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More World NewsWhat Does Julian Assange Want?
Tunku Varadarajan is a national affairs correspondent and writer at large for The Daily Beast. He is also the Virginia Hobbs Carpenter Fellow in Journalism at Stanford's Hoover Institution and a professor at NYU's Stern Business School. He is a former assistant managing editor at The Wall Street Journal. (Follow him on Twitter here.)
Julian Assange may avoid prosecution for his voluminous data dump, but we can still shower the attention-craving, vainglorious “truth-seeker” with our contempt, says Tunku Varadarajan.
If Hollywood were ever to make a film about a nihilistic leaker-hacker dude, a rootless subverter of international public order, they couldn’t do better than to cast Julian Assange as himself.
With his bloodless, sallow face, his lank hair drained of all color, his languorous, very un-Australian limbs, and his aura of blinding pallor that appears to admit no nuance, Assange looks every inch the amoral, uber-nerd villain, icily detached from the real world of moral choices in which the rest of us saps live. Call him the Unaleaker, with apologies to the victims of Ted Kaczynski.
Assange is the founder and prime mover of WikiLeaks, a shadowy, show-offy little outfit that last week unloaded into the public domain vast quantities of classified American military intelligence stolen from the vaults of the war in Afghanistan. And in doing so, Assange, who expresses his credo in repeated, almost catechistic condemnations of American “war crimes” and in a naked disdain for capitalism, appointed himself to the role of anti-establishment truth-seeker. He is the insurgent-in-chief, waging ascetic, selfless combat against warmonger-criminals in the White House and the Pentagon. He has craved acclaim, and has got it from some quarters. The Guardian newspaper, in particular, appears to be egging him on in the tone and extent of its coverage. Inevitably, the almighty fray provoked by Assange has attracted the attention of journalism school professors, one of whom, his NYU bosom heaving, doubtless, from the excitement of it all, described WikiLeaks as “the world’s first stateless news organization.”
But watching Assange wallow in the attention that has followed his voluminous data dump, one is struck by his strut, his hubris, his palpable vainglory. “I enjoy crushing bastards,” he crowed to Der Spiegel, one of the publications favored with the right to publish his dubiously acquired material. “The most dangerous men are those who are in charge of war,” he harrumphed. “And they need to be stopped.”
This last statement only partly answers a question that has been troubling America for some days: What does Assange want? He doesn’t like war, it is clear, so war must be “stopped.” But in his various pronouncements since the leaks were published, in his ramblings in response to questions from bona fide journalists, he has revealed no trace of humility, professed not even a sliver of doubt, accepted not one utterance that would challenge his own convictions and certitudes. The dream state of his own omniscience has remained entirely unimpaired.
WikiLeaks is a brothel of self-promotion, Assange its puffed-up pimp.
• Philip Shenon: WikiLeaks Probe Heats Up
• Full coverage of WikiLeaksWhen asked at a London press conference whether he thought his leaks would compromise national security, Assange’s “visibly annoyed” response (per this report) stripped bare the adamantly adversarial quality of his mind-set: “You often hear that something may be a threat to U.S. national security. This must be shot down, whenever this statement is made.”
For the security of the numerous Afghan informants who work with U.S. troops, he cares not a jot. As The Times of London has pointed out, hundreds of names of such local collaborators in the war effort can be found in the documents in the WikiLeaks archive, including details of their villages. How does Assange justify putting these people at mortal risk? Predictably, he does not, taking refuge behind a weasel-worded insistence that he and his team had edited the material so that there was “harm minimization,” a morally teasing phrase that might, so ironically, be part of the Pentagon’s own lexicon. So are we to assume that the Afghan informants whose names were left in the WikiLeaks texts amount, in Assange’s reckoning, to an acceptable quantum of collateral damage in his Quixotic war against the warmongers?
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Tunku Varadarajan is a national affairs correspondent and writer at large for The Daily Beast. He is also the Virginia Hobbs Carpenter Fellow in Journalism at Stanford's Hoover Institution and a professor at NYU's Stern Business School. He is a former assistant managing editor at The Wall Street Journal. (Follow him on Twitter here.)
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Tunku Varadarajan is a national affairs correspondent and writer at large for The Daily Beast. He is also the Virginia Hobbs Carpenter Fellow in Journalism at Stanford's Hoover Institution and a professor at NYU's Stern Business School. He is a former assistant managing editor at The Wall Street Journal. (Follow him on Twitter here.)
