Keeping tabs on the scoops: Wikileaks

... could become as important a journalistic tool as the Freedom of Information Act.

Time Magazine

WikiLeaks Founder Has US Afghan Massacre Video

Julian Assange, who the Feds fear may release State Dept. secrets, denies having them—but he’s readying video of a deadly U.S. airstrike in Afghanistan.

After several days underground, the founder of the secretive website WikiLeaks has gone public to disclose that he is preparing to release a classified Pentagon video of a U.S. airstrike in Afghanistan last year that left as many as 140 civilians dead, most of them children and teenagers.

In an email obtained by The Daily Beast that was sent to WikiLeaks supporters in the United States Tuesday, Julian Assange, the website’s Australian-born founder, also defends a 22-year-old Army intelligence specialist who is now under arrest in Kuwait on charges that he leaked classified Pentagon combat videos, as well as 260,000 State Department cables, to WikiLeaks.

Remember when journalists scoured the world for this type of story and editors risked their careers to print it?

Now it seems anyone can put what they like online and tout it as the truth, and if it's later withdrawn the damage is already done.

The right will be quick to cry unfair and left wing bias, as they do with Wikipedia, but there's plenty of dodgy "facts" come from their side as well.

The internet is as useful a tool in the propaganda war as it is a source of genuine information.

What we need is anti-bullshit software....

keep us posted if the video comes out

this will be a momumental story if the video ever surfaces.

No wonder the US govt want to catch Assange, it reads like a spy novel. Who knows, it could very much change the perception in USA and around the world about the war in Afghanistan.

The detention of Bradley Manning in Kuwait is disturbing

American officials have acknowledged in the past that they are concerned about the release of the Garani video, fearing that it could undermine public support for the American military campaign in Afghanistan both in that country and in the United States.

Everyone I know here hates the war & thinks it is unjust/illegal/immoral & bankrupting America.

The US Military is an all-volunteer force. Specialist Bradley Manning volunteered for his service, signed up for his assignment and was granted a security clearance at his request.

He allegedly made the choice to violate the terms of his security clearance and, therefore, must now accept the punishment for his actions.

All you US Military haters can weep and cry all you wish. Manning was wrong if he is convicted. He broke the law concerning classified documents and information and should be punished.

I'm sure that he will enjoy the prison at Leavenworth. Making big bricks into small ones in the hot sun and in the snow with psycho guards and full military discipline for the next 40 years should be a very healthy lifestyle.

I agree,Manning did break the law, if he was the one who leaked the info/video on the Granai massacre etc

But it will pale in comparison to what has occured and the cover up by the US Military. Would that amount to a war crime?

The US Military is an all-volunteer force. Specialist Bradley Manning volunteered for his service, signed up for his assignment and was granted a security clearance at his request.

He allegedly made the choice to violate the terms of his security clearance and, therefore, must now accept the punishment for his actions.

All you US Military haters can weep and cry all you wish. Manning was wrong if he is convicted. He broke the law concerning classified documents and information and should be punished.

So you'd never be a whistle-blower chuck? I expect not.

What your stance implies is that it was quite right of all the Nazi personel at the concentration camps to stay silent.

If you had been a guard at Auswitz or Dacchau, you would have just done your job and kept silent, right? No consideration for humanity, or even the fact that loyalty to your nation should supercede your loyalty to the military.

Typical of a heartless, mindless, robotic grunt.

Manning may prove to be a hero. There's little doubt that he was very brave.

I'd like to think that people did this type of thing out of a sense of what is right rather than for reward. I have nothing against conscientious objectors as long as they are prepared to go to jail for their beliefs.

A Manning who is prepared to got to jail to reveal criminal activity gets the thumbs up from me, a Manning sitting among his lawyers discussing book and movie deals doesn't.

Sometimes courage doesn't involve physical bravery.

So you'd never be a whistle-blower chuck? I expect not.

What your stance implies is that it was quite right of all the Nazi personnel at the concentration camps to stay silent.

