Am I alone in thinking wikileaks is a GOOD thing?

[Liability]

I have a idea, who can name one person that has been killed due to the release of the information by wikileaks? Whoever wins get a pos rep.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4zyjLyBp64

Who "has been killed due to the release of the information by wikileaks" SO FAR?

Is that what you're pretending to ask?

 

[Liability]

What is with "Conservatives" and "Liberals" on both sides who always complain about a lack of transparency in government, and when transparency is finally given, they want the people behind the release of the information jailed if not killed.

Transparency is not intended to apply to state secrets.

 

[Liability]

I am no fan of obama, I don't blame him for this and I think its screwed up this happened on his watch, he got sideswiped. Its also embarrassing for us all.

That being said, nor do I wish us to look foolish inept and conversations better left secret need to be left secret.

Putting out dirty laundry, that provide road marks to negotiation points for one thing, relations amongst folks that already suspect they hold each other in contempt, and the fact that some of this will effect the way we interact with one another. A lot was made of bushs stepping on Europe etc. well, remarks I have head that are in wiki are not flattering to our allies to say the least and ot flattering to us....spying on foreign leaders and plenipotentiary's...really?

Will it have long term damage?Ii don't know, maybe not , a lot of this is a given, buts its always better left unsaid, like the digs you want to take at seldom seen family members at holiday dinners .

In addition how much is lost when our people don't feel safe using 'cable' traffic to make observations to one another on issues and personalities that may help us craft negotiation points etc.?

As far as lives? we don't know and never will I don't think.You can play suppsoe though, suppose a name of one of the opposition leader(s) in contact with us, unknown to Iranian intelligence comes out? What do you think his/her life is worth?

I will say that in all likely hood the leaks of the wire taps and swift prgm. probably did, or certainly will if it has not already.

So basically anything that our government has done wrong in secret is not fair game since it makes us look bad? If we didn't want to be in such situations, perhaps our government shouldn't be doing these things in the first place?

The problem I find is we likely don't even know half of what our own government is doing when it comes to foreign policy. What happens is the American voters cannot make as informed decisions as possible because of this. We only find out when screwups happen it seems long after anyone who is involved is dead.

So basically, you seem to think that the decision isn't up to the government. So basically you seem to think that the decision is up to some reporter, editor or publisher.

If the government is engaged in some nefarious shit in its dealings with our adversaries and nominal allies, the release of some (or all) of that information could be a whole lot more than merely embarrassing. But you seem to be "ok" with some unaccountable journalist deciding for all of us (on the basis that if it embarrasses the gubmint, that's all the justification that's needed) when such secrets may be revealed.

Who elected those guys again? If I think they have made a terrible decision and endangered all of us, in what election can we fire them?

 

[Truthmatters]

Dear idiot , the terrible decision in this case is leaving our information lying about so that some low level clerk and walk away with it.

 

[Liability]

Dear idiot * * * *

It's always funny to see truthdoesn'tmattertoheratall talking to herself.

 

[MikeK]

I would agree with you if they were more responsible about what they did. They shouldn't be releasing raw data into the wild. Names of Iraqis that helped Americans..names of troops and the like put real live people in danger.

My understanding is nothing of that nature has been released. Based on everything I've heard there has been some level of responsibility exercised in the release of this information. That the politicians don't like it is to be expected because some of the information will pull the covers off many of them. And a lot of the information being revealed should not be kept from the People.

What is most interesting to me is that more noise is being made about this relatively benign event than was made over Cheney and Rove's criminal treachery in exposing a covert CIA operative. Now that is something to get excited about!

 

[Trajan]

I would agree with you if they were more responsible about what they did. They shouldn't be releasing raw data into the wild. Names of Iraqis that helped Americans..names of troops and the like put real live people in danger.

My understanding is nothing of that nature has been released. Based on everything I've heard there has been some level of responsibility exercised in the release of this information. That the politicians don't like it is to be expected because some of the information will pull the covers off many of them. And a lot of the information being revealed should not be kept from the People.

What is most interesting to me is that more noise is being made about this relatively benign event than was made over Cheney and Rove's criminal treachery in exposing a covert CIA operative. Now that is something to get excited about!

who EXACTLY has exercised that restraint or censor?

 

[MikeK]

I find what they do really damaging. If the information is legitimate it should be released to the proper Authority, and investigated. There is no excuse for releasing Classified Information.

There was no reason to classify much of the information contained in the release. And it should be said that "classification" is a convenient way for government to keep secret things the People have a right to know about.

 

[boedicca]

I have a idea, who can name one person that has been killed due to the release of the information by wikileaks? Whoever wins get a pos rep.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4zyjLyBp64

Who "has been killed due to the release of the information by wikileaks" SO FAR?

Is that what you're pretending to ask?

When did they law get changed to say that it is okay to breach confidentiality as long as there is no verifiable body count?

