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Diplomatic documents leaked

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TuefelHundenIV Night Clerk of the Apocalypse from Doomsday Facility Corner Store. Since: Aug, 2009 Relationship Status: I'd need a PowerPoint presentation
Night Clerk of the Apocalypse
#201: Dec 2nd 2010 at 9:42:12 PM

It is basically blackmail throw him into jail anyways we can be embarrassed while he rots.

Who watches the watchmen?
BalloonFleet MASTER-DEBATER from Chicago, IL, USA Since: Jun, 2010
MASTER-DEBATER
#202: Dec 3rd 2010 at 12:07:07 AM

Anyone have a link to this huge encrypted file I can use?

WHASSUP....... ....with lolis!
Barkey Since: Feb, 2010 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
#203: Dec 3rd 2010 at 3:45:09 AM

I hate that guy, not with a burning passion, but snitches really piss me off. It's not that he's looking for anything particular to snitch about, he just wants to release pretty much anything that is not supposed to be released, regardless of how benign. That seems petty to me.

Star_Kindler from Here, of course Since: Mar, 2010
#204: Dec 3rd 2010 at 3:46:57 AM

Releasing benign secrets has an important function too. It lets us see that the US government isn't some cabal classifying all of their crimes and ONLY their crimes. This latest leak is boring but reassures me that clearly the US isn't as bad as some would believe.

It also, of course, forces us to ask why all these things are classified in the first place and if maybe, just maybe, the government is more about secret-keeping than serving the people now.

C'est la vie.
silver2195 Since: Jan, 2001
#205: Dec 3rd 2010 at 7:46:29 AM

The diplomatic cables are classified so that people can be candid.

Currently taking a break from the site. See my user page for more information.
pvtnum11 OMG NO NOSECONES from Kerbin low orbit Since: Nov, 2009 Relationship Status: We finish each other's sandwiches
OMG NO NOSECONES
#206: Dec 3rd 2010 at 10:00:24 AM

^^ Basically, what you said. OMG, stuff about Afghanistan being rife with corruption! Oh wait, we've known that for years.

Sure is embarrasing, though.

Happiness is zero-gee with a sinus cold.
Barkey Since: Feb, 2010 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
#207: Dec 3rd 2010 at 4:00:08 PM

If I knew all of my statements were able to be read and seen by anyone and everyone, I wouldn't talk about how corrupt Karzai is, which means I wouldn't be being candid.

neoYTPism Since: May, 2010
#208: Dec 3rd 2010 at 8:05:37 PM

I would be more inclined to blame those who leaked the documents than just Assange alone for publishing them. Something seems to be wrong with the security of information here. o.o

pagad Sneering Imperialist from perfidious Albion Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
Sneering Imperialist
#209: Dec 4th 2010 at 8:27:44 AM

Documents highlight UK paranoia about the so-called "special relationship"

Bollocks is it special, the US views us as a useful ally and nothing more. Ever since Churchill our politicians have been idiotic to think that the US-UK relationship is "special", any more than the US' relationships with its other allies.

edited 4th Dec '10 8:31:16 AM by pagad

With cannon shot and gun blast smash the alien. With laser beam and searing plasma scatter the alien to the stars.
Sandor from London/Cambridge Since: Oct, 2009
#210: Dec 4th 2010 at 8:43:33 AM

Well to an extent it is. When was the last time America invaded somewhere else because it was in their interest, not the Americans (Iran yo).

Though we do really need to start developing stronger relationships with Europe. After all it's going to become the central superpower in our lifetime. Still, I suppose it's inevitable, just a matter of when we fully throw our lot in with Germany/France (hello recent joint military contract with the French).

Then again, we may well be. Problem with only having cables from one side released.

edited 4th Dec '10 8:44:17 AM by Sandor

"When you cut your finger, I do not bleed." Response of a man who lived on the outskirts of a concentration camp.
MajorTom Since: Dec, 2009
#211: Dec 4th 2010 at 8:47:01 AM

^ Europe is the next superpower? Where have you been the last 300 years? Europe's days as a superpower (either from one country or multiple) are over.

Sandor from London/Cambridge Since: Oct, 2009
#212: Dec 4th 2010 at 8:58:56 AM

Not really.

Now let’s set aside the 'last three hundred years'. Because whut.

By every measure and projection we've either passed, or set in the immediate future to pass the US. We're moving towards a bi-polar world, with two hegemony’s.

Now I’m sure I’ll regret this. But what exactly Tom, do you feel will stop Europe becoming a superpower?

