WikiLeaks – “the biggest intelligence leak in history”, begins its shocking diplomatic disclosures by the tag-line: We help you safety get the truth out.

Remarks: WikiLeaks’ leaked documents have been causing a lot of surprises and interests by revelations that…. there is “an intriguing alliance between Berlusconi and Putin”; German Chancellor Angel Merkel is one who “avoids risks and is rarely creative”; members of the British royal family had “inappropriate behaviour”. Hold on, there are more interesting ones:

• ITALIAN Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is “feckless, vain and ineffective as a modern European leader”, whose “frequent late nights and penchant for partying hard mean he does not get sufficient rest”.
• RUSSIAN President Dmitry Medvedev is “pale and hesitant” and plays Robin to Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s Batman.
• NORTH Korean dictator Kim Jong-Il is a “flabby old chap” who suffers from “physical and psychological trauma”.
• LIBYAN leader Muammar Gadaffi is “strange” and “accompanied by (a) voluptuous blonde Ukranian ‘nurse'”.

Before moving on, it’s important to know that: Although many are classified as “confidential”; some “secrets”, a large number of cables are, in reality, incomplete, unclassified, and untrustworthy; plenty of them are first impressions and gossips. Why? Some legitimate reasons are coming here and there:

Diplomats are, albeit clever and better resources than journalists, just human. They do make mistakes! (And it’s somewhat acceptable). Many cables are faithfully recorded. As a result, they are sometimes left with egg all over their faces when reporting some ill-informed gossips.

Diplomats are duty-bound to pass on everything they hear and observe. Sometimes they let analysis and assessment come later. Sometimes reports are thoroughly out of business as NYT pointed out.

Diplomats, in some countries, are not particularly high up the pecking order nor in the loop quite as much as they may hope they are.

Therefore, please bear in mind that all of these documents are just the WORK OF DIPLOMATS (what they have to do)! In fact, “We were never going to learn very much of substance from diplomatic cables, as diplomats are merely ornaments, the eunuchs in the room. If you want secrets that show something about power, you want to hear from the people who arrange the hit squads – not the people who arrange the cocktail parties.” (Andrew Orlowski @ theregister)

This material, in brief, turns out to be utterly trivial and inconsequential. On one hand, it leaves nothing for everyone to learn, apart from entertainment. On the other hand, it strongly affects the entire world diplomatic relations by revealing not only the first glimpse of U.S against others, but also among others, of course, in the partisan view of US – well, US diplomats (!!), to be precise!

In conjunction with threatening disclosures in Pak-Saudi (Pakistan and Saudi Arabia), China – US, Turkey – US relations (and many more), it’s striking that leaked dispatches also show Beijing is frustrated with military actions of “spoiled child” and increasingly favors reunified Korea