Pentagon officials say they our scouring through their own database of files related to the Iraq War trying to figure out which 400,000 documents are in possession of WikiLeaks, the whistleblowing group which promises to release them some time on Monday.
The release will be the biggest such release of US military documents in history, coming just months after the organization leaked 77,000 Afghan War documents, the previous largest release. Pentagon officials say they are unsure exactly which documents they will be.
But they were sure of one thing, that they were condemning the organization for planning the release. Pentagon spokesman Col. David Lapan slammed WikiLeaks and demanded that the organization “return the documents to their rightful owner.”
While it is impossible to predict the fallout from the new release, the Afghan document release revealed that a number of official military positions regarding the war, including those given in testimony to Congress were overt lies meant to cover up the reality of just how poorly the war was going. It also revealed a number of previously unknown incidents, and the existence of a US military assassination team roaming the country.
Though legally speaking WikiLeaks is probably on safe footing releasing the documents (the US Supreme Court has upheld the right of media groups to leak classified data in the public interest), the organization’s leaders have largely gone into hiding since the last release, with concerns about their safety given Pentagon pledges to take “measures” to prevent future leaks. The Pentagon is currently holding Pfc Bradley Manning, the presumptive leaker, and he faces a massive number of charges regarding mishandling of classified data.
I was really hopeful when wikileaks first came out with the collateral murder video. Like a lot of people I thought here is the 21st century equivalent of the pentagon papers. The biggest difference now though is that it's pretty apparent that the American media isn't going to be outraged and demand accountability from those in power and the American people will barely notice the story at all. So the two biggest changes since the Vietnam war seem to be that the press is the establishment now and the American people no longer care what their government does as long as they aren't personally affected.
Wow that was depressing to write.
JLS… I have to agree that BIG media is the establishment and that only the alternative press and foreign outlets can be trusted. As far as Americans no longer caring that is not so clear cut. You have to take into consideration that BIG media and its propaganda and statistical arms… i.e. polling organizations, crank out false polls etc. in order to co-opt the public mind. I care what the government is doing and sadly being American that puts me and a whole lot of other folks I know on the other side of your equation. Don't fall for the lie that everyone believes what the liars vomit in our direction.
demanded that the organization “return the documents to their rightful owner.” Hmmm. But wasn't that the intent?
"Our position is redactions don't help,[…]," […]"We don't believe WikiLeaks or others have the expertise needed. It's not as simple as just taking out names. There are other things and documents that aren't names that are also potentially damaging."
In the past, those other-things have included torture techniques; it's rather transparent why those could be 'damaging.' Perhaps we could do without such 'expertise.'
and the truth shall set you free..