Fully agree. McCarthyism 2.0 here. Lets leave the labels so they actually do some good defining a group or activity. Unless of course we want to use the war on terror to increase censorship in this country, you know, for our own good.

I agree. It's typical, isn't it? The truth is embarassing, so let's silence those who speak it. It's awful easy to claim that the truth endangers our soldiers, when it is the government's lies that endanger them.

No one said the content is a mistake. We rely on diplomats to make candid assessments of military and politcal leaders of other countries. Should an American want a top secret clearance, similar assessments of their spending habits, friends, lifestyle, and so forth, would be assessed as well. These types of assessments are used in both tactical and strategic thinking and planning done by goverments and militaries everywhere. The fact the the content was classified, and surely marked as such, means that anyone publishing them, whether they stole them initially or not, is violating a law. The implications, in this case, make the violation terrorism in some cases, treason in others.

The fact that a former Sec of State got away with similar unlawful behavior does not justify repeating the crime.

Congress is a "Domestic Terrorist Organization". They do more damage to our National Interests than any other terrorist organization.

Wiki reveals the truth, and the truth is Governments and Congressman like Peter King are liars. Their lies kill many more people, the truth will set us free.

This is the same as hacking emails or stealing confidential business documents. The guy that took these was a military member if I recall. They jailed the Palin hacker, why not the creep that stole this information. Confidential is confidential.

Well said, Jett. If these knuckleheads don't want to see their ridiculous comments in print, stop making ridiculous comments. And as for Wiki, they only run what people give them... prosecute the source, if you must, but it does no good to kill the messenger.

Yeah I think I would leave the terror designation to those committing acts of terror.

The only people being terrorized here are in congress and are afraid of their nasty secrets getting out. While I think it may make the US look bad I think what makes it look worse is that these folks are getting the info. So the government may want to close up the HUGE holes it has in its security.

Oh Yeah - Treason is against your own country. So calling this guy a traitor is not correct.

The obvious FACT exposed is that our disgracefully run government cannot even manage its own "classified messages?" How embarrassing?

Just watch the politicians RANT about WikiLeaks, just like they ranted about Wall Street greed, GM, Chrysler, the Banks and the Insurance companies?

Yet, ALL the while our politicians "controlled the many federal agencies specifically specifically created to prevent these calamities?"

WikiLeaks PROVED how unbelievably INEPT our federal government really, really is!

To add insult to injury... these PARASITES at PMSNBC have the GAUL to suggest WikiLeaks is a "terrorist organization"... while conveniently ignoring the GLARING TRUTH that our federal government "once again" has NO IDEA what it is doing... but spending our descendants in to TRILLIONS of dollars in debt to accomplish little to nothing worth while.

Americans should be upset at our very own government, not WikiLeaks.

They didn't make mistakes. They had private conversations. The same thing you would be crying foul about if your private stuff were made public.

I believe that we need to fix many problems within our government caused by ineffective and inexperienced elected officials, but to bring it down is irresponsible.

There are way too many people on here wishing for our government and its secrets to fall.

Do any of you understand that “we”, the people of the U.S., are represented by and have control of the government? If our government falls, we all fall.

The diplomats did not make a mistake. They were providing information and candid assessments back to the decision makers in Washington. To observe and report the conditions in other countries is one of the primary roles of foreign diplomats. The main concern is not what was said, but rather how it will be received by the subjects of the reports.

There are too many secrets kept from the public anyway. All this shows is that Wikileaks has inside people willing to share what should be public knowledge anyhow. Now that we've seen these, bring on the UFO Files...Lol...

This is not just about exposing errors, they published information about negotians and other activities with various world leaders. They have placed us in a position where the world will not trust us as they do not want the information published.

If you are living a fantasy where all interactions with other nations are up to public scrutiny, you are beyond naive. There is a great need for confidentiality. Just as in business, a negotiation needs to be private to allow each party the right to pursue their goals to their country's advantage.

Somebody please explain to me what or whom on earth does making this public knowledge benefit in any way, shape, or form? Just because you can "leak" private conversations and make them public doesn't mean it's a good idea! Would any of you like to have your private conversations all on public record? I think not! Then why is this okay in some of your minds? Simply because of who is exposed? Wait untill you are next, and then lets hear what you have to say about it. I doubt any of you would have the same comments to make! Seriously........I sometimes wonder why so many seem to think they are entitled to have their cake and eat it too.

