Posted on 07/25/2010 2:51:21 PM PDT by kristinn
Read reports on the files at:
Intro by Der Spiegel:
Close to 92,000 US documents have been uncovered that shed new light on the war in Afghanistan. In an unprecedented development, close to 92,000 classified documents pertaining to the war in Afghanistan have been leaked. SPIEGEL, the New York Times and the Guardian have analyzed the raft of mostly classified documents. They expose the true scale of the Western military deployment -- and the problems beleaguering Germany's Bundeswehr in the Hindu Kush.
A total of 91,731 reports from United States military databanks relating to the war in Afghanistan are to be made publicly available on the Internet. Never before has it been possible to compare the reality on the battlefield in such a detailed manner with what the US Army propaganda machinery is propagating. WikiLeaks plans to post the documents, most of which are classified, on its website.
Britain's Guardian newspaper, the New York Times and SPIEGEL have all vetted the material and compared the data with independent reports. All three media have concluded that the documents are authentic and provide an unvarnished image of the war in Afghanistan -- from the perspective of the soldiers who are fighting it.
The reports, from troops engaged in the ongoing combat, were tersely summarized and quickly dispatched. For the most part, they originate from sergeants -- but some have been penned by the occasional lieutenant at a command post or ranking analysts with the military intelligence service.
In a statement to Der Spiegel, Obama National Security Council spokesman Ben Rhodes blamed President George W. Bush:
... It is important to note that the time period reflected in the documents is January 2004 to December 2009. The war in Afghanistan was under-resourced for many years. ... On Dec. 1, 2009, President Obama announced a new strategy and new resources for Afghanistan and Pakistan precisely because of the grave situation.
"Secrets that will most likely get people killed. The only question is how many."
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/jul/29/a-wikileak-too-far/
“EDITORIAL: A Wikileak too far
There are limits to press freedom in times of war”
By THE WASHINGTON TIMES - The Washington Times 6:03 p.m., Thursday, July 29, 2010
SNIPPET: “
SNIPPET: “Word is out that the Wikileaks classified-document dump contains reports naming Afghans who have been cooperating with Coalition forces. This is the kind of information that can get people killed. It also raises the data release to a new level of criminality.
The Washington Times Editorial Board reviewed the reports in question on the day of their release but chose not to write about them because of the potential damage that revealing the information could do to the war effort as well as to cooperative Afghans. These secret reports have the greatest possibility of causing deadly consequences, which under the American legal tradition is why those who leaked them should be held accountable.”
"These secret reports have the greatest possibility of causing deadly consequences, which under the American legal tradition is why those who leaked them should be held accountable."
NOTE The following text is a quote:
http://www.defense.gov//News/NewsArticle.aspx?ID=60238
Gates Calls on FBI to Join Leak Investigation
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, July 29, 2010 – Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates announced he has asked the FBI to help Pentagon authorities investigate the leak of the classified documents published by WikiLeaks.
Gates and Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, condemned the leak in the strongest possible manner during a Pentagon briefing here today. The WikiLeaks organization made public tens of thousands of classified battlefield reports.
Those who leaked classified documents to WikiLeaks and those who decided to publish them may have blood on their hands, Mullen said. The chairman challenged the motivation of Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, to publish the leaked documents.
“Mr. Assange can say whatever he likes about the greater good he thinks he and his source are doing, but the truth is they might already have on their hands the blood of some young soldier or that of an Afghan family,” Mullen said.
People can reasonably disagree about the war and they can challenge commanders for their decisions, “but don’t put those who willingly go into harm’s way even further in harm’s way just to satisfy your need to make a point,” the chairman said.
Gates said the more than 90,000 documents that have been posted are old, and cover material already well known and debated. Still, he said, the release has battlefield consequences for U.S. and Afghan troops and Afghan civilians and also may damage U.S. relationships in Central Asia and the Middle East.
Intelligence sources and methods, as well as military tactics, techniques and procedures, will become known to U.S. adversaries, the secretary said.
“These documents represent a mountain of raw data and individual impressions, most several years old, devoid of context or analysis,” Gates said. “They do not represent official positions or policy. And they do not, in my view, fundamentally call into question the efficacy of our current strategy in Afghanistan and its prospects for success.”
