[excon]

Hello:

I'm all for keeping secret THAT which will HARM my country... In fact, I STILL have my secret clearance, and I have NEVER divulged what I know, nor will I EVER. However, I'm all for exposing THAT which embarrasses those in power. That's because if they did RIGHT, they wouldn't BE embarrassed. In fact, it's my view that a journalists job is to expose the truth.

The righty's think, I suppose, that a journalists job is to keep secrets that enable government... They certainly didn't like it when the Rolling Stone told the truth about McCrystal... And, they ain't going to like this leak any better.

Oh, by the way.. If you didn't know, the leak detailed widespread torture by the Iraqi's on their fellow citizens while WE stood by and did NOTHING. I thought we went there to get RID of that big bad torturer... Or was it WMD's?

excon

[smoothy]

Leaking documents that are classified is a crime, and should be prosecuted. There are laws on the books... enforce them.

As you are fully aware if you have ever held a clearance... its not up to you or me to determine what should or should not be considered classified. THAT is left to those in charge. Once they have been unclassified... then they are fair game.

[kpg0001]

I think we went there for money. We didn't learn anything from South America... or did we? As for the "secrets" who is making these decisions? Throughout the history of the US our military and other US organizations have done things the people would consider unethical. People still debate over dropping the atom bombs on Japan, and that wasn't even "secret"!

[excon]

Hello smoothy:

So, you're FOR the government keeping stuff secret simply because it EMBARRASSES them? I thought you didn't like the government too much...

excon

[kpg0001]

Smoothly, there are laws against these secret actions as well(not the secrecy but the ethics). You are basically saying they can do what they want and should be able to keep it a secret. The people making the decisions have to be held accountable for them no matter how secret they are. We should not have laws that give our government the right to commit atrocities and get away with it. Wrong is wrong!

[excon]

As you are fully aware if you have ever held a clearance....

Hello again, smoothy:

The correct word would be SINCE I held a clearance... I'm getting tired of your suggestions that I lie.

excon

[smoothy]

Hello smoothy:

So, you're FOR the government keeping stuff secret simply because it EMBARRASSES them? I thought you didn't like the government too much...

excon

Classified documents are classified for a reason... and can only be declassified by a select few individuals for a reason... its not for you ore me to decide. You do remember those forms you signed when you got the clearance.

Opinion doesn't come into play here...

[NeedKarma]

Classified documents are classified for a reason....and can only be declassified by a select few individuals for a reason...its not for you ore me to decide.

So you trust your government then.

[speechlesstx]

This time they also showed some other things:

I SAID BEFORE THAT WIKILEAKS’ JULIAN ASSANGE WAS CLEARLY A TOOL, BUT WHOSE? Well, so far the two biggest scoops from the latest document dump are that the infamous Lancet study was bogus, and that WMDs were found in Iraq in quantity. Neither of these stories is actually news to people who were paying attention, but now — conveniently enough just before an election, and even nicely timed for George W. Bush’s new book release — these stories are getting a fresh round of play.. .

Told you so.

[smoothy]

Hello again, smoothy:

The correct word would be SINCE I held a clearance... I'm getting tired of your suggestions that I lie.

excon

Feeling guilty then? Because YOU said that... not me. Don't put words in my mouth. IF you ever held a clearance simply means you once held one and its no longer active... There are likely people reading this thread that applies to. Most don't follow you to the grave and will be deactivated if they aren't used. And you can have different ones, at the same time.

Because you once had one doesn't mean you have one now or that its active.

YOU were the only person here getting touchy about it.

You did read those forms... nowhere does it give you an option to ignore them if you feel the topics should be discussed or reveled to others NOT in the need to know. Just because an individual HAS a clearance, doesn't mean they have the right to read documents they do not have a need to know about.

And yes... you can get in deep crap for snooping around even without revealing anything to outside individuals even WITH a clearance.

And even if you was written off... non-disclosure agreements stay with you for the period specified in them... some may have a limit.. others are indefinite in duration. And are legally enforcible.

IF the documents were classified... throw the book at those involved, all of them... if they were declassified... then it's a whole different ballgame.

[NeedKarma]

This time they also showed some other things:



Told ya so.

a) So the Bush administration made secret documents that validated their reason for invasion? Really?

b) if you had read the article it says the "hunt for WMD continued", they found mustard gas which I don't think is a WMD.