 

[boedicca]

I find what they do really damaging. If the information is legitimate it should be released to the proper Authority, and investigated. There is no excuse for releasing Classified Information.

There was no reason to classify much of the information contained in the release. And it should be said that "classification" is a convenient way for government to keep secret things the People have a right to know about.

The People have a Right To Know every snarky comment made by a government official?

Okay. Then let's just switch all government communication and records to Twitter.

 

[Liability]

I would agree with you if they were more responsible about what they did. They shouldn't be releasing raw data into the wild. Names of Iraqis that helped Americans..names of troops and the like put real live people in danger.

My understanding is nothing of that nature has been released. Based on everything I've heard there has been some level of responsibility exercised in the release of this information. That the politicians don't like it is to be expected because some of the information will pull the covers off many of them. And a lot of the information being revealed should not be kept from the People.

What is most interesting to me is that more noise is being made about this relatively benign event than was made over Cheney and Rove's criminal treachery in exposing a covert CIA operative. Now that is something to get excited about!

No no. Your mistake. THEY didn't "expose" Ms. Plame. Armitge did. We know, 'cause he like admitted it and shit.

And there's no credible evidence that Mrs. Ambassador Joey Wilson Plame was a covert agent of the CIA in any event. A desk jockey? Sure. An analyst. So what?

And if the point of the faux lib OUTWAGE over the alleged outing of Ms. Plame was that it put lives at risk, then the lib outrage over the Wikileaks document dump ought to be even more spectacular.

There are,to their credit, some libs (here at USMB, I mean) who seem to "get" that point. But by and large the level of liberal "outrage" over what Wikileaks has done seems very low key.

 

[Liability]

I have a idea, who can name one person that has been killed due to the release of the information by wikileaks? Whoever wins get a pos rep.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4zyjLyBp64

Who "has been killed due to the release of the information by wikileaks" SO FAR?

Is that what you're pretending to ask?

When did they law get changed to say that it is okay to breach confidentiality as long as there is no verifiable body count?

Good point!

Some people seem to think (go figure, right?) that breaking the law is breaking the law even if it doesn't lead to the death of our allies or agents.

 

[Dr Grump]

I cant wait for Wikileaks to dump the Secret service protocols and practices for guarding POTUS, or for launching an armed Minuteman, that'll be fun...and it's our right to know too, amiright?

But they haven't and they won't, no matter how much you shills ramble on about it..

 

[Dr Grump]

I find what they do really damaging. If the information is legitimate it should be released to the proper Authority, and investigated. There is no excuse for releasing Classified Information.

There was no reason to classify much of the information contained in the release. And it should be said that "classification" is a convenient way for government to keep secret things the People have a right to know about.

The People have a Right To Know every snarky comment made by a government official?

Okay. Then let's just switch all government communication and records to Twitter.

Actually yes. Aren't you cons always bitching that the govt is YOUR representative and should be doing what you want it to do, and therefore, in this case they are your 'leaks' too, right?
And don't give me this shit that 'oh but these are secrets'. Total crap. From what I've seen they are nothing more than embarrassing gaffs.....

 

[boedicca]

The Grumpalupagus is mistaken in assuming that conservatives want a public record of every comment made by every person in government to be made available.

There are certain situations in which information should be classified.

 

[Liability]

The Grumpalupagus is mistaken in assuming that conservatives want a public record of every comment made by every person in government to be made available.

There are certain situations in which information should be classified.

Painfully obvious. No wonder libs need to be (a) TOLD this and (b) convinced of it and (c) can't grasp it even then.

 

[Dr Grump]

The Grumpalupagus is mistaken in assuming that conservatives want a public record of every comment made by every person in government to be made available.

There are certain situations in which information should be classified.

I concur. So far, nothing Wikileaks has leaked, fits the bill....

 

[Dr Grump]

The Grumpalupagus is mistaken in assuming that conservatives want a public record of every comment made by every person in government to be made available.

There are certain situations in which information should be classified.

Painfully obvious. No wonder libs need to be (a) TOLD this and (b) convinced of it and (c) can't grasp it even then.

Just start marching lock-step for your govt.

It suits you....

 

[Jeremy]

The Grumpalupagus is mistaken in assuming that conservatives want a public record of every comment made by every person in government to be made available.

There are certain situations in which information should be classified.

I concur. So far, nothing Wikileaks has leaked, fits the bill....

I think your wrong.

Hillary Clinton ordered diplomats to spy on UN: WikiLeaks docs | Raw Story

 

[Dr Grump]

The Grumpalupagus is mistaken in assuming that conservatives want a public record of every comment made by every person in government to be made available.

There are certain situations in which information should be classified.

I concur. So far, nothing Wikileaks has leaked, fits the bill....

I think your wrong.

Hillary Clinton ordered diplomats to spy on UN: WikiLeaks docs | Raw Story

She shouldn't have ordered the spying in the first place...shrug.....