WIKILEAKS
NOVEMBER
28th
2010
I have taken
some time before committing any thoughts on WikiLeaks and Julian
Assange to the keyboard, let alone to the Web. It is hard to admire the
actions of the sources of leaks of private correspondence, whatever the
circumstances, let alone classified material that comes into your hands
by virtue of the privileged position of legitimate employment. We must
assume that both the source and the publisher, Assange, are individuals
who consider their own personal qualities, knowledge, judgement and
opinions are not recognized by their fellow men and women, their
countrymen or humanity as a whole. They have found a route to
grandstand
with their opinions by exposing the unguarded opinions and errors of
those under extreme political amd military pressures.
From one point
of view we might be thankful that the assumption by the authors of the
material being leaked that its security was impregnable has been
exposed as folly. On the other hand the damage and risk to lives in
certain
instances that the perpetrators of these leaks would justify
in the greater good is surely unacceptable. Assange has a personal and
idiosyncratic political agenda.
The policies of
nations are decided as best we can, not in secrecy but in fair debate
and discussion by elected persons and appointed professionals with what
expertise we can muster. That their application entails confidential
communications does not make the policies undemocratic, secret or
unreasonable. If the leaking of these could in some way show the
policies to be wrong, that would be somethuing significant, but the
likelyhood is they will show no such thing. The likelyhood is they will
cause embarrassment, confusion and put lives at risk.
Anyone who has
heard the acounts from e.g. Lindy Cameron in Afghanistan http://www.nato.int/cps/en/SID-352078E9-7F1DD361/natolive/opinions_66863.htm or read the diaries
Lt Col David Wakefield http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/wiltshire/hi/people_and_places/newsid_8326000/8326069.stm cannot doubt the
value, purpose and determination of the current operations in
Afghanistan, carried out by Afghans themselves together with ISAF and
NATO to bring
stability, the rule of law and a better life to Hellmand and the whole
of Afghanistan. Nor could they doubt that we can and should succeed,
though success is never guaranteed. http://www.flickr.com/photos/32616504@N03/4225589698/
The destructive
petulance of Assange will not bring about any future based on his
philosophy or his practices. The best we can hope for is that his self
aggrandising behaviour will expose some poor practises in the political
and military establishments but it is unlikely they are are not only
too well aware of these already, so the only outcome of WikiLeaks will
be negative.
NOVEMBER 29th 2010
Judging from from the first lot of inanities from the Wkileaked files
we can see why the US authorities are embarrassed. It shows up their
diplomats as dumber than we sometimes guess them to be. From the
cover of The Independent I have picked the following gems:with my comments.
Angela Merkel "is rarely creative". Quite possibly, but creativity is not a
required attribute for the German leader. Judgement of the creative
offerings of her advisers is.
Dimitry Medvedev is "Pale and apprehensive". That's quite likely, working in a Moscow
office is not a sun-filled life and if he was not apprehensive he would
be wrong.
Vladimir Putin sees himself as an 'alpha dog'. President and now Prime Minister of the
Soviet Union, yes, I think that is the equivalent, he would not deny
that.
Hamid Karzai is "driven by paranoia". No,
paranoia
is
when
you
think
people
are
out
to
get
you
but
they
aren't
really.
In
this
case
they
really
are.
Muammar Ghaddafi is "attended by a voluptuous blonde nurse". And your point is?
Nicolas Sarkozy is "an emperor with no clothes". Well that is rather rude about a French
President who has seen France play a full and productive part in
international affairs and who has many competent ministers.. France is
a nuclear power, a serious contributor to NATO operations, has well run
and maintained agricultural, energy, transport, water and waste
management systems, a world class aviation industry, education and
literacy standards to be envied and national health way above average.
(cf: the US http://www.thefreelibrary.com/U.S.+fares+poorly+in+international+health+comparisons-a015444043).
No shortage of clothes then. Even if from time to time the US has paid
for a trousseau or two (perhaps that's what irks them) France has
looked after them well.
Silvio Berlusconi is "fond of wild parties". Good to see the unexpected inside
intelligence cracked by America's top men and shared in the interests
of national security.
Good grief Charlie Brown, no wonder they want Assange prosecuted! This
would dent the pride of the world's most powerful leaders we were told.
Er... no, it makes the US look rather silly. However it is
probably not
these
leaks which are significant. As for Saudi Arabia wanting Iran's
nuclear
capability snuffed before it gets going, so would everyone, but
reckless actions are to be avoided so they will be given all the rope
there is.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-11858990
DECEMBER 1st 2010
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-11893886
The extent of the connection of
organised crime to business to politics is the big question in all
countries, not just Russia. Cleaning this up is easier said than done!
DECEMBER 3rd 2010
Wikileaks forced to change domain and Assange risks extradition from UK
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11911162
Recent leaks in which US Military criticises UK efforts in Helmand are
probably more embarrassing the US than the UK. After taking over some
areas of Helmand the US lost a record number of soldiers pretty quickly
in spite of being very much better resourced than the British. As for
Karzai's criticism of the British it refers to a period when he was in
dispute with Britain over some reasonable attempts to negotiate with
Taliban.
DEC 4th - for comments on the WikiLeaks concerning The Special Relationship click on
that link.