If you had been a guard at Auschwitz or Dachau, you would have just done your job and kept silent, right? No consideration for humanity, or even the fact that loyalty to your nation should supercede your loyalty to the military.

Typical of a heartless, mindless, robotic grunt.

Manning may prove to be a hero. There's little doubt that he was very brave.

Very interesting reply

I'm sure that he will enjoy the prison at Leavenworth. Making big bricks into small ones in the hot sun and in the snow with psycho guards and full military discipline for the next 40 years should be a very healthy lifestyle.

while the perpetrators of this massacre of civillians (mostly children & teenagers), and powers at be of the cover up will probably get off scott-free

The US Military is an all-volunteer force. Specialist Bradley Manning volunteered for his service, signed up for his assignment and was granted a security clearance at his request.

He allegedly made the choice to violate the terms of his security clearance and, therefore, must now accept the punishment for his actions.

All you US Military haters can weep and cry all you wish. Manning was wrong if he is convicted. He broke the law concerning classified documents and information and should be punished.

So you'd never be a whistle-blower chuck? I expect not.

What your stance implies is that it was quite right of all the Nazi personel at the concentration camps to stay silent.

If you had been a guard at Auswitz or Dacchau, you would have just done your job and kept silent, right? No consideration for humanity, or even the fact that loyalty to your nation should supercede your loyalty to the military.

Typical of a heartless, mindless, robotic grunt.

Manning may prove to be a hero. There's little doubt that he was very brave.

Harcourt:

Here is a site you might get some benefit from. You can learn countless new ways to insult people rather than using your very old tired and trite Nazi references.

Bored.com - Thousands of funny and intersting ways to annoy people

Whenever can uncovering a crime be considered a crime?

The powers that be use the law to stop the uncovering of their lawlessness.

Can an official secrets act be invoked against an uncovering of a criminal act. Has it ever been tested in law?

Regards.

I'm sure that he will enjoy the prison at Leavenworth. Making big bricks into small ones in the hot sun and in the snow with psycho guards and full military discipline for the next 40 years should be a very healthy lifestyle.

while the perpetrators of this massacre of civillians (mostly children & teenagers), and powers at be of the cover up will probably get off scott-free

It sounds like you have already seen all the evidence, but you haven't. Why am I not surprised? 

I'm sure that he will enjoy the prison at Leavenworth. Making big bricks into small ones in the hot sun and in the snow with psycho guards and full military discipline for the next 40 years should be a very healthy lifestyle.

while the perpetrators of this massacre of civillians (mostly children & teenagers), and powers at be of the cover up will probably get off scott-free

It sounds like you have already seen all the evidence, but you haven't. Why am I not surprised?

no, I never said Ive seen the evidence. But Im assuming you are questioning where the "massacre of civillians,mostly children & teenagers" have come from?

heres some links for your perusal

1 2 3

why arent you surprised UG? Is it because I hold a different viewpoint to yours?

Is there anything else I need to clear up so youre not surprised?

I actually agreed with chuckd that Manning broke the law, if he was the one who leaked the info/video on the Granai massacre to wikileaks

and if the US forces did kill innocent civillians, they broke the law too.

If the US forces are certain about killing mainly taliban fighters, why not release the footage and the matter would be solved. Why the cover up?

The act in trying to detain Julian Assange by the US Govt speaks volumes

General David Petraeus—combatant commander of U.S. operations in the Middle East and Central Asian theaters—told National Public Radio, weeks after the attack, that he had seen the video and it "very clearly shows bombs hitting individuals who are the Taliban who are reacting to the movements of the Afghan and coalition forces on the ground" and though, "there were civilians killed in this incident along", the "targets of these different strikes were the Taliban". He added that he believed the video would be shown "as part of the press briefing" the U.S. probe.

The video was to be released with a Pentagon investigation report, but Pentagon officials were doubtful, "out of fear that its findings would further enrage the Afghan public, Pentagon officials told McClatchy," Nancy Youssef reported, June 15, adding later [emphasis added]:

My link

why arent you surprised UG? I

Because I find most of your (political) posts to be completely slanted - including these.

