92,000 classified documents with sensitive info on the Afghanistan war were leaked by Wikileaks, the news website created by Julian Assange. These documents were given by Wikileaks to the Times, the Guardian, and Der Spiegel, 3 of the largest newspapers in the world. July 25 was when reports were given by the newspapers on the info received. Some examples of what was shown within the Wikileaks documents are proof of the Taliban getting stronger, civilians being hurt through the war, and Pakistan operatives taking American cash and still aiding the Taliban in killing Americans.
Wikileaks goes straight to major newspapers
The classified documents released by Wikileaks are used by desk officers within the Pentagon and troops in the field when they make operational plans and prepare briefings on the situation in the war zone. The info published, according to the Times and the Guardian, was not details damaging to any national security interests. But U.S. National Security Adviser Gen. James Jones disagreed, saying:
“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.”
Pakistan intelligence helps Taliban kill?
Al Qaeda, as outlined by Wikileaks documents published by the times, have help from Pakistani intelligence in planning some of their attacks. The documents show there are numerous Pakistani operatives that have refused to discuss matters involving those who attacked near Pakistani border, moved across the frontier, and then went to into Pakistan to be safe, although it is still hard to prove Pakistani operatives having been helping Al Qaeda.
Afghanistan truth worse
The U.S. government has made the Afghanistan war look much better than the Times, the Guardian, and Der Spiegel have made it look in their articles. Progress has stopped within the war since the Pakistani army is helping the Taliban, the government and police force in Afghanistan are corrupt, and the Afghanistan army hasn’t been loyal. Some analysts say the Wikileaks documents just confirm what was already known. Although congress and also the public are being told otherwise, the Wikileaks documents show that the Afghanistan war has Americans getting in deeper and deeper.
Spying coming from wikileaks
A former hacker who turned in Private Bradley Manning, the soldier suspected of handing military secrets to Wikileaks, harshly criticized Wikileaks for releasing the documents. Adrian Lamo wanted to stop the reports from getting to the public so he turned in Manning, reports ABC News. But Lamo said the sheer volume of info released by Wikileaks suggests Manning didn’t act alone. He thinks Julian Assange may have hired him as “a personal shopper for classified data.”
Additional reading
New York Times
nytimes.com/2010/07/26/world/asia/26isi.html?hp
Guardian
guardian.co.uk/media/greenslade/2010/jul/26/press-freedom-wikileaks
Der Spiegel
spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,708314,00.html
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