DECEMBER 6th 2010
Now we are getting to the real reason why these WikiLeaks are dangerous
and damaging. For a country that along with the UK was in the
forefront of the development of data communications and the control of
the same, the US seems to be extraordinarily vague about the
consequences. Its as if there were two cultures, as CP Snow suggested
in 20th century Britain, but this time the division in the US is
between the ICT savvy and the rest.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/politics/us-forced-to-shake-up-embassies-around-the-world-after-wikileaks-revelations-2152167.html
DECEMBER 7th 2010
Assange, now the
subject of an EU extradition order from Sweden where he is required to
respond to accusations of assault on two women, has been refused bail
by a London magistrate. This charge has nothing whatever to do with
WikiLeaks, which may well continue despite Assange's arrest or even his
conviction; however the decision by the Swedish prosecutor to proceed
with the case was probably decided by the publicity surrounding Assange
which made it difficult for the authorities to ignore it. Naturally
conspiracy theorists will claim there are dark forces at work. The
reality is simply that the Swedish prosecutor is covering his arse in a
case which before was not considered a priority, perhaps because of
lack of evidence apart from the word of the two women involved. If
Assande is not guilty of assault there is not the slightest reason to
suppose he will be convicted.
As for any legal case in American law against Assange, it might be
obvious if he was a US citizen. As it is I just do not know. It is
certainly stupid and criminal behaviour by any normal standard,
regardless of the law. Criminality is in the eye of the beholder, to be
nationalised and internationalised as time passes by the evolving,
appropriate institutions. Legal opinions are only valid within the
resulting matrix and are always temporary.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11937110
DECEMBER 14th 2010
All in all, it is just as well we had this leaking episode now. Some
good has come from it and so far not too much harm. Much to be learned.
Technological lessons and diplomatic lessons. However, much depends on
what is in the huge amount of material we have not yet seen and who has
access to it and what their agenda is. We needs to bear in mind both
the story of the frogs who wanted a king and the history of the French
Revolution, not forgetting the collapse of the Roman Empire.
Assange has been granted bail on £200,000 surety and conditions
of tagging, fixed address and curfew but remains in Wandsworth while
Sweden appeals the bailing. They may lose that unless they come up with
some better evidence than we have heard so far. However I can't help
laughing over John Pilger's priceless comment that when Assange has
been released from jail 'in Dickensian conditions, a great injustice
will have been overturned'. What a pompous prick Pilger is. A spate in
Wandsworth is instructive for anyone, guilty or innocent. No doubt
Assange will get out in due course. He could be living under a regime
where he would be imprisoned immediately and tried a long time later,
if at all. There are thousand of people
unjustly locked up including I am sure some on the this country
carrying the can for others, but we are free to work for their release
and usually they are freed, like that chump who got binned for
supposedly shooting Jill Dando.
DECEMBER 16th 2010
Assange should be out tomorrow when his bail is posted and all the
sureties signed up. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12005930
I doubt if all the fuss made by his supporters has speeded this process
in any way. Oh how the poor dear must be suffering... it's so unfair.
PS: Assange has been released today. He damaged his credibility for
honesty almost immediately by claiming that because 1/10 of all the
mentions of rape on the web mention him that there was obviously a
conspiracy. Mr Assande knows as much about the Web and the Internet as
most people so he is well aware why and how the combination of
circumstances and search mechanisms would produce this effect, but he
managed to talk without a break to prevent the interviewer from
pointing this out. Still, I am glad he is out, there was never any
likeyhood of him being detained for long but boy, he does take himself
and his views seriously. A real conspiracy theorist. If only he knew!!
DECEMBER 21st 2010
It is now clear that the complaint against Assange by his female
accusers was not originally that he had sexual intercourse with them
but that after they discovered he had sex with many other women he
refused to be tested for HIV. Had he done so they would not have
brought charges. This is the man who has spent a lifetime telling us
everyone must be accountable. Talking with John Humphrys he says he
will not return to Sweden because he does things only by proper
process. Oh yeah, of course. He will not say whether or not he had sex
with the women concerned because 'private life is private'. He feels
betrayed in this case.
The full transcript: http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_9309000/9309320.stm
He says he wants to change the world but is oblivious or ignorant of
the fact that the politicians, diplomats and soldiers who he ridicules
or criticises have spent their lives in the same cause using the
conventional methods and working their way to positions of
responsibility. Assange seem to think he knows better than them and
could do a better job, like so many armchair critics who have little
idea what they would be up against to do any better. In spite of some
awful regional situations, International relations between the world's
major powers are probably on a better footing today than at any period
in my lifetime due to the efforts of leaders and diplomats and
disciplined militaries all over the world. Assand has done nothing to
help achieve this and I doubt he ever will. He is an immature naive
egotist.
FEBRUARY 24th 2011
Mr
Assange
will appeal against the extradition ruling, his lawyer told the
court
Wikileaks founder Julian Assange should be extradited to Sweden to face
sexual assault allegations, a judge has ruled.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12564865
The logic of the judgement seems sound to me. The Swedish justice
system has not been found wanting so far and there is nothing in this
case to think it could be corrupted. The judgement with reasons will be
published and the arguments made in court, the proceedings, will be
published too.
Assange, announcing his appeal, said "there was no consideration given
to the merits of the case against him". Quite so, that was to be
considered in Sweden, but he deliberately ignored several requests from
authorities there to discuss the merits and then ran away. Considering
them here without the evidence and witnesses would be prejudicial to
the case, and Assange is already complaining about prejudice.
nnnn