Thread: Wikileaks: Good or bad?

I voted Bad - only because there was not a VERY BAD selection. The word 'traitor' keeps coming to mind every time I read about this...
(just expressing my opinion!)

I think it is basically good. For what i've seen about those documents there are not real top secret information but rather mostly just data, memorandums etc that should have not been classified as secret at all.

Personally i am very interested on what they tell about my country. Where/why did/didn't our politicians lie. Who were spying for the east/west.
I know that people who serve at the military, either here, Afg or wherever, are most interested what are the real reasons they have to put their lives in danger. As someone who has been serving at few foreign tours i like to know if i was fooled. Was i just clown when i left my wife and kids for months and served foreign when our politicians decided so.
Wikileaks might also help improving human rights by telling what really happens in a places not normally seen by public.

There are surely documents that should be secret, and those who make these documents should be able to trust that they stay so. With the Wikileaks there are no real miracles revealed. Maybe officials in the future think more what/how to write in their documents.

Remember that (according to our laws) person who makes the document also decides whether it is secret or not. For example if i send an email at work to my work mates where i ask of they came to drink beer with me, or tell that admirals secretary has a nice ass, i can also declare the message top secret.

Originally Posted by Bruno

Except he is not in the US. He is in a country where they still pay some attention to the constitution and due process.

Imo the terrorist lable is hugely overused these days, and put on everyone who does anything more severe than jaywalking.

I do have to agree with this comment to some extent... It seems that at this point in our world that if anyone speaks out against a government they most likely will be "Branded" the BIG "T" word...

After spending my time in the "Sand Box"... I have a new out look on life...

P.S.: What our government(s) say about another(s), is not always what we as common people believe about that countries people...

Good or bad is irrelevant. Government officials should be thinking 2x before sharing sensitive information by email. The guy who stole the information should be punished.

One Dutch journalist phrased it like this: "most of us like saucage rolls but we don't wanna know what they are made of".

At the end of the day: we don't in North Korea but in an open democratic society.

OK, I just got done reading the "Top 10 Revelations" at Yahoo... Not that I believe much that the media has to say... But if this is what the government is worried about...

Top 10 revelations from WikiLeaks cables - Yahoo! News

I think that there is a place for organisations like Wikileaks but only when they actually have a filter and release information that really is in the public interest. From what I've seen, there is nothing in the latest leaks that is really a smoking gun.

In a free society, we are supposed to know the truth. In a society where truth becomes treason, we are in big trouble.

While I don't agree with all the man's views, I agree with him on this one.

Also, some George Orwell:
"During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act."

Originally Posted by Bruno

Except he is not in the US. He is in a country where they still pay some attention to the constitution and due process.
Imo the terrorist lable is hugely overused these days, and put on everyone who does anything more severe than jaywalking.

Do you really think that matters?

IMHO Wikileaks is not the problem though. The leaks are the problem. The fact that these "leaks" are unidentified is a problem. The fact that they made it to a publishing source with no detection is a HUGE problem. The fact that these "leaks" will never be verified as legitimate is a bigger problem. The possible loss of life and trust as a result of these unproven statements is a tragedy. Tokyo Rose is rolling in her grave with delight!

I chalk it all up as another statement about the condition of our current affairs.

SAD!

Originally Posted by life2short1971

Do you really think that matters?

Are you serious? So basically you're saying American law is the be-all-end-all of all laws and other nation's constitutions are of no consequence?

Maybe it doesn't matter to certain government agencies...but it SHOULD.

I know some people would love to hear that the old boy simply disappeared and was never heard from again but this is simply not how it works. (All that apart from the fact that this whole thing is WAY in the spotlights. Kidnapping and imprisoning the guy would turn the entire world against the US. I know the US are a world power.....but if they'd be put up against the ENTIRE WORLD.....Somehow I don't think that would work out in your favour.)