Wikileaks continue to grab headlines, More embarrasment for governments
The Wikileaks saga continues to gain public and media attention.
As more information from over a quarter of a million US Embassy cable messages is made public, governments around the world are squirming in embarrassment and anger.
The documents are being released in stages over the coming months, with one of the latest from the whistle-blowing site showing a document relating to the Iraq war.
The leaked dispatch was sent by Ellen Tauscher, US under secretary for arms control and international security. In it she reports that the previous Labour government would restrict the reach of the Chilcot inquiry into the Iraq war in order to protect US interests.
A spokeswoman for the inquiry would not comment on the leaks
This latest revelation is one of the more serious to date – most of the documents are more like insider gossip than serious political disclosures; although are still highly embarrassing to governments and individuals.
As more of the 251,287 documents are released online, it is possible that something will be leaked that has far more serious repercussions for either individuals or governments.
The leaked cables have however provided the public with an insight into the views of governments and the way they work; and for some the documents offer validation of what they believe.
The Stop the War Coalition has said that the Iraq war communiqué is evidence of “the beginning of the cover-up”.
In the aftermath of the release, Julian Assange, editor of Wikileaks, has become a marked man, sought by authorities in Australia, Sweden and the United States.
Some American politicians have called for Mr Assange to be prosecuted under the Espionage Act and for Wikileaks to be designated as a foreign terrorist organisation.
Interpol has now issued a ‘red notice’ for him (a request for national authorities to keep watch for a person). This is the result of a Swedish arrest warrant issued in connection with alleged sexual offences committed in Sweden in August this year. Mr Assange has strongly denied the allegations.
Author : Dinah Greek