Defense Department officials will conduct a thorough and aggressive investigation to determine how this leak occurred, to identify who is responsible and to assess the content of the information compromised, Gates said. “We have a moral responsibility to do everything possible to mitigate the consequences for our troops and our partners downrange, especially those who have worked with and put their trust in us in the past, who now may be targeted for retribution,” Gsaid he added.
Mullen said the sheer size and scope of the leak demands a careful review see how future tactical operations may be affected, and the degree to which the lives of U.S. and coalition troops and Afghan partners may be at risk. “I think we always need to be mindful of the unknown potential for damage in any particular document that we handle,” the chairman said.
Calling on the FBI to aid the investigation ensures that the department will have all the resources needed to investigate and assess this breach of national security, the secretary said, noting that use of the bureau ensures the investigation can go wherever it needs to go.
The Defense Department also is tightening procedures for accessing and transporting classified information.
“As a general proposition, we endeavor to push access to sensitive battlefield information down to where it is most useful – on the front lines – where, as a practical matter, there are fewer restrictions and controls than at rear headquarters,” Gates said. “In the wake of this incident, it will be a real challenge to strike the right balance between security and providing our frontline troops the information they need.”
The documents may also damage U.S. relationships with Afghanistan and Pakistan. Gates said both nations remember that the United States walked away from the region in 1989, and U.S. military and civilian leaders have been trying hard since 2001 to repair those relationships and close the trust deficit.
“If we’ve learned nothing else in fighting these wars, it’s that relationships matter,” Mullen said.
These relationships are vital, Mullen said, and some of the documents may encourage distrust. “So in addition to making sure we understand the tactical risks from these leaks,” he said, “I think it’s incumbent upon us not to let the good relationships we’ve established and the trust we’ve worked so hard to build throughout the region also become a casualty.”
Biographies:
Robert M. Gates
Navy Adm. Mike Mullen
Related Articles:
Document Leaks Could Endanger Afghan Civilians
Pentagon Launches Probe into Document Leaks
WASHINGTON TIMES.com - Editorial: "A WIKILEAK TOO FAR There are limits to press freedom in times of war" (SNIPPET: "These secret reports have the greatest possibility of causing deadly consequences, which under the American legal tradition is why those who leaked them should be held accountable.") (July 29, 2010, 6:03 pm)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2562191/posts
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“Bradley Manning, suspected source of Wikileaks documents, raged on his Facebook page”
By Heidi Blake, John Bingham and Gordon Rayner
Published: 10:00PM BST 30 Jul 2010
SNIPPET: “Mr Manning, who is openly homosexual...”
SNIPPET: “His tagline on his personal page reads: “Take me for who I am, or face the consequences!””
TELEGRAPH.co.uk: "BRADLEY MANNING, SUSPECTED SOURCE OF WIKILEAKS DOCUMENTS, RAGED ON FACEBOOK PAGE" (SNIPPET: "Mr Manning, who is openly homosexual..." SNIPPET: "His tagline on his personal page reads: "Take me for who I am, or face the consequences!"") (July 30, 2010, 10:00 pm BST)
WASHINGTON TIMES.com - Editorial: "A WIKILEAK TOO FAR There are limits to press freedom in times of war" (SNIPPET: "These secret reports have the greatest possibility of causing deadly consequences, which under the American legal tradition is why those who leaked them should be held accountable.") (July 29, 2010, 6:03 pm)
Travel.State.Gov - U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE Bureau of Consular Affairs - Travel Warning: "PAKISTAN" (SNIPPET: "The presence of Al-Qaida, Taliban elements, and indigenous militant sectarian groups poses a potential danger to U.S. citizens throughout Pakistan...") (July 22, 2010)
ADDING 1 link to post no. 187:
www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/statement-national-security-advisor-general-james-jones-wikileaks
Home • Briefing Room • Statements & Releases
The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release July 25, 2010
Statement of National Security Advisor General James Jones on Wikileaks
The United States strongly condemns the disclosure of classified information by individuals and organizations which could put the lives of Americans and our partners at risk, and threaten our national security. Wikileaks made no effort to contact us about these documents – the United States government learned from news organizations that these documents would be posted. These irresponsible leaks will not impact our ongoing commitment to deepen our partnerships with Afghanistan and Pakistan; to defeat our common enemies; and to support the aspirations of the Afghan and Pakistani people.