Ignorant America
Tunku Varadarajan is a national affairs correspondent and writer at large for The Daily Beast. He is also the Virginia Hobbs Carpenter Fellow in Journalism at Stanford's Hoover Institution and a professor at NYU's Stern Business School. He is a former assistant managing editor at The Wall Street Journal. (Follow him on Twitter here.)
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misha1000
"Capitalism is Tony Hayward."
And Don Blankenship.
cmr2323cmr
Capitalism has lifted millions out of poverty, and has improved our quality of life. I'm sorry you think that mom and pop stores, small businesses, universities and hospitals, are run by crooks, con men, and morons. Lots more need to be said about capitalism. Just NOT by you, since your shallow understanding of it disqualifies you from being an authority. Do you like the nice house you have? Capitalism did that. Do you enjoy the medical attention you recieve when needed? Capitalism did that. Do you enjoy the fruits of your education? Capitalism did that. Do you sleep safe at night knowing the Armed forces are there to protect you? Capitalism did that.
Get a clue.
susangalea
cmr2323cmr
American is a capitalistic society and there is not a more successful alternative I know of . However, your hubristic and ludicrous claims : the arrogation of the success of healthcare to the vagaries of the capitalist market economy is just pathetic. The fact is that under this capitalist economy America is ranked the 60th best provisioner of health care for its citizens. Thousands lose their homes because they fall ill and can't afford the health insurance. These insurance companies, which oftentimes, do their best to avoid giving help to those who have paid their premiums year after year. You are naive in extremis if you can make such outrageous claims for a system which anyone who has studied economics and politics will tell you is nothing like you describe. You sound like some evangelical preacher high on his own rhetoric. While capitalism is a system where many are able to organise and enjoy the fruits of their labour, it is still skewed and weighted to benefit those at the top of the foodchain. For such a rich capitalist country it is shameful that America has allowed such inequities to prevail and as the rich got richer the poor got poorer. The level of illiteracy; premature death; unemployment and denial of basic needs here is appalling. And as for your, " do you sleep safe at night knowing the armed forces are there to protect you?" The answer would have to be a resounding : of course not, idiot! Get a clue.
dartagnansblade
susangalea......
What drivel.... "60th best provisioner of health care"... says who? The UN? Oh let me guess... the WHO... a fringe organization as anti capitalist as the tool who leaks this information. Thousands lose their homes because they buy "stuff" (as Carlin said) as opposed to saving, there are inequities because people are generally LAZY and prefer getting by as opposed to getting ahead. The US spends billions on the "basic needs" to a point where those who need "basic needs" outweigh those who produce.
Don't piss and moan about the "capitalist rich" and their "appalling" control. Get off your duff and "get er done".... Simple yes?
Dosylac
Cmr2323cmr,
I hate to break it to you but Capitalism actually creates poverty,while enriching a select few.
Small businesses, mom and pop stores are not capatalism. Big corporations like Mc Donalds, Walmart represent capitalism, and run mom and pop stores out of business.
The only reason why armed forces need to be there to protect is because of capitalism. Some countries don't need an army because they do not force their ways onto others.
And by the way, my house is still mine because I bought what I could afford, instead of listening to the bank who wanted to lend me more money that I knew I could afford.
So Capitalism creates problems, it solves nothing. Get your facts straight.
dartagnansblade
Mom and Pop go out of business as a result of capitalism and that is bad? Do you purposefully drive out of your way to pay more for goods and services so as to support "mom and pop"? I would venture the answer is no. Capitalism allows everyone the ability to attain wealth... the problem is you and your ilk spend an inordinate amount of time and energy whining about how unfair life is you never get off the first rung, mores the pity...
And your argument concerning the military is at best a simpleton's scree I won't even address it... grow up!
miketherevelator
"Capitalism allows everyone the ability to attain wealth."
What complete and total horseshit.
"In terms of types of financial wealth, the top one percent of households own about a third of all privately held stock, two-thirds of financial securities like bonds, and two-thirds of business equity. The top 20% own about 90% of stock, bonds, trust funds, and business equity, and over 75% of non-home real estate. Since financial wealth is what counts as far as the control of income-producing assets, we can say that just 20% of the people own the United States of America."-Mark Lawrence "The Distribution of Wealth"
Pretty hard for the rest of us to enjoy the wonders of capitalism when we've barely got a pot to piss in.
