The US government is fairly certain that the sky is blue.
When are we gonna get to the real dirt? Like maybe finding out that an official visit by the Secretary of State got messed up because Bill and Hillary's girlfriends aren't speaking to each other?
The standard Right reaction I've been hearing so far is that these leaks are critical breaches of national security, causing a worldwide massacre of US intelligence operatives; the streets are running with Spook Blood and every US citizen's life is now in grave(er) danger.
There doesn't seem to be a unified cry on the Left. Some are faintly libertarian, cheering Assange as a hero who is using freedom of expression to hold governments accountable and keep the world safe from tyranny forever. Most Lefties, though, seem miffed that The Obama and The Hilary have been embarrassed, thus losing American Face in the worldwide contest for national self-esteem.
As you note, though, most of the "revelations" I've seen are remarkable only for how unremarkable they are.
In Marko's post last week, some hoity-toity commented that the random dissemination of "classified" documents was “…not a socially worthy activity.”
To which I replied (and none other than the Newt agreed on Fox this weekend):
"What the fuck has that got to do with it? Follow the money!
The world is full of whores and hustlers who will sell or do anything for fame and/or fortune…and I’m not sure a capitalist libertarian can fault that. So maybe it would be a good idea for gov to keep sensitive information out of the hands of pfc's and hackable data files.
If you don’t want somebody to take your shit and sell it for crack, lock your door and keep your piece handy.
While most of the releases are unimportant, some offer ways to find out how we learned various tidbits. It is the giveaway of sources which is of concern. And I doubt other nations will tell us how they closed any leaks--whether by "dis-employment" or by funeral.
And, many of the emails show that we're lying like dogs in much of what we've told our purported allies--which doesn't help our efforts, no matter how benign. IOW, those emails should never have been sent. Arrogant dumbos, I guess...
While I agree that the endgame in The Long War (if there ever is one) will be in downtown Riyadh and Mecca, the problem with your statement is that the Saudi money that's being used to fund Jihadis is just like the American money that's being used to fund the IRA.
America as a nation is not behind the terrorists in Belfast, but the money's coming from Boston all the same. Should the UK invade us?
What worries me is that this is going to be the excuse every repression-minded politico needs to start routine Internet censorship. It's a lot easier to pull DNS entries than it is to stop staffers from downloading and distributing these things, and buy invoking the Four Horsemen of the Infocalypse, once that door is open there won't be any closing it.
Frankly, Wikileaks sounds like an absolute intelligence gold mine.
For at least a little while, we've got an outlet for information that will have absolute credibility. It'll have even more credibility the more that the government protests about the "release of classified and sensitive documents" and pressures foreign governments to crack down on Assange.
This is a great time for the US to let out into the open some highly embarrassing things we know about nations that are working against our nation interests, lightly spice with little peccadilloes of the involved US officials so it doesn't look completely lopsided.
Then start salting the information flow with stuff that looks good, seems really juicy, but is verifiably false by anyone in the know, and you can turn Wikileaks into a laughingstock, just like that fine and respectable paragon of journalistic integrity, the Weekly World News.
I am, however, interested into an actual review of the way sensitive documents are stored and handled by .gov before more people get killed.
In all fairness, the terrorists in Belfast (INLA and "True" IRA) were hunted down and killed by the Provos before they handed over their weapons and took jobs in local government and the Royal Ulster Constabulary.
I thought it was somewhat droll to read that Scotland Yard had established lines of communication and sharing of information with the Provos shortly before the accords, on the understanding that none of the individuals targeted would ever live to see the inside of a British court. It had a lot to do with the trust developed that led to the disarmament.
In the meantime, the "Loyalist" militias, still armed and hiding behind political protection, have degenerated into criminal gangs, controlling hardv drugs and kiddy prostitution.
For reference, my Grandfather was born into the Orange Lodge, and his family worked in the Belfast shipyards for almost a century, employment totally restricted to "Loyalists".
The same Orange Lodge that funded and reinvigorated the KKK over here in the 60's and 70's. Amazing how many Northern Irish politicians graduated from Bob Jones or Oral Roberts Universities.
Read up on the B Specials some time. Felix Dzerzinski used them as the model for the Checka.
Concidering all the evening up of scores the mainstream IRA decided to forgo, and the large number of British police and military still walking around after commiting hundreds of deliberate murders, I'd say that if I had to chose between my father's family or the people on the other side of the wall, I'd say my guys were the bad(er) guys.
I'm not worried about disclosures of "secrets" like what diplomats think of foreign leaders. Meh. indeed.
I *am* worried about disclosing lists (including the locations) of high value assets. The world is filled with soft targets that are essentially impossible to defend one by one. We don't need to give any help to the Bad Guys in making up a "How do we screw the West longtime" list.
I don't know that people would die if the trans-atlantic cablehead were blown up, but they dang sure might die if the factory that makes a bunch of the medical blood products is taken out.
Your mileage may vary, void where prohibited, do not remove tag under penalty of law.
All of the cables have SIPDIS clearance... which is the lowest level of secrecy.
ReplyDeleteReally embarrasing stuff is likely hardcopy only. Unless they are total idiots..
The standard Right reaction I've been hearing so far is that these leaks are critical breaches of national security, causing a worldwide massacre of US intelligence operatives; the streets are running with Spook Blood and every US citizen's life is now in grave(er) danger.