The documents posted by Wikileaks reportedly cover a period of time from January 2004 to December 2009. On December 1, 2009, President Obama announced a new strategy with a substantial increase in resources for Afghanistan, and increased focus on al Qaeda and Taliban safe-havens in Pakistan, precisely because of the grave situation that had developed over several years. This shift in strategy addressed challenges in Afghanistan that were the subject of an exhaustive policy review last fall. We know that serious challenges lie ahead, but if Afghanistan is permitted to slide backwards, we will again face a threat from violent extremist groups like al Qaeda who will have more space to plot and train. That is why we are now focused on breaking the Taliban’s momentum and building Afghan capacity so that the Afghan government can begin to assume responsibility for its future. The United States remains committed to a strong, stable, and prosperous Afghanistan.
Since 2009, the United States and Pakistan have deepened our important bilateral partnership. Counter-terrorism cooperation has led to significant blows against al Qaeda’s leadership. The Pakistani military has gone on the offensive in Swat and South Waziristan, at great cost to the Pakistani military and people. The United States and Pakistan have also commenced a Strategic Dialogue, which has expanded cooperation on issues ranging from security to economic development. Pakistan and Afghanistan have also improved their bilateral ties, most recently through the completion of a Transit-Trade Agreement. Yet the Pakistani government – and Pakistan’s military and intelligence services – must continue their strategic shift against insurgent groups. The balance must shift decisively against al Qaeda and its extremist allies. U.S. support for Pakistan will continue to be focused on building Pakistani capacity to root out violent extremist groups, while supporting the aspirations of the Pakistani people.
ADDING to post no. 188:
Quote:
http://www.defense.gov//News/NewsArticle.aspx?ID=60254
Official Rejects Claim WikiLeaks Offered Document Review
By Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, July 30, 2010 – A claim by WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange that the U.S. government had an opportunity to review stolen military documents published on the group’s website is untrue, a Pentagon spokesman said today.
“It’s absolutely false that WikiLeaks contacted the White House and offered to have them look through the documents,” Marine Corps Col. David Lapan said.
The website recently published tens of thousands of classified documents spanning the timeframe January 2004 through December 2009 that reportedly were given to several U.S. and international media outlets weeks ago. The documents detail field reports from Afghanistan and an alleged Pakistani partnership with the Taliban. The documents also include names of Afghan informants who work or have worked with the U.S. military.
Assange told “ABC Lateline” in Australia last night that WikiLeaks and several media groups contacted the White House prior to releasing the documents for assistance in reviewing them to make sure innocent names were not released. White House officials declined, he said.
He added that White House officials were not given “veto” power, but were given an opportunity help WikiLeaks minimize potential danger to informants and innocent civilians named in the cables. The New York Times acted on behalf of WikiLeaks, he said.
“We never had the opportunity to look at any of the documents in advance to determine anything,” Lapan said. “The documents were brought to the attention of the White House, but no copies of documents, or opportunities to review were given.”
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said yesterday that Defense Department officials have asked the FBI to assist in investigating the leak of the classified material. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said those responsible for the leak may have the blood of U.S. servicemembers and Afghan civilians on their hands.
Related Articles:
Gates Calls on FBI to Join Leak Investigation
Document Leaks Could Endanger Afghan Civilians
Pentagon Assesses Leaked Documents
Pentagon Launches Probe into Document Leaks
NOTE The following text is a quote:
http://www.defense.gov//News/NewsArticle.aspx?ID=60224
Biden: Pakistani Support for Taliban ‘In the Past’
By Lisa Daniel
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, July 29, 2010 – Vice President Joe Biden today acknowledged that some people in Pakistan’s intelligence community had supported the Taliban, but he said that situation is changing.
