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Title: US on PR offensive against Wikileaks as 92,000 Afghan war docs spill out
Source:
Raw Story
URL Source: http://rawstory.com/rs/2010/0725/pr ... s-92000-afghan-war-docs-spill/
Published: Jul 25, 2010
Author: Agence France-Presse
Post Date: 2010-07-25 23:06:10 by abraxas
Keywords: None
Views: 166
Comments: 13
US on PR offensive against Wikileaks as 92,000 Afghan war docs spill out By Agence France-Presse Sunday, July 25th, 2010 -- 8:31 pm The White House denounced a massive leak of secret military files Sunday that allegedly describe how Pakistan's spy service aids the Afghan insurgency, but said the information was no surprise. In all, some 92,000 documents were released by the web whistleblower Wikileaks, containing previously untold details of the Afghan war through Pentagon files and field reports spanning from 2004 to 2010. According to the New York Times, one of the first three media outlets to publish reports on the leaks, they "suggest that Pakistan, an ostensible ally of the United States, allows representatives of its spy service to meet directly with the Taliban." Describing the talks as "secret strategy sessions," the newspaper said they "organize networks of militant groups that fight against American soldiers in Afghanistan, and even hatch plots to assassinate Afghan leaders." White House National Security Advisor James Jones issued a statement to reporters shortly before the documents were posted online, saying the leaks were "irresponsible" but would not impact US strategy in Afghanistan and Pakistan. "The United States strongly condemns the disclosure of classified information by individuals and organizations which could put the lives of Americans and our partners at risk, and threaten our national security," Jones said in his statement. "These irresponsible leaks will not impact our ongoing commitment to deepen our partnerships with Afghanistan and Pakistan; to defeat our common enemies; and to support the aspirations of the Afghan and Pakistani people." The New York Times said it, along with the Guardian newspaper in London and the German magazine Der Spiegel, had received the leaked material several weeks ago from Wikileaks, a secretive web organization that often publishes classified material. The news organizations agreed to publish their reports, based on the files "used by desk officers in the Pentagon and troops in the field when they make operational plans," on Sunday when they were to be released on the Internet. "Most of the reports are routine, even mundane, but many add insights, texture and context to a war that has been waged for nearly nine years," the Times said in a note to readers describing the leaks. "Overall these documents amount to a real-time history of the war reported from one important vantage point -- that of the soldiers and officers actually doing the fighting and reconstruction." The Times added that "much if the information -- raw intelligence and threat assessments gathered from the field in Afghanistan -- cannot be verified and likely comes from sources aligned with Afghan intelligence, which considers Pakistan an enemy, and paid informants. Britain's Guardian newspaper said the files painted "a devastating portrait of the failing war in Afghanistan." It listed a series of revelations including that a growing number of civilians were dying at the hands of international forces. It said the logs detailed 144 such incidents. The Taliban were also causing increasing numbers of civilian casualties with their roadside bombing campaign, which the documents showed had killed more than 2,000 civilians, according to the paper. The White House also issued to reporters a series of remarks made in the past by top officials expressing their concern about links between Pakistan spy services and militants in Afghanistan. One was from Defense Secretary Robert Gates dated March 31, 2009: "The ISI's contacts with [extremist groups] are a real concern to us, and we have made these concerns known directly to the Pakistanis." Jones, who did not address the veracity of the information contained in the leaks, said that the documents "reportedly cover a period of time from January 2004 to December 2009," the bulk of which time former president George W. Bush was in office. He pointed out that President Barack Obama on December 1, 2009 "announced a new strategy with a substantial increase in resources for Afghanistan, and increased focus on Al- Qaeda and Taliban safe-havens in Pakistan. "This shift in strategy addressed challenges in Afghanistan that were the subject of an exhaustive policy review last fall," Jones said. A US official who asked not to be named added: "I don't think anyone who follows this issue will find it surprising that there are concerns about ISI and safe havens in Pakistan," in reference to Pakistan's secretive Inter-Services Intelligence spy agency. "In fact, we've said as much repeatedly and on the record," the official said, reiterating that most of the information preceded Obama's time in office. "Some of the disconcerting things reported are exactly why the president ordered a three month policy review and a change in strategy," the official said, adding that "Wikileaks is not an objective news outlet but rather an organization that opposes US policy in Afghanistan."
