So what's a leak and is it dangerous? We all know what it means when we are in a small boat and our underwear gets wet. Unless the leak is large, damage control in he form of a bucket usually mitigates the consequences. But what does it mean when it comes to the interaction between the Internet and the United States government? Adrian Lamo, is a former computer hacker. He may now be considered one of the top informers, double agents, patriots, stool pigeons, or computer forensic investigators depending upon who one talks too. Lamo recently alerted authorities to Bradley Manning, who is suspected of leaking military information to WikiLeaks. Apparently, two other men in the Boston area may have assisted Manning with the alleged disclosures.
These are not stupid people. The unknown assistants of Manning apparently both attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The men's identity is unknown because Lamo believes that his life may be in danger if he reveals his sources. The unidentified men allegedly told Lamo that they gave encryption software to Army Private Bradley Manning. With a little bit of help Manning then apparently published the information with WikiLeaks.
At the time, Manning was an Army intelligence analyst. He is now held in solitary confinement in Virginia. Just what was so secret that solitary confinement is in order? Manning is accused of leaking an air strike video published on WikiLeaks in April. The air strike reveals that a war is being fought and the unfortunate consequences of war. Manning is also suspected of disclosing thousands of field reports from the war in Afghanistan. Again, the field reports describe war and the horrible consequences of armed conflict.
As a matter of policy, WikiLeaks does not identity its sources. But with the FBI now assisting the Defense Department, it is doubtful that they will take "no" for an answer. In the mean time, all of the media attention has caused many to wonder exactly what the government does not want us to see regarding Afghanistan. Revealing military secrets that put our soldiers in jeopardy is obviously treason. However, revealing the horrors of war and its unfortunate consequences is nothing short of reality t.v. Do we really need censorship?
Update 8-6-10: The government has demanded the return of the "leaked" documents. LINK.
Update 8-21-10: Maybe it really is not a good idea to "pull the mask off the Lone Ranger." In a surprising disclosure, WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange, is being investigated for a possible rape in Sweden. Authorities have issued a warrant for his arrest. The 39-year-old Australian denied the allegations on WikiLeaks' Twitter page by saying that the allegations "are without basis and their issue at this moment is deeply disturbing." According to the Swedish Prosecution Authority, Assange is actually a possible suspect in two separate incidents.
An arrest warrant means police are seeking his cooperation as part of an investigation but doesn't necessarily mean that criminal charges will be filed. And of course, Julian Assange is to be considered innocent unless otherwise proven in a court of law. As an editor's note, the timing of these allegations is rather suspicious. The warrant was issued in such close proximity to WikiLeaks controversial publication of first hand accounts of the Iraq war that even many conservatives are scratching their heads. Freedom of the press? You bet. That is as long as you don't tug on Superman's cape or try to pull the mask off the Lone Ranger.
An arrest warrant means police are seeking his cooperation as part of an investigation but doesn't necessarily mean that criminal charges will be filed. And of course, Julian Assange is to be considered innocent unless otherwise proven in a court of law. As an editor's note, the timing of these allegations is rather suspicious. The warrant was issued in such close proximity to WikiLeaks controversial publication of first hand accounts of the Iraq war that even many conservatives are scratching their heads. Freedom of the press? You bet. That is as long as you don't tug on Superman's cape or try to pull the mask off the Lone Ranger.
Update 12-7-10: Is the founder of WikiLeaks a public enemy for recent disclosures? Julian Assange was remanded in custody by a London judge after he told the court he intended to fight moves to extradite him to Sweden on sex-crime charges.The 39-year-old Australian was asked by district judge Howard Riddle whether he consented to be extradited to Sweden, where he faces one count of rape, one of unlawful coercion and two counts of sexual molestation. The anti-privacy campaigner denies all of the charges and will fight extradition. Associated Press
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16 comments:
Why the surprise? This is what big brother does...
Well, the country can never tolerate putting our safety and security in jeopardy.