"When you cut your finger, I do not bleed." Response of a man who lived on the outskirts of a concentration camp.
MajorTom Since: Dec, 2009
#213: Dec 4th 2010 at 9:06:24 AM

China. India. Russia. The US once the bozo presently in the White House is gone.

Europe doesn't have the military power to repel anyone's aggression be they American, Chinese, Russian or whatever.

Their economic power is highly dependent on itself. The Euro as a currency is too overvalued to be of use on the export market. The Russian ruble, Chinese renmibi/yuan, US Dollar (though lately not by much), Japanese yen, and Indian rupee are far more favorable to competitive exports.

Then you have the fact that practically HALF of the continent the UK included is falling apart into fiscal instability and/or bankruptcy. Emerging superpowers do not have bankruptcies and austerity measures being implemented at the government level.

deuxhero Micromastophile from FL-24 Since: Jan, 2001
Micromastophile
#214: Dec 4th 2010 at 9:13:35 AM

Uh, reading the article on Huckabee, it is clearly saying he wants the person who leaked the info (not the wikileaks guy) be executed. Given he would be guilty of giving aid to enemies of the US (unless he was somehow not a US citizen, which would be really embaressing for the security), Execution is not unreasonable.

Also, apparently Canada's PM is pissed about being called dull. That's more interesting than anything in the leaks.

Sandor from London/Cambridge Since: Oct, 2009
#215: Dec 4th 2010 at 9:17:02 AM

The only argument their of any worth is the lack of a unified military. Which isn't particularly compelling in and of itself. This is both going to change, and as of now europe has th military power for interventionist actions, and the ability to fight proxy wars.

You know, the only kind of wars that are fought in a post nuclear world. The largest economyin the world, and far more effective cultural imperialism and soft power (pro tip, all the other potential superpowers use the European model - not American), and a population set to reach that of China and India through future enlargment.

"When you cut your finger, I do not bleed." Response of a man who lived on the outskirts of a concentration camp.
MajorTom Since: Dec, 2009
#216: Dec 4th 2010 at 9:22:57 AM

^ Largest economy? Please, you guys had to band together and cook the books to show that as is evident from the austerity measures and bankruptcies plaguing the continent. Nowhere in Europe has even a significant fraction of what the US, China and India has.

Europe has interventionist military capacity? Then why don't you guys help out more in Afghanistan? Why didn't you help out more in 2001 when it started? Are you just weak or are you lying? (It's better to be weak than a liar)

Your population is declining on 60% or more of the continent. You're dependent on foreign immigration from lands that are not tolerant of your lifestyles and systems. Who instead segregate themselves from your societies and in some cases actively call for their demise.

edited 4th Dec '10 9:29:20 AM by MajorTom

Capt.Fargle Since: Dec, 1969
#217: Dec 4th 2010 at 9:34:56 AM

Wait, wait, wait. Last 300 years?! Wow. What they say about Americans being ignorant of geography must really be true in order for you to completely overlook the largest ever empire in history.

As for the military thing. Europe DOES have interventionist Military Capacity. Just because we don't use it enough to satisfy rampant American Jingoism doesn't mean we don't have it.

With regard to Superpower Status.... It could honestly end up going either way. A unified Europe, probably using a similar model to the States System in the US would be very powerful indeed. It might happen, it might not, but I'd say with recent trends you're probably looking at about 65% odds at best.

edited 4th Dec '10 9:50:57 AM by Capt.Fargle

MajorTom Since: Dec, 2009
mmysqueeant I'm A Dirty Cowboy from Essairrrrcks Since: Oct, 2010
I'm A Dirty Cowboy
#219: Dec 4th 2010 at 9:53:35 AM

[up][up][up] That's exactly why Europe is weak. Intolerant Muslims.

I don't see Europe becoming the dominant world power any time soon, in fact I agree that it will likely decline in relevance until it is more in line with its actual natural resources, but it's hardly (currently) a negligible presence on the world stage.

British aid of no use in Afghanistan and Iraq? At least our troops pointed our guns and bombs at the enemy, not our allies. At least our troops didn't routinely humiliate and degrade our prisoners in sexual ways for kicks, causing immeasurable harm to our side of the propaganda war.

America is strong. Its status as a bona fide superpower has almost lasted a whole century. I doubt it will last much longer than a century and a half. Enjoy it while it lasts, basically. There's nothing particularly about the American way of life, or about the American political system, that will preserve its position.

