The controversial website WikiLeaks publishes and comments on leaked documents alleging government and corporate misdeeds.
In this video founder Julian Assange talks about how the site operates, what it has accomplished and what drives him.
I think that people are a bit fascinated by whistle-blowers. Movies like this year's The Informant (see my review of it here) and others like The Insider and The Rain Maker speak to this fascination. There is just something about liars and weasels being exposed.
The video shown in this 20 minute interview is troubling and makes me want to erase it from my memory - I would rather not know about this aspect of war. That said I think that it is not a bad thing to expose the good, bad and ugly of wars, governments and corporations. Predictably Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, did not appear to share my view when he said:
"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."Interesting that he does not know of any damage that has already been done.
What do you think? About the video? About WikiLeaks.org? About whistle-blowers?
Like I said on my blog, what is the line between transparency and security. If a pfc felt the normandy invasion was going to cost too many soldiers their lives, should he get to choose to disclose the details. I mean, he would have saved lives, but extend the time frame and how many lives would have been lost due to a protracted conflict.
ReplyDeleteI am not advocating any behavior that puts lives at risk. But you do have to wonder about the frustration level that a person might have to blow that big of a whistle. You also have to wonder about the security protocols that are in place.
ReplyDeleteSecurity protocols, Bob? I am wondering the same thing! Just how does a PFC get the kind of security clearance he/she would need to have access to such sensitive documents anyway? I wonder just how long it's going to take to trace that rotten fish stench back to its true source...or if we ever will.
ReplyDeleteAs to motive, is it frustration or something else entirely? I don't know. Human beings being what they are, motives are very rarely pure when it comes to politics.