ReplyDeleteThere doesn't seem to be a unified cry on the Left. Some are faintly libertarian, cheering Assange as a hero who is using freedom of expression to hold governments accountable and keep the world safe from tyranny forever. Most Lefties, though, seem miffed that The Obama and The Hilary have been embarrassed, thus losing American Face in the worldwide contest for national self-esteem.
As you note, though, most of the "revelations" I've seen are remarkable only for how unremarkable they are.
In Marko's post last week, some hoity-toity commented that the random dissemination of "classified" documents was “…not a socially worthy activity.”
ReplyDeleteTo which I replied (and none other than the Newt agreed on Fox this weekend):
"What the fuck has that got to do with it? Follow the money!
The world is full of whores and hustlers who will sell or do anything for fame and/or fortune…and I’m not sure a capitalist libertarian can fault that. So maybe it would be a good idea for gov to keep sensitive information out of the hands of pfc's and hackable data files.
If you don’t want somebody to take your shit and sell it for crack, lock your door and keep your piece handy.
AT
Saw a blurb from a UK paper last night--supposedly Assange has some info on UFOs he's gonna release.
ReplyDeleteSaudi money funding terror? Sounds like a great reason to attack Iraq! Oh wait...
ReplyDeleteWhile most of the releases are unimportant, some offer ways to find out how we learned various tidbits. It is the giveaway of sources which is of concern. And I doubt other nations will tell us how they closed any leaks--whether by "dis-employment" or by funeral.
ReplyDeleteAnd, many of the emails show that we're lying like dogs in much of what we've told our purported allies--which doesn't help our efforts, no matter how benign. IOW, those emails should never have been sent. Arrogant dumbos, I guess...
Anon.
ReplyDeleteWhile I agree that the endgame in The Long War (if there ever is one) will be in downtown Riyadh and Mecca, the problem with your statement is that the Saudi money that's being used to fund Jihadis is just like the American money that's being used to fund the IRA.
America as a nation is not behind the terrorists in Belfast, but the money's coming from Boston all the same. Should the UK invade us?
Darrell,
ReplyDeleteAre any of them named Bill, Hillary, Barack or Michelle?
Tam re: Saudi money
ReplyDeleteNo, it's not the same.
The U.S. government is not bankrolling the IRA. The Saudi royal family (IOW The Saudi government) IS bankrolling Islamic terrorism.
U.S. citizens do things the U.S. government doesn't approve of. Saudi citizens do not do things the Saudi government doesn't approve of.
Tam: Does it make me a bad person that I'm actually kind of Ok with the British invading, as long as they limit their activities to Boston? :)
ReplyDeleteWhat worries me is that this is going to be the excuse every repression-minded politico needs to start routine Internet censorship. It's a lot easier to pull DNS entries than it is to stop staffers from downloading and distributing these things, and buy invoking the Four Horsemen of the Infocalypse, once that door is open there won't be any closing it.
ReplyDeleteFrankly, Wikileaks sounds like an absolute intelligence gold mine.
ReplyDeleteFor at least a little while, we've got an outlet for information that will have absolute credibility. It'll have even more credibility the more that the government protests about the "release of classified and sensitive documents" and pressures foreign governments to crack down on Assange.
This is a great time for the US to let out into the open some highly embarrassing things we know about nations that are working against our nation interests, lightly spice with little peccadilloes of the involved US officials so it doesn't look completely lopsided.
Then start salting the information flow with stuff that looks good, seems really juicy, but is verifiably false by anyone in the know, and you can turn Wikileaks into a laughingstock, just like that fine and respectable paragon of journalistic integrity, the Weekly World News.
I am, however, interested into an actual review of the way sensitive documents are stored and handled by .gov before more people get killed.
In all fairness, the terrorists in Belfast (INLA and "True" IRA) were hunted down and killed by the Provos before they handed over their weapons and took jobs in local government and the Royal Ulster Constabulary.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was somewhat droll to read that Scotland Yard had established lines of communication and sharing of information with the Provos shortly before the accords, on the understanding that none of the individuals targeted would ever live to see the inside of a British court. It had a lot to do with the trust developed that led to the disarmament.
In the meantime, the "Loyalist" militias, still armed and hiding behind political protection, have degenerated into criminal gangs, controlling hardv drugs and kiddy prostitution.
For reference, my Grandfather was born into the Orange Lodge, and his family worked in the Belfast shipyards for almost a century, employment totally restricted to "Loyalists".
The same Orange Lodge that funded and reinvigorated the KKK over here in the 60's and 70's. Amazing how many Northern Irish politicians graduated from Bob Jones or Oral Roberts Universities.
Read up on the B Specials some time. Felix Dzerzinski used them as the model for the Checka.
Concidering all the evening up of scores the mainstream IRA decided to forgo, and the large number of British police and military still walking around after commiting hundreds of deliberate murders, I'd say that if I had to chose between my father's family or the people on the other side of the wall, I'd say my guys were the bad(er) guys.
I'm not worried about disclosures of "secrets" like what diplomats think of foreign leaders. Meh. indeed.
ReplyDeleteI *am* worried about disclosing lists (including the locations) of high value assets. The world is filled with soft targets that are essentially impossible to defend one by one. We don't need to give any help to the Bad Guys in making up a "How do we screw the West longtime" list.
I don't know that people would die if the trans-atlantic cablehead were blown up, but they dang sure might die if the factory that makes a bunch of the medical blood products is taken out.
Your mileage may vary, void where prohibited, do not remove tag under penalty of law.