Information Is Knowledge

**morbidangel** · 11-29-2010, 08:28 AM

Quoted directly from wikileaks-
"At 5pm EST Friday 22nd October 2010 WikiLeaks released the largest classified military leak in history. The 391,832 reports ('The Iraq War Logs'), document the war and occupation in Iraq, from 1st January 2004 to 31st December 2009 (except for the months of May 2004 and March 2009) as told by soldiers in the United States Army. Each is a 'SIGACT' or Significant Action in the war. They detail events as seen and heard by the US military troops on the ground in Iraq and are the first real glimpse into the secret history of the war that the United States government has been privy to throughout.

The reports detail 109,032 deaths in Iraq, comprised of 66,081 'civilians'; 23,984 'enemy' (those labeled as insurgents); 15,196 'host nation' (Iraqi government forces) and 3,771 'friendly' (coalition forces). The majority of the deaths (66,000, over 60%) of these are civilian deaths.That is 31 civilians dying every day during the six year period. For comparison, the 'Afghan War Diaries', previously released by WikiLeaks, covering the same period, detail the deaths of some 20,000 people. Iraq during the same period, was five times as lethal with equivalent population size." Wikileaks dot org

To comply with the forum rules this thread is intended to discuss the internet access allowed by the government.

It was said that nearly 400k classified documents were leaked on the internet regarding the very secretive 'War on Iraq' and now the United States government is disconnecting these websites from the average Joe to view. Feel free to do some research on your own as I am not going to copy and paste everything you need to know here.

I'd like to hear the opinion of the evony community on the power of the United States government regulating the internet in order to control the knowledge of their country. In a war that in my opinion most of the American has stayed ignorant about, do you blame our government for the general ignorance or is it the individuals fault for not doing enough questioning?

Furthermore, if anybody can find a website that has these documents available to the public please please please post them here or send them to me in a private message.

I see a conspiracy in the making

**~~jorbaud~~** · 11-29-2010, 09:48 AM

Well I am very conflicted.

I want the ability to read what ever I want, we have freedoms and should be able to read them. Not really sure who wants to read them, they seem very boring, but I would still like the option to read them if I wanted to.

On the other hand we have troops in Iraq and Afghanistan and other places and we have to restrict these documents to keep them safe. How would you feel if your brother, sister, dad, cousin or what ever was over there? You would want them to be as safe as they can be and by releasing information it could potentially put them into harm.

**Rota** · 11-29-2010, 09:54 AM

I have no problem with the leaks.

I heard on person on the radio say this was the 9/11 event of diplomats. The guy called it a terrorist attack on diplomacy. That person is a complete moron.

I think it's great that anyone would be held accountable for THEIR OWN WORDS! It's not like these leaks are slanderous lies attributing the insulting remarks to someone who did not say them. These leaks are just bringing the words of these people into the public view. If any of these people cannot stand behind what they said with pride, then they should not have said it in the first place.

If you are going to talk the talk, then walk the walk.
All the owners of the leaked comments should own what they said, and not complain.

**morbidangel** · 11-29-2010, 10:40 AM

Originally Posted by jorbaud

On the other hand we have troops in Iraq and Afghanistan and other places and we have to restrict these documents to keep them safe. How would you feel if your brother, sister, dad, cousin or what ever was over there? You would want them to be as safe as they can be and by releasing information it could potentially put them into harm.

That is a very good point, one that I haven't thought of until you mentioned it. I was irate about the government hiding information from me that I didn't think of the consequences of this information leaking. Though they are keeping Americans in the dark, they are also protecting us and our troops that are overseas by keeping this information out of the so called enemies hands. While what they are doing is ultimatly creating justified reasons for Americans' disloyalty, I now have a greater appreciation knowing that the American government are trying to do the strategic militaristic action. I'm excited to see how they handle this and the way the press displays what they are doing.

In fact I do have family that is going overseas this month as a part of an operation to assist in the removal of the existing troops already there. I am very proud of what he is doing and would not like it if his safety was at risk for this reason.

Originally Posted by Rota

I think it's great that anyone would be held accountable for THEIR OWN WORDS! It's not like these leaks are slanderous lies attributing the insulting remarks to someone who did not say them. These leaks are just bringing the words of these people into the public view. If any of these people cannot stand behind what they said with pride, then they should not have said it in the first place.

If you are going to talk the talk, then walk the walk.
All the owners of the leaked comments should own what they said, and not complain.

Your right, but the government has proven that it is better to cover up their actions rather than own up to them. Take the watergate scandal for example.

**Rodri** · 11-29-2010, 03:12 PM

Originally Posted by jorbaud

Well I am very conflicted.

I want the ability to read what ever I want, we have freedoms and should be able to read them. Not really sure who wants to read them, they seem very boring, but I would still like the option to read them if I wanted to.

On the other hand we have troops in Iraq and Afghanistan and other places and we have to restrict these documents to keep them safe. How would you feel if your brother, sister, dad, cousin or what ever was over there? You would want them to be as safe as they can be and by releasing information it could potentially put them into harm.

Those troops involved in these conflicts would be much safer at home than where they are now and that is the main goal of Julian Assange - ending the wars. If our political masters were telling us the full truth at all times, then there would be no point in a whistle-blower doing something like this.

**~~jorbaud~~** · 11-29-2010, 03:30 PM

Originally Posted by Rodri

Those troops involved in these conflicts would be much safer at home than where they are now and that is the main goal of Julian Assange - ending the wars. If our political masters were telling us the full truth at all times, then there would be no point in a whistle-blower doing something like this.

He may be trying to end wars but putting troops in danger is not the proper way to do it.

There will never be peace permanently until all humans are dead. There may be periods of peace but a war will always break out.

**Moghedien** · 11-29-2010, 03:48 PM

Wikileaks didnt even blow the lid on anything big. All they are doing is putting military operations in jeoperdady which can get soldiers killed. And they realesed some officials notes on what they think about world leaders. I think Wikileaks has the ability to become a power for good to promote civil liberties and be a watch dog against tyranny. I think they are going about it the wrong way.

**Rodri** · 11-29-2010, 03:50 PM

Originally Posted by jorbaud

He may be trying to end wars but putting troops in danger is not the proper way to do it.

There will never be peace permanently until all humans are dead. There may be periods of peace but a war will always break out.

That is an intellectually lazy argument.
This is also getting political, so I have nothing more to say here.

**morbidangel** · 11-29-2010, 04:09 PM

Originally Posted by Rodri

This is also getting political, so I have nothing more to say here.

Agreed. I was trying to direct this thread into talking about the fact that the government is not giving us 'permission' to view certain websites. Not any of this other babble that it's turned into.

Thread: Epic Fail.
FML