Re:Julian Assange: Wikileaks to release 'million more files ...
by maebert on Thursday December 20, 2012 @08:25PM
(#4951032)
While I'm generally supporting Assange in his mission, I do wonder what good has come out of the released cables and other documents so far. Have there been any policy changes anywhere as a direct result of the leaks? Until now it seems like wasting taxpayer's money on making dubious sexual assault charges an international diplomatic issue and possibly unconstitutional torture of a whistleblower are the only effects that ripple through the media. Am I missing something?
I don't know how one could argue that, e.g., releasing cables showing the Afghanistan war is "unwinnable" (a la Daniel Ellsberg), showing the deep hypocrisy and corruption of many governments (e.g., the Saudi rulership), and the bullying of all sorts of governments into falling in line with American military and economic interests isn't a "good".
If there haven't been any visible policy changes by the US government, then perhaps it's because such a change is not easily to connect directly to Wikileaks. Of course, it could be that Robert Gates is correct in saying claiming that consequences for US foreign policy (from the leaked diplomatic cables) have been "modest". If true, that is unfortunate, but surely not the fault of Wikileaks?
I don't know how one could argue that, e.g., releasing cables showing the Afghanistan war is "unwinnable" (a la Daniel Ellsberg), showing the deep hypocrisy and corruption of many governments (e.g., the Saudi rulership), and the bullying of all sorts of governments into falling in line with American military and economic interests isn't a "good".
If there haven't been any visible policy changes by the US government, then perhaps it's because such a change is not easily to connect directly to Wikileaks. Of course, it could be that Robert Gates is correct in saying claiming that consequences for US foreign policy (from the leaked diplomatic cables) have been "modest". If true, that is unfortunate, but surely not the fault of Wikileaks?