I can't see where designating them a terrorist organization will solve the problem. This isn't polictics! You can't just call them names (in an attempt to "Demonize") and shift the blame on them for embarrassing thing the Gov't Official prefer not to have disclosed! If you find your behavior embarrassing----Change Your Behavior! Whatever is done in the dark usually comes to light!

I was taught if you have something to say to or about someone say it to there face so I have no problem with my conversations being public I got nothing to hide or be ashamed of

Pretty much everything that has been leaked amounts to less than what we say at work every day. Perhaps the world leaders can get a backbone instead of worrying about what diplomats say about them behind thier backs. Just part of the job description.

It's called dis-information, folks. Intentional LEAKS. Bet on it! It was done all the time in WW2 and Vietnam.

Disinformation is certainly used in political and military arenas all the time. But that is an orchestrated effort toward a specific goal. This is people leaking classified information to the public at large globally. This puts operatives in danger as well as prominent figures. It puts at risk some highly important operations that the public has no need to know about. Just because information exists doesn't mean the public needs to know it or would even know what to do with it. In the long run, it is possible nothing will be catastrophically damaged but the potential exists and that is enough to cause concern. Even though I am not real sure about the terrorist designation, I would not dispute it either. They are most certainly striking terror in the hearts of operatives all over the world.

There is a difference between government actions and private communications between individuals. This country seems to have its ethics upside down and backwards - warrantless wiretapping of individuals is fine, but government communications are sacrosanct? Sounds like what some people really want is a dictatorship.

The American people have a right to know what our government is up to. A fact we seem to have forgotten. Throughout history, power-hungry people have used fear and bogeymen to scare the citizenry into letting them have control. Do we forget history so easily, or did we just never learn it?

What Hypocrites!

Can anyone say Scooter Libby? Dick Cheney? Valarie Plame???

This kind of leaking of "Classified" information is the way the U.S. Government rolls people! Just ask Bush and the gang of thugs he employed for 8 years!

So those of you who are crying foul and you allowed Bush/Cheney to get away with countless crimes--Pipe down!

You shall reap what you sew...Karma is definitely real folks!

Do we want our public officials to resort to communicating like Mafia Dons, with nothing written down or recorded in any way? At least until now these secret communications are reviewed by our duly elected or appointed representatives. Wilkileaks undermines the entire process in the name of a misguided, even malicious agenda to promote transparency. By indescriminately embarassing US and allied oficials Wilileaks actually undermines long-term transparency.

"Perhaps the world leaders can get a backbone instead of worrying about what diplomats say about them behind thier backs. Just part of the job description."

International diplomacy runs on the personal relationships. Wars have started and ended because of personal relationships. Appearances are the cornerstone of such relationships. To think that it shouldn't matter what is said about one leader by a diplomat, is to miss this point completely. How can we sign treaties and make trade deals when the diplomats' private criticisms are laid bare for the other party to see?

Wikileaks is exposing more than just scandalous military mistakes, they are exposing troop movements and the inner monologues of our intelligence networks. America is the victim of a directed attack on our credibility at all levels. Other nations have similar dirty laundry, but face no such attack. We are weakened immeasurably by the existence of these web sites.

It is the same as when paparazzi feed the public every tidbit of some actor's life. It destroys them. There is a limit to what the public needs and has a right to know. Wikileaks ought to be seen by every nation as a criminal enterprise, since no nation is safe from it.

The wikileaks founder thinks that he is leveling the playing field by weakening America, but you cannot lift one nation up by tearing another down.

So many fools. The truth is embarrassing. That's all you have to say? How about we post everything you think all day? How about your private conversations? We need the truth after all! No, governments (for the people) have rights to secrets and private communications and in fact must have these to operate. This is an aggregious breach of "inner dialog" of our diplomats as they formulated the "outer dialog" which is meant to be heard. This WikiLeaks creep is delusional, dangerous and I predict he's going to find himself with a mysterious illness fairly soon. Maybe caused by the ghost of a new dead victim he's created by his illegally-got dumps.

