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The Forum > Article Comments > Not all leaks are created equal > Comments

Not all leaks are created equal : Comments

By Antony Loewenstein, published 11/2/2011

When it comes to unknown unknowns, Wikileaks is head and shoulders the best source.

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Indeed, more leaks sites are a good thing.

But do, pray tell, what kind of information 'damns Israel' more than what has been expressed? Along with
-Israel was trying to coordinate Gaza war with Abbas
-Lobbying the US to attack Iran and negotiating with various countries for clearance (thought that was no mystery)
Seriously, what were you expecting?

And for that part, why the following are not 'big issues'.
-USA stealing personal data from, and spying on UN members
-USA getting lobbied to attack Iran BY Saudi Arabia
-USA secretly conspiring to punish Europe for its GM crops regulations
-A considerable coverage of the full network of torture collaborators in the War on Terror
-Damning internal reports on Afghanistan's prospects
-Revealing that the USA are secretly inside Pakistan
-Revealing that the attacks on terrorist bases in North Africa were in fact US Drone attacks which the local government gave clearance for, and took the blame for to retain good relations
-Approaching poor nations and bribing leaders to take in guantanamo inmates
Among other things.
I'd say each of those are FAR bigger than the Israel Palestine conflict.

By not even bothering to look at any Wikileaks material, and instead just believing what you are TOLD Wikileaks does and doe not have by your commentary source, you are not different from all the people that get their world information from Fox News.

And you have not answered my previous question- how do your sources know better?
Posted by King Hazza, Saturday, 12 February 2011 8:46:54 AM
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Arjay and Rexw

You are pushing it uphill trying to make a point with some of the writers on this subject, rational thinking not being part of their armoury as is patently obvious, daily.

However, it may create a slightly different climate with last night's developments in Egypt, providing no one sees any value in the "Vice" President, the expert in renditions, torture and so-called intelligence gathering at the behest of Israel and give him his marching orders. How many deaths can be attributed to him as well as Mubarak for the CIA/Mossad consortium. Sorry, Ms Condeleeza Rice said that doesn't happen and one can question the honesty of the US government and particularly the Secretary of State.

Now that should be listed as one of the most naive statements in 2011.

Out of it all comes a great need for an honest administration, free from US interference and Mossad false flags, opening access to Palestine, at last, and together with a general movement against US installed dictators or oil rich royalty, the peoples of that part of the world may now see the value in being independent, enjoying human rights for once and progressing to become worthwhile contributors to the aims of global peace.

At least they now a chance.
Posted by Rhys Stanley, Saturday, 12 February 2011 9:01:42 AM
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Unknown unknowns also serve to maintain Leakywiki Loonies in a perpetual state of Soap Opera myopia.
Posted by Wakatak, Sunday, 13 February 2011 6:26:22 AM
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With Rex and RJ. Looking forward, if that's the word, to the 4 Corners episode on the hapless Manning and wikileaks.
Posted by paul walter, Sunday, 13 February 2011 11:14:15 AM
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Have some of you actually read the Wikileaks site? It is a bit unwieldy to navigate but there is a lot already posted with much more to come. Judgements about how selective or not should come after the release is finalised otherwise it is impossible to judge.

Thus far, the material appears very broad and ranges across numerous Embassies. It would only be natural that the biggest 'scoops' would originate from those countries where standards of governance are low and where there is little in the way of democratic structures. No Embassy has been 'spared'. Even the plight of the Chassogians is mentioned - an event and situation that I had not been aware of until WL.

WL claim the material is censored only where there is a belief release may lead to loss of life.

For the conspiracy theorists WL is being controlled by the US and the releases are contrived for some greater purpose (right wing conspiracy). For others the releases are potentially damaging to international relations coupled with a belief that WL is part of some socialist anti-US conspiracy. You have to shake your head.

WL is the best thing to happen to accountability. Too often we place our future in the hands of others who may not always live up to those democratic principles we all espouse. The best tool against corruption and organised crime is transparency. Making it more difficult to deceive is the first step in an imperfect world. The next step has to be refusal to engage in relationships that are in essence corrupt regardless of self economic interests. Helping to line the pockets of dictators is not in anybody's interests particularly for citizens.
Posted by pelican, Sunday, 13 February 2011 12:05:59 PM
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Of course Rhys it is pointless trying to get people lacking the faculties of abstract thought rather than cling to beliefs and parrot lines somebody else said to maintain cognitive equilibrium instead of being forced to relearn that the world works in a much different way than you were groomed to believe (be it from Fox news or the World Socialist Alliance newsletter that both focus-non-stop on Israel/Palestine because the authors of either are obsessed with it, creating the illusion that the whole world cares about this issue):

After all, if someone were to seriously believe that the USA or Israel would actually create a site that spreads some of the strongest anti-US and Israel propaganda in form of evidence of both nations' extensive crimes and dirty dealings) ever, at their outright own expense just to play a trick on lazy TV audiences in western countries whose world is so small that it only involves the USA and Israel, then I'm not sure asking any amount of logic would suffice.

Speaking of which, you haven't answered my question either- how would your information sources know better than government employees distributing the leaks?
Or, to put it another way, on what evidence- OR motive, would your sources and their claims be true and the leaks as being both false and an attempt by the same powers that are being slammed by them?

Also, have you actually SEEN the leaks? OR have you just watched a few paraprases on Channel 7 or the gossip magazines about General Qaddafi's nurse, and then a commentary by some political magazine by someone who only watched said Channel 7 segment themselves?

Some of you speak of 'media trickery' but are faring no better at being duped yourselves.
Posted by King Hazza, Sunday, 13 February 2011 1:57:24 PM
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