"Information is the currency of democracy." -- Thomas Jefferson.
Since 9-11, the US government, through Presidents Bush and Obama, has increasingly told the US public that "state secrets" will not be shared with citizens. Candidate Obama pledged to reduce the use of state secrets, but President Obama continued the Bush tradition. The Courts and Congress and international allies have gone meekly along with the escalating secrecy demands of the U.S. Executive.
By labeling tens of millions of documents secret, the US government has created a huge vacuum of information.
But information is the lifeblood of democracy. Information about government contributes to a healthy democracy. Transparency and accountability are essential elements of good government. Likewise, "a lack of government transparency and accountability undermines democracy and gives rise to cynicism and mistrust," according to a 2008 Harris survey commissioned by the Association of Government Accountants.
Into the secrecy vacuum stepped Private Bradley Manning, who, according to the Associated Press, was able to defeat "Pentagon security systems using little more than a Lady Gaga CD and a portable computer memory stick."
Manning apparently sent the information to WikiLeaks -- a non profit media organization, which specializes in publishing leaked information. WikiLeaks in turn shared the documents to other media around the world including The New York Times and published much of it on its website.
Despite criminal investigations by the US and other governments, it is not clear that media organizations like WikiLeaks can be prosecuted in the U.S. in light of First Amendment. Recall that the First Amendment says:
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or of the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."
Outraged politicians are claiming that the release of government information is the criminal equivalent of terrorism and puts innocent people's lives at risk. Many of those same politicians authorized the modern equivalent of carpet bombing of Baghdad and other Iraqi cities, the sacrifice of thousands of lives of soldiers and civilians, and drone assaults on civilian areas in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Yemen. Their anger at a document dump, no matter how extensive, is more than a little suspect.
Everyone, including WikiLeaks and the other media reporting the documents, hopes that no lives will be lost because of this. So far, that appears to be the case as McClatchy Newspapers reported November 28, 2010, that "U.S. officials conceded that they have no evidence to date that the [prior] release of documents led to anyone's death."
The US has been going in the wrong direction for years by classifying millions of documents as secrets. WikiLeaks and other media which report these so-called secrets will embarrass people, yes. WikiLeaks and other media will make leaders uncomfortable, yes. But embarrassment and discomfort are small prices to pay for a healthier democracy.
Wikileaks has the potential to make transparency and accountability more robust in the US. That is good for democracy.
Reza Marashi: WikiLeaks: U.S.-Iran Relations "Now What" Moment?
Frank Schaeffer: The New York Times, Danish Cartoons v. WikiLeaks
HuffPost TV: Arianna On 'George Stromboulopoulos': WikiLeaks' Cablegate Sheds Light On Afghan War
I believe that we as people deserve to know the truth about things, but we don't deserve to destroy people or the work they do to govern the world and conduct diplomacy. I hope the Swedes nail this dude. My final question to all those who love this dude and wikileaks is, what GOOD has come from this, what did we find out that we didn't already know from real reporters who don't steal data?
Long live Wikileaks.
A state is much more dangerous for individuals than individuals for a state in Russia, China, Iran for instance. WikiLeaks is neither threat for the global community nor for citizens. Justice for all, for the world!
Wikileaks will be attacked by them and it's leader punished .
If they do not who will be next , wall street , donations to partys, banks .
If everyone has the same information the playing field would be too even .
The wiki-leaks crowd are just as evil as the government's they're attacking.
Ain't no good guys on either side.
THis may not be specific as the Pentagon papers but given the source I suspect it is a way of forcing the govt's hand with these two wars.
We went into Iraq under false pretenses, we don't quite know what is happening in Afghanistan, we had unprecedented corruption under Bush and when we do get a peek at our govt's misdeeds (Abu Ghairab, Guantanamo)there is insufficient outrage to make a change. I think folks are tired of being lied to and that must be especially true for the troops over there. It is not surprising that it came from some 22 year old kid in Baghdad.
All these leaks do is force the hand of governments trying to come to agreements on issues, weaken allies while strengthening distrust amoungst other nations, and satisfy some Aussie computer hackers desire to single-handedly bring down the "Evil Americans".
Seriously people...do hear what you are suggesting/defending? Not all information should be made public. If you dont agree, try posting your bank account information and social security number.
Governments need to have ways to function out of the public view...would anyone argue that the CIA or the NSA should just leave the doors open? Let anyone in who comes along to browse files? Computers? Make copies....?
The idea that Wikileaks is anything close to good is absurd and its founder should be tried and hung if convicted,.