If US forces did not kill civilians on purpose, it is certainly a tragedy, but not "against the law". Why would they want to allow horrific footage that was stolen by a spy to be released to the general public even if it is exactly what they say it is?

If they can charge Julian Assange with conspiring to broadcast purloined secret documents along with the Manning the traitor, so much the better.

why arent you surprised UG? I

Because I find most of your (political) posts to be completely slanted - including these.

ditto

I'm not surprised. 

The US Military is an all-volunteer force. Specialist Bradley Manning volunteered for his service, signed up for his assignment and was granted a security clearance at his request.

He allegedly made the choice to violate the terms of his security clearance and, therefore, must now accept the punishment for his actions.

All you US Military haters can weep and cry all you wish. Manning was wrong if he is convicted. He broke the law concerning classified documents and information and should be punished.

So you'd never be a whistle-blower chuck? I expect not.

What your stance implies is that it was quite right of all the Nazi personel at the concentration camps to stay silent.

If you had been a guard at Auswitz or Dacchau, you would have just done your job and kept silent, right? No consideration for humanity, or even the fact that loyalty to your nation should supercede your loyalty to the military.

Typical of a heartless, mindless, robotic grunt.

Manning may prove to be a hero. There's little doubt that he was very brave.

Harcourt:

Here is a site you might get some benefit from. You can learn countless new ways to insult people rather than using your very old tired and trite Nazi references.

Bored.com - Thousands of funny and intersting ways to annoy people

You say Manning should face the law rather than be hailed a hero..... and whether you like it or not, whether it is "tired and trite" or not, reference to Nazi non-whistle blowers is totally apt.

Oh, wait......it's not apt because Nazis were bad guys, Jews were victims, US marines are heroes and Afghan civilians are not worth worrying about.

Face the facts chuck: if US forces committed an attrocity, then they should be exposed and dealt with, and any "whistle blower" should be congratulated.

I'd like to think that people did this type of thing out of a sense of what is right rather than for reward. I have nothing against conscientious objectors as long as they are prepared to go to jail for their beliefs.

A Manning who is prepared to got to jail to reveal criminal activity gets the thumbs up from me, a Manning sitting among his lawyers discussing book and movie deals doesn't.

Sometimes courage doesn't involve physical bravery.

Hmmmm. Surely exposing a crime is exposing a crime. Does altruism have any bearing on an attempt to get perpetrators punished?

Whenever can uncovering a crime be considered a crime?

The powers that be use the law to stop the uncovering of their lawlessness.

Can an official secrets act be invoked against an uncovering of a criminal act. Has it ever been tested in law?

Regards.

Even in criminal law does the prosecutor not make deals daily with criminals that have far worse crimes attributed to them than whistle blowing? In exchange for information.

If his whistle blowing does not put the nation at risk then by all means release the info.

In the end I guess there is no law to say there cannot be two wrong here. Both the US govt if they are in fact hiding atrocities from those they serve, and the one leaking documents. Remember the military is not a private enterprise. We the people are suppose to be the owners of the military horse.

The generals & politicians are only the jockeys. We the people have the right to know what our horse has been used for.

Yes the soldier signed a contract with the military to not divulge information...SO I can see a judge charging him with that & I can see due to the circumstances his being a suspended sentence.

Anyone who says this footage should not be released to the public are part of the problem that is the cover up. Same as Zobama hiding the pictures of Gitmo torture claiming it would endanger the troops because of the hate it would generate......DUH !!

The owners of the horse have the right to know EXACTLY what has transpired.Or has this land of the free become a totalitarian dictatorship with some hidden leader?

The way the horse is fed/funded is through senate/congress. Would they continue to

fund/ allow the unlawful use if all the facts are known? Is that why it is best that the public does not see such horrific tapes? Because they would call in droves to their reps & demand withdrawal from Afghanistan same as VN.