[excon]

Told ya so.

Hello Steve:

So, the leak was GOOD... I would have NEVER known there were WMD's if Assange hadn't spoken out. George Bush is a fine man...

But... If there really WERE WMD's, why would that fine man, George W. Bush keep it secret?? It Would have vindicated him, no??

You guys are silly.

excon

[smoothy]

Smoothly, there are laws against these secret actions as well(not the secrecy but the ethics). You are basically saying they can do what they want and should be able to keep it a secret. The people making the decisions have to be held accountable for them no matter how secret they are. We should not have laws that give our government the right to commit atrocities and get away with it. Wrong is wrong!

Then you report them to the right channels.. there will be ways within your organization do do so without causing a breach... if you violate the law in respect to classified documents.. THAT alone will ruin your life or get you a lengthy prison term. Under the law and terms of your security clearance... YOU the individual, do not get to make that distinction. Classified is classified. Legally any disclosure is a breach... and prosecutable. And these people are NOT the people you want to screw with.

[NeedKarma]

smoothy, you do know what happens to snitches in the military right?

[smoothy]

Incidentally... the President is one person with the ability to declassify documents... sometimes its done with good reason.. sometimes its not.

[speechlesstx]

You guys are silly.

As silly as calling Bush the liar when virtually everyone, including the UN and countless Democrats believed Saddam had WMD's. As silly as believing the Lancet study? As silly as buying into a health care bill that no one had read? As silly as electing a narcissistic amateur for president? As silly as believing the Tea Party is nothing but racist bigots that threaten our very survival? As silly as believing the gulf spill was going to destroy us?

Yeah, don't talk to me about silly.

[NeedKarma]

As silly as calling Bush the liar when virtually everyone, including the UN and countless Democrats believed Saddam had WMD's. As silly as believing the Lancet study? As silly as buying into a health care bill that no one had read? As silly as electing a narcissistic amateur for president? As silly as believing the Tea Party is nothing but racist bigots that threaten our very survival? As silly as believing the gulf spill was going to destroy us?

Yeah, don't talk to me about silly.

Obama and the Tea Party aren't the subject of this post. The subject is "Wikki leaked again."

For the original version of this see here.
:)

[smoothy]

smoothy, you do know what happens to snitches in the military right?

Oh yeah... or people that like to push the limits or rules... or not do exactly what they were told exactly HOW they were told to do it... you can't kick their butts like they could 40 years ago... but there are a multitude of ways they can legally make your life a living hell if you don't comport yourself as a proper soldier... by the commands expectations.

A good friend I once worked with was a retired Command Sergant Major... he taught me a lot of tricks I had never heard of before (or even thought of).

Reporting incidents... and snitching isn't always the same thing... but that line CAN be very thin between them at times. There are always repercussions... something to consider before making a report. Many times there is a choice of the lesser of two evils... and Command doesn't tell the lesser ranking people everything... only what they need to know. That makes for a possibility a Trooper doesn't see things in their full context to make a decision about what is and isn't right.

[tomder55]

There is some useful information in these leaks ,that although not revelations ,confirm some of the things I've said about Iranian involvement . We have in fact been in a shooting war with Iran for many years now.
The roadside bombs are made in Iran ,and they trained the users. They designed homicide vests for terrorists to use against the troops and the Iraqi people. Many of the so called "insurgents " were professional Iranian operatives of the Qod branch of the IRG. It reports and documents incidents of Iranian intelligence officers fighting alongside the enemy inside Iraqand manning checkpoints with local militias.
There is also proof that the American hikers were on the Iraqi side of the border and were kidnapped by the Iranians.

The soldiers deployed to theater have a right to ask the political leaders of the last 10 years why no action was taken against the Iranian regime especially against their IED manufacturing facilities and their terrorist training camps.

Ex the files also show that there were occasions when US troops did intervene against the Saddam-like torture by Iraqi prison guards ; and the blind-eye policy was eventually and rightly changed.

Julian Assange is a deranged rapist . Nuff said . Yes there still should be secrets. There are operatives on the run in AfPakia thanks to the previous doc dump.

[speechlesstx]

Obama and the Tea Party aren't the subject of this post. The subject is "Wikki leaked again."

Ex changed it to "silly."