It is a complicated subject that calls for a real balancing act.
But it is ok for Cheney & co. to expose Valerie Plame who ran a decades in the making spy network that tracked nuclear material and technology with the aim of keeping it away from people who would use it to attack the United States. It was one of most important national security assets in the history of this country. The Republicans burned it on purpose to insure their war for profit. And we could all get vaporized as a result.
Somebody should hang for that!
Video Guy makes a valid point. Who judges when the danger is real?
Somethings satisfy our thirst to satisfy our curiousity. Others create a genunine risk to safety. So who decides?
Hang em all?
No silly...
A leak is when you are running for political office and someone starts telling the nasty truth about you. Telling military secrets that put our soldier's lives in danger on the other hand, that's treason in my opinion.
The government has now formally demanded the return of the leaked documents.
http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/08/05/pentagon-wants-wikileaks-to-return-classified-war-documents/
You guys are all off base. "Ever since I was a kid, a "leak" is something you have to take after you drank to much soda pop."
~Jay
~Jay said...
(You guys are all off base. "Ever since I was a kid, a "leak" is something you have to take after you drank to much soda pop.")
Or beer…or the hole you just blew in the bottom of you boat with a 12 gauge after trying to kill the 5 foot Muskie you just hauled in....after drinking the beer.
Video Guy,
I like the way you think.
Yono Senada said...
(Video Guy,
I like the way you think.)
I’m not sure if it is urban legend or fact but it is a story that has been told at the bars and resorts along the Wisconsin rivers and lakes for years and years.
The story says a backwoods fisherman hauled in a record Muskee and to stop it from flopping around in his small boat he tried to kill the unruly trophy by blasting it with a shotgun he had taken along for just such circumstances…He missed, blew a hole in his boat, the boat sunk and the record Muskee swam away.
What I do know is that some of them Wisconsinites DO go Muskee fishing with shotguns in their boats.
Video guy, this is a classic. How about a video reenactment?
Update 8-21-10: Maybe it really is not a good idea to "pull the mask off the Lone Ranger." In a surprising disclosure, WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange, is being investigated for a possible rape in Sweden. Authorities have issued a warrant for his arrest. The 39-year-old Australian denied the allegations on WikiLeaks' Twitter page by saying that the allegations "are without basis and their issue at this moment is deeply disturbing." According to the Swedish Prosecution Authority, Assange is actually a possible suspect in two separate incidents.
An arrest warrant means police are seeking his cooperation as part of an investigation but doesn't necessarily mean that criminal charges will be filed. And of course, Julian Assange is to be considered innocent unless otherwise proven in a court of law. As an editor's note, the timing of these allegations is rather suspicious. The warrant was issued in such close proximity to WikiLeaks controversial publication of first hand accounts of the Iraq war that even many conservatives are scratching their heads. Freedom of the press? You bet. That is as long as you don't tug on Superman's cape or try to pull the mask off the Lone Ranger.
Update 12-7-10: Is the founder of WikiLeaks a public enemy for recent disclosures? Julian Assange was remanded in custody by a London judge after he told the court he intended to fight moves to extradite him to Sweden on sex-crime charges.The 39-year-old Australian was asked by district judge Howard Riddle whether he consented to be extradited to Sweden, where he faces one count of rape, one of unlawful coercion and two counts of sexual molestation. The anti-privacy campaigner denies all of the charges and will fight extradition. Associated Press
Pfc. Bradley Manning will hear tomorrow whether he will be convicted of aiding the enemy. If convicted, he could be sentenced to life in prison without parole. He allegely sent more than 700,000 government documents to the anti-secrecy website WikiLeaks. Col. Denise Lind will announce her decision tomorrow.
The charge of aiding the enemy is based on 21 counts that Manning is contesting. He also is charged with eight federal Espionage Act violations, five federal theft counts, and two federal Computer Fraud and Abuse Act violations.
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