WikiLeaks “No Threat,” Top German Official Says

[Hissyspit]

Glenn Greenwald From Twitter:

Here's how mature, non-hysterical, non-exploitative political leaders respond to disclosure groups like WikiLeaks:

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/spy-talk/2010/12/wikileaks_no_threat_top_german.html

WikiLeaks “no threat,” top German official says
By Jeff Stein
Germany’s top security official said Monday that WikiLeaks is “irritating and annoying for Germany, but not a threat. Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere also he said he was opposed to financial entities cutting off payments to WikiLeaks under pressure from Washington.

“If this occurs under pressure from the U.S. government, I don't think it is acceptable,” de Maiziere, a confidant of Chancellor Angela Merkel, said in an interview with the German weekly Der Spiegel. “If a company freely decides to do so, then that is a corporate decision, but it is also politically problematic. I am a big advocate of what is known as net neutrality. This means that providers are compelled to transmit content without political or commercial pre-selection.”
PayPal and Bank of America have announced they will no longer process payments to WikiLeaks.

De Maiziere, Merkel's former chief of staff, also questioned how “intelligent” the U.S. government is for allowing so many people access to classified documents.

“From an international perspective, I see their actions as totally irresponsible,” de Maiziere said of WikiLeaks. “One might also ask, however, if a government is acting intelligently when it organizes its entire diplomatic correspondence on a network that can be accessed by 2.5 million people.”

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[Uncle Joe]

1. Here's a new twist on an old sexist joke.

What are the three fastest forms of communication?

Telegraph
Telephone
and tell a 2.5 million people.

Thanks for the thread. Hissyspit.

[Bragi]

2. What? Millions will die!

Well, maybe only tens of thousands will die from WikiLeaks revelations.

But still.

Then again, on reflection, based on 4-years experience with WikiLeaks so far, maybe no-one will die.

But millions could have died!

Anyway, stop WikiLeaks now, before they commit more journalism.

- B

[rucky]

3. Seems like the US (and maybe the Saudis) are the only ones who thing

Cablegate will be damaging to foreign relations.

[mmonk]

4. Thanks. Recommended.