The owner of the horse does not have the right to know everything while the war is still on. Perhaps if the information could be limited only to the owner but that is never the case. The owner gets his news about the horse from places that the enemy of the horse and owner can which can be unhealthy to both the horse and its owner.

The owner of the horse does not have the right to know everything while the war is still on. Perhaps if the information could be limited only to the owner but that is never the case. The owner gets his news about the horse from places that the enemy of the horse and owner can which can be unhealthy to both the horse and its owner.

Yes to some degree I agree & understand when it comes to strategic use against enemies.

But.....If it is Mis-use or unlawful use...Then the owner has the right & the obligation to the world to know immediately & to put a stop to it.

The release of things being hidden due to backlash or punishment or shame cannot be denied anymore than it could for any other criminal action.

The loss in this case would not be in the military and strategic field but in morale and political support at home.

Hiding bad news from the general populace has probably been going on since Achilles got it in the neck.

Edit: Sorry, in the heel.

I'm not surprised.

The US Military is an all-volunteer force. Specialist Bradley Manning volunteered for his service, signed up for his assignment and was granted a security clearance at his request.

He allegedly made the choice to violate the terms of his security clearance and, therefore, must now accept the punishment for his actions.

All you US Military haters can weep and cry all you wish. Manning was wrong if he is convicted. He broke the law concerning classified documents and information and should be punished.

So you'd never be a whistle-blower chuck? I expect not.

What your stance implies is that it was quite right of all the Nazi personel at the concentration camps to stay silent.

If you had been a guard at Auswitz or Dacchau, you would have just done your job and kept silent, right? No consideration for humanity, or even the fact that loyalty to your nation should supercede your loyalty to the military.

Typical of a heartless, mindless, robotic grunt.

Manning may prove to be a hero. There's little doubt that he was very brave.

Harcourt:

Here is a site you might get some benefit from. You can learn countless new ways to insult people rather than using your very old tired and trite Nazi references.

Bored.com - Thousands of funny and intersting ways to annoy people

You say Manning should face the law rather than be hailed a hero..... and whether you like it or not, whether it is "tired and trite" or not, reference to Nazi non-whistle blowers is totally apt.

Oh, wait......it's not apt because Nazis were bad guys, Jews were victims, US marines are heroes and Afghan civilians are not worth worrying about.

Face the facts chuck: if US forces committed an attrocity, then they should be exposed and dealt with, and any "whistle blower" should be congratulated.

Harcourt:

You must not get out a lot. Do you date real girls or do most of your dates simply munch on the lawn? I am very concerned about your health and want to advise you to try and make new friends. Listening to "Baaa" all the time seems to have affected you.

PS: See what you could have learned if you had visited my site? Now,isn't my response more entertaining and far more original than yours? And it isn't nearly as insulting or tedious.

Are you asking him to go out with you? Can we expect the first OTB love affair?

The owner of the horse does not have the right to know everything while the war is still on. Perhaps if the information could be limited only to the owner but that is never the case. The owner gets his news about the horse from places that the enemy of the horse and owner can which can be unhealthy to both the horse and its owner.

Yes to some degree I agree & understand when it comes to strategic use against enemies.

But.....If it is Mis-use or unlawful use...Then the owner has the right & the obligation to the world to know immediately & to put a stop to it.

The release of things being hidden due to backlash or punishment or shame cannot be denied anymore than it could for any other criminal action.

If it is an on-going policy of the US military to target civilians then I am 100% behind the idea of a whistle blower to bring this to light & put a stop to it. However, If it is an unfortunate accident then I am 100% against spreading the video around the world because it WILL BE used for propoganda purposes by our enemies which in turn will lead to more inoccent deaths.

Remember that bogus report in Newsweek about the Koran being defiled in Gitmo (it was the prisoners doing the defiling themselves)? How many people on the streets of Pakistan died in the protests that followed? That figure we know. What we don't know is how many enemy fighters, suicide-bombers were motivated by the report which led to an untold number of deaths.

In this case, the hate-America crowd cares more about making the USA look like monsters than they care about the lives of the people they claim to support.