WikiLeaks Has Yet to Contact ‘Competent Authorities’ - Updated
25 replies, posted
[img]http://www.defense.gov/images/header1.jpg[/img]
[url=http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=60488]Source[/url]
[release]WASHINGTON, Aug. 18, 2010 – The operators of a website that published tens of thousands of classified documents have contacted no “competent authorities” in the Defense Department, a Pentagon spokesman said here today.
WikiLeaks already has released 90,000 classified documents, and the site’s publisher said he plans to release about 15,000 more.
“Those documents should be returned,” Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said. “There should be no further posting of these classified documents, and those that have been posted should be removed.”
The Army’s Criminal Investigation Division and the FBI are conducting an investigation into the leak of the documents.
WikiLeaks officials have attempted to use the media as an intermediary, “but the Defense Department has had no direct contact with WikiLeaks,” Whitman said.
In any event, the Defense Department is not interested in negotiating with the organization, Whitman said, noting that it’s simply against the law to release classified documents. If Defense Department officials participated in trying to sanitize or redact these documents, he said, they still would be guilty of releasing classified documents.
“These documents are property of the United States government,” Whitman said. “The unauthorized release of them threatens the lives of coalition forces, as well as Afghan nationals. All should be returned immediately, they should be removed from the Web, there should be no further posting of them to the Web, and all data bases containing them should be destroyed.”
Defense Department officials are analyzing the leaked documents to try to minimize the risk to coalition forces and to Afghans who worked with the coalition, Whitman said, though he would not get into specifics.
Another danger of the leaks is the possibility that commands may safeguard information and intelligence so much that those who need it won’t get it, Whitman noted.
“There is a balance to make sure that all the available intelligence is accessible where it needs to be accessible,” Whitman said. “But there should be safeguards, too, to preclude or mitigate instances where people may be acting in an improper, unauthorized or even illegal way.”
Intelligence is a tool that young servicemembers must have to carry out their missions, he added.
“Anything that we do as we assess the situation here and learn lessons from this will always be balanced with the imperative that our forces on the ground need to have access to the best information that we can provide them,” he said.
[/release]
[img]http://a0.twimg.com/profile_images/519806892/DOD_seal_bigger.jpg[/img]
[url=http://twitter.com/DeptofDefense/status/21584583414]Source[/url]
[release]We are not interested in negotiating [url]http://bit.ly/dqw3fq[/url] #Wikileaks[/release]
The url links to above article
[img]http://a3.twimg.com/profile_images/75414639/WL_Hour_Glass_Bottom_bigger.jpg[/img]
[url=http://twitter.com/wikileaks/status/21585968458]Source[/url]
[release]DoD's General Counsel is apparently an "incompetent authority" [url]http://bit.ly/baHrE5[/url] v. [url]http://bit.ly/b3N2Pu[/url][/release]
First url links to DoD's tweet, second links to a document from DoD to WL.
[img]http://a3.twimg.com/profile_images/75414639/WL_Hour_Glass_Bottom_bigger.jpg[/img]
[url=http://twitter.com/wikileaks/statuses/21587269870]Source[/url]
[release]Pentagon: The free press trying to do the right thing are worse than Iran: [url]http://bit.ly/a65tRI[/url][/release]
The url links to the DoD's Tweet
[img]http://thehill.com/templates/thehill/images/bg_headhill.jpg[/img]
[url=http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/115175-provoked-wikileaks-strikes-at-dod-on-twitter]Source[/url]
[release]A little-noted tweet from the Pentagon sent WikiLeaks back into defense mode Thursday as the controversy continued over what the group promises is a forthcoming release of 15,000 more secret war documents.
WikiLeaks, which maintains an aggressive Twitter presence, has used its feed consistently since late July to publicize its conflict with the Defense Department.
The Pentagon, meanwhile, had not weighed in on its feed since Aug. 2.
"We are not interested in negotiating," it said Thursday morning, directing the message to the group with the hashtag #WikiLeaks.
The tweet linked to a press release saying that WikiLeaks had "contacted no 'competent authorities' in the Defense Department" about its July 25 document release and repeated its order that the documents pending publication be returned.