Unregulated naked capitalism lost me my house and most of my retirement fund. Medical attention -- don't make me laugh. 2 years ago when we stared into the abyss-- capitalism did that. THANKS A BUNCH.
Do I sleep safe at night knowing the Armed forces are blowing up houses full of civilians in some country that couldn't hurt the United States in a thousand years. Why no, actually, I don't.
And the usual cowards way out -- your screed is so ridiculous I won't even answer it. (Because I can't.)
"Get off yer duff and get it done"
You take your head out of your ass and take a look at what's going on around you, here and around the world.
jomamas
Nobody is actually anti-capitalism. They are really against capitalism being the fundamental ruling philosophy of our societies.
Capitalism is good for business and can help society. Capitalism run amok will absolutely destroy itself.
JohnR22
Uh, no...the verdict of history is in, and capitalism is a modern miracle. Ask the 400M Chinese that have been lifted above the poverty line in the last 20 years; ask India, Brazil, or Malaysia. It's only 60s era retro-marxists that still cling to their childish disdain for "capitalists" (I suspect you picture a fat jew with a top hat and a pocketful of gold). If you want to gripe about under-regulated corporations run by amoral goons (e.g. Enron, BP), then fine; but drop the opposition to the only proven economic system that actually...you know...WORKS!
susangalea
I don't see anyone on this blog who is in opposition to the economic system that works. What you say about China is half the story , presumably to bolster your support of capitalism or you are just out of date. The Chinese themselves are concerned about the speed at which capitalism has indeed provided economic growth but with the reliance on the cheap labour force, already there is the issue of social unrest and strikes that must be dealt with. Your crude remarks about a fat jew: what planet of anti-semitic squalor do you inhabit? What an ugly little mind is revealed there... While you're at it , try to read carefully, and slowly as you need before you make comments that amount to complete non sequiturs. Touchy touchy.
misha1000
What works best of all is a social democracy. See Denmark.
tompinch
What works best of all is a social democracy? And what supports it? Capitalism. Without the capitalists, social democracy would quickly go broke.
jomamas
Dude. China is a slave factory - that is 100% of their value. They create nothing of real value, their whole economy sits on that.
Yes - thanks to the slaves, the top 10% of Chinese can now live at a survivable level, and the top 1% at a very high level. But the bottom 80% are - yes - slaves - and there is no way out.
dailyplanet
The vitriol Mr. Varadarajan spews against Assange is hysterical and histrionic, a tone and stance to be expected from an academic whose focus is business, and who served as assistant managing editor of The Wall Street Journal. We can well guess where his interests lie.
Someone with Tunku Varadarajan's ideological bias towards the interests of commerce would clearly be baffled by Assange motives in his dogged, and dangerous pursuit of mining for the truth. What could be a "rational" payoff for anyone if it's one that does not translate into big bucks?
A search for truth often brings to the surface revelations, which are ugly, and unpalatable; does that mean that humanity should give up that quest?
Assange and his group are doing the work of a breed that is becoming extinct: investigative journalists.
vaders
Is G W Bush the war criminal reading the Wikileaks documents. No the question is can he read?
tigerfisch
Personally I'd prefer to reserve my contempt for pompous, lazy journalists - and the flawed, vain leaders who led us into these disastrous wars for reasons of hubris - rather than Assange.
JohnR22
I don't care about the leaks, but I do care about the hypocrisy. I've had a bellyfull of gargoyles in the MSM who piously claim they do what they do for the noblest of reasons. This guy couldn't care less about "truth" or limiting "power" or any of that nonsense. The guy is a neo-marxist, and as such, he hates the US in a pathological manner. His motives are basically the same as the radicals of the 60s; to use any means necessary to destroy what they see as the "leader" of the capitalist West.
susangalea
How lame. According to you anyone who is antiwar is a neo -marxist. Real joined up thinking. ... No one disputes the horror of the informants being revealed and some extrapolation of this outfit's credibility is justified. You can't then jump to the conclusion that because they are against America's disastrous folly in Afghanistan that they are nihilistically against everything American because America is the Best and they are out therefore to destroy it. Good grief; you are running your mouth like some gaga old dear who can't appreciate that alot of intelligent people disagree with you thoughts about this. Oh, and America is the 'leader of the capitalist west' . How precarious: she is in hock to China; big time.
dailyplanet
JohnR22:
You don't "care about the leaks." Why should you? You're one of the moronic crowd who see a Communist plot to take over the world around every corner. That's all YOU need to know. It's so easy to label people and their motivations by just labeling them with a reflex pronouncement...that requires no analysis or even...thinking.
