I disagree that nothing of importance has been revealed by WikiLeaks so far. We have seen atrocities being committed in Iraq, details of how the US used behind the scenes bullying to derail real climate negotiations and how GM food is being forced on the world. They also show how Australian politicians are "protected" and have strong links to the US.

These are not small issues. War, food, climate, sovereignty. It is not just a bit of gossip here and there.

The trouble is that if you look at what they show it is very uncomfortable. The next question is where do we go from here? We either avert our eyes and carry on or acknowledge the problems and try and solve them.

Lillian can you please link to the original cables regarding the climate negotiations and GM food. It is very annoying trying to find specific cables due to the layout of the wikileaks page and lack of a search option.

PS Were you previously not aware of atrocities being committed in Iraq?

I agree with the other commenter's here. I would like some actual things that people are so shocked or surprised from reading wikileaks.

I was aware that America was not doing the right thing from just watching and following regular news. Guantanamo Bay anyone. Nothing new has been revealed nothing at all. Mind you after saying that I have no idea at all why America is chasing Julian Assange none and this does not help the matter and this is what many conspiracy theorists are using.

America is not at all a country that represents democracy and free speech if that was the case then something really silly I will use as an example. The Harry Potter first book had its named changed, Movies in America can sometimes have different names to the rest of the world and tv series. Okay this is not the government but this does not suggest free speech at all. America comes across as a authoritarian parent who questions everything with a touch of a personality disorder to add to it. America loud and clear is saying do as I say not as I do. This has more or less been well know for a long long time. Wilileaks sounds great in theory but it is hard to wade through as it has been pointed out there is no search engine. Anonymous is now asking people to wade through this enormous amount of cables to reveal things. There is nothing there at all nothing.

I am sure if there was instead of getting people to look for a needle in a hay stack it would have been sent to a media outlet.

Also to note Australia is not really a true democracy we and many western countries live under the illusion that we are a democracy. Sorry I meant to say I agree with Stezza as Lillian makes no sense.

People such as Noam Chomsky, Juan Cole, John Pilger, George Monbiot, David Korten, the late Howard Zinn and the multitude of voices at this site have been telling us this for years.

http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com

As of course did/does Naomi Klein via The Shock Doctrine

The principles of democracy, compared to the alternatives, have proved successful in those countries that practice them. As someone once mentioned: liberal democracies have not entered into full-fledged war with each other. Trying to think of exceptions, so please correct me if I'm wrong.

Our current system, though, is as close as we have come to actual democracy. By electing a ruling class the door is always open to corruption and deceit. I think most people in democracies already take what politicians say and do with a grain of salt (or at least I hope they do).

Funny how we as citizens are suppossed to judge and choose our political leaders every three or so years yet we are denied the information to make those judgments. Perhaps we should all take their example to our next performance reviews?

So far news reports etc. have not mentioned that WikiLeaks has divulged highly classified information such as nuclear weapon activation codes or security arrangements for dignitaries (again, correct me if I'm wrong).

The following from The Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/dec/20/you-ask-we-search-december-21
If anything it makes you wonder: Romania, a friend of the USA, and the death of a Romanian citizen caused by a US Marine driving a car...a life is worth $80,000 apparently. The cables show that common sense analysis is being presented to the US Government yet the "hearts and minds" mantra we hear is obviously lost on decision-makers.

http://currentglobalperceptions.blogspot.com/