"'These documents are property of the United States government. ... The unauthorized release of them threatens the lives of coalition forces, as well as Afghan nationals,'" it said in a quote from Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman.
WikiLeaks tweeted back less than an hour later.


"DoD's General Counsel is apparently an 'incompetent authority,'" it said, linking to the text of a letter sent from lead Pentagon attorney Jeh Charles Johnson to WikiLeaks on Aug. 16. The letter implies that the parties had been in previous contact.
"Pentagon: The free press trying to do the right thing are worse than Iran," WikiLeaks continued Thursday, linking back to the DoD's original tweet.
"Pentagon won't negotiate, but can't count. 15k documents out in PR," it added, linking back to the original DoD press release, which includes links to related statements published by the department.
WikiLeaks had previously used its Twitter feed to characterize Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell as "obnoxious," saying he issued a "formal threat" against the group.
It also said, re-linking to the Aug. 16 letter from DoD lead counsel to WikiLeaks, that the Pentagon "wants 'total censorship,'" and that it "doesn't give a damn about Afghans."


A related dispute arose Wednesday when WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange [url=http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100818/ap_on_hi_te/eu_afghanistan_wikileaks]suggested[/url] to The Associated Press that the Pentagon was willing at one point to negotiate with the group about how to redact the pending documents.
"The Department of Defense will not negotiate some 'minimized' or 'sanitized' version of a release by WikiLeaks of additional U.S. Government classified documents," the Pentagon wrote in the Aug. 16 letter.
"The Department demands that nothing further be released by WikiLeaks, that all of the U.S. Government classified documents that WikiLeaks has obtained be returned immediately, and that WikiLeaks remove and destroy all of these records from its databases."
An additional Pentagon statement said that any official that helped WikiLeaks edit the files would "still would be guilty" of releasing them.
Assange has [url=http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/08/12/afghanistan.wikileaks/]said[/url] he is waiting to publish the documents until they are fully edited for names, and that the group is about halfway through the set. [/release]
It's in chronological order (old -> new, top -> bottom)
It's not going to happen, DoD, they aren't going to give in and the only way you're going to get them to stop is if you actually do assassinate Assange.
[img]http://filesmelt.com/dl/headbonk.gif[/img] Put them in wrong order
I'm sick of this pussy-footing. I want WL to actually do something.
[quote]In any event, the Defense Department is not interested in negotiating with the organization, Whitman said, noting that it’s simply against the law to release classified documents. If Defense Department officials participated in trying to sanitize or redact these documents, he said, they still would be guilty of releasing classified documents.[/quote]
Yes, WL would be, the ones that would have had/would participate in the censoring would only help preventing possible casualties
[quote]“These documents are property of the United States government,” Whitman said. “The unauthorized release of them threatens the lives of coalition forces, as well as Afghan nationals. All should be returned immediately, they should be removed from the Web, there should be no further posting of them to the Web, and all data bases containing them should be destroyed.”[/quote]
Except that's virtually impossible now after the downloads and spread of the said documents.
DoD: [img]http://filesmelt.com/dl/headbonk.gif[/img] Giv them bak!
WL: [img]http://filesmelt.com/dl/confusedjohn.gif[/img]
People who know how the "Internet" works: @DoD [img]http://filesmelt.com/dl/facepalm.gif[/img]
People who follow the news: [img]http://filesmelt.com/dl/lilcal.png[/img]
People on who the Smear Campaign is working: [img]http://filesmelt.com/dl/weasel.gif[/img]
[highlight]That's a rough generalization of what I believe is the current situation.[/highlight]
[QUOTE=Detective P;24185789]It's not going to happen, DoD, they aren't going to give in and the only way you're going to get them to stop is if you actually do assassinate Assange.[/QUOTE]
Yeh because Assange is a one man army...
What wikileaks is doing is an Idea. A concept. DoD can't stop the leaks from happening, and even if they got to Assange there will be many others willing to take his place. Assassination would make a martyr out of him.
