WikiLeaks cables and the Iraq War

[krome2ez]

WikiLeaks cables and the Iraq War

By Glenn Greenwald

From a CNN report on why the Iraqi Government rejected the Obama administration’s conditions for keeping U.S. troops in Iraq beyond the 2011 deadline:

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and other top brass have repeatedly said any deal to keep U.S. troops in Iraq beyond the withdrawal deadline would require a guarantee of legal protection for American soldiers.

But the Iraqis refused to agree to that, opening up the prospect of Americans being tried in Iraqi courts and subjected to Iraqi punishment.

The negotiations were strained following WikiLeaks’ release of a diplomatic cable that alleged Iraqi civilians, including children, were killed in a 2006 raid by American troops rather than in an airstrike as the U.S. military initially reported.

That description from CNN of the cable’s contents is, unsurprisingly, diluted to the point of obfuscation. That cable was released by WikiLeaks in May, 2011, and, as McClatchy put it at the time, “provides evidence that U.S. troops executed at least 10 Iraqi civilians, including a woman in her 70s and a 5-month-old infant, then called in an airstrike to destroy the evidence, during a controversial 2006 incident in the central Iraqi town of Ishaqi.” It then lied and claimed the civilians were killed by the airstrike. Although this incident had been previously documented by the U.N. special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, the high-profile release of the cable by WikiLeaks generated substantial attention in Iraq, which made it politically unpalatable for the Iraqi government to grant the legal immunity the Obama adminstration was seeking. Indeed, it was widely reported at the time the cable was released that it made it much more difficult for Iraq to allow U.S. troops to remain beyond the deadline.

In other words, whoever leaked that cable cast light on a heinous American war crime and, by doing so, likely played some significant role in thwarting an agreement between the Obama and Maliki governments to keep U.S. troops in Iraq and thus helped end this stage of the Iraq war (h/t Trevor Timm). Moreover, whoever leaked these cables — as even virulent WikiLeaks critic Bill Keller repeatedly acknowledged — likely played some significant in helping spark the Arab Spring protests by documenting just how deeply corrupt those U.S.-supported kleptocrats were. And in general, whoever leaked those cables has done more to publicize the corrupt, illegal and deceitful acts of the world’s most powerful factions — and to educate the world about how they behave — than all “watchdog” media outlets combined (indeed, the amount of news reports on a wide array of topics featuring WikiLeaks cables as the primary source is staggering). In sum, whoever leaked those cables is responsible for one of the most consequential, beneficial and noble acts of this generation.

And yet (or more accurately: therefore) the person accused of accomplishing all of this, Bradley Manning, has been imprisoned for more than a year without trial, and, if convicted, is almost certain to remain in prison for many more years (with the possibility, albeit unlikely, of death, and as the Obama administration continues to block an unmonitored visit by the U.N. official investigating what had been the inhumane conditions of his detention). If one believes the authenticity of the chat logs produced by Wired, Manning’s goal in leaking those cables — “hopefully worldwide discussion, debates, and reforms . . . i want people to see the truth… regardless of who they are… because without information, you cannot make informed decisions as a public” – have been fulfilled beyond what must have been his wildest dreams. Assuming the truth of those chat logs, he was motivated precisely by seeing cables of the sort that detailed this civilian slaughter in Iraq, and the extreme levels of theft and oppression by Arab dictators, and the desire to have the world know about it. Meanwhile, those responsible for the Iraq War, and who suppressed freedom and democracy in the Middle East by propping up those tyrants, and who committed a slew of other illegal and deeply corrupt acts, continue to prosper and wield substantial power.

History is filled with examples of those who most bravely challenged and subverted corrupted power and who sought reforms being rewarded with prison or worse, at the hands of those whose bad actions they exposed. If Bradley Manning did leak these cables, his imprisonment is a prime example of that inverted justice.

http://www.salon.com/2011/10/23/wikileaks_cables_and_the_iraq_war/singleton/

FYI. I don't know much of the souce "Salon" and thier credibility.

