Doesn’t it always make you feel better knowing that your local mobsters go to church?
Not much better than knowing my local radical extremists go to Mosque.
You know it there, but it’s news to most of the rest of the world.
This cable is a fun read. It describes the events and politics surrounding a wedding in Dagestan.
I’m really impressed with the diplomat who wrote this. I can’t imagine going into such an environment, where you’re unfamiliar with the customs and you spend the day drinking, while still being perceptive enough to recognize all the little intrigues and tie them together into an informative and entertaining narrative.
Likewise. He paints a vivid picture, with no small amount of insight and wit. A pleasure to read.
Don Vladimir Putinorleone.
That’s not the fault of major news organizations that have reported on the local Russian Mafia rather largely.
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2010/12/ron-paul-what-wikileaks/ Ron Paul applauds the leaks and says we need more. The idea that the workings of the government should be shielded from the people is problematic. I do not accept the people should be treated as stupid and can not be trusted with knowing the truth. Nor do I believe that once you are allowed to shield your processes from the public, you will be careful. Allow those in charge to decide what is secret, and nearly everything will be classified. It smacks of a secret society of leaders who can be involved in the government but not responsible to the people. I am not comfortable with trusting me leaders to do the right thing. I have been burned too much.
If the conversations of the Bush admin were open, they would have had trouble pushing us into an Iraq war. Cheney still has not released even who was present when he was formulating the admins energy policy.
Let them determine what should be hidden and nearly everything will be.
Ron Paul may get his wish. Assange is threatening to release the ENTIRE UNFILTERED document cache if he is arrested. Not just the military stuff, but EVERYTHING he has on everybody (I think, the article wasn’t completely clear). He’s calling it his “thermonuclear” device".
Actually, he’s already released the encrypted cache. He’s threatening to release the encryption key.
Interesting times ahead.
You aren’t telling me anything I don’t know. But my understanding is that .com, .net, and .org are at some point sold from the U.S., and thus the domain seemed an obvious target for people who wanted to attack the site.
With all the controversy this site has engendered, I’m surprised it took until now for the U.S. domain broker that sold the name to have been attacked. Obviously a site doesn’t have to be hosted in the U.S. to get a U.S. domain name. Heck, I was surprised Amazon had anything to do with it. (I assume it was their cloud hosting service, right?)
The only way I can see that being persuasive is if people don’t have any idea of what he might have. Either that, or he’s given the relevant parts to the corresponding parties and it is so damning that they dare not risk it.
But even then, it’s a lot like a black mail situation. Do you pay the blackmailer off and risk having the info disclosed anyway or do you bite the bullet and get it over with. I mean, it’s not really blackmail if the rape charges are baseless - which I thought had already been determined, but obviously not. Then it’s more like self defense IMHO.
Regardless, I don’t see Sweden going along with it. There would have to be some pressure brought to bear. If that Interpol warrant is suddenly rescinded and the criminal charges disappear, I think it will be safe to conclude that the ploy worked, at least for the time being.
The name of a Danish public institution has been released by Wikileaks as a profitable terror objective - because it produces vaccinations for children, vaccinations which are exported to the USA, and which could become necessary by American children if the USA is hit by a biological terror attack. As well as a private company that produces smallpox vaccinations exported to the USA and another medical company producing diabetes medicine being exported to the USA. The companies now say they’ll have to take extra security preparations and the employees speak of extra anxiety working there.
What on Earth for? What good will WikiLeaks accomplish by releasing information on companies that produce children’s vaccination needed by the USA?
Everybody will see the leaks in personal terms. Leaf through it until you find where you are mentioned and then begin to worry. Nothing has changed. The drug company is not suddenly known because the leaks are saying it was already known. The difference is you are aware of it now . Before you could go on without a thought of terrorism. You still can. Nothing really has changed . You are no more likely a target today ,than you were yesterday.
I(f you are a real target, then the leaks did you a big favor. Now you can protect yourself.
I have to say that I am a bit disturbed by the leak of a list of facilities, etc. that the U.S. considers vital to national interests. Seems like something that’s just irresponsible without serving any real transparency interest.
Most Danes, and certainly the companies were already aware of this. Today the terrorist wannabe may well also be aware of them, where he yesterday didn’t know those medical companies from Bob. All thanks to WikiLeaks. The kind of person who may want to blow up some target for the sole benefit of hurting the USA is not necessarily the same person who is sane and well-informed. Far from it. Most of them are probably rather dull and stupid. Now some idiot may have heard talk of this or that company is considered a valuable partner by the Americans, and attack it for that sole reason. The risk is a little higher. Probably not much. But a little, and what have we gained for this small extra insecurity, by having WikiLeaks making public a list including Danish manufactures of children’s and small pox vaccines?
I’m sure it’s not affirmatively good that disclosures of certain facilities are made, but security through obscurity is never a good plan. I mean, I can find Pantex on a map - that’s where they assemble and disassemble a lot of nuclear warheads IIRC. OK. That’s nice. It’s not like it does me any good if I’m a terrorist.
Presumably secure facilities are actually . . . you know . . . secure. And if they’re really so important, and they’re not, well, who’s fault is that?
edit - Pantex on wikipedia
Since most Danes were already aware of this, then it’s impossible – at least for all practical purposes – for a Danish “terrorist wannabe” to exist? If not, it seems to me that you need to put some more thought into what you’re saying.
Truly, I think the bulk of most peoples’ Wikileaks objections are the result of either political demonizing or simple shallow thinking.
A public institution that produces children’s vaccinations and one that produces small pox vaccinations and another that produces diabetes medicine are not really facilities most people associated with places that need a high level of security, beyond that which the costly installations demands. And the extra insecurity these places now much live with are the result of them trading with the USA, not the products they produce for the local market. Anyway it seems Assange released them just for the heck of it, and WikiLeaks moved from farce to nihilistic vandalism.
Most Danes already know these places produce vaccinations and medicine. Many know they export to the USA. Few knew that the USA considered them very important to US security and potential terror targets.
Two options. That’s probably rather shallow thinking on your part.
While security through obscurity alone is not a good plan, being more obscure is better than not right?
Because of the release, terrorists now have a “shopping list”, not only of which facilities to target, but also what sort of facilities to target. This makes their job easier.
Generally, I think more disclosure is better than less, but I am not sure what purpose is served by releasing this particular list, other than notoriety for wikileaks and to make life harder for the listed facilities
Once again, Life imitates Hollywood!