[QUOTE=Kade;24186207]Yeh because Assange is a one man army...
What wikileaks is doing is an Idea. A concept. DoD can't stop the leaks from happening, and even if they got to Assange there will be many others willing to take his place. Assassination would make a martyr out of him.[/QUOTE]
Indeed.
"Beneath this mask there is more than flesh. Beneath this mask there is an idea, Mr. Creedy, and ideas are bulletproof."
and
"We are told to remember the idea, not the man, because a man can fail. He can be caught. He can be killed and forgotten. But four hundred years later an idea can still change the world."
[quote]“Those documents should be returned,” Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said.[/quote]
PLEASE PLACE ALL OF THE 1S AND 0S INTO THE NIGHT DROP BOX BEFORE 11PM THANK YOu
Updated with more info.
[QUOTE=ZekeTwo;24186757]PLEASE PLACE ALL OF THE 1S AND 0S INTO THE NIGHT DROP BOX BEFORE 11PM THANK YOu[/QUOTE]
Shit I sent them their stuff back but it looks like it's still on the internet :ohdear:
[QUOTE=hypno-toad;24216917]Shit I sent them their stuff back but it looks like it's still on the internet :ohdear:[/QUOTE]
I have a feeling they're coming for you... :chef:
Wouldn't it be a smarter move to just ignore Wikileaks if you're the government, just stop them from posting personal details and leave it at that?
Just make wikileaks' life a living hell.
Don't kill anyone. Just destroy server farms. Steal personal data. Leak personal data about every little indiscretion ever committed by anyone connected to it. Steal pets. Fill apartments with angry badgers. Shit in cookie jars. Convince people their apartment is haunted.
[QUOTE=GunFox;24225770]Just make wikileaks' life a living hell.
Don't kill anyone. Just destroy server farms. Steal personal data. Leak personal data about every little indiscretion ever committed by anyone connected to it. Steal pets. Fill apartments with angry badgers. Shit in cookie jars. Convince people their apartment is haunted.[/QUOTE]
Destroying the server farms, due to recent events, would mean doing a cyber attack on Swedish Parliament. That's not good PR for the US.
[QUOTE=GunFox;24225770]Just make wikileaks' life a living hell.
Don't kill anyone. Just destroy server farms. Steal personal data. Leak personal data about every little indiscretion ever committed by anyone connected to it. Steal pets. Fill apartments with angry badgers. Shit in cookie jars. Convince people their apartment is haunted.[/QUOTE]
this is a good thing?
[QUOTE=GunFox;24225770]Just make wikileaks' life a living hell.
Don't kill anyone. Just destroy server farms. Steal personal data. Leak personal data about every little indiscretion ever committed by anyone connected to it. Steal pets. Fill apartments with angry badgers. Shit in cookie jars. Convince people their apartment is haunted.[/QUOTE]
No.
[QUOTE=GunFox;24225770]Just make wikileaks' life a living hell.
Don't kill anyone. Just destroy server farms. Steal personal data. Leak personal data about every little indiscretion ever committed by anyone connected to it. Steal pets. Fill apartments with angry badgers. Shit in cookie jars. Convince people their apartment is haunted.[/QUOTE]
So you basically want the US government to contract /b/ to raid wikileaks?
I don't think they'd do it.
[QUOTE=OogalaBoogal;24226415]Destroying the server farms, due to recent events, would mean doing a cyber attack on Swedish Parliament. That's not good PR for the US.[/QUOTE]
They are now harboring a known spy.
HE IS A FOREIGN NATIONAL WITH SECRET MILITARY DOCUMENTS. You don't get to harbor his data inside your government server farms and expect no retaliation for it.
He isn't going to stop the conflict. All he is going to do is embolden the opposing side. Shit like this is why Vietnam failed. The VC in later years have across the board admitted that it was the media which drove them to continue fighting and gave them hope.
[QUOTE=GunFox;24225770]Just make wikileaks' life a living hell.