Swallow whatever dogma rocks your boat. But know that we are living in a country, and through America's power, a world where capitalism has run amok. It's not hyperbole to state that wars, domestic issues, and all matters pertaining to the health of nations are decided and run by agendas to benefit corporations and financial institutions.
And guess what...even wars make money for the greedy interests whose profits are made by walking over the dead.
alex02139
Totally agree. I find Tunku Varadarajan contemptibly predictable whereas WikiLeaks is heroic for exposing hacks like Tunku as mouthpieces for the Pentagom
miketherevelator
Tunku Varadarajan is the most pompous predictable pathetic pencil pusher on earth. Or very close to it. A total shill for the corporate state and status quo. He strikes me as thinking if he writes exclusively about what he considers Assange's sordid appearance and "ramblings" we'll ignore what he's proven about our country's criminal behavior in wars of choice. And I have to admit, I haven't heard a single American ask "What does Assange want?" He obviously wants bloody unnecessary unwinnable wars to end, but don't we all -- except for the writer and a few other hawks and war profiteers? But to invent questions that demand an answer just so you can provide your own personal opinion answer is dishonest journalism, but why am I bothering to point that out? It's a given.
And for Tunku to chide another man for not showing humility is one of the few pluses in the article -- a very nice chuckle, that was.
Well, my bosom is heaving so I best stop before I turn into a puffed-up pimp and start doing my vain-glorious amoral strut through the neighborhood.
But really, Tunku, "very un-Australian limbs"?
susangalea
This is an extraordinary piece of grandstanding by this columnist. His claim that Assange by exposing the largely phonily dubbed 'secret' documents is somehow arranging for the free world's constant cringe at the hand's of al - Qaeda is just ridiculous. A leap of illogical claptrap too far. He has bought the Bush rationale that we are fighting there to keep the streets safe here. This is just hubristic nihilism that he accuses Assange of . We are not safer in the western democracies by blowing up innocent men, women and children in the villages of Afghanistan. It is this 'collateral damage' that is so shockingly ignored by those big brave thugs in Nevada, sitting at their computers firing their unmanned drones and murdering the innocents. We are merely radicialising the next generation. Of course two wrongs do not make a right, and the assurance that Assange gave us that the documents were carefully redacted and were as far as possible not going to hurt people undeservedly, is very distressing if, as it seems, this is has not been achieved. The fact remains that the argument for Wilileaks is a democratically sound one. The Government was not honest with the American people on the reasons and prosecution of the war under Bush and Cheney and the people have a right to know. There must be checks and balances. We do not want to see this kind of theocratic compulsion going unchecked in America anymore than we do the Islamic fascism of al-Qaeda. The pertinent issue here is does anyone seriously believe that going after the amorphous constantly changing and mobile Al-Qaeda, flitting from country to country with a coalition army based in Afghanistan make any logical sense whatsoever? I think more and more people are apprised of the folly of our tactics and Assange's contribution has been to show the human cost of this doomed to fail strategy.
Benkei
While I agree that the policies in Afghanistan have failed, largely due to the fact that America has propped up a corrupt government and therefore lost the hearts and minds of the people, don't forget the terror people had to suffer under the Taliban either. The Afghanis have been brutalized by successive waves of occupying forces and religious extremists. It is incredibly heart wrenching.
What most people don't realize is that this fight is over everyone wanting a piece of the gas pipeline (Iran included) and has nothing to do with freedom, liberty, democracy, or any other idealistic lipstick people are trying to paint on it.
It's energy and money.
As for Wikileaks, Assange is like any other petty ideologue. He lacks a moral compass and is agenda driven.
The helicopter videos were carefully edited not to show that the people on the ground being fired on had a heat seeking missile launcher, and this new round of documents weren't properly redacted to protect government informers.
It may not matter much to him how many people will be butchered because he was more concerned with this perverse form of celebrity that Wikileaks is currently enjoying then actually caring about human life. Why release the informants names?
