker, without consideration for the ramifications releasing information which he knows was stolen and wasn't his to release.

Oh, please do tell. How many hackers have you analysed psychologically? What tests did you give them? What were the results?

I absolutely think he has considered the ramifications, although from what I understand he doesn't care - not because of his ego, but because he honestly believes some people and govts think they are above the law. Just remember, if half these people weren't doing the shit they were doing, there would be no wikileaks...shrug...

do you really need a psychoanalyst to understand the mentality of someone who thinks he is entitled to access things that don't belong to him?

the weasel who stole the info had no business stealing it. and assange had no more business releasing it than i would have selling stolen property.

 

[SFC Ollie]

So wikileaks gets to decide who is playing fair and who isn't, and what the world should know or not know?

Bull Shit.

And I'm still waiting to find out where in the UN Charter it says that there will be no spying.....

I say you are nothing but full of BS and simply taking the side against the USA. Yes grumpy one I am talking to you.

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

being a hacker requires a certain mindset. a combination of a sense of entitlement with a hatred of authority. i think that's exactly what assange has displayed. he's nothing but a grown up hacker, without consideration for the ramifications releasing information which he knows was stolen and wasn't his to release.

Oh, please do tell. How many hackers have you analysed psychologically? What tests did you give them? What were the results?

I absolutely think he has considered the ramifications, although from what I understand he doesn't care - not because of his ego, but because he honestly believes some people and govts think they are above the law. Just remember, if half these people weren't doing the shit they were doing, there would be no wikileaks...shrug...

do you really need a psychoanalyst to understand the mentality of someone who thinks he is entitled to access things that don't belong to him?

the weasel who stole the info had no business stealing it. and assange had no more business releasing it than i would have selling stolen property.

Like Hillary Clinton trying to steal credit card information?

 

[Revere]

But the takeaway is, Obama really doesn't care. This dovetails with his desire for a US which is nowhere near the superpower it used to be.

 

[Dr Grump]

do you really need a psychoanalyst to understand the mentality of someone who thinks he is entitled to access things that don't belong to him?

the weasel who stole the info had no business stealing it. and assange had no more business releasing it than i would have selling stolen property.

Do you put Woodward and Berstein in the same category.

What I am objecting to most from your posts are not that the data was stolen (it was), or that he shouldn't have published it (maybe/maybe not - I'm a believer that just because something is law, doesn't mean it is good law - slavery anyone?), I object mainly because you are villifying a man and his motivations when you know nothing or little about him. I expect that from uninformed neocons....

 

[Dr Grump]

For Ollie's Ignorant Arse:

"The UN Charter, the Headquarters Agreement and the 1946 Convention contain provisions relating to the privileges and immunities of the Organisation," a statement by UN spokesman Farhan Haq said. "The UN relies on the adherence by member states to these various undertakings."

Haq noted the follow clause of the UN Charter: "The property and assets of the United Nations, wherever located and by whomsoever held, shall be immune from search, requisition, confiscation, expropriation and any other form of interference, whether by executive, administrative, judicial, or legislative action."

"The UN is by its very nature a transparent organisation that makes a great deal of information about its activities available to the public and member states. UN officials regularly meet representatives of member states to brief them on UN activities," he added.

 

[Trajan]

do you really need a psychoanalyst to understand the mentality of someone who thinks he is entitled to access things that don't belong to him?

the weasel who stole the info had no business stealing it. and assange had no more business releasing it than i would have selling stolen property.

Do you put Woodward and Berstein in the same category.

come now, comparing them, they, with him, is an insult to W&B and the system etc. they worked in/with.

 

[jillian]

do you really need a psychoanalyst to understand the mentality of someone who thinks he is entitled to access things that don't belong to him?

the weasel who stole the info had no business stealing it. and assange had no more business releasing it than i would have selling stolen property.

Do you put Woodward and Berstein in the same category.