Don't kill anyone. Just destroy server farms. Steal personal data. Leak personal data about every little indiscretion ever committed by anyone connected to it. Steal pets. Fill apartments with angry badgers. Shit in cookie jars. Convince people their apartment is haunted.[/QUOTE]
[img]http://images.hollywoodgrind.com:9000/images/2009/6/demi-lovato-here-we-go-again.jpg[/img]
OH BOY, HERE WE GO
[QUOTE=GunFox;24225770]Just make wikileaks' life a living hell.
Don't kill anyone. Just destroy server farms. Steal personal data. Leak personal data about every little indiscretion ever committed by anyone connected to it. Steal pets. Fill apartments with angry badgers. Shit in cookie jars. Convince people their apartment is haunted.[/QUOTE]
No
[QUOTE=GunFox;24225770]Just make wikileaks' life a living hell.
Don't kill anyone. Just destroy server farms. Steal personal data. Leak personal data about every little indiscretion ever committed by anyone connected to it. Steal pets. Fill apartments with angry badgers. Shit in cookie jars. Convince people their apartment is haunted.[/QUOTE]
Um, no.
[QUOTE=GunFox;24239981]They are now harboring a known spy.
HE IS A FOREIGN NATIONAL WITH SECRET MILITARY DOCUMENTS. You don't get to harbor his data inside your government server farms and expect no retaliation for it.
He isn't going to stop the conflict. All he is going to do is embolden the opposing side. Shit like this is why Vietnam failed. The VC in later years have across the board admitted that it was the media which drove them to continue fighting and gave them hope.[/QUOTE]
what happens when the media that realizes that wikileaks' employees/staff are being terrorized constantly? and their server/gear is getting fucked with? what kind of negative media impact would that have on America (specifically the govt.)? Do you then censor the media?
[QUOTE=threewrite;24240245]what happens when the media that realizes that wikileaks' employees/staff are being terrorized constantly? and their server/gear is getting fucked with? what kind of negative media impact would that have on America (specifically the govt.)? Do you then censor the media?[/QUOTE]
The media has a right to release whatever information they have. They do not however have the right to knowingly illegally obtain information. You cannot knowingly take possession of stolen goods. The legal system governing this isn't terribly complicated.
The negative PR is to be expected no matter what happens. Ruining their lives until they agree not to release documents is going to have the fewest POLITICAL ramifications and is going to prevent loss of LIFE as a result of the documents being released.
Preservation of life takes precedent over how the media perceives us. Any government is under an obligation to put the lives of its own people above that of others. It's a simple truth. Currently a foreign national is putting US lives at risk. As such he needs to be stopped before he does more damage.
How about we just totally throw out extradition treaties entirely? Someone in Sweden can shoot up everyone in a school and come to the United States. We'll give him a room in a hotel and free wi-fi. Fuck, let's give him a room in the white house! Can't touch him without causing an international incident!
[QUOTE=GunFox;24239981]They are now harboring a known spy.
HE IS A FOREIGN NATIONAL WITH SECRET MILITARY DOCUMENTS. You don't get to harbor his data inside your government server farms and expect no retaliation for it.
He isn't going to stop the conflict. All he is going to do is embolden the opposing side. Shit like this is why Vietnam failed. The VC in later years have across the board admitted that it was the media which drove them to continue fighting and gave them hope.[/QUOTE]
Maybe it's the dumb little kid or rampant anarchist inside me, but I honestly don't give a shit about the US government because the corruption and red tape just make the whole thing nearly too bloated and full of itself to actually accomplish anything useful.
[QUOTE=GunFox;24225770]Just make wikileaks' life a living hell.
Don't kill anyone. Just destroy server farms. Steal personal data. Leak personal data about every little indiscretion ever committed by anyone connected to it. Steal pets. Fill apartments with angry badgers. Shit in cookie jars. Convince people their apartment is haunted.[/QUOTE]
Are you planning on stopping any time soon or can I continue to expect posts like this from you in future Wikileaks threads as well?
[QUOTE=ZekeTwo;24240449]Are you planning on stopping any time soon or can I continue to expect posts like this from you in future Wikileaks threads as well?[/QUOTE]
Until something is actually done about them, yeah probably.
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