Around 8pmest every night
Since we are all moving to the great DK4 in the sky, I thought I would do a nice Round-up of what we have learned here in the 58 previous Wikileaks diaries that started Dec 7, 2010........
A must watch video. No really, you must watch it.
From my first Wikileaks diary named Assange, Wikileaks and some facts so far , this is the first thing posted:
JFK:
The very word "secrecy" is repugnant in a free and open society; and we are as a people inherently and historically opposed to secret societies, to secret oaths and to secret proceedings. We decided long ago that the dangers of excessive and unwarranted concealment of pertinent facts far outweighed the dangers which are cited to justify it.
...
And there is very grave danger that an announced need for increased security will be seized upon by those anxious to expand its meaning to the very limits of official censorship and concealment.
...
And no official of my Administration, whether his rank is high or low, civilian or military, should interpret my words here tonight as an excuse to censor the news, to stifle dissent, to cover up our mistakes or to withhold from the press and the public the facts they deserve to know.
...
No President should fear public scrutiny of his program. For from that scrutiny comes understanding; and from that understanding comes support or opposition. And both are necessary.
NICE! I'm also proud that the second quote was from Daniel Ellsberg:
Many, if not most, covert operations deserve to be disclosed by a free press. They are often covert not only because they are illegal but because they are wildly ill-conceived and reckless. "Sensitive" and "covert" are often synonyms for "half-assed," "idiotic," and "dangerous to national security," as well as "criminal."
First comment on these diaries?
It's a brave new world (8+ / 0-)
Recommended by:nicolemm, cotterperson, conchita, corvo, Robert Davies, CMikkelson, beltane, cedar park
Well, not so new...
Whom do you blame more? The rattlesnake, or the bipartisan guy who put it in your sleeping bag?
by chuckvw on Tue Dec 07, 2010 at 12:39:48 PM PST
In Assange, Wikileaks and some facts so far. Pt. 2 we have the video in the intro to this diary.
Now for those calling for the arrest or killing of Assange for the Wikileaks doc dump, here is a good quote from the former government lawyer who, he says, is the only person to bring charges against a non-government official for a leak prosecution. When the host asks him if leaking classified information is a crime in the United States, he says:
"I'm going to say it twice because noone will believe me the first time, but the answer is usually no. No.
There is no statute on the books in the United States that says 'Thou shalt not leak classified information.' There is no statute of that sort. Congress tried to pass one during the Clinton administration and Clinton Vetoed it and for a very good reason. And the good reason is, that in the United States there is a huge over-classification problem. There is a huge amount of material that should not be classified that is."
Also in that diary we have Aaron Bady went back and read two essays Assange wrote in 2006
Assange’s strategy starts from the premise that authoritarian governments--among which he includes the U.S. and other major and semimajor world powers--are, at root, conspiracies. Diagnosing authoritarian governments as conspiracies allows Assange, ever the hacker, to put secrecy at the heart of his political philosophy. He sees the secret (or "conspiratorial interaction") not only as the sine qua non of the conspiracy but as the actual source of the conspiracy's power:
Where details are known as to the inner workings of authoritarian regimes, we see conspiratorial interactions among the political elite not merely for preferment or favor within the regime but as the primary planning methodology behind maintaining or strengthening authoritarian power.
In the third diary Wikileaks Livethread (still finding our way with diary names at that point. No making fun.) we have:
A great radio interview of Daniel Ellsberg by Brad Friedman
Great! david mizner has a great diary that is on the rec list right now about the Top 5 lies about Wikileaks
Grit TV interview with Mary Ann Wright is a former United States Army colonel and retired official of the U.S. State Department, known for her outspoken opposition to the Iraq War
interview at rawstory with Wendell Potter
Potter called the freezing of WikiLeaks accounts in recent days by corporations such as MasterCard, VISA, Amazon and PayPal – Amazon after calls from US senators including the chair of the homeland security committee Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) and PayPal at the request of the US State Department – "a disturbing trend."
"This kind of action, this kind of involvement is dangerous," he warned. "What’s most important is freedom of information. So I think this is a disturbing trend."
No. 4 Wikileaks Livethread 2 1/2 :
First mention of Wikirebels
interview of Noam Chomsky by Amy Goodman
Colbert interviews Ellsberg about Wikileaks!!
