Poirot:

Thank You for the Walkley link. Powerful stuff! If that doesn't get to the PM, then nothing will! Hopefully with our finest media getting behind Assange should surely send a message to the pollies.

Lexi I must say about Ben Eltham's 2nd article, he makes an aspersion about Julian Assange and details the accusations made against him by a Swedish woman.

I understood that part of the problem here is that Assange himself or his legal team has no detail supplied by the Swedish prosecutors as to what the detail of the accusations levelled against him actually are.

How is it that Ben Eltham seems to know, and even continues on with a summary that ends in "no still means no". Who is Ben Eltham again?.

Is it healthy for the media commentariate to be framing opinions on the unproven before the legal aspects of this case have been barely commenced?.

Poirot

" It is the fact that the documents are not selectively vetted for sensation value that lends Wikileaks its moral integrity."

An Iranian man who escaped from his country and cited on a Wikileaks document, now fears for his family who remain in Iran.

thinker 2 opines the idea that Manning could be executed.

Professional journalists have always protected their sources, even to the point of going to gaol. Wikileaks does not.

Doesn't this raise concerns among OLO writers ... is surely does with me.

Are we now looking at new journalism in which individuals are to be 'thrown to the wolves' in the 'ethos' of free speech.

Among the journalists who signed the petition for Assange, Pethenberry previously had also raised similar concerns ... Exactly how was the petition worded.

Does anyone really believe that a personal opinion about another country's leader such as US/Australia is going to change our policy vis a vis the US and Australia.

For any real value from Wikileaks documents they need a expert political analyst who can set them in context, not Joe Bloe on the street.

“Professional journalists have always protected their sources, even to the point of going to gaol. Wikileaks does not.”

Well there has to be a bit of “she’ll be right mate” in WikiLeaks. Umm... he is in jail even if it was because another kind of protection failed.

“Doesn't this raise concerns among OLO writers ... is surely does with me.”

Nup, I’m all good.

“Does anyone really believe that a personal opinion about another country's leader such as US/Australia is going to change our policy vis a vis the US and Australia.”

We can only hope.

“Are we now looking at new journalism in which individuals are to be 'thrown to the wolves' in the 'ethos' of free speech.”

Isn’t it better than whole war loads of people being thrown to the wolves in the ethos of unchained politicians?

“For any real value from Wikileaks documents they need a expert political analyst who can set them in context, not Joe Bloe on the street.”

Jeez you’re a spoiler Danni

Is that actually correct Danielle. Did Wikileaks reveal it's source to the Americans?.

Is so, I was not aware of that, and if it were true, then I agree that would be cause for concern.

Danielle,

Wikileaks did not reveal its source in Manning's case - Wikileaks takes great pains not to reveal their sources in general.

Manning's downfall appears to have come from his own bragging. He confided to an online acquaintance and ex-hacker(Lamo) of his activities - and also to a close friend.

This quote from the following article: "Lamo decided to turn in Manning after the soldier told him he leaked a quarter-million classified embassy cables."

http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2010/07/manning-charges/