WikiLeaks accuses US of 'financial warfare'

WikiLeaks accuses US of 'financial warfare'

www.rawstory.com

The founder of whistleblower Web site WikiLeaks says the US government is involved in a campaign of "financial warfare" against the group.

The Guardian has obtained correspondence between WikiLeaks and British-based online payment company Moneybookers, in which the company explains that it has "terminated the business relationship" with WikiLeaks because the Web site has been added to "blacklists in Australia and watchlists in the USA."

(visit the link for the full news article)

You know, I'm not so sure I am against this alleged move by the US government, though only if they had integrity. On one hand, there is a need to keep war plans secret and on the other hand, the people should have a right to know what their government is doing, particularly as it pertains to a war that we are both fighting and paying for.

I don't think it would be a problem if the government had integrity with what they keep secret and only maintained confidentiality on the things that absolutely must stay secret for national security reasons. However, I believe that the government uses secrecy to maintain corruption and control the American public, as well as their empire. In other words, the secrecy doesn't really benefit the American people but rather benefits the people holding the secrets.

With that being said, companies like "Moneybookers" should be operating independent of the US or British governments and it should be up to the company and its consumers to decide who is blacklisted and who isn't.

All in all, I think the government is far too big for its charter. In fact, it is so big that it escapes its charter or purpose and instead of being an entity to benefit the people, it has become an entity to enslave the people or where the people now serve the government. If you go back and read our founding documents, such as the Constitution itself, the government is simply formed to protect the people and administer the country. It has now taken a life of its own and that is very dangerous.

Unless Wikileaks has sanctions against it or has been allotted due process of law and found and guilty, then the US government should not be able to "blacklist" it, certainly not independent of the people's consent. That difies the very purpose of our government in the first place.


--airspoon

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

What I want to know is where are all those supposed juicy leaks that they were bragging about before? Did they ever release more and I missed the news? Your correct though this is not another government or country it is an organization. So how they have the power to blacklist that is questionable to say the least. But then again nothing should be surprising anymore when it comes to people in power exercising any form of power grab or control.

I am still on the fence on whether Wikileaks is actually trying to help the people or just trying to make America look bad. So far, their releases have only been small ones that pisses off the government and is pushed aside by the American people. Until they actually release something worthwhile, the government won;t change and stick as it is.

Kind Regards,
Tokyodynamite

Explanation:

Assange warns online fund firm Moneybookers of 'huge backlash' after Wikileaks blocked. (by OmegaLogos) [ATS]

Personal Disclosure: Enjoy! OL'll just sigh and go sulk somewhere.

reply to post by tokyodynamite


Yeah, I agree dude. theres no time like the present to show your hand, waiting weeks/months wont matter. therefore i dont think they do have anything left, anything worthwhile anyway.

now, as for financial warfare... what the hell did you expect them to do? stopping the money was the easiest way at suffocating the people behind it.

what i find interesting is that australia has a blacklist and this is now on it.

I didnt think our NBN was in place yet

reply to post by tokyodynamite

Originally posted by tokyodynamite
I am still on the fence on whether Wikileaks is actually trying to help the people or just trying to make America look bad.

Neither, they are reporting. Journalism. By providing a pathway for leaking information and whistle-blowers whilst maintaining complete anonymity.

Originally posted by tokyodynamite
So far, their releases have only been small ones that pisses off the government and is pushed aside by the American people. Until they actually release something worthwhile, the government won;t change and stick as it is.

You are kidding right? Small releases to piss off American government? What are you talking about? They have had a series of major leaks, some which have changed the world. And why on earth would the be American centric???

You can brush up on your history here under 'Notable leaks'

Wikileaks is not in the business of sensationalism. They report leaks.

reply to post by Agit8dChop

Originally posted by Agit8dChop
what i find interesting is that australia has a blacklist and this is now on it.

I didnt think our NBN was in place yet

ACMA have been building the blacklist and testing it for some time, last year this was rolled out to a lot of ISPs as a opt-in service. Wikileaks got blacklisted after publishing the blacklist. Which had shown ACMA was blocking mostly porn, some political party websites, as well as some christian sites, and a dentist.

Also, the NBN doesn't necessarily go hand in hand with the Filter.

The way I read it, it is the governments doing the blacklisting; not the financial website. The money transfer site is simply pulling out of a relationship with Wikileaks because Wikileaks got blacklisted by the US and Australia.

Perhaps they are trying to save their own skin by not associating with Wikileaks. So the blacklisting is having the kind of effect that the governments are hoping for.

While I think Wikileaks is doing a needed service considering that there is no doubt whatsoever about governments having any kind of integrity, I also can understand the need for self protection on the part of the money handler. They could be blacklisted themselves. Ouch!

Big government sucks, bigtime.

They should goto Iran and set up shop, I am sure the Pres there would be happy to have them, Considering he is under the gun with the US...

related thread is here and here

Originally posted by Fenrin here
This news is pretty alarming. It shows that the US government can kill every person economically without court, without constitutional laws. Of course this is not the first non-terrorist who was put on the blacklist but he's pretty popular and the majority of people does not consider him as an terrorist, but rather as someone who wants to stop the US government propaganda and bring the truth. Therefore this news is a bit alarming

It's time for the people who still believe in the US government propaganda to wake up! Obviously the US isn't a democracy anymore or has here anyone a different opinion? But unfortunately the EU countries are not considerable more democratic, but at least a bit democracy is still there.