7 part video of Wikileaks describing what they do.
Interview with Assange from July 2010 on TED
and of course, the first mention of Near v. Minnesota and New York Times Co. v. United States
In Wikileaks Livethread 33 1/3 (yes, the 2 1/2 and this were a tribute to a certain actor) :
Assange is in the same cell that once held Oscar Wilde;)
Guardian UK editorial
The hacktivists of Anonymous may be accused of many things – such as immaturity or being run by a herd instinct. But theirs is the cyber equivalent of non-violent action or civil disobedience. It disrupts rather than damages. In challenging the credit card companies and the web hosts in this way, they are reminding these businesses that their brand reputation relies not only on how the state department sees them, but also on how they maintain their independence in the eyes of their users.
In times when big business and governments attempt to monitor and control everything, there is a need as never before for an internet that remains a free and universal form of communication. WikiLeaks' chief crime has been to speak truth to power. What is at stake is nothing less than the freedom of the internet. All the rest is a sideshow distracting attention from the real battle that is being fought. We should all keep focus on the true target.
Olbermann interviewing Ellsberg last night. video and transcript right here Watch while it's still there folks;) I checked. It is. So hurry...
Jack Goldsmith, exBush DOJ official writes a 7-point defense of Wikileaks.
In Wikileaks Livethread 4 :
A great piece by Brad Friedman at the Bradblog
Great rundown of journalists quotes about wikileaks at The Atlantic.
Houston Press article about Dyncorp pimping boys to Afghan cops. Yup!
In Wikileaks Livethread 5 :
Sam Seder interviews Glenn Greenwald in this Youtube clip
The Walkley Foundation has initiated a letter to Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard signed by members of the board, editors of major Australian newspapers and news sites, and news directors of the country's commercial and public broadcasters.
From Mother Jones: Wikileaks, Rendition and the CIA's Italian Job
In Wikileaks Livethread 6 :
The Spectator UK sees a State Dept double standard
You don't need to share Julian Assange's politics or his objectives to think that he's the victim of at least one double standard. If he's guilty of betraying secrets and endangering lives and making diplomacy more difficult and everything else then so are the publishers of the New York Times, the Guardian, Le Monde and every other media outlet worldwide that publishes, or republishes, anythnig to do with the leaked American diplomatic cables.
A few weeks ago I suggested that Assange really is a newsman. Even if you dispute that, however, it's hard to see how anyone can deny that he's a news publisher. So the State Department's PJ Crowley made a fool of himself last week by claiming:
"Mr. Assange obviously has a particular political objective behind his activities and I think that, among other things, disqualifies him from the possibility of being considered a journalist...
"He’s not an objective observer of anything. He’s an active player. He has an agenda, he’s trying to pursue that agenda and I don’t think he can qualify either as a journalist on the one hand or a whistle-blower on the other."
Oh really? Well, by this standard half the journalists and publications worth even half a damn can't be considered journalistic enterprises."
Part 1(7:07 long) of a march 2010 interview about the Icelandic Modern Media Initiative.
part 2
In Wikileaks Informationthread 7 (yay! Found a name that did not make me cringe...)
Human Rights Watch writes a letter to Obama and Holder
Glenn Greenwald reports on the treatment of Bradley Manning because, ya know, Greenwald likes his amazing insider perch in da press.
Amazingly stupid CNN idiot tries to kill your brain
In Wikileaks Informationthread 8 :
Wikileaks, the Espionage Act, and the Constitution is a great video from today from a hearing headed by Rep Conyers
From that hearing:
"You are not safer in the dark. You don't hide your vulnerabilities, you expose them. Then you fix them"- Thomas Blanton
Glenn Greenwald on Democracy Now!
