Wikileaks, the controversial news site founded by Julian Assange, released 92,000 classified documents containing sensitive info about the war in Afghanistan. In what is being called one of the biggest stories in recent years, Wikileaks gave the classified documents to the New York Times within the U.S., The Guardian in Britain and Der Spiegel in Germany. After spending weeks analyzing the data, the 3 newspapers unleashed a torrent of controversial reports on July 25. Now we know that there have been Pakistan operatives that betray the U.S. by taking their cash but still helping the Taliban kill Americans, numerous civilians are being hurt through the war, and that the Taliban is, in fact, getting stronger, because of these Wikileaks documents.
Top newspapers get Wikileaks info
Wikileaks documents were had details in them that is used to create war strategy by desk officers and troops in the field. The information published, as outlined by the Times and also the Guardian, was not damaging to any national security interests. Of course National Security Advisor Gen. James Jones has his own opinion:
“The United States strongly condemns the disclosure of classified information by individuals and organizations which could put the lives of Americans and our partners at risk, and threaten our national security.”
Pakistan intelligence helps Taliban kill?
One document from Wikileaks that the Times published tells of Pakistan operatives helping Al Qaeda kill. Although experts said directly linking the Pakistani spy agency with Al Qaeda is difficult, the documents contain firsthand accounts of American anger at Pakistan’s unwillingness to confront insurgents who launched attacks near Pakistani border posts, moved openly by the truckload across the frontier, and retreated to Pakistani territory for safety.
Afghanistan worse than believed
The U.S. government has made the Afghanistan war look much better than the Times, the Guardian, and Der Spiegel have made it look in their articles. Progress has stopped in the war as the Pakistani army is helping the Taliban, the government and police force in Afghanistan are corrupt, and the Afghanistan army hasn’t been loyal. Many people already knew this was a problem but let the Wikileaks documents confirm that. But the Wikileaks documents bare the truth about the Afghanistan war as Congress and also the public are increasingly disillusioned about America’s deepening involvement.
Wikileaks looked at for spying
Wikileaks supposedly had info given to them by the soldier, Private Bradley Manning, and was criticized by the hacker who turned Manning in. ABC News reports that Adrian Lamo said he ratted on Manning to keep the reports from becoming public. Because of the amount of info that was really released, Lamo suspects Manning had others involved with him. He thinks Julian Assange may have hired him as “a personal shopper for classified data.”
New York Times
nytimes.com/2010/07/26/world/asia/26isi.html?hp
Guardian
guardian.co.uk/media/greenslade/2010/jul/26/press-freedom-wikileaks
Der Spiegel
spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,708314,00.html