Fedup,

Get over the politics. It wasn't right then, isn't right now. Satisfied?

cdahl,

But it is certainly all about politics my friend--and its good that you recognize hypocrisy when its right in your face.

And No--I'm not satisfied and you shouldn't be either.

Peter- You're probably right. If the Soviets will murder reporters, presidential candidates, etc, then it would be silly to think that the United States wouldn't also engage in such subversion.

That, of course, is exactly what justifies leaking "classified" info. Thanks for making such a great point, jackass.

Have to agree with you. First of all, it is my understanding that PFC Manning has been in custody since May 2010 and there is no mention of us pulling out of Iran.

This is an embarrasement (or honest opinion) that should have been secured better. There are always secrets and always will be. Our government was aware of this for months why act now.

jcj---that's typical tool thinking. Let's jump right to the most evil regimes in history and compare their state secrets with the US State Department calling Karzai and idiot or some other disparaging remark that is hurtful to the cause of peace but OK to think or even say in closed circles. Not all Truth needs to be known by everybody....and I don't want some child rapist in Sweden determining what US secrets the world get's to see....but you apparently are real keen on his every doing.

Well said Jeff (OP). Since WWII, and maybe even earlier, the US Gov't has been obcesses with secrets, to the point that the Gov't of the People, by the People and for the People is totally unknown by said People. For a Democratic Republic to run, the People (where the real power lies) MUST know what is going on. for 43 years, all I have heard is State's Secrets, and Executive Privillage. And in that same time frame it has produced countless scandles, crimes, wars, military actions, war crimminals, a pathetic peanut farmer as Pres, and given rise to Neo-Cons who want more of the same.

Wiki-leaks may or may not be doing anything illegal (I am not a lawyer, and especially not an International one), but I admire that they are risking it all to inform the US Citizens of what our Gov't is and has been up to. Remember George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and their peers were labeled as crimminals and terrorists once, but out of their actions came the greastest country on Earth. I would rather know what the Gov't is doing than not, and the more people made aware the better.

This past election was bought by the Corporations. Maybe 2012 will be decided on facts and a real desire to move the US forward from the Nixonian quagmire it is stuck in.

Open Societies do not remain healthy when cloaked in secrets.

I have a theory on the wikileaks timing - it's called, False Flag attacks: http://mdphknmrk.newsvine.com/_news/2010/11/29/5545089-wikileaks-the-reported-stories-and-american-diplomacy

Totally Agree! Our government too often hides behind such practices to stop these organizations from disseminating the truth!

There is something larger at stake here! This person should not be "called" a terrorist because he published these documents! If WE allow that, then we are allowing THEM to take another step in the strategic surgical removal of our RIGHT to free speech, and allowing them further control on a free cyberspace, which is becoming fundemental to exercising that right. That falls right in line with the current regimes plans! (and I don't care that it is a republican calling for this, frankly I am shocked) If this guy has committed a crime, then he should be prosecuted. But maybe the people who allowed these documents (if they are SOO sensitive) to be "leaked" are the ones we should be focusing on. Are these people NOT the traitors hmmmmmm????

I don't see whats wrong with our government having to be accountable for their actions, didn't we all want more transparency?

...or do we just want to be a bunch of ignorate people that lets our own government walk all over us and other people around the world.

Are we citizens or are we subjects..? time to take an active role in our future and not leave it in a the hands of a few people, transparency is the best place to start for real change.

There are some things that should be secret. If there are documents that talk about our strategy with North Korea. Do we want to reveal all our communications between South Korea, Japan, China, Russia and the US to North Korea? So that they know exactly what our governments are talking about among themselves?

Secrets have their time and place. If these documents showed criminial behavior or government coverups of something important, that would be one thing, but all wikileaks is trying to do is embarras the US and its allies.

Is this any different than Watergate.........

Agreed

The release of these documents is not only illegal, it is completely irresponsible. the repercussions are impossible to predict. The first group of documents published by Wikileaks got people killed. A number of Afghan civilians who were helping the US with intelligence information were executed by terrorists after their names were published. As far as I am concerned this makes both Jullian Assange and PFC Bradley Manning guilty as accessories to murder.