That's the vanity of extremism. There's a proper way of doing things that is in the cause of truth, and then there's just being an "in your face" nasty prick.
Assange is like the kid who got beat up in school and is taking his vengeance out on the world now.
It's really unfortunate because the concept of Wilileaks is sound, but the practice and practitioner are deeply flawed.
susangalea
I could be quite wrong in my assessment of Assange who I actually didn't comment on personally here: but the fact he is an ideologue does not ergo mean he has no moral compass! I think he has a rather easily discernible moral compass: he abhors war and the suffering that it engenders. He does not feel it is the answer here in Afghanistan for the global threat of al- Qaeda, and I think he is right .
I second the dismay felt by you and others because of the ruthless- or careless? disclosure of the informants names. That is warmongering by another name and even more cowardly than the Nevada computer cowboys I lambast.
I would conclude by agreeing with the Wilileaks concept being sound, yet again, and really just feel very sorry that things have not panned out how a properly prosecuted leaking operation would want.
TheAlabamaRambler
The writer starts off with an attack on Assanges' appearance and physical characteristics, thereby losing all credibility and revealing his bias in the first paragraph.
Benkei
That stood out like a sore thumb. But what do you expect? Most of the stuff here is boilerplate, ham handed writing.
TDB is free, get used to mediocrity. The web is the heat death of the mind.
susangalea
Benkei
Why do you bother slumming here then? You are not paid to do so; you are free to leave anytime. People like you always love to produce the self contradiction in your posts and seem to expect no one will notice. Ooops.
misha1000
"The web is the heat death of the mind."
Says the person commenting here, with gusto.
Benkei
Like I said, it's free, and I'm bored waiting for the next round of work to begin. So like anyone who leafs through the gossip rags while waiting on line at the supermarket, it's a momentary distraction.
What I meant by heat death is that the web is a great leveler, like any other form of entrophy. It has reach, speed, and the convenience of disposability. But this is at the cost of more carefully crafted work which requires time, patience, and money which the internet revenue model can't support.
susangalea
If we take a wee peek at his photograph you do wonder at his confidence! He must think that he won't be 'up' for any tu quoque responses. Ha, I do think he cheapens his argument too.
pga301
The commenters here in trying to condemn this article just point out they are of the same mindset at Assange. You will find him next to A$$ in the dictionary which is ironic. The commenters just go into typical anti-war rhetoric and miss his point that Assange is not advancing any cause but the nihilistic cause of being against the US military at any turn. The antiwar crowd is exposed in comments as just self-centered egotists who get a the teenage thrill of rebellion at the cost of the rest of society (see 1960's hippies for examples). You all want so desperately to matter. If it wasn't Afghanistan it would be something else because the ego MUST be feed by "crushing bastards" whether they exist or not doesn't matter to the appetite of the radical left.
susangalea
How ridiculous to make such sweeping statements about anyone that doesn't agree with American foreign policy. What bombast. What amateur psychobabble masquerading as analysis. Think you'll find the majority of the world is against this ridiculous adventure in Afghanistan. News flash: you can disagree with American foreign policy and its two disastrous wars without being a self-centred egotist. You can, in fact, be a thoughtful, sentient human being who realises the complete folly of America's latest failed attempts to make the natives acquiesce to its wishes while killing them in their innocent thousands. That much was very clear from these leaked documents. Your, 'if it wasn't Afghanistan it would be something else' is just risible. Anyone who disagrees with you is just doing so to be disagreeable and is prepared to whore around for any old thing to press your buttons? Grow up, and smell the cordite. You are wrong; morally and strategically - in terms of prosecuting a war - wrong.
misha1000
Tunku Varadarajan: I suppose you also are critical of Daniel Ellsberg. Do you condemn Daniel Schorr for his giving classified material to the "Village Voice"?
Let me know.
"With his bloodless, sallow face, his lank hair drained of all color, his languorous, very un-Australian limbs, and his aura of blinding pallor that appears to admit no nuance, Assange looks every inch the amoral, uber-nerd villain"
Whoa! Did Limbaugh or Beck ghost write that for you? Nah, they could not have. It's beyond their literacy level. Palin can't rise above "you betcha." Anything more advanced is beyond the capacity of her 5mm of grey matter. Beck and Limbaugh are usually too loaded with junk to make sense.
