Any one here mentioned on Wiki Leaks?

[Montaigut]

Now that some time has passed since the leak and the contents are coming out I believe it is time for a reality check.

What have we learned:

1. USA diplomats appear to be by in large a bunch of gossips.

2. Ninety percent of the stuff that was leaked in no way deserved the confidential/secret classification. The fact that it is so classified is either the result of an incredible amount of paranoia or, of what is known as "blanket management", a practice popular with incompetent and/or control freak management.

3. None of the leaked material is any more offensive than what you will find everyday in a copy of the National Enquirer, or of any newspaper for that matter. In case you haven't noticed, politicians of all ilks and color are pretty much at the bottom of the trust/respect chain anywhere. Are they the only ones not in on this?

4. Which brings me to suggest that the US Secretary of State consider sub-contracting diplomatic services to the aforementionned National Enquirer organization. Some of the major upsides, to name a few: cheaper, plausible deniability, not subject to the Freedom of Information Act, in-line with the current Washington "let's privatize everything" policy. At the very least, embedding National Enquirers staff in the embassies would probably be a reasonnable half-way measure.

Much ado about nothing as the Bard would say.

I can't say I'm holding my breath for the upcoming publications on Wikileaks of the "Banking" secrets. Let me guess what the contents is likely to be:

1. Traders and bankers comparing the size of their respective dicks.

2. Traders and bankers bitching about the fact that nobody loves or understands them.

3. Traders and bankers feeling cheated because they got only miserly bonuses.

4. Lots of jokes about investors and other suckers out there...

And if you think any of this information is going to lead to criminal charges, think again. What has Wall Street not done already that should have landed them in the slammer?

Everybody needs to believe in something. Right now I believe I'll have a nice big fat cigar...

[El Presidente]

  sandholm said:

Just want to point out that Polanski were not extradite to the US due to a fault in the American request for extradition, If the US just had followed the rules they could have had him.. personal i think this were done by purpose of the US so he would not be prosecuted and therefore not disturbing the US relationship with France and the need of France troops against the "war against terrorism"

It was a sickening experience to watch European politicians and "stars" make the case that he was "special". Certainly something I will never forget.

[thechenman]

  sandholm said:

I guess you also believe in Santa Claus, rudolph the red nosed reindeer, faerie, remember that this were exactly the same thing US said about Saddam hussein, that he moved around, and therefore he were really hard to find, and we all know that he lived for a long time in a small hole... This kind of rumors is created to make Julian Assagne guilty by association with terrorist like Osam Bin Laden.

Actually I do...are you saying they don"t exist? I hope you're wromg...what will I tell my kids?

[SethG]

MSNBC just announced that Assange is in the UK and is being protected by the British police.

[Leopolis Semper Fidelis]

  El Presidente said:

It was a sickening experience to watch European politicians and "stars" make the case that he was "special". Certainly something I will never forget.

Yet another case of where someone's fame (notoriety, actually) enabled him to escape justice. As if Roman Polański's sordid crime wasn't bad enough, it was indeed sickening, as you said Rob, that he was aided and abetted by politicians and "stars".

[JMH]

I saw an article this morning that the company who hosted their site in the us (amazon) ditched them after coming under pressure from joe liebermanns office. I thought it was amusing that this didn't happen when apache gun-camera footage was leaked, but when a bunch of gossip that embarrasses the politicians is leaked

[harryleech]

  El Presidente said:

It was a sickening experience to watch European politicians and "stars" make the case that he was "special". Certainly something I will never forget.

I'm equally sickened by Polanski's actions and those who attempt to defend him, but if you're going to criticise a whole continent, make sure to include North America!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdQiQfxvJ8s

[Colt45]

  harryleech said:

......but if you're going to criticise a whole continent, make sure to include North America!

Hence the term "stars". She and some other "stars" defended him - none of them are government officials.

[rfenst]

QUOTE (rfenst @ Dec 1 2010, 12:33 AM)

unless the information "leaked' was intended to be publicly available, this entire situation makes me sick.

  Wil said:

Obviously we don't share the same faith in the governments and politicians who decide what should be publicly available.

I beleive that governments have valid secrets and information that should not be disseminated. What makes me sick is: 1. The information wasn't secured; 2. We don't have a criminal or civil law to prevent or punish those who leak and those who disseminate what is leaked; 3. That there are hundreds of thousands of documents involved; 4. That the consequance of this may result in diplomats and officials being less than candid; 5. That this has already occured once before and has not been stopped; 6 That the matter has become extraordinarily politically polarized to the extent where it is difficul to have open discussion about the matter beyond what people learn to say from television and radio hosts; etc; etc.

[El Presidente]

  harryleech said:

I'm equally sickened by Polanski's actions and those who attempt to defend him, but if you're going to criticise a whole continent, make sure to include North America!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdQiQfxvJ8s

Harry, Just bashing the spineless politicians and "stars" of any nationality who value "art" above child molestation.

I can't believe he has safe harbour anywhere.

[rfenst]

  sandholm said:

Just want to point out that Polanski were not extradite to the US due to a fault in the American request for extradition, If the US just had followed the rules they could have had him.. personal i think this were done by purpose of the US so he would not be prosecuted and therefore not disturbing the US relationship with France and the need of France troops against the "war against terrorism"

What did the U.S do wrong?

What extradition rules were not followed?