[TexasGranny]

FYI - they are a very left leaning, liberal website. All of their reporting is pro-democrat or pro-liberal. JMO

[DinarC]

Thank you for the great post Krome2ez, excellent find. It does put into perspective this "investment" and while we are awaiting our potential "glory day" I think we sometimes forget those who have lost, and many who have lost BIG, on both sides of this war. It is difficult for me to think of traversing the globe while Mr. Manning is left to rot in jail (and probably tortured as well). I commend his bravery for bringing to light the information that he has. It was indeed the beginning of the exposure and unraveling of the lies and deception this country and others have been under for decades and more.

I complain about my financial situation yet most of the Iraqis have no electricity, no water, no homes, and live in squaller. There are somewhere close to 5 million orphans, about 1/2 million of them living in the streets. When I consider what they must be going through on a daily basis I am grateful for the freedom, the opportunity, and ability I have to change my circumstances. Now with the fulfillment of this investment, I look forward to helping others to change theirs. Perhaps my tithing will be done with the Iraqi's to help with creating schools, homes and families for those innocents who have lost so much.

I sincerely hope this is the last war we will ever fight. There has got to be a better way to live in and be in relationship than the greed, warring, and consistent oppression that has dominated the globe. Thumbs up to Mr. Manning for his courage to do what most would not have done when they considered their own future plight as a result of exposing the truth.

Namaste.

[gymrat76541]

Just like France after the end of WWII.

They kicked us out and VERY QUICKLY forgot who saved their ASSets.

Thus - You can not trust a Frenchman.

They see it again in Kuwait, who is NOT US friendly anymore and now Iraq.

For some unknown reason, the world seems to take for granted that the USA will save their country.

[krome2ez]

FYI - they are a very left leaning, liberal website. All of their reporting is pro-democrat or pro-liberal. JMO

Thanks Granny for the info.

[Cosmo]

I can see this as the perfect reason for our troops to be brought back home. Besides our commitment to what had been already put in place. Now the Iraqi politicians are left wondering how the heck are they gonna protect their big you know whats. Good for them and good luck Iraq. Reap what you sow, I've always heard.

As is this good for us investors? Well, if they act quickly to get their troops armed and trained somehow under the Ch. 7 sanctions...and with their currency being so degraded...and with the Kurds not being real happy about Erbil....I see significant changes ahead and perhaps an RV sooner after all.

JMHO

[Markinsa]

WikiLeaks cables and the Iraq War

And yet (or more accurately: therefore) the person accused of accomplishing all of this, Bradley Manning, has been imprisoned for more than a year without trial, and, if convicted, is almost certain to remain in prison for many more years (with the possibility, albeit unlikely, of death, and as the Obama administration continues to block an unmonitored visit by the U.N. official investigating what had been the inhumane conditions of his detention). If one believes the authenticity of the chat logs produced by Wired, Manning’s goal in leaking those cables — “hopefully worldwide discussion, debates, and reforms . . . i want people to see the truth… regardless of who they are… because without information, you cannot make informed decisions as a public” – have been fulfilled beyond what must have been his wildest dreams. Assuming the truth of those chat logs, he was motivated precisely by seeing cables of the sort that detailed this civilian slaughter in Iraq, and the extreme levels of theft and oppression by Arab dictators, and the desire to have the world know about it. Meanwhile, those responsible for the Iraq War, and who suppressed freedom and democracy in the Middle East by propping up those tyrants, and who committed a slew of other illegal and deeply corrupt acts, continue to prosper and wield substantial power.

History is filled with examples of those who most bravely challenged and subverted corrupted power and who sought reforms being rewarded with prison or worse, at the hands of those whose bad actions they exposed. If Bradley Manning did leak these cables, his imprisonment is a prime example of that inverted justice.

http://www.salon.com..._war/singleton/

FYI. I don't know much of the souce "Salon" and thier credibility.

All we need now is Jim Kerry to review the evidence and tell a congressional committee how this was a standard practice in Iraq like it was in Viet Nam.

-

[EMBASSY SOLDIER/CIVILIAN]

I SAY WE LET THE ENTIRE MIDDLE EAST ROT. LET THEM KILLED ONE ANOTHER AND THEN TAKE EVERYTHING ELSE. MAKE ALL OF THEM GO TO PAKISTAN. AT LEAST IF SOME BOMBINGS START GOING OFF, WE'LL KNOW WHERE TO LOOK FIRST.