The release of this latest group of documents will undoubtedly lead to additional deaths. Even if Wikileaks did redact names, which they have not indicated that they have any intent on doing, it will be fairly clear to people close to the events who the sources of information are. The release will severely damage US international relations as well as the relations between numerous other countries. It will also do major damage to US intelligence gathering efforts because the documents will reveal many US sources of information within foreign countries and their governments. This will likely result in these people being removed from their posts, or at least having their access to sensitive information reduced/eliminated. I would also imagine that a number of them will have mysterious "accidents" or just be outright murdered/executed.

Assange is not doing this because of some righteous motive to expose wrongdoing, he is doing for self aggrandizement and to feed his own ego. I normally would not condone murdering someone, but Assange needs to be taken out. As a minimum, Julian Assange needs to be arrested for espionage and locked up like any other foreign spy. As for PFC Manning, he leaked these documents because he was upset over a breakup with his lover and was pissed at the army for his having to be in the middle east. Again, the release was not motivated by any desire to expose wrongdoing, it was just to embarrass and get even with the army for his being deployed somewhere he did not want to be. As a US citizen, and a soldier to boot, PFC Manning should be tried for treason. After conviction he should be executed as the punishment for treason in time of war is death.

and I don't want some child rapist in Sweden determining what US secrets the world get's to see....

But I bet when its a child rapist in West Palm Beach, like Rush Limbaugh, you're all for it.

I didn't make the comparison out of the blue. You advocated the assassination of a foreign national by subversive means, then you get your panties in a wad because I point out that you'd feel right at home in the USSR, or Putin's Russia? What a titbaby. Don't you have a sign with Obama wearing a Hitlerstache to be holding up somewhere in front of a TV camera?

Open Societies do not remain healthy when cloaked in secrets.(1.30)

So True....

No, wikileaks is not a terrorist organization, but they have proven themselves to be an Enemy of the State. As such its a safe bet that Assange will probably suffer an unfortunate accident in the very near future. Such a shame, according to the women he assaulted he seamed like such a nice guy.

By the way the POS, PFC that provided this info to Wikileaks is in custody and will likely never see the light of day again. It would seem he was a petty little man with an ax to grind. Now he's a petty little man waiting for the ax to fall. I wonder if his history and agenda will effect the shaping of the DADT debates about to start regarding the rights of gays to serve openly in the military. Somehow I don't think he's done his cause a service.

WikiLeaks is a CIA creation. No other group would get so much mainstream coverage for this type of information, and people get killed for much less than this.

WikiLeaks is only releasing what the CIA wants the public to know. What their goal is has yet to be determined, but it looks like it's to ramp up the cyber war on the US. Say goodbye to your dissenting alternative media on the internet!

In society we don't condone stealing, but we make exceptions; same with secrets. The American government is stealing more and more rights from us under the guise of terrorism and threats to National Security. And then keeps secrets from us about the threats to National Security "for our own good". When you keep secrets...someone is going to want to know what that secret is all about.

As if our government keeping secrets is a...SECRET?!? As if we are the only ones. When keeping secrets, be good at it--OOOPS our bad. Homeland Security probably hired the guy to steal the secrets to justify stealing the rights from the American people. And we are dumb enough to fall for it or just to tired to put up a fight about it. Our government has us right where they want us...AFRAID!

The United States encourage & influence democratic processes in foreign countries while striving to stifle/reverse the very basis of America...the Constitution and the Bill of Rights--in the name of terrorism.

I imagine the 'threats' might be fictitious or embellished to implement more control over the American people--shocker. Like the storyline of the 1997 movie, "Wag the Dog" in which a war was fabricated to cover up a presidential sex scandal. Looks like the biggest threat to national security is the government we put in charge of protecting it!

Bring on the new-century witch hunts and trials--let me get my broom. Next we will be executing people for blasphemy for speaking out against our government and its policies like Pakistan with religion.

I am insulted and so should you be!

I doubt that the United States is obligated to follow the lead of the Soviets if they opt to murder someone. You should choose your leaders more carefully. Perhaps you should emulate someone who actually gets along with others without killing them. Playing 'follow the leader' has more than one option. You can choose which wise leader to follow and choose not to follow the poor leader.

If the Soviets will murder reporters, presidential candidates, etc, then it would be silly to think that the United States wouldn't also engage in such subversion.