What I am objecting to most from your posts are not that the data was stolen (it was), or that he shouldn't have published it (maybe/maybe not - I'm a believer that just because something is law, doesn't mean it is good law - slavery anyone?), I object mainly because you are villifying a man and his motivations when you know nothing or little about him. I expect that from uninformed neocons....

we went through this yesterday. he is not a whistle blower. a whistle blower acts to out and stop an illegality. i am not convinced anything about what we were doing was illegal. and if his concern were illegality, why is his focus the U.S.? no other country engages in information gathering?

i don't have to vilify his motivations. res ipsa loquitur... the facts speak for themselves.

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

do you really need a psychoanalyst to understand the mentality of someone who thinks he is entitled to access things that don't belong to him?

the weasel who stole the info had no business stealing it. and assange had no more business releasing it than i would have selling stolen property.

Do you put Woodward and Berstein in the same category.

come now, comparing them, they, with him, is an insult to W&B and the system etc. they worked in/with.

Not really. They released "state secrets" too.

 

[Valerie]

being a hacker requires a certain mindset. a combination of a sense of entitlement with a hatred of authority. i think that's exactly what assange has displayed. he's nothing but a grown up hacker, without consideration for the ramifications releasing information which he knows was stolen and wasn't his to release.

Oh, please do tell. How many hackers have you analysed psychologically? What tests did you give them? What were the results?

I absolutely think he has considered the ramifications, although from what I understand he doesn't care - not because of his ego, but because he honestly believes some people and govts think they are above the law. Just remember, if half these people weren't doing the shit they were doing, there would be no wikileaks...shrug...

do you really need a psychoanalyst to understand the mentality of someone who thinks he is entitled to access things that don't belong to him?

the weasel who stole the info had no business stealing it. and assange had no more business releasing it than i would have selling stolen property.

Right, and yet he's sure that instead it is HE who should be above the law???

 

[Dr Grump]

do you really need a psychoanalyst to understand the mentality of someone who thinks he is entitled to access things that don't belong to him?

the weasel who stole the info had no business stealing it. and assange had no more business releasing it than i would have selling stolen property.

Do you put Woodward and Berstein in the same category.

come now, comparing them, they, with him, is an insult to W&B and the system etc. they worked in/with.

I disagree. The game has changed since then, especially since the advent of the internet/email/smart phones etc. Was Deep Throat giving them info that was privileged? Should not have been let out?

 

[Dr Grump]

we went through this yesterday. he is not a whistle blower. a whistle blower acts to out and stop an illegality. i am not convinced anything about what we were doing was illegal. and if his concern were illegality, why is his focus the U.S.? no other country engages in information gathering?

i don't have to vilify his motivations. res ipsa loquitur... the facts speak for themselves.

1) What are his motivations vis-a-vis the 'facts'?
2) You missed point 4 in my recent missive about how ego/ethno centric you Yanks are- Hint: THE US IS NOT THE ONLY COUNTRY BEING EMBARASSED HERE... do I have to bold the caps? IE: I know this may be hard for America to take, but it's not ALL ABOUT YOU!..

 

[jillian]

Not really. They released "state secrets" too.

no. they uncovered criminal activity. watergate started as a burglary which was then covered up.

had nixon not covered up the activities of the plumbers, he would never have had a problem.

you can't compare Woodward and Bernstein to this petulant twit.

 

[Sallow]

Why dont you explain it to me ?

What exactly do you want explained to you? Seriously?

How diplomacy works?

How diplomats function?

You may first try and understand how diplomats are able to do their job.

And one of the skills sets is not being thrown off balance by this sort of stuff.

So the release of diplomats assessments of world leaders and other diplomats embarrassing personal problems and idiosyncrasies that is forcing the state department to offer round the clock apologies will have no effect on trust or diplomacy ?
Ok well Im glad you think so .
What do you think the point of the release is ?

"Embarrassing?" Heck..you need to get out more. A good diplomat knows how to not take anything personally. This is a job not for the faint of heart. Seriously..do you know what they do? Do you know what circles they travel in? Have you bothered to check out how the political process works in other countries?

And what do I think the point of the release was? I dunno. Some good speculation in this thread. It's probably a combination of some real outrage..and extreme self-importance. To be honest I could care less. Assange has proved himself a very bad player in the world of journalism..or whatever he was trying to do. So, I am more concerned with the process. Having dealt with sensitive material myself..it's pretty troubling it got out there in the first place.