WIKILEAKS

WikiLeaks

WikiLeaks

Introduction

In 2010, WikiLeaks went from being a relatively obscure Web site to one of the most infamous and controversial sources of information in the world. The site makes sensitive and classified information available to the public, with a focus on documents that expose actions the site administrators view as criminal or unethical. The material available on WikiLeaks is donated by anonymous individuals, and site staffers take great pains to ensure that those who leak the documents remain anonymous for their own protection. With its massive release of confidential reports on the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, WikiLeaks has become recognized as one of the world's leading sources of leaked information. It has also been called a terrorist organization, and has been targeted by numerous politicians, governments, and corporations in an attempt to shut it down (Adeney, 1998).

Discussion

The main criticism of WikiLeaks is that the site reveals information that damages the ability of nations to protect their own interests as well as their citizens. Some, including Homeland Security Committee chairman Peter King, have gone so far as to accuse WikiLeaks of being a terrorist organization, stating that it engages in or encourages acts of espionage. One conservative Canadian political advisor even publicly called for Assange to be assassinated in November 2010. Countries condemning WikiLeaks range from Iran and China, both known for a history of censorship, to nations famous for free-speech protection such as the United States and France.

Some organizations that applaud the site's efforts to expose corruption and human rights violations remain critical of its editorial oversight. Amnesty International, for example, was among those that condemned WikiLeaks in 2010 for releasing the names of Afghanis who worked as informants for the U.S. military. Assange has maintained in interviews that he does not know of a single case where information published on WikiLeaks was responsible for an individual being harmed. Referring to the diplomatic cables leak in November 2010, U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates called the matter embarrassing, but dismissed criticisms that the leak had seriously damaged American foreign policy efforts.

The fear of weapons of mass destruction in the hands of a rogue nation led to war in 2003. That year, the United States invaded Iraq with the purpose of unseating Iraqi President Saddam Hussein (1937-2006). The United State believed that Saddam was harboring weapons of mass destruction. Some feared Iraq even had nuclear weapons. The United States also believed Saddam's ...