Wikileaks set to release 3 million sensitive documents.

[give her dixie]

US slams WikiLeaks ahead of release of diplomatic cables

BAGHDAD — Washington's envoy to Iraq condemned WikiLeaks as "absolutely awful" Friday as world capitals braced for the looming release of some three million sensitive diplomatic cables by the whistleblower website.

The latest tranche of documents, the third since WikiLeaks published 77,000 classified US files on the Afghan conflict in July, have spurred Washington to warn both Turkey and Israel of the embarrassment they could cause, and American diplomats have also briefed officials in London, Oslo and Copenhagen.

"We are worried about additional documents coming out," US ambassador to Baghdad James Jeffrey told reporters at an embassy briefing.

"WikiLeaks are an absolutely awful impediment to my business, which is to be able to have discussions in confidence with people. I do not understand the motivation for releasing these documents.

"They will not help, they will simply hurt our ability to do our work here."

State Department spokesman Philip Crowley told AFP on Wednesday that the United States was "gearing up for the worst-case scenario, that leaked cables will touch on a wide range of issues and countries."

"We are prepared if this upcoming tranche of documents includes State Department cables. We are in touch with our posts around the world. They have begun the process of informing governments that a release of documents is possible in the near future," Crowley said.

He added: "These revelations... are going to create tensions on our relationships between our diplomats and our friends around the world."

WikiLeaks has not specified what the tranche of documents pertains to or when it would be released, but Pentagon spokesman Colonel Dave Lapan said US officials were expecting a possible release of documents "late this week or early next week."

The website has so far only said there would be "seven times" as many secret documents as the 400,000 it posted in Iraq war logs published last month.

Among the countries to have been alerted so far about the release of the documents are Britain, Denmark, Israel, Norway and Turkey, officials and reports said.

Washington contacted authorities in Ankara to give "us information on the issue, just as other countries have been informed," a senior Turkish diplomat told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity.

According to Turkish media reports, the planned release includes papers suggesting that Turkey helped Al-Qaeda militants in Iraq, and that the United States helped Iraq-based separatist Kurdish rebels fighting against Turkey.

Israel has also been warned of potential embarrassment from the release, which could include confidential reports from the US embassy in Tel Aviv, Haaretz newspaper said on Thursday, citing a senior Israeli official.

"The Americans said they view the leak very seriously," the official told the paper, on condition of anonymity.

And respected Russian business daily Kommersant reported on Friday that the files could harm Moscow's relationship with Washington, saying the cables contain general assessments of the political situation in Russia and "unflattering characteristics" of Russian leaders.

Officials in London, Stockholm and Copenhagen were also all either briefed by US diplomats or received contacts from local American missions about the impending release, officials in each country said.

WikiLeaks argues the release of the documents -- US soldier-authored incident reports from 2004 to 2009 -- has shed light on the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, including allegations of torture by Iraqi forces and reports that suggested 15,000 additional civilian deaths in Iraq.

[deiseach]

"We are worried about additional documents coming out," US ambassador to Baghdad James Jeffrey told reporters at an embassy briefing.

"WikiLeaks are an absolutely awful impediment to my business, which is to be able to have discussions in confidence with people. I do not understand the motivation for releasing these documents.

"They will not help, they will simply hurt our ability to do our work here."

Translation: can't we just torture the towelheads in peace?

[Banana Man]

i'd say it won't be too long to the owner of the website dies in mysterious circumstances....

[give her dixie]

I have a feeling that these leaks are going to expose a serious amount of dirty deals that have been going on for years.
What will come from it is anyones guess, however, if Israel is pissed off, sure the US will just hand them another few billion, and whatever military hardware they might have on the shopping list. For free of course.

[Kerry Mike]

jaysus if Mr Wikileaks came to Ireland he would have a field day with the banks, developers and politicians.

[brokencrossbar1]

jaysus if Mr Wikileaks came to Ireland he would have a field day with the banks, developers and politicians.

