I appreciate wikileak taking a stand on principle...

[Sancho]

at least they are willing to fight for where they stand. I'd like to see the Obama administration do the same thing. Maybe if our government was driven by values instead of politics; the wikileak releases wouldn't be so embarrassing!

Obama hasn't changed Washington; Washington has changed Obama.

[polichick]

1. k&r - As the saying goes, if you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything...

...which describes the president's "negotiation" habits pretty well.

[jaxx]

2. What principle does Wikileaks have?

The one about doling out the info as the master sees fit? Or the one about threatening the worlds diplomacy with his secret insurance bomb?

This kind of stuff isn't patriotic. It's insane. Why people would deem Assange a hero when he's taking them down the yellow brick road is beyond me.

[cbdo2007]

3. It looks like one of those issues where everyone jumps behind the Wikileaks bandwagon....

then when this all blows up in their faces and people DO start dying because of the information being released, they're going to all turn their heads and act like it wasn't them, it was everyone else who was supporting wikileaks.

Just like DU these days - act immediately on emotions, change the subject in shame when the truth comes out.

[jaxx]

5. Yep, or spin it into something else.

Espionage isn't a pretty word.

[librechik]

7. I guess it's better to keep things like this secret:

http://www.boingboing.net/2010/12/07/report-wikileaks-cab.html

Of course,, people might be killed for this. But probably not the right ones.

[OKNancy]

9. Thank you! Also usually around here people wait for evidence

Those women who are accusing him of rape might actually be truthful. But nevermind that.
Personally I think he is in it for fame. He creeps me out.
Also pointing out where vaccine factories are is not heroic IMO.

[EFerrari]

11. That's funny. I think I'll stand with John Pilger and Noam Chomsky

and not you.

[librechik]

4. transparency and "crushing bastards" I'm for both of those.

[jaxx]

6. That's your problem, not mine.

[librechik]

8. It's not a problem. It's something to be proud about.

[jaxx]

10. That's your problem too.

[librechik]

14. It's not my problem. It's your problem.

[Xithras]

12. Don't conflate principles with patriotism. There is no relation between the two.

Assange is not a hero because he published the cables. He's a hero because he has consistently stood up for transparency in the face of crushing blows from governments around the world, and he has done it for years without flinching. He has exposed war crimes, fraud by governments and corporations, and countless forms of abuse. He has been hailed by major media organizations for years as the person who brought about the greatest transparency tool in history, and has been reviled by the powers that be for just as long, and for the same reasons.

And still, he doesn't flinch. He has principles, and unlike most of the people on this planet, he refuses to dump them and run the moment things get tough. Surely, even if you don't agree with his principles, you can repect that?

[sudopod]

13. Oh my, look at the scary buzz words. Master! Threatening! Bomb!

My buttons were pushed! Very hard!

*fear*

Also, lol at the patriotism comment, considering Wikileaks was founded in large part by Chinese dissidents, and the public face of the organization is Australian. Though I wouldn't mess with Australia.