I have an idea, its called plausible deniablity. Stop writing stupid things and we can avoid all of this. Plus, the use of classification is so over the board now it defeats the purpose. You classify things that can get people killed or jepordize serious nation security interests. You don't go slapping secret labels on diplomatic missteps.

Calling Medvedev Batman's Robin was fine, but was there a frigging reason it was recorded? There was not a more professional way to state that?

Sorry, this is just foolishness. He posted information that is embarrassing, not information that could get people killed. Plame was worse than this and we didn't go after that leak. Meanwhile the Dept of Homeland Security is censoring internet sites and enforcing corporate will against the peoples, but hey, wikileaks is so much more important. Its all a distraction.

I agree with you Joe. The fact that these documents were 'leaked' is the number one issue first. That person or persons should be charged with treason. The person publishing them is in fact in posession of stolen property and dealing in state secrets and should be charge as such which would include being charged as a spy. The old saying is true here....'just because you can, does not mean you should'. Any documents dealing with the military, how it is run past or present are in fact putting our country in danger. As past dealings militarily tend to show what can or may be done in the future. These people should be tried and convicted in abstentia since they are not likely to come to a trial.

The person who released this information in not an American citizen and not subject to U.S. law.

Fact is the Government should have better security, Smarter people, and remember three things

A: Loose Lips Sink Ships

B: NEVER talk in any place that can be recorded

C: If you can't say anything nice about someone...

Greg you are absolutely correct, He is not an American so he also does not have the rights afforded an American.

If it is the same guy as before he is a member of the US military and is therefore subject to the UCMJ. It is called Treason.

Julian Assange is an Australian citizen. The information previously leaked was provided to him by a member of the US military. I agree that Assange should be considered a thief and a spy. I also believe Australia should prosecute him as a traitor.

Dear ConservaNut Bozos,

When are you going to endorse prosecuting Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, and Rove for their crimes in lying to the US and the world about Weapons of Mass Destruction.

The Four Stooges have fraudulently killed far more people than WikiLeaks ever did or will.

Saddam may have been "bad" but our stupidity and lies are worse.

Any and all persons involved in this leak of sensitive information should be arrested and charged with the appropriate crimes, and if they were members of the military, then the UCMJ comes into play and they should be convicted of treason!! This has nothing to do with free speech or free press, this was a crime against our government and all involved should be charged and the website shut down!! The website founder should also be charged as well.

I still do not know how this information got out! I thought
national security matters" were not open to the "freedom if information" .... We clearly need much better security...but on the other hand, much of this information was not really so "secret' to begin with .. more embarrassing (and well-known facts). This group is are not terrorist in the true sense. Still, who ever let this stuff get out there should be dealt with harsly!

Worse than Saddam? Wow! There is negligence and there is maliciousness, do not confuse the two.

Its considered espionage and treason there is no trial and no rights are afforded spies ANY US citizen is legally bound by the US Constitution to shoot anyone associated with Wikileaks on sight

Right on Jym Allyn. How come exposing Valery Plame was OK but this is treason? It's not too late to try Cheney and--what's the other guy's name?--for treason.

That's why the little prick is hiding right now as he will be found and brought to justice over the leaks and rape charger.

Bill - you are referring to Cheney, right? I wouldn't call him "little", though.

"Its considered espionage and treason there is no trial and no rights are afforded spies ANY US citizen is legally bound by the US Constitution to shoot anyone associated with Wikileaks on sight"

librl-

You aren't a liberal, that's for sure. And I don't want to live in your Stalinist world.

The disclosure of diplomatic secrets buy a non-citizen of the US is the result of our poor diplomatic communications. It All began with the regime of the War criminal George W. Bush and the result of our non actions as a nation to stop him, set up a great deal of these events. There is no Terrorism here, just an attempt to cover up our lack of adherence to international treaties. Wiki Leaks should be applauded for their bravery.

Hmm such a narrow minded view? Look if you don't like in information DON'T read it. Free press is free press, deal with it! Whats next? Everyone who owns a firearm will be a terrorist? This is bogus just like your comment :). Have a wonderful day

Bill M NY "I have an idea, its called plausible deniablity. Stop writing stupid things and we can avoid all of this"

So, if a diplomat in Italy is asked for his candid assessment of the country's leadership (which is part of a diplomats job), he should... what? Travel to Washington a personally whisper his views to his superior? Then his superior will have to verbally pass it on to everyone that needs to know, and none of them will ever write it down?

