Wikileaks Lawyer Says Pentagon Given Access to Unpublished Secret Documents

Wikileaks Lawyer Says Pentagon Given Access to Unpublished Secret Documents

www.newsweek.com

A U.S. lawyer representing whistleblowing web site Wikileaks says U.S. government officials have been given codes and passwords granting them online access to official U.S. government documents that Wikileaks so far has not published. Matusheski indicated that the reason Wikileaks had taken these steps was to make good on its offer to try to work with U.S. authorities to remove from reports, published in the future by the Web site, sensitive information that could put innocent lives in jeopardy.

(visit the link for the full news article)

This is a very interesting development. I think this demonstrates a willingness and a common sense approach by Wikileaks to release this information in a responsible manner, but I doubt the Pentagon will work with them, at least in a publicly-acknowledged way. The Pentagon is denying having any direct contact with Wikileaks.

I hope this doesn't backfire on Wikileaks. Assange is showing a courtesy towards the US military that they definitely wouldn't show him.

www.newsweek.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Originally posted by Spangler
I hope this doesn't backfire on Wikileaks. Assange is showing a courtesy towards the US military that they definitely wouldn't show him.

You mean now that they know they are in the clear they can assassinate his character by way of rape allegations so that any future possible breach of their security can be mired by his tainted reputation as a courtesy?

-m0r

They say it's to work with the Pentagon to avoid releasing information that would be potentially harmful to troops in the field - but I can't help but think that it's Wikileaks showing them the dirt they have on them in a type of blackmail attempt.

After all, this type of "insurance" doesn't do any good unless the people you are trying to protect yourself against know all the dirty little secrets you can expose about them.

Originally posted by DirtyPete
After all, this type of "insurance" doesn't do any good unless the people you are trying to protect yourself against know all the dirty little secrets you can expose about them.

That's assuming the insurance file they posted on their website contains the same files they are now asking the Pentagon for help reviewing.

Originally posted by SpanglerThat's assuming the insurance file they posted on their website contains the same files they are now asking the Pentagon for help reviewing.

That's true, I just assumed that to be the case when it said "codes and passwords".

If it's all on the up and up I wonder how wikileaks would handle the Pentagon's suggested "censors" of the documents and what the repercussions could be if they ignored the Pentagon and published them anyway.

Originally posted by DirtyPete
That's true, I just assumed that to be the case when it said "codes and passwords".

From my understanding Wikileaks probably set up a website — or an area on their current website — where these files will be available for review, accessible only by a login and password. These are the ‘codes and passwords’ Wikileaks gave the US officials.

If it's all on the up and up I wonder how wikileaks would handle the Pentagon's suggested "censors" of the documents and what the repercussions could be if they ignored the Pentagon and published them anyway.

Yes I'm wondering about that myself. Either way I'm sure this will fuel the theories being put forward here that Wikileaks is an intelligence operation.

I have a hard time believing this.
It's like playing poker and showing
your opponent your cards before you bet.
Makes no sense to me.

This also gives the Gov the heads-up of the content
and allows them to start damage control before
they're even released.

if true, bad move Julian

you should have released them to the public first.
that is what you do. Now you are conspiring with
the Gov. That makes you an accessory of their crimes.

news.yahoo.com...

interesting i must say

The important point is the Pentagon claimed there had been no "direct" contact in a mealy mouthed way to cover the lie that there had been numerous "indirect" contacts, AND the Pentagon General Counsel had even written a letter to a Wikileaks lawyer two days BEFORE the denial of contact.

Wikileaks has proven itself a step ahead of the Pentagon from the beginning, and this is just another way for them to show it. On the first document release, they offered to let the Pentagon review them, and the Pentagon refused - thus setting the stage for the whole "Blood on their Hands" propaganda campaign.

THIS time, they are preempting all of that by giving the Pentagon direct access to the material. If the Pentagon refuses to access it when they have full permissions, they have no room to complain.

So, a convenient way to cover all this up - which broke on Glenn Greenwald and Newsweek - is a well-timed sex crime.

reply to post by boondock-saint


you may be right but it is not you who is in control of the information and I'm damn sure Assange knows a lot more about what he's doing than you. He's not a stupid guy, the very fact that he has got where is today is testament that he is a genius at what he does.

I dont think that was very smart thing to do! They will use the opportunity to find one little thing that if released can be used to charge somebody with something. I guess there is two side to this though there thinking 'wiki" might be that it will cover there butt but IMO it will backfire
they should have never trusted the pentagon especialy when they already publicly embarrassed them.

reply to post by m0r1arty

The warrant for Assange has apparently been cancelled:

Swedish rape warrant for Wikileaks' Assange cancelled

Swedish authorities have cancelled an arrest warrant for Wikileaks founder Julian Assange on accusations of rape and molestation.

The Swedish Prosecution Authority website said the chief prosecutor had come to the decision that Mr Assange was not suspected of rape.

The Swedish Prosecution Authority website said chief prosecutor Eva Finne had come to the decision that Julian Assange was not suspected of rape and so was not subject to arrest. It said Eva Finne would make no further immediate comment.

wikileaks is now working with the government. when will people realize they are a front for putting out propaganda? they are still sitting on 250,000 leaked cables from pvt manning. he said he sent them to wikileaks, and wikileaks denied it. i believe pvt manning over wikileaks, hes the one doing actual jail time, also thanks to being betrayed by wikileaks.

plus the last files they released were leaked to mainstream media first, and were blatent propaganda to support military action in pakistan.

I believe Assange does care about not putting people at risk, and will do all he can to avoid it.

Nor do I think he will have given them the password to the 'insurance' file, though.

I think it's also a clever move, because this implicates the US Government in any future accusations of Wikileaks putting people's lives at risk through publishing the data they have.

Last time they denied contact with him after the event - this time they can't do that.

He's putting them on the spot too. Either they accept he is free to publish these documents, and help protect people or they take the flack later for not protecting those people when it was within their power to do so.

Of course, they don't care about those people who are put at risk, that's just one more hot air cover story. They only care about not having the truth about themselves and their crimes exposed to the world. So now they have a dilemma about how to spin the PR on this!!! Nice!

WAY TO GO WIKILINKS !!!!!


timidly, DEFYING THE GOVERNMENT !!!

cautiously, DENYING IGNORANCE !!!