ok. If DK# is still up tomorrow, I will continue the look back. Now, A look back at Egypt:
In Wikileaks Informationthread 56
The Telegraph: Egyptian 'torturers' trained by FBI
Cable: Hosni Mubarak told US not to topple Saddam Hussein
Cable: Mohamed ElBaradei was 'too soft on Tehran’
What you missed in Informationthread 55 :
Details on the strange death of a former Chilean president
Greg Mitchell Explains Why The Mainstream Press Is So Threatened By WikiLeaks
Collen Rowley: NYT's Keller Disparages Assange
WikiLeaks: Suleiman Is Israel's Choice To Replace Mubarak
Suleiman: The CIA's man in Cairo
Cable: Suleiman is Israel's preferred successor in Egypt
Cable: Israel pressures Suleiman to close Gaza's 'feeding tube' tunnels
Cables suggest Suleiman handling Egyptians as he has handled Palestinians
UPDATE Google Executive Wael Ghonim in Tahrir Square & the Mubarak Regime's Repression of Bloggers
As Egyptian Army Cracks Down, Leaked Cables Shed Light on Its Gov’t Loyalties, Internal Rifts
cable 05CAIRO8938
- (C) The Egyptians have a long history of threatening us with the MB bogeyman. Your counterparts may try to suggest that the President,s insistence on greater democracy in Egypt is somehow responsible for the MB,s electoral success. You should push back that, on the contrary, the MB,s rise signals the need for greater democracy and transparency in government. The images of intimidation and fraud that have emerged from the recent elections favor the extremists both we and the Egyptian government oppose. The best way to counter narrow-minded Islamist politics is to open the system. The FBI could serve as a resource and partner ) if indeed you are willing -- in professionalizing the Egyptian security services and modernizing their investigative techniques. This would enhance the credibility of the security apparatus and remove an arrow from the Islamists, quiver.
Glenn Greenwald: Obama's man in Cairo
What you missed in Informationthread 54 :
A HUGE, BIG, AMAZING tip o' the hat to Greg Mitchell for giving me permission to repost his awesome: "Cablegate" to Date: A Unique List of What's Been Revealed
Joshua Norman at CBS News "How WikiLeaks Enlightened Us in 2010"
Glenn Greenwald's What WikiLeaks revealed to the world in 2010
Here is a list of what Wikileaks has released on the countries currently having the people rise up( Thanks to WL Central ):
Tunisia
2011-01-04: Nonoperational Site Update: Wrath of Anon in Tunisia
2011-01-14 Tunisia: Ben Ali Out, Mohamed Ghannouchi Out
2011-01-15 What the US state cables on Tunisia said
2011-01-17 Slim Amamou named Tunisia's Secretary of Youth and Sports
2011-01-17 Tunisia's new government
2011-01-17: Comments on the new national government formed in Tunisia
2011-01-18 Ahmed Hashem El-Sayed dies in Alexandria hospital from self-immolation wounds
2011-01-18 Reaction to Tunisia's new government
2011-01-19 Unrest in Arab States [Update 1]
2011-01-21 Ben Ali has used Europe's prejudices
2011-01-24 Tunisia today: "It’s not a unity government, it’s a fake unity government"
2011-01-27 Tunisia protests continue as a warrant is issued for Ben Ali
2011-02-01 Tunisian Islamic Leader Returns as EU Freezes Ousted President's Assets
Egypt
2011-01-16 Protests in Egypt
2011-01-17 Egyptian man sets himself on fire [UPDATE: 1]
2011-01-18 Ahmed Hashem El-Sayed dies in Alexandria hospital from self-immolation wounds
2011-01-19 Unrest in Arab States [Update 1]
2011-01-25 Revolution Day in Egypt
2011-01-26 Week of "rage" in Egypt sees casualties, global support [UPDATE 1]
2011-01-27 Mubarak blinks as Egyptian protests continue for third day
2011-01-28 Egypt Cables - New Releases [UPDATE 12]
2011-01-28 Cable: Qatar on the Israeli-Palestine talks, Egypt and Iran
2011-01-28 Egypt is on fire
2011-01-28 Cable: President Mubarak in Washington
2011-01-28 Cable: Torture and police brutality in Egypt are endemic and widespread
2011-01-28 Cable: Mubarak discusses Iran and a "split" within Arab ranks
2011-01-28 Cable: Assessing support for Mohammed El Baradei
2011-01-28 Cable: Police brutality and poor prison conditions in Egypt
2011-01-28 Cable: Police torture in Egypt
2011-01-28 Mubarak refuses to step down
2011-01-28 Cable: Egypt's Emergency Law
2011-01-28 Cable: Political arrests of Muslim Brotherhood
2011-01-28 Cable: The Amir of Qatar discusses Syria, Egypt, and Iran
2011-01-28 Cable: Egypt displeased with number and tone of U.S. human rights recommendations
2011-01-29 No Internet? No Problem! Anonymous Faxes Egypt
2011-01-29 Mubarak swears in new PM and VP as unrest persists
2011-01-29 Who is Egypt's new Vice President?
