WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange

[BladeEWG]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40544697/ns/us_news-wikileaks_in_security/

Ok this one is interesting I think.

As much as I support free speech, theres a line that needs to be not crossed over,especially when it jeopardized sucurity for any person or country.
as facinatng as I find this drama unfloding, I have to ask..
Whats the point?

What does this guy gain by doing this, other then getting some infamy?
Is he looking for some cash to just shut up and go away?
Is he trying to impress people with what he has obtained?
or is he just in some sad way trying to embarass others?

I just don't get it.
Enlighten me....

[Dogma]

15 minutes of fame, to the detriment of all others, just a little noteriety is what I think.

[Xavior]

At the beginning, he was probably fighting for something he believed in. No different from what many others do, just that he had the balls to actually make a difference with his life.

Over time, I believe all the pressure, criticism, scrutiny got to him. The more pressure put on him by the US government, politicians, media, the more he pushed back releasing documents he probably never wanted to release in the beginning. Then all the other governments closed in, closing his bank accounts, constantly tailing him with CIA agents and whatever, tracking his movements, and closing the leash tighter. Add the ridiculous court case against him in Sweden (I always thought Sweden was a very progressive and modern country, but it turns out any country can fall under the influence of the United States) and the increasing paranoia hes feeling, he probably just snapped.

Hence the threat of releasing every single document in their entirety if he is 'taken care of'.

Just my view of things. Would make a great movie, however tragic.


As for the right or wrong of doing what he did, a lot of what was released was nothing new. You have to be pretty dull to not realize that every country (altho some more than others) is constantly spying on each other, trying to gain technological advantages here and there however they portray their friendly relationships in the public. We hear about it once in a while when stuff like this comes out. Like when China was hacking Google. Or I recall a few years back when there was a report of the United States stealing technology or something from Canada (can't recall the exact details).

I'm not a huge fan of what he did recently. Not much of this is actually of any use to the general public. However, what Wikileaks has done before including releasing the video called Collateral Murder, where a United States attack helicopter killed some Reuters journalists and some other leaks detailing corruption in 3rd world countries and in major banks has been a positive to society. I wish they would do more of that and less of this diplomatic gossip.


And one last note. Blade, if you wonder about his motives, he wrote 2 essays about it. I'll try to find the link later. In the meanwhile, theres these articles you can read:

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2007375,00.html?loomia_si=t0:a16:g2:r1:c0.0 397069:b39935164&xid=Loomia
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2006789,00.html


Edit: found it :)

http://zunguzungu.wordpress.com/2010/11/29/julian-assange-and-the-computer-conspiracy-%E2%80%9Cto-destroy-this-invisible-government%E2%80%9D/#

[BladeEWG]

Thanks X!
The last one I'll save and reread.Very interesting.
The first ones I've read before..but as powerful as the Collateral Damage video is.
One cannot discard this
"The material it posts is not always unfiltered. An abridged version of the 2007 helicopter attack posted on WikiLeaks — which had been edited by Assange and titled "Collateral Murder" — was criticized for failing to show that one of the men fired on by the chopper was carrying a rocket-propelled grenade launcher. "

War is not perfect and innocent people get hurt, thats the nature of the beast.That never will change.
But people see and hear what they wish to hear I think...

I do think this guy is very narcissistic, and seems to be enjoying this moment.
Like Dogma said 15 minutes of fame, but it will be much longer then that.