BTW, lay off the coffee.
susangalea
I enjoyed you political snipe. Do you think it was just coffee?
misha1000
"I enjoyed you political snipe."
Thanks for reading. I try.
"Do you think it was just coffee?"
No, it's a combination of Proventil and Alice B. Toklas brownies. Thanks for noticing.
susangalea
And of course, this geezer is protected in his personal comments about Julian verging on racist bilge. Just pathetic and smug verging on racist and contempt- filled hatred.
misha1000
"And of course, this geezer is protected in his personal comments about Julian"
Please - I'm not THAT old. If you took the time to carefully read, you will notice that the slur against Julian Assange is in quotes. In other words, I was quoting Tunku Varadarajan - it was not my description, and I was taking Varadarajan to task for his bigoted comment, which was really propelled by jealousy.
Did you read Varadarajan's article completely? In fact, I agree with Assange, and you completely misunderstand my comments. You have read them as the polar opposite of what I wrote.
Lay off the coffee. And mellow out.
I suggest you copy, paste, and close any spaces:
http://newyorkleftist.blogspot.com/2009/11/dont-cry-for-me-alaska.html
susangalea
misha1000
When I was referring to the snipes against Julian I was addressing the columnist's charges. Nothing to do with your post . I enjoyed your ( as opposed to the careless: you ) political snipe, as I said. Sorry for the misunderstanding.
)
misha1000
OK, we both misunderstood each other.
But I wasn't joking about the Proventil and brownies.
Copy, paste, close any spaces:
http://newyorkleftist.blogspot.com/2009/11/dont-cry-for-me-alaska.html
susangalea
By the way, misha1000, just read the newyork leftist blogspot thingy. While it was quite amusing, there was nothing new. Feel sure my fellow Palinistas here could do a better job to be honest. Anyway, cross fingers that this Palin creature runs for il presidente in 2012. It will be hilarious, n'est-ce-pas? Ha, how embarrassing does it have to get for the teflon dolly to feel any heat? She is fascinating because she is like all those fascinators: weirdos who are into self-promotion and are prepared to present infront of a panel, for example, interviewing them for expertise on foreign policy, and despite the fact they know that they know nothing they are ready and willing.... It is unfathomable how a sentient human being with seemingly, all the accoutrements associated with sanity, could push themselves forward the way this numpy quondam beauty queen does. Priceless. Don't let's knock it. Obama is in need of some help.
misha1000
susangalea: is Dom Mintoff still alive?
susangalea
Erm, note to self: phone Aussie friend and ask him if this description of very un-Australian limbs is accurate. Does he know any other slim blonde / prematurely grey boys in Australia? Does he know anyone with a 'blinding pallor that admits no nuance'? On the other hand maybe this Assange guy is just slim, prematurely grey with a clean white face. If we reverse those last three words to something like dirty brown face.... Well, I just know my point will not be lost and people in glass houses ....bla bla .
misha1000
susangalea: stick to real estate. And I hope you read contracts more closely than you read my comments, before blasting me.
Thank you.
susangalea
I was not 'blasting' you. I was simply responding to the columnist. Did I address you? No. When I responded to you it was to congratulate and agree with you. Please, give me a break.
susangalea
misha1000
Dom Mintoff is indeed still alive, old reprobate. I am not Maltese; but he sure is.
TunkuVaradarajan
Let me know the result of your telephone call, susangelea.....
Thanks or reading the DB...
Yrs, tv
susangalea
Hilarious moniker. Erm, what telephone call would that be? Are you obliquely asking for help? Would you like me to book you in somewhere restorative? If I find somewhere that doesn't require your identity papers maybe we could do business...... Hee hee .
paseev
Mr.Varadarajan..
My summary of your piece a) ad hominem attack.b) verbal bombast c) vacuous argument.
Should you have done us a favor by starting your piece with a description of your physical attributes, as you have done with those of Assange?
Has it occurred to you that everything you have written is actually more appropriately applicable to yourself?
melk12
The problem, of course, is that Julian Assange can only function within the tender confines of the United States and, possibly, Australia. Here he can obtain classified information and publish it and not really worry about being spirited away at midnight to death in some Gulag. You just can't do this stuff in China, Russia, Iran, Syria and the like. This is antiwar games for children or those who view the world like infants. And those commenters who choose to reply with long lectures on the evils of capitalism as embodied in the United States of America are just wasting everybody's time. As predictable as sunrise. I rather suspect that Mr Assange is only now realising the downside to his little prank in terms of the harm that will occur to many courageous Afghanis opposed to Al Qaeda and the Taliban. But, hey, I guess you have to break some eggs to make an omelette.....
