Wikileaks' Julian Assange On Why He Released 1,000s Of Secret US Military Afghanistan War Files

[Turborama]

Run time: 04:39 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N18aLQXDXGA   Posted on YouTube: July 25, 2010 By YouTube Member: TheVildbasse Views on YouTube: 46   Posted on DU: July 26, 2010 By DU Member: Turborama Views on DU: 1450

 
Julian Assange on the Afghanistan war logs: 'They show the true nature of this war'

Julian Assange, the founder of Wikileaks, explains why he decided to publish thousands of secret US military files on the war in Afghanistan

UK's Channel 4 News have posted a video with an overview of what this all means: http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid62612474001?bctid=248232315001

Much more in Hissyspit's posts...

In GD: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=8814921&mesg_id=8814921

In LBN: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4478588#4478716

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/series/afghanistan-the-war-logs">

[shraby]

1. Where does it go from here? A headline or two then into

the memory hole?

[Turborama]

3. It's a good question but I don't think over 200,000 pages can fit in the memory hole all at once

It's going to take quite a while for reporters and authors to go through this amount of data.

[PDJane]

2. I will note that the Brits are all over it.

The American media seems to be ignoring it in favour of faux news....and the idiocies of the reich wing.

[Turborama]

5. The WSJ, The NYT & CNN have picked up on it...

The WSJ: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704719104575389830133687588.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

The NYT: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/26/world/asia/26warlogs.html

CNN: http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/web/07/25/wikileaks.afghanistan/index.html?eref=mrss_igoogle_cnn#fbid=5tFS21of5oJ

[underpants]

8. NYT- the headline attempts to mute the disaster that they fueled

not surprising

America lives in a bubble

[SILVER__FOX52]

4. Hey, somebody call Obama and........

let him know, our Country Sucks, dick.

[nicky187]

6. Slight addition.

Corporate, and it should be "dicks" plural.

[jimlup]

7. Actually, He knows

That is part of why this is so troubling to me. But it isn't like I found this out yesterday. I am old enough to remember the Vietnam war and that was the eye opener for me.

[mackerel]

9. You know there are a lot of "liberals" who disagree with

what Assange is doing. I think it's amazing that in this day and age there is someone out
there willing to do this and he hasn't been silenced yet.

[liberation]

10. That is why we need to return to label things in terms of right and left

It would force many of these new so called "liberals" who are anything but, to actually have to put up or shut up if they had to define themselves in terms of right or left, rather than just taking a term "liberal" and redefine it at will to serve their purposes.

It would be eye opening how many people who consider themselves "liberals" in this site would end up shying away from labeling themselves as "left."


I am tired of people who are by the most part to the right of Nixon, using the term "liberal" as if somehow they can pretend center-right policies should make real liberals wet their panties in agreement. It gets even more pathetic when you see people with avatars of El Che, or the logo for the Socialist Party, etc basically spouting moderate conservative and pro-Corporate talking points. It gets perplexing, are people that monumentally confused about the meaning of symbols and terms? Or are they just inherently dishonest and they think the best way to neutralize a political ideology they disagree with, is to pretend they somehow subscribe to that ethos while doing everything possible to undermine it.

[sabrina 1]

11. Good post. I totally agree. There seems to be a surge

of people calling themselves liberals who are pro-war, pro-Wall St., pro-not holding war criminals accountable', among other things. Not too excited about torture, or women's isssues. In fact I sometimes feel like I'm talking to my old rightwing friends. I don't remember this being the case a few years ago. Maybe it's a new strategy. To coopt, now that they've demonized it, the word 'liberal'.

[SILVER__FOX52]

14. You know what is really interesting

I don't know if you watch Cenk Yugar ( SP ?), The young Turks. He showed where most of the Nation's citizens have liberal leaning beliefs but refuse to call themselves, Liberal because the right-wing has sullyed the term, so much. Example: More then 80% believe we should tax the very wealthy to help the Poor! 80 % !!!!!!!!!! It's the GD, word. Can you believe, the ignorance this portrays?

[sabrina 1]

16. Yes, we are constantly told this is a 'conservative' country.

Even here on this board. But all the polls on issues, such as National Health Care, contradict that.

As for people being afraid to use the term, it is the cowering before the buffoons who name-call etc. that has given them the victories they have had. People should respond to attacks on 'liberals' by proclaiming themselves to be proud of the title. When bullies don't get a frightened reaction, but rather a strong 'yeah, so what' reaction, they retreat. And it's way past time to stop running from this insanity.

[SILVER__FOX52]

17. Well put.

[SILVER__FOX52]

13. Man, Right on, Brother.

[Aristophrenia]

12. Its hard to spot someone who will be remembered

for all times as a true hero - you are looking at one of the greatest.

Stay safe Julian - stay free.

[izquierdista]

15. Call the Nobel committee

Is it too late for them to put a stop payment on their last Peace Prize and give it to Wikileaks instead?