Monday, November 29, 2010

 

What to make of Wikileaks?

I don't know how to react to the latest Wikileaks batch of secret documents, nor am I sure that this is speech that should be protected. There is something alarming about having secret government communications thrown into broad daylight. While I support government transparency, there is surely a difference between being open with your citizenry and exposing the inner-mechanisms at all times. Perhaps Wikileaks hopes to prevent the US from ever hiding its cards? Seems like a cruel object to strive for, especially since there are no reciprocal diplomatic disclosures from other countries. Additionally, I am not sure what goal this furthers aside from that of brutal transparency. This isn't about permitting the voters to make more informed decisions. This isn't about uncovering some high-level, nefarious plot. This just seems to be about giant killing; about doing reckless damage to the US and its ability to conduct itself on the world stage, regardless of outcome. While I find the Wikileaks disclosures to be very interesting, I know they are the technological equivalent of an anarchist's pipe bomb, meant to disrupt and destroy. Only it is less clear where this shrapnel will land.

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