Illusioned1
the point is - that you will be able to upload the info from anywhere - making it available to China, Russia ect.
It was not a prank. The informant names s/b removed, but even at that, many of them might be working both sides, considering the circumstances.
Certif
These leaks may well cause the deaths of some people and if it does I sincerely hope that Mr. Assange suffers mental anguish for the rest of his life. Here's what is going to happen and what I hope happens. Whoever gave him the information is going to be prosecuted and will spend most, if not all, of the rest of their life in prison. What I hope happens is that Mr. Assange is classified as a subversive by the U.S. government and is permanently barred from ever entering the country again.
bfahlgren
Julian Assange is a dreamer. He dreams of a new tomorrow where state secrets are a thing of the past. Wikileaks is a part of that dream. Confidentiality only encourages states to lie to their citizens. We want real democracy. We want accountability. We want complete honesty from our governments. What Julian Assange does is a step in the right direction.
Illusioned1
Exactly! And hopefully, he will be much more careful next time though, or they will crucify him, like another dreamer we know of, Jesus.
Peter Ashley
I actually hate this personallzation of disent, the left does it all the time. Who cares even if had horns coming out of his head and farts fire? Do you care about the limited distribution of secret documents. The left wants to wear u down by procedure and arguement until you say no. Prosecute if you can, give it up if you can't. Yes, its the burden of a conservative to have clear philosophical and moral distinctions, you can give up the game and join the 5-minute hate over on the left at any time.
corky51
I would love to know what Tina Brown thinks about this ridiculous so-called "journalism." I'm more than embarrassed for the author. Point of the article -- the author doesn't like Assange. But so what? How does one determine that someone else looks"amoral?" Ms. Brown, I respect you -- do you really wish to support this kind of "journalism?"
Pupster
There's an argument to be made against Assange. But this column's lame attempt aint it. In this case, there is no doubt that Assange's haste to release these documents resulted in some shoddy redacting that may cost real people, Afghanis who have helped our side, their lives. And yet no new information of import has come out.
These are not the Pentagon Papers, which included blockbuster indictable offenses and active lying by our government. Daniel Ellsberg made a decision of conscience and was willing to go to jail for it. No such information came from the low-level bureaucratic wallpaper that Assange released to much hype. And the man did it for page views and name recognition, not conscience. He's not the kind to go to jail for anything. He'll leave that to the 22 yo analyst who was dumb enough and bored enough to download these for fun.
A month from now this release will be a footnote for all of us, except for the Afghanis whose names were exposed. They'll likely be dead. But the debate over the war, which we should legitimately have front and center, won't be budged one iota by this Wikileaks dump.
susangalea
I am disappointed to read that you think that. I am not sure yet. It isn't looking good for Assange: the carelessness with lives is callous and shocking. I wonder if it was just because they are callous and careless. I have to do alot more homework before reaching any conclusions. Your comments about the Pentagon Papers are spot on. Thank you.
mister_b
Let's not jump to conclusions about anyone's so-called "carelessness" here: it's unlikely that Assange and his people read through the entire 92,000 pages of material released; it's not fair to assume that they knowingly and intentionally made the names of these informants public.
susangalea
mister_b
I'm being very careful not to jump to conclusions in case you haven't noticed. I think if some informants have been exposed which is the information I'm receiving then, hey, this is an ugly mistake and, indeed, I am kind to label the possibility as' careless'. What do you mean it's not fair to assume that they knowingly and intentionally made the names of these informants public? For crying out loud ; if they did not redact; if they did not edit properly: if they were, in fact, unable to fulfill their vaunted careful not to hurt the innocent or helpful, then they deserve all the opprobium that is going to be heaped upon them. We are talking about human lives here. Stop being so precious about precisely nothing, buddy.
Martha Spinner
Well, say what you want, but I think we can all agree that Mr. Assanges is a marked man..... which means those who seek to silence him are no better than any other fanatic/fundamentalist/terrorist....
Thank you.
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