It's not 'gossip' for a diplomat to say that someone is more concerned about drinking all night than governing. It's assessing the leadership situation. In order for that assessment to do any good it sort of needs to be written down so that the responsible parties can read it.

Petrostudent: So, if a journalist illegally taps your phone and publishes every embarassing thing you said, it's just the free press? And don't say that 'tapping my phone is illegal!', because so is publishing classified documents.

The government should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law for taking a giant dump on the constitution. Not to mention, concealment of atrocities.

Where does it say that in the Constitution? I would use appropriate caution about jumping to conclusions. It may not be all that. You could wind up being prosecuted for murder with no defense. You may mistakenly think you are right, but if you are wrong, you'll look really dumb standing next to that dead body spouting gibberish as if it will get you off the hook for a capital crime.

Its considered espionage and treason there is no trial and no rights are afforded spies ANY US citizen is legally bound by the US Constitution to shoot anyone associated with Wikileaks on sight

I do believe his first name is Julian, and if I remember correctly that charge was dismissed almost as quickly as it appeared over three or four months ago. I could be wrong, but I think that charge went away only a day or two after it was unofficially made.

They dropped the charges the next day and pretty much admitted that they were fiction.

• THAT NEVER STOPPED THE ISRAELS FROM PUTTING A BULLET IN SOMEONES HEAD WHEN WHEN THEY LEAKED CLASSIFIED INFORMATION...
• NO MATTER WHO OR WHERE THEY WHERE FROM..
• MAKES NO DIFFERENCE CITIZEN OR NOT..

They dropped the charges the next day and pretty much admitted that they were fiction

I think you are wrong on this. One charge is still being pursued last I read; it's just not being pursued as rape.

I agree. If they were scared of getting caught, then they knew what they were doing was wrong, and they shouldn't be pissed that they have to face the disapproval of the American people now that we know. Those that say no one should know these things, are going against everything Liberty stands for. Transparency is just what we need in Washington. We elect these people, and you're saying you don't want to know what they do with your money? Come on!

Thank God for Wiki Leaks? Are you serious? Leaking confidential information to our enemies is NOT the best way to keep them honest. I don't pretend that I have the right solution, but I'm confident that treason is never the best way to do anything.

How can you say that our country is the best in the world if you believe it is corrupt?

Seriously...If wikileaks can get it, don't you think that everyone else who really wants it can get it as well. This is just making it easier.

We do have the best country in the world......meaning the People, not the government that has hijacked our democracy......

...If wikileaks can get it, don't you think that everyone else who really wants it can get it as well.

Actually the news story I saw last night said it was tied back to a guy from the Pentagon and he's being held at the moment. So I'd have to say No we would not normally have easy access to the info as well we shouldn't.

@ Gary - The stolen/leaked info that I've heard about so far has nothing to do with corruption. Gathering info on people and highly sensitive negotiations are commonly not published. That's not corruption - that's business.

This whole issue around Wiki Leaks does seem to occupy somewhat of a grey area. It's one thing if you are convinced that someone committed treason or spied unlawfully, it's another if you think it is speech protected by the First Amendment.

Thank God for Wiki Leaks? Are you serious? Leaking confidential information to our enemies is NOT the best way to keep them honest. I don't pretend that I have the right solution, but I'm confident that treason is never the best way to do anything.

The press may be free to say what they want, but the 1st ammendment isn't compelled to give them the material to publish.

Besides, what part of SECRET or TOP SECRET do you all out there not understand?

Oh, we understand SECRET and even TOP SECRET all right. We also understand that these designations are often used to hide the truth, to protect government officials from prosecution for their crimes.

I have to agree with Sawyer, it's how the government uses coverups. And labeling Wikileaks as terrorist orginization is just a way for the government to further hinder freedom of the press, but then again with the Patriot Act and the Homeland Security Act, we Americans don't have rights anymore.

Agreed. In my honest opinion, having Wikileaks around is just another check & balance on the government system.

I think everyone had best worry if they define Wikileaks as a domestic terrorist group, cause after Wikileaks it will be the news sites, then it will be people with a negative opinion of the government, as well as anyone who attempts to exercise their rights. I can see it now, it's gonna be the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 8th, and 5th Amemdments repealed, in that order.

