Wikileaks

sightunseen

This thread is not about the recent dump of classified documents by Wikileaks. It's about Amazon.com's ceasing of providing hosting service for Wikileaks.

Quick backstory: Wikileaks' Sweden servers were under a denial of service attack after they released the classified diplomatic wires. In response, Wikileaks temporarily moved their servers to Amazon's self-service web hosting service. Amazon soon removed the content. Amazon's explanation for their actions is explained in the article below.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/technologybrierdudleysblog/2013581006_amazon_explains_wikileaks_cuto.html

Thoughts? Comments?

wwhwang

I say Amazon did the right thing. Personally, I agree with Sun Tzu's teachings about dealing with information leaks. However, since we're a democracy and everyone's all bleeding hearts these days, that's out of the question.

Diamondog

Apparently he's got some company now actually in a war bunker in a mountain with their servers...http://gizmodo.com/5626381/this-is-the-nuclear-bunker-where-wikileaks-will-be-located

fla-gypsy

I support the freedom of the press to say anything including criticising our govt but leaking classified material may go to far. I hope Assange realizes what he has gotten himself into because it will not be an easy road to saty on. His home country is now threatening to arrest him if he returns. What I really want to know is where the money behind him comes from. It could be an important factor in how I perceive this in the future.

roland_7707

I remember Obama saying something about more transparency in the government a while back, but i guess that it was just talk, like all other politicians, IMHO.

zoom6zoom

If you rented a room from me, and all sorts of folks started showing up, hanging around and blocking the passage of my other tenants and customers, damn skippy I'd kick your ass to the curb. Posthaste.

xmacro

fla-gypsy:

What I really want to know is where the money behind him comes from. It could be an important factor in how I perceive this in the future.

Ain't it funny that he releases all these documents, saying how he wants a "more transparent world", but he won't say where his funding comes from. As far as anything's known, it's from a bunch of private donations; whether those donations are from US citizens or from Hamas, is anybodies guess.

As for the Amazon thing, I'd normally think it was wrong to dump him off just because he isn't politically popular, but Wikileaks crossed the line with this one - they're leaking national secrets that just blew a hole that materially affects US foreign policy, so I say that Amazon had every right to kick him off. There's a fine line between printing something that just embarrasses the US, and printing something that harms US interests and puts people in danger; Wikileaks crossed that line.

wwhwang

xmacro:

There's a fine line between printing something that just embarrasses the US, and printing something that harms US interests and puts people in danger; Wikileaks crossed that line.

And as a former military intel guy, that's why I personally believe that Sun Tzu's method of dealing with information leaks should be carried out. Last time a major leak came out was from a Congressman and how we were tracking all of Al Qaeda and Bin Laden. As soon as the press told the world what he said, Bin Laden and a huge portion of the Al Qaeda network disappeared overnight.

Thewelder

Amazon did the right thing. The man is a threat to national security if you ask me. The information he released is classified, and still such that if I go on the site I can get sent to captains mass and people with security clearances can get them revoked.

JCizzle

PayPal just pulled the plug.

Amos Umwhat

wwhwang:

xmacro:

There's a fine line between printing something that just embarrasses the US, and printing something that harms US interests and puts people in danger; Wikileaks crossed that line.

And as a former military intel guy, that's why I personally believe that Sun Tzu's method of dealing with information leaks should be carried out. Last time a major leak came out was from a Congressman and how we were tracking all of Al Qaeda and Bin Laden. As soon as the press told the world what he said, Bin Laden and a huge portion of the Al Qaeda network disappeared overnight.

here we can all agree, I believe. I am always willing to defend freedom, even when I may disagree with a persons choices, as long as we're talking peaceful pursuit of happiness that harms no others, but, this is treason, as I see it, and Amazon did the right thing.

xmacro

Update:
Wikileaks/Assange is now threatening that if his website gets shut down, he'll release a "Doomsday" file that includes stuff on Guantanamo Bay, BP, BoA, etc. The file is supposed to be labeled "Insurance", and it's already been distributed around, but the password for it hasn't been released. Assange is saying that if anything happens to him or if his site goes down, he'll release the password.

cabinetmaker

Best way I heard it described: "He needs a lethal dose of lead poisoning from a bullet to the brain"