“That’s been a problem in the past, it’s a problem we’re dealing with, and [it] is changing,” Biden said in an interview that aired on NBC’s “Today” television show this morning. The interview with Ann Curry was taped yesterday while Biden and his wife, Dr. Jill Biden, were at Fort Drum, N.Y., to welcome home the Army’s 10th Mountain Division’s 2nd Brigade Combat Team from Iraq.
Biden’s comments referenced WikiLeaks’ July 25 Web posting of at least 75,000 secret documents on the war in Afghanistan spanning from January 2004 to December 2009. One issue highlighted in the documents involves allegations that members of the Pakistani intelligence agency, ISI, supported the Taliban while accepting U.S. funding to fight against them. President Barack Obama announced the current U.S. policy in Afghanistan, to include Pakistan, in December 2009.
“All those leaks predate our policy,” Biden said. “Not one leak is consistent with our policy announced in December.” He added that no U.S. money was diverted from its stated purposes in Pakistan.
Asked to justify U.S. spending in Afghanistan, Biden said the U.S. mission there is not “nation-building,” but to stamp out al-Qaida so the terrorist group cannot continue to threaten the United States.
“We are in Afghanistan for one express purpose: al-Qaida, and its threat to the United States,” he said. “We’re not there to nation build. We’re not there to turn this into a Jeffersonian democracy. We’re not there for ten years. We’re there to defeat al-Qaida, which operates there, and [the situation] is a clear and present danger to the U.S.”
When asked how the United States and NATO coalition can defeat al-Qaida when it operates in Pakistan, Biden responded, “I assure you, we are doing significant damage to al-Qaida in Pakistan, as well as in Afghanistan. We’re making progress, but the truth of the matter is there’s more to go.”
On Iraq, Biden said there should be no concerns that reducing troop strength to 50,000 by September 1 will cause an explosion in insurgent violence there.
“I can’t guarantee anything, but I’m willing to bet everything there won’t be any such explosion,” he said. “Neither I, nor General [Raymond T.] Odierno, or the Pentagon, or the people who have been on the ground so many times think that is likely to happen.
“We’ll still have 50,000, battle-tested, combat troops in Iraq who are going from leading combat to supporting Iraqi combat capability,” he added.
Related Articles:
Bidens Welcome Soldiers Home at Fort Drum
http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/tor/index
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http://news.cnet.com/8301-27080_3-20012253-245.html
July 31, 2010 4:16 PM PDT
“Researcher detained at U.S. border, questioned about Wikileaks”
by Elinor Mills
LAS VEGAS —
SNIPPET: “Jacob Appelbaum, a Seattle-based programmer for the online privacy protection project called Tor, arrived at the Newark, New Jersey, airport from Holland flight Thursday morning when he was pulled aside by customs and border protection agents who told him he was randomly selected for a security search, according to the sources familiar with the matter who asked to remain anonymous.
Appelbaum, a U.S. citizen, was taken into a room, frisked and his bag was searched. Receipts from his bag were photocopied and his laptop was inspected but it’s not clear in what manner, the sources said. Officials from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the U.S. Army then told him he was not under arrest but was being detained, the sources said. They asked questions about Wikileaks, asked for his opinions about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and asked where Wikileaks founder Julian Assange is, but he declined to comment without a lawyer present, according to the sources. He was not permitted to make a phone call, they said.
After about three hours, Appelbaum was given his laptop back but the agents kept his three mobile phones, sources said.”
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3931278,00.html
“Swedish web hosting firm confirms WikiLeaks link”
Published: 08.06.10, 18:09 / Israel News
SNIPPET: “A Swedish Internet company linked to file-sharing hub The Pirate Bay says it’s helping online whistle-blower WikiLeaks release classified documents from servers located in a basement in the Stockholm suburb of Solna.
Mikael Viborg, the owner of the Web hosting company PRQ...”
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http://www.aim.org/aim-column/military-homosexual-scandal-tied-to-wikileaks-treason/
“Military Homosexual Scandal Tied to WikiLeaks Treason”
BY CLIFF KINCAID | AUGUST 1, 2010
SNIPPET: “The riveting Telegraph account of Manning’s growing rage and anger raises serious questions of how the soldier was able to flaunt his homosexuality despite the fact that the Pentagon still officially has a policy in place of excluding open homosexuals from military service.