If the US government is so scared @!$%#less that Wikileaks is gonna damage their reputation that they're going to call them all terrorists, then maybe they should rethink their foreign policy so that they don't screw things up enough for Wikileaks to show interest.

When you have the lies of Faux Noise and the subservience of the rest of the US news media, we desperately need a source such as WikiLeads to have any semblance of "freedom of the press."

Agreed. So great was our the respect our Founding Fathers had for the institution of a free press in this nation that they made its guarantee part of the First Amendment of our Constitution, the very foundation of our nation’s system of laws. Nowhere in that great document is mention made of a presumed right on the part of our government to hide the truth from us. There is no “State Secrets” amendment, no “Top Secret Classifications” clause. There is, in fact, absolutely no provision giving our leaders any right to deceive, beguile, or misinform us. They have simply taken it upon themselves to do so and we as a weak-willed and gullible populace have so far seen fit to allow it to happen. When they have lied to us, we have not held them in any way, shape or form accountable for their lies; rather, we have simply accepted their lies as truth. Worse, our leaders have so vociferously defended their right to lie to us that we are now at the point where deceit is cast as patriotic and the dissemination of truth is seen as an act of terrorism.

In all this we have forgotten the core foundation of a just society: its adherence to, and elevation of, the truth. Truth is the wellspring from whence justice is derived for without truth there can be no justice. What court of law can long survive in a system where deceit is the mainstay, where no testimony or evidence can be trusted and therefore no just verdict may be found? If a people cannot trust the courts which administer its laws, it cannot trust the laws themselves; if it cannot trust the laws, it cannot trust the lawmakers; if it cannot trust the lawmakers then it cannot trust the government. And if a people cannot trust its own government, and if that government presumes a right to foster that mistrust on a foundation of deceit, it has thusly chosen to abrogate just authority in favor of form of governance unrestrained by truth and necessary arbitrary by nature.

There is a definition for such a form of governance: tyranny.

Spoken like a true poet!

As I said earlier,

This whole issue around Wiki Leaks does seem to occupy somewhat of a grey area. It's one thing if you are convinced that someone committed treason or spied unlawfully, it's another if you think it is speech protected by the First Amendment.

So you must balance the various arguments and eventually determine which law, the one against treason or the one that protects freedom of speech, applies most in this situation, or if both apply equally.

You can't have a free society without a free press.

So much will depend on the facts of what actually occurred in this case, not merely on politics.

You also must consider if this really was treason or spying unlawfully at all. Once the facts are assembled and carefully examined and weighed, they may not meet the legal test for treason, for instance, even if they meet the standard for a lesser charge, or no charge other than embarrassing people, which by itself may not be unlawful, even though it isn't nice.

I'm going to venture a wild guess that if Wikileaks had access to 'secure communiques' between Iran and N. Korea or between Russia and Iran etc. that they would be more than happy to be releasing those documents and if someone with access comes to Wilileaks with them I'm sure we'll be hearing all about it.

In the meantime it looks as though they have the sources they have and that's it. Possibly, someone in one of the more belligerent countries around the world will be inspired to leak some of their country's documents.

ron, had they been releasing said info, they would already be dead......

News flash! America IS a totalitarian state, that's why the Repubs and tea baggers won so many seats. The billionaires have purchased the gov. and intend to run it, for their profits, as they see fit.

America may not be responsible for ALL the issues around the world, but it for damn sure is responsible for an extremely large number of them. And as far as america's reputation being damaged. As far as Im concerned, it NEVER has had a credible reputation. I won't appologize. I have no regard for a country that has wiped out MILLIONS! Among other things that it has done. And has tried to cover up. Giving false images of itself to people around the world. America is slippin' it's dirty laundry is coming out in ways that it obviously couldn't possibly imagine. I call that not just karma. But REAL JUSTICE! Now for all those who want to disbelieve the truth, the true nature of the american government and what it is capable of. Keep on bending over and with no vaseline. Keep on believing that everything is sweet and serene. Keep on running to your government, moanin' & cryin' & relying on them to basically breast feed you. It's because of people like YOU, is the reason why the government is able to get away with what it does! America is working it's way towards a dictatorship. Be careful what you wish for. You may get it.