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#1. To: abraxas (#0)
"Wikileaks is not an objective news outlet but rather an organization that opposes US policy in Afghanistan." This is BATSHIT CRAZY proposterous statement.
"Satan / Cheney in "08" The leaks tell it like it is--the war in Afghanistan is in the crapper and has been for some time now. Sadly, I doubt the MSM will give this much play. If the people knew how bad it's really going they would demand an end to this. Obama and the administration can lie about Wikileaks but they can't put the cap back on the leaks that have already been spilled. It's nice to have some sunshine on this fiasco in Afghanistan.
"The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country. ... We are governed, our minds are molded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of." Edward Bernays, Father of Public Relations
This information is available and very public. My 1st question is why ? Are we to believe that some obscure website is capable of thwarting every intelligence agency on earth ? I'm leary of this sort of disclosure. (Aren't you ?)
"But if you want to continue to be slaves of the banks and pay the cost of your own slavery, then let bankers continue to create money and control credit.” Josiah Stamp
I'm leary of this sort of disclosure. (Aren't you ?) My question is what is happening right now that these "leaks" are being used to cover for.
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The relationship between morality and liberty is a directly proportional one.
deleted
The relationship between morality and liberty is a directly proportional one.
Simplicity in life will reduce the stress imposed by those so terminally afflicted as you mentioned.
"But if you want to continue to be slaves of the banks and pay the cost of your own slavery, then let bankers continue to create money and control credit.” Josiah Stamp
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The relationship between morality and liberty is a directly proportional one.
My point is that the establishment spends kazillions convincing us of our "needs" ... most of which are more like wants. All I'm saying is killing ones self to keep up with the Jones' can be stressful.
"But if you want to continue to be slaves of the banks and pay the cost of your own slavery, then let bankers continue to create money and control credit.” Josiah Stamp
With no thanks the to "in bed with the MIC" MSM reporters.
"Satan / Cheney in "08" deleted
The relationship between morality and liberty is a directly proportional one.
You are leary of Wikileaks? I'm not. We have a bought and paid for MSM. Somebody has to break through the direct propoganda from the governement dished out to the people 24/7. I think it's about time. Plus, from the governments reaction and statements.......you know the information is credible.
"The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country. ... We are governed, our minds are molded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of." Edward Bernays, Father of Public Relations
This is BATSHIT CRAZY proposterous statement. Yes, but that is likely to be the soundbite the media will play during their between-TV-shows 30 second news blips that most Americans form their political opinions from.
"The Central Intelligence Agency owns everyone of any significance in the major media." ~ William Colby, Director, CIA 1973–1976 Nothing in the State, everything outside the State, everything against the State - Jan Lester, Escape From Leviathan "When plunder becomes a way of life for a group of men living together in society, they create for themselves in the course of time a legal system that authorizes it and a moral code that justifies it." - Frederic Bastiat Good order results spontaneously when things are let alone. - Zhuangzi
"Some of the disconcerting things reported are exactly why the president ordered a three month policy review and a change in strategy," the official said, adding that "Wikileaks is not an objective news outlet but rather an organization that opposes US policy in Afghanistan."
#2. To: tom007 (#1)
#3. To: abraxas, all (#0)
#4. To: noone222 (#3)
This information is available and very public. My 1st question is why ? Are we to believe that some obscure website is capable of thwarting every intelligence agency on earth ?
#5. To: tom007 (#1)
#6. To: noone222 (#3)
#7. To: Eric Stratton (#6)
These people are so terminally afflicted with notions that they're so important to the continued revolving of the earth that it's laughable.
#8. To: noone222 (#7)
#9. To: Eric Stratton (#8)
what's your point?
#10. To: abraxas (#2)
It's nice to have some sunshine on this fiasco in Afghanistan
#11. To: noone222 (#9)
#12. To: noone222 (#3)
I'm leary of this sort of disclosure. (Aren't you ?)
#13. To: tom007 (#1)
"Wikileaks is not an objective news outlet but rather an organization that opposes US policy in Afghanistan."
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