Wikileaked

Posted By David Kenner Friday, October 22, 2010 - 5:45 PM Share

The much anticipated Wikileaks document dump of 400,00 classified U.S. military documents, which cover events during the Iraq war from 2004 to 2009, is upon us: The Guardian and the New York Times have both just published their assessments after reviewing the files.

Both newspapers seem to highlight the same broad takeaways from the documents: Iraqi civilian deaths were higher than the Bush administration suggested, the United States largely ignored prisoner abuse conducted by Iraq's security services, and Iran played an extensive role in training and arming the anti-U.S. insurgency -- even raising fears in the military that it may be planning to provide chemical weapons to Shiite insurgents. 

One big winner out of the document dump may be Iraq Body Count, an organization whose methods for counting Iraqi civilian casualties in Iraq were consistently criticized by the Bush administration as being unrealistically high.

There's one more issue that, while certainly not as important as other considerations, I'm curious about: After weeks of preparation and hype, why would Wikileaks and major news outlets settle on 5 p.m. on Friday as the time to release these documents? Presumably, the New York Times and the Guardian are savvy enough to know that a Friday afternoon isn't exactly the time to attract the largest possible readership. Just one more sign that, while Wikileaks may aspire to revolutionize journalism, its media strategy leaves something to be desired.

AHMAD AL-RUBAYE/AFP/Getty Images

EXPLORE:MIDDLE EAST, IRAQ, MEDIA, U.S. FOREIGN POLICY
 

GRANT

4:00 AM ET

October 23, 2010

It's entirely possible that

It's entirely possible that the timing was deliberate out of some deal with either the U.S government or newspapers. Alternatively it could be that they didn't have a choice in the matter.

 

RAY GIBBS

3:12 PM ET

October 24, 2010

Wikileaked & Game Changer

Like much Don's & rene's comments.

Iran's desires, operatives, moneys, munitions were & remain deadly & problematic for our strategic objectives, troops, aid workers--Iraq & Afghanistan.

WikiLeaks brightens the Lies (all sides) America's first (major) preemptive war. Surely, Assange's clever leverage of the 'Net, is a wake-up-call to all national leaders engaged in or who might engage in major conflicts or wars.

Technology create (inevitably) leaks, leakers--and we covet technology.

Now actor hero, rebel on the run, without country, Assange offers, does he not, more "transparency" than we can control or like. War on the table, made plain, for every young person's or adult's detailed observations--and we like knowledge & information.

So, to this lone & desperate runner against the Winds & Wounds of War, may the Winds of Change be at your back.

 

MARTY MARTEL

4:38 AM ET

October 25, 2010

US assured the coming rise of Iran-Iraq Shiite alliance

By installing a majority Shiite regime in Iraq, US has assured the rise of Shiite alliance against dominant Sunnis in the middle east.

Iran will first help Iraq crush Kurdish rebellion and then Sunni rebellion against central government.

A civil war by proxy between Sunnis and Shiites in Iraq is coming with Iran fighting it out against Saudi Arabia.

 

MINATO-ALVIN

9:52 AM ET

October 26, 2010

Love Haiti

wow, I come to know about a new update.
obviously you done a good job sharing these, i in fact am in need of such info a site.
Anyways wanna tell you something about Haiti...
As i'm concern about my Haiti. After an Heavy natural disaster It's become back dated. And bearing unmeasurable sufferings. Still now it's facing crisis from all sides, created from the Earth Quake as well as by nature. But It's time to change the day, So request all of you to come forward to make tha days ahead distinctly.
I think at this moment HAITI really needs help to be rebuild.Outgoing Haitian President René Préval has set the presidential elections for Nov. 28, 2010.
According to ma justification,
Haiti Election Candidates should be under consideration as a deserving personality,
who can supply the best support and leadership
Thank you.

 

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