2011-01-30 Arab Totalitarians want Tech for National Security Emergencies
2011-01-30 Al Jazeera no longer welcome in Egypt
2011-01-30 Egyptian government orders Al Jazeera shutdown
2011-01-30 Million Egyptian Protest Planned as Resistance Continues
2011-01-31 Cable: Egyptian April 6 activist's democracy goals "highly unrealistic"
2011-01-31 Egypt's Military jockeys to maintain Longstanding Grip on Power
2011-02-01 Army Vows Not to Shoot as Protesters make Million Man Marches in Cairo, Alexandria Today [UPDATE: 2]
2011-02-01 WikiLeaks Cables Show Mubarak Not Very Open to Reforms or Freedoms for Egyptians
2011-02-02 Food Crisis in Egypt
2011-02-02 Pro-Mubarak Forces and Police Thugs Attack Journalists
2011-02-03 Act Now to Stop Mubarak's Thugs From Killing More!
2011-02-03 Marietje Schaake on the situation in Tunisia and Egypt
From Informationthread 52 we learned these things:
Kevin Gosztola from The Nation: WikiLeaks Cables Show Mubarak Not Very Open to Reforms or Freedoms for Egyptians [UPDATE 4]
Al Jazeera English Blacked Out Across Most Of U.S.
Wadah Khanfar, Dirctor General of Al Jazeera writes an amazing article that you should read RIGHT NOW Al Jazeera English Should Be Available on American Television
Jeremy Scahill writes A MUST READ Washington Embraces Al Jazeera
From May 19, 2008 NYTimes Al Jazeera English Tries to Extend Its Reach
What we learned in Informationthread 51 :
Dylan Ratigan video with transcript on Manning's treatment
The Scandal Everybody Seems to Have Missed
Stephen Colbert vs. Julian Assange: The Great Debate Video here
Cable: Egyptian April 6 activist's democracy goals "highly unrealistic"
US state cables on Syria
UK firm's partner 'wanted Peru to curb priests in mine conflict areas'
WikiLeaks releases 480 secret cables on Libya
James Mann at Foreign Policy on what they show about U.S. - China relations, how tense they are "in real time," and how one state dinner won't do much really.
What you missed in Wikileaks Informationthread 49: Omar Suleiman And Etc.
Who Is Omar Suleiman?
Viewing cable 09CAIRO1349, GENERAL PETRAEUS' MEETING WITH EGIS CHIEF SOLIMAN
Viewing cable 09CAIRO746, ADMIRAL MULLEN'S MEETING WITH EGIS CHIEF SOLIMAN
Viewing cable 07CAIRO1417, PRESIDENTIAL SUCCESSION IN EGYPT
WaPo: WikiLeaks' Julian Assange: 'Anarchist,' 'agitator,' 'arrogant' and a journalist
The WikiLeaks Revolt
A claim that WikiLeaks cables on Egypt released not this week but in early December, and published by indie paper there, had something to do with current revolt.
In Informationthread 48 we read these:
Cable: Egypt action against poet, bloggers, novelist and journalists
Cable: Egypt's Emergency Law
Cable: Police torture in Egypt
Cable: Police brutality and poor prison conditions in Egypt
Mubarak skeptical of U.S. reform push: leaked cables
Amid Digital Blackout, Anonymous Mass-Faxes WikiLeaks Cables To Egypt
Guardian Liveblog on Egypt
Vodafone confirms role in Egypt’s cellular, Internet blackout
Assange interview with Romanian TV
Update If you don't see me at DK4 it is because this series made some Obama-Heads sad and they got me to react. Read my comment history to see why. I can bet they get their way and this site falls further down. I am newish and have no power over older users here. They want me banned, they can get it. So, 60 Informationthreads aint bad. I will be bringing my talents to Firedoglake. Later