Posted on 08/13/2010 9:16:25 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
The whistle-blowing site WikiLeaks is hearing from Sarah Palin: Don't do it.
The group said it plans to release another 15,000 secret Afghan war files, in a move the Pentagon called "the height of irresponsibility."
In a tweets to WikiLeaks this morning, Palin wrote: "w/freedom comes responsibility. Free press protection gives no license to aid enemy; consider our own troops sacrificing for you... Whomever's calling the shots there is unconscionably aiding/abetting the enemy; don't contribute to this. Speak out. Do right."
The release would be on top of some 76,000 classified documents WikiLeaks posted on the Web last month, covering the war in Afghanistan from 2004 to this year and detailing covert operations, Afghan informants and unreported civilian deaths. The website refuses to identify its source, but the military has said it's investigating whether the documents can be traced back to Bradley Manning, an army intelligence analyst imprisoned in Kuwait.
WikiLeaks founder and editor Julian Assange, speaking to a group in London by video link from an undisclosed location, said his group has sifted through 7,000 of the remaining 15,000 documents. They're going through them page by page to block out the names of sources. "We are about halfway through them," Assange said, according to CNN. "This is a very expensive process."
Asked whether he still plans to publish the files, Assange replied: "Absolutely," according to The Wall Street Journal. But the Pentagon warned that the upcoming disclosures could be even more damaging to security -- and risk more lives -- than the initial leak.
"It would compound a mistake that has already put far too many lives at risk," Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell told reporters Thursday, according to The Associated Press. "If they were to publish any additional documents after hearing our concerns about the harm it will cause our forces, our allies and innocent Afghan civilians, it would be the height of irresponsibility."
Earlier, Defense Secretary Robert Gates told a military audience in San Diego that al-Qaida and the Taliban are also sifting through the already-leaked documents -- freely accessible to anyone on the Web -- and searching for the names of Afghans they consider traitors, who've helped American forces.
"I think the consequences are potentially very severe," Gates said, according to the Journal. "We don't have specific information of an Afghan being killed yet because of them. But I put the emphasis on 'yet.'"
Assange gave no timeline for when WikiLeaks would publish the new files, and he didn't say whether he would first give them to The New York Times, The Guardian and Der Spiegel for analysis -- as was the case in last month's leak -- or whether they would be posted on the WikiLeaks website.
While the group is sifting through the files to block out the names of its sources, it's not attempting to erase the names of Afghans who could be endangered because of their work with U.S. or NATO forces. The U.S. military has said it's assigned about 100 analysts to go through the leaked files and figure out who's in danger, and try to warn or protect them.
The vulnerability of Afghan informants is an issue that's raised concern among human rights groups as well. On Thursday, the watchdog Reporters Without Borders issued an open letter to Assange, referring to WikiLeaks' "incredible irresponsibility."
"Revealing the identity of hundreds of people who collaborated with the coalition in Afghanistan is highly dangerous," Agence France-Presse quoted the letter as saying. "It would not be hard for the Taliban and other armed groups to use these documents to draw up a list of people for targeting in deadly revenge attacks."
In his Thursday appearance before the London Frontline Club, Assange rebuffed some of the criticism of his group, saying he's not obliged to "protect other people's sources," including those of "spy organizations or militaries," the Journal reported.
"Every time we take on one of these big organizations, they try and try to find various ways to criticize us, and there might even be some legitimate criticism in this case," CNN quoted Assange as saying. "But we did try hard to keep back some material."
Assange had been scheduled to appear at the London meeting in person, but at the last minute dialed in on Skype. He has said he fears the U.S. government is trying to have him arrested, and that foreign agents might even try to kill him. On the video link, he appeared to have dyed his trademark silver gray hair dark brown.
I do wish he gets taken out. If not, I hope he lives in fear until the end of his life. What he is doing is beyond the pale. Basically, aiding and abetting terrorists.
I thought this is the kind of problem the CIA was created to handle. A little wet work.
I thought this is the kind of problem the CIA was created to handle. A little wet work.
Exactly what I have been indicating on alot of my comments surrounding this issue with WikiLeaks and the idiot(s) releasing this material....surprised they are still breathing...but then again, we have a weak ass libtard pacifist as POTUS who won’t give the order....=.=
Hey, she stole that from Spider-man!!!!
Sarah Palin is first at point on every relevant issue. She is a tactical fighter that doesn’t give Obama any quarter. How refreshing.
All while others drag their feet or hide.
Palin 2012
Actually, my mom used to say that. I think it might be an upbringing thing.
If these documents are classified, how in the hell are they in the hands of these traitors?
I hope the entire Sarah Ping List comes to this thread JUST to see your FABULOUS POST!
((((( PHIL DRAGOO )))))
“If these documents are classified, how in the hell are they in the hands of these traitors?”
Not meaning to go down a conspiracy path, but I have the feeling they know, but are keeping a tight lip on who the person or persons that leaked this stuff are. There is just too many classified documents for it to have been some disgruntled file clerk in the Armed Forces.
May I please be added to the Sarah Palin Ping List?
Thank you! :^)
You betcha, Shelayne! Notifying co-ping list holders right now.
Welcome and thank you!
While it’s good Sarah is coming out against this, the whole Wikileaks “threat,” IMHO, is bullshit. If the government truly felt threatened, it could stop Wikileaks in any number of ways. At the very least, if the Wikileaks threat is real it would mean our boys in the outback of Australia are a bunch of inept wankers, and I highly doubt that.
Rather, this seems to be a build-up for the government claiming it needs to be able to regulate and shut down the Web officially and openly. It’s an exaggerated, publicized psyop, in other words.
I did. Way to go, Phil
Good for her!
(But it should be “Whoever’s calling the shots”—she still needs an editor.)
Bump!
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