He wouldn't publish the stuff though.  even he couldn't believe the crooked deals that were going on here for years, he would be laughed off the web!

[Kerry Mike]

He wouldn't publish the stuff though.  even he couldn't believe the crooked deals that were going on here for years, he would be laughed off the web!

Steven Spielberg could not make up the shit that has gone on in this country in the last 10 years.

[Sandino]

Lads this is some breaking news story. Guardian is giving great coverage.

[bennydorano]

Without wanting to trivialise rape and not really knowing this Julian Assange character, does it not seem a bit suspect that there's a concerted effort to nail him??  Wouldn't be too hard to concoct a false charge or two.  The site was down today when i attempted to access it.

[Tony Baloney]

Without wanting to trivialise rape and not really knowing this Julian Assange character, does it not seem a bit suspect that there's a concerted effort to nail him??  Wouldn't be too hard to concoct a false charge or two.  The site was down today when i attempted to access it.

The Yanks are obviously flexing their muscle to nail him. Doesn't mean he didn't commit the crime he is accused of though.

[Minder]

Without wanting to trivialise rape and not really knowing this Julian Assange character, does it not seem a bit suspect that there's a concerted effort to nail him??  Wouldn't be too hard to concoct a false charge or two.  The site was down today when i attempted to access it.

I would say Assange will have a tragic "accident" or will commit "suicide". In the same way Robert Mugabes foes used to have accidents.

[andoireabu]

Without wanting to trivialise rape and not really knowing this Julian Assange character, does it not seem a bit suspect that there's a concerted effort to nail him??  Wouldn't be too hard to concoct a false charge or two.  The site was down today when i attempted to access it.

The Yanks are obviously flexing their muscle to nail him. Doesn't mean he didn't commit the crime he is accused of though.

Aye and if he did it isn't going to help any case when he is being hunted by a lot of people. Witch hunt is an easy defence.

[ardal]

Without wanting to trivialise rape and not really knowing this Julian Assange character, does it not seem a bit suspect that there's a concerted effort to nail him??  Wouldn't be too hard to concoct a false charge or two.  The site was down today when i attempted to access it.

The Yanks are obviously flexing their muscle to nail him. Doesn't mean he didn't commit the crime he is accused of though.

Naturally it's possible, but it's still innocent until proven otherwise / shot/ set up / covered up/ etc

[give her dixie]

http://www.wikileaks.ch/cable/2007/12/07DUBLIN916.html

Click on the above link for cables between the Irish Govt. and the US.
Interesting cable on the subject of rendition flights landing at Shannon, and Dermot Aherns reaction.......

"Ahern noted that he had "put his neck on the chopping
block" and would pay a severe political price if it ever
turned out that rendition flights had entered Ireland or if
one was discovered in the future. He stated that he "could
use a little more information" about the flights, musing that
it might not be a bad idea to allow the random inspection of
a few planes to proceed, which would provide cover if a
rendition flight ever surfaced. He seemed quite convinced
that at least three flights involving renditions had refueled
at Shannon Airport before or after conducting renditions
elsewhere. "

[orangeman]

http://www.wikileaks.ch/cable/2007/12/07DUBLIN916.html

Click on the above link for cables between the Irish Govt. and the US.
Interesting cable on the subject of rendition flights landing at Shannon, and Dermot Aherns reaction.......

"Ahern noted that he had "put his neck on the chopping
block" and would pay a severe political price if it ever
turned out that rendition flights had entered Ireland or if
one was discovered in the future. He stated that he "could
use a little more information" about the flights, musing that
it might not be a bad idea to allow the random inspection of
a few planes to proceed, which would provide cover if a
rendition flight ever surfaced. He seemed quite convinced
that at least three flights involving renditions had refueled
at Shannon Airport before or after conducting renditions
elsewhere. "

I'd say that's the least of his worries at the minute.