Wikileaks, the controversial news site founded by Julian Assange, released 92,000 classified documents containing sensitive details about the war in Afghanistan. These documents were given by Wikileaks to the Times, the Guardian, and Der Spiegel, three of the largest newspapers in the world. July 25 was when reports were given by the newspapers on the details received. Some examples of what was shown within the Wikileaks documents are proof of the Taliban getting stronger, civilians being hurt through the war, and Pakistan operatives taking American cash and still aiding the Taliban in killing Americans.
Newspapers receive Wikileaks documents
The classified documents released by Wikileaks are used by desk officers within the Pentagon and troops within the field when they make operational plans and prepare briefings on the situation within the war zone. Before publishing stories that used details within the documents the New York Times and the Guardian wrote commentary saying they had taken care not to publish info that would harm national security interests. But U.S. National Security Adviser Gen. James Jones disagreed, saying:
“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 operatives helping Taliban?
One document from Wikileaks that the Times published tells of Pakistan operatives helping Al Qaeda kill. The documents show you will find many Pakistani operatives that have refused to discuss matters involving those who attacked near Pakistani border, moved across the frontier, and then went to into Pakistan to be safe, although it is still hard to prove Pakistani operatives having been helping Al Qaeda.
Afghanistan was worse than told
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 is stopped by corrupt government and police force in Afghanistan, an Afghan army that isn’t really loyal, and a Pakistani army aiding the Taliban. Lots of people just needed these documents from Wikileaks to show them everything they already knew. Americans are becoming more involved in the Afghanistan war as shown by the Wikileaks documents, although the public and congress are being convinced otherwise.
Wikileaks looked at for spying
Wikileaks supposedly had details given to them by the soldier, Private Bradley Manning, and was criticized by the hacker who turned Manning in. Adrian Lamo told ABC News that he turned Manning in to try and stop the reports from getting to the public. But Lamo said the sheer volume of info released by Wikileaks suggests Manning didn’t act alone. Lamo thinks that Manning was hired along with others by Julian Assange as “a personal shopper for classified data.”
Further reading
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