In the scandal involving the theft and release of classified military information that could cost the lives of U.S. military personnel, the British Telegraph newspaper is reporting that the American soldier at the center of the scandal was “openly homosexual” and apparently held a grudge against the U.S. because of the military’s anti-gay policy.
In another bizarre twist, reliable reports suggest that Private First Class Bradley Manning, the U.S. Army Intelligence analyst accused of leaking the classified information to the WikiLeaks.org website, was not only a homosexual but was considering a sex change.”
SNIPPET: “Commenting on transcripts of chats between Manning and Lamo, the website known as “QueerTV” said that Manning “might be one of us” and that the conversations “reveal the soldier might identify as transgender.”
Manning’s affinity on his Facebook page for “Repeal the Ban” is also significant. It is a project of a group called Servicemembers United, which describes itself as “the nation’s largest organization of gay and lesbian troops and veterans, their allies and supporters.” The group receives financial support from the Open Society Institute of billionaire George Soros.
As the military and the FBI attempt to get to the bottom of what Manning allegedly did and for what reason, the need for an investigation of homosexual misconduct in the Armed Forces—before any change in policy is adopted by Congress—has been presented in dramatic fashion.”
http://internet-haganah.com/harchives/006928.html
08 August 2010
“TARGET: WIKILEAKS”
SNIPPET: “Insurance?
There is no insurance.
AMF.”
YNET NEWS.com: "SWEDISH WEB HOSTING FIRM CONFIRMS WIKILEAKS LINK" (SNIPPET: "A Swedish Internet company linked to file-sharing hub The Pirate Bay says it’s helping online whistle-blower WikiLeaks release classified documents from servers located in a basement in the Stockholm suburb of Solna. Mikael Viborg, the owner of the Web hosting company PRQ...") (Published August 6, 2010, 18:09/Israel News)
News.CNET.com: Las Vegas - "RESEARCHER DETAINED AT U.S. BORDER, QUESTIONED ABOUT WIKILEAKS" by Elinor Mills (SNIPPET: "Jacob Appelbaum, a Seattle-based programmer for the online privacy protection project called Tor, arrived at the Newark, New Jersey, airport from Holland flight Thursday morning when he was pulled aside by customs and border protection agents who told him he was randomly selected for a security search, according to the sources familiar with the matter who asked to remain anonymous.") (JULY 31, 2010, 4:16 PM PDT)
TELEGRAPH.co.uk: "BRADLEY MANNING, SUSPECTED SOURCE OF WIKILEAKS DOCUMENTS, RAGED ON FACEBOOK PAGE" (SNIPPET: "Mr Manning, who is openly homosexual..." SNIPPET: "His tagline on his personal page reads: "Take me for who I am, or face the consequences!"") (July 30, 2010, 10:00 pm BST)
WASHINGTON TIMES.com - Editorial: "A WIKILEAK TOO FAR There are limits to press freedom in times of war" (SNIPPET: "These secret reports have the greatest possibility of causing deadly consequences, which under the American legal tradition is why those who leaked them should be held accountable.") (July 29, 2010, 6:03 pm)
DEFENSE.gov (AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE): Washington - "Biden: Pakistani Support for Taliban 'In the Past'" by Lisa Daniel (SNIPPET: "Biden’s comments referenced WikiLeaks' July 25 Web posting of at least 75,000 secret documents on the war in Afghanistan spanning from January 2004 to December 2009. One issue highlighted in the documents involves allegations that members of the Pakistani intelligence agency, ISI, supported the Taliban while accepting U.S. funding to fight against them.") (July 29, 2010)
Travel.State.Gov - U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE Bureau of Consular Affairs - Travel Warning: "PAKISTAN" (SNIPPET: "The presence of Al-Qaida, Taliban elements, and indigenous militant sectarian groups poses a potential danger to U.S. citizens throughout Pakistan...") (July 22, 2010)
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