I'm not prophesying doom, either, just a gradual catching up of other nations and relative loss in political influence.

edited 4th Dec '10 9:54:07 AM by mmysqueeant

Capt.Fargle Since: Dec, 1969
#220: Dec 4th 2010 at 9:55:53 AM

Yes, absolutely, the Mongols. Because they ruled Britain, Canada, India, Australia, Pakistan, Half of Africa and the Middle East, Burma, Hong Kong, The Bahamas, Singapore and New Zealand..... /sarcasm

DasAuto Sapere Aude from Eastphalia Since: Jul, 2009
Sapere Aude
#221: Dec 4th 2010 at 10:03:48 AM

Britain ruled /sarcasm?

Anyway, I like how they bashed Westerwelle in those Cables. Never liked that guy. Although the cables also showed how the FDP stood up against various privacy-invading anti-terror initiatives.

edited 4th Dec '10 10:07:11 AM by DasAuto

Now if you excuse me, Starfleet is about to award the Christopher Pike Medal to my dick.SF Debris
BalloonFleet MASTER-DEBATER from Chicago, IL, USA Since: Jun, 2010
MASTER-DEBATER
#222: Dec 4th 2010 at 10:06:30 AM

US blocking wikileaks site - the D Do S is continuing. well restarted http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/blog/2010/dec/03/wikileaks-knocked-off-net-dns-everydns

backups:

Alternatives: http://wi.kileaks.com/ http://savewikileaks.dyndns.org/ http://213.251.145.96 http://wikileaks.ch/ http://wikileaks.de/

More info, from Reddit:

For financial support - http://213.251.145.96.nyud.net/support.html http://46.59.1.2.nyud.net - Bahnhof Hosted http://88.80.2.32.nyud.net - PRQ hosted http://88.80.13.160.nyud.net - Collateral Murder site - PRQ hosted http://213.251.145.96.nyud.net - OVH Hosted http://213.251.145.96.nyud.net/cablegate.html - Cablegate site (thanks brownboy13) - OVH Hosted http://wikileaks.ch.nyud.net - Swiss domain redirects to 213.251.145.96 (thanks Feller Feller via twitter) Edit (8.33am GMT):

  1. Wikileaks on twitter is trending massively now, like 50 tweets every 15 sec
Edit (10.20am GMT): I changed everything to coral cache as the servers were getting hit pretty hard. (For direct link take off the ".nyud.net" part) Edit (11.20 GMT): Live Q&A with Julian Assange @ 1pm GMT today on guardian.co.uk http://www.reddit.com/r/reddit.com/comments/efjw1/wikileaks_cables_live_qa_with_julian_assange_1pm/

WHASSUP....... ....with lolis!
BalloonFleet MASTER-DEBATER from Chicago, IL, USA Since: Jun, 2010
MASTER-DEBATER
#223: Dec 4th 2010 at 10:08:32 AM

the US government officially killed the official wikileaks domain

This is definitely a "developing" story, but apparently the entire Wikileaks.org site has gone down again and the Wikileaks folks are claiming that the domain was "killed by US everydns.net after claimed mass attacks." That's a bit cryptic and Wikileaks has not been above jumping to conclusions at times. It's unclear, for example, if it was just the company Every DNS who did something on their own, or if the US government was involved. It could be as simple as the sort of pressure Senator Lieberman is applying on US companies. Update: The Every DNS website says they made the decision because the D Do S attacks on Wikileaks violated their terms of service in that it could interfere with other websites. I understand the fear that it could cause problems with other websites, but it seems weird to say that getting attacked by a D Do S violates your terms of service. It's something totally out of the control of the website.

Either way, it is a bit silly to think that taking down Wikileaks' website would actually do anything in this situation. The data that they're releasing is out there and plenty of people can easily find it. It won't take long for them to set up another website if they want to — and while it may be a bit harder for people to find them, to date, the organization hasn't exactly had any problems getting everyone else to promote what they release for them. Whatever the reason is for taking the domain name offline, it's difficult to think it would be effective in stopping Wikileaks in any way. If anything, it just calls that much more attention to the organization.

http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20101202/22322512099/wikileaks-says-its-site-has-been-killed.shtml

edited 4th Dec '10 10:09:16 AM by BalloonFleet

WHASSUP....... ....with lolis!
DasAuto Sapere Aude from Eastphalia Since: Jul, 2009
Sapere Aude
#224: Dec 4th 2010 at 10:20:50 AM

Good that wikileaks.de is still there. Our gov't has been mostly acting cool and calm  *

about the whole Wikileaks thing, even those that were described unfavorbly in the cables.

Now if you excuse me, Starfleet is about to award the Christopher Pike Medal to my dick.SF Debris
Capt.Fargle Since: Dec, 1969
#225: Dec 4th 2010 at 10:23:33 AM

And that is a massive credit to the German Government.


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