Having read all the posts here, I also get a strong feeling that none of you have actually read the documents on the wikileaks site. I get a strong feeling that you guys actually trust the Australian media to report this stuff without bias. Very naive of you all and might I say, very bad form to be seen to be expressing opinions based on ignorance.

I assure you that the Wikileaks site contains more than smarmy comments from smarmy upstarts in the diplomatic corps. The detainee negotiations are discussed, and it reads like a strange slave trading operation where America pays with cash and favours for nations to take the alleged terrorists. The directive to spy, illegally, on the UN is in there. There is summary socio/political analysis presented as background info for upcoming visits and a wealth more to browse. Everyday, just a little bit more is released. It is fascinating reading and truly does give an insight into the American Plutocracy and her foreign policies.

Of course, you can't get to the actually wikileaks site without a proxy, Australian authorities have disabled the site.

From the Wikileaks site:

"As the media organisation has grown and developed, WikiLeaks been developing and improving a harm minimisation procedure. We do not censor our news, but from time to time we may remove or significantly delay the publication of some identifying details from original documents to protect life and limb of innocent people."

US Defence Secretary, Robert Gates has said the leaks are embarrassing but modest as far as risk. The response from leaders has been bland, the most noise coming from the US party machine.

I have read some of the stuff on the site before it was disabled and much of it was idle personal opinons about various leaders/officials and some of it more serious such as spying on the UN.

But is this really news to any of us?

The arrest warrant for Assange is more than just an over-reaction - it is criminal.

One doesn't see many other investigative journalists arrested for writing embarrasing stories. It would be akin to arresting Laruie Oakes for writing articles from inforation derived from leaks including national security assessments about Iraq and WMDs?

The comments coming out likening Assange to a terrorist or being Anti-West are laughable when much of the earlier leaks on Wikileaks were very much focused on corruption in the developing world and there is equally damaging information about Saudi Arabia, China, Africa, North Korea etc.

Seeking greater transparency in government means having access to information. Without it, we continue to live like mushrooms, oblivious to agendas. Why not make agendas public? What is their to hide?

If all nations acted openly and responsibly even if it means putting a nose out of joint here and there, such as refusing to trade with a despot (or similar) or forming alliances with others against despots (just for example), then there exists hope that corruption will be greately reduced and opens the way to get on with the business of governing for the people no matter where they live.

You can still access the site. It is easier if you click on 'Classification' (of document) than on some of the other links.

Maybe there is an overload on the system at times which is slowing up access.

Greg Barns has a good take on this issue
at the ABC Drum Unleashed website:
http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/41736.html

There is a bit more telling information on the threat of terrorism in some of the Secret documents but from what I have read nothing that is not already gleaned from media reports about the threat of extremism in France and other European nations. Nor some of the shonky trade deals that are set up behind closed doors. Nothing new there even if the detail is enlightening.

And it should be stressed that it is only an opinion based on information provided and cultural media available to Embassies on the ground.

It is time for a frank and honest discussion about many issues affecting world relations including trade, extremist elements, corporate interests. That can only be a good thing as long as it is done constructively and not as a witchhunt.

http://cablegate.wikileaks.org/classification/1_0.html

I tell you one thing that is truly eye-opening- with the US government's stance of trying to brand him a terrorist and interpol trying to catch him for "rape" (mysteriously a few days after these releases), it truly shows the world which organizations we can trust and which ones are dirty to the core, and use their powers only for selfish dishonest ends, and we (refering to citizens of every relevant country) should demand the abolishment of immediately.

I for one would be terrified to find out that Interpol is more concerned about a guy exposing government corruption to the point of pinning up gross false charges, than they are about, you know, terrorist groups and Hizn Ut Tahir crawling over most of Europe.