Perhaps some of them wish us to be a totalitarian state, but it's possible that the people still retain a properly representative government despite the worst intents of those who would entirely destroy these United States that are bound by the Constitution, checks and balances having worked in the past when crises were averted or solved. It's too soon to place a 'The End Is Near' sign at my front door.

News flash! America IS a totalitarian state, that's why the Repubs and tea baggers won so many seats. The billionaires have purchased the gov. and intend to run it, for their profits, as they see fit.

Let's not forget the little fact that Wikileaks offered the U.S. government the opportunity to review and redact any and all documents that they intended to release before we brand Wikileaks as a terrorist organization

Where do you get that from? I don't see it in the article.

IMO it's not up to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to decide which classified documents are and aren't suitable to release. If people who've worked with the US are hurt or killed because he chose to release this, their blood is on his hands. The other news agencies that cite WikiLeaks as a source are just as culpable. Saying "he said it first" doesn't make it right - even if you're the NY Times and fighting for your existence/relevance.

Jim - Cite your sources for causing "great harm," please. As far as I'm aware, the FOIA has been blocked, scrambled, and fried by the government in many cases. Perhaps obtaining the info illegally is not the best method, but when other avenues are blocked...

People need to know this kind of stuff. What goes on behind closed doors? Is it really the life-changing dire second-by-second whirlwind of necessary, though sometimes disgusting or horrifying, decisions? Or is it a bunch of political back-scratching, back-biting, pettiness and corruption? Seems to me that we're seeing more of the latter, some of the former. Either way, how do you propose to have a democracy without information?

I hate to break the news to you, receiving stolen property is a crime. He has not been prosecuted yet due to his present location and the US is trying to do damage control. Now he is pushing it, so just wait. He will be prosecuted. Don't be surprised if other nations refuse to offer asylum as he HAS jeopardized the safety of others. Take the time to read the documents.

Why do we need to know all of 'this stuff'? How has it provided any benefit? This is what goes on in the world, all of you need to get your heads out of your fantasy world and realize it is not as simple as you want it to be.

bencas -

This is what goes on in the world, all of you need to get your heads out of your fantasy world and realize it is not as simple as you want it to be.

This seems to be the message, exactly. He's showing us what the world actually is like, and it's pulling people's heads out of their collective rears and acting as a wake-up call. Sure, there's some down-n-dirty, but as a democracy it's up to the citizens to clean up their government.

I'm really getting annoyed with the whole notion "If you don't like it, then move out of my country" attitude.

I'm talking to you, Jim. You think that anyone who disagrees with you should move to another country? That's how little you view public discourse??

What if your views are in the minority, Jim? Would YOU move to another country and save us all the ignorant diatribes?

Bencas, Agreed. The posts about "exposing corruption" crack me up. I'm assuming not everyone has read anything about what the info is about.

Indeed, and Europe would have been a far nicer place if the US had just left it alone in the 1940's.

Your 15 year old hacker could be jailed if caught. Why not the creep that STOLE this info?

Thanks RiverRat point well taken.

Keep lookin' down stream!

What is the exact quote, please.

You don't understand the gravity of what this will do. It is undoing years of negotiations with Iran on their nuclear ambitions because it is learned Saudis King is for it. Iran might not be willing to listen to Saudis now when they find out. That is just one example of how this is hurting. You can't compare this to a news cast who uses publicized information. This company hacked into a computer to get this. Would it be all right if your boss tapped into your private phone and listened to you rant about work on a bad day? All countries should be wary they are probably next.

All countries should be wary they are probably next??? So you don't think this sort of thing has been going on for decades??? No other country on the face of this earth is more advanced than america. For all we know, EVERYTHING we do is being recorded! ANd don't think that america is not perfectly capable of spying on other countries.

King used the word "terrorist." I think a better word is "treason" but that's not the word that King or MSNBC chose.

How about some "treason" charges for every American politician that tells an untruth to the American people that leads us into a war, or new "protection" measures...

Treason ? An Australian citizen is traitor of USA ?

Well said all of these media outlets are now talking about what is on the wiki leak papers and then asking are these leaks dangerous.

Well they just told us what is in them.

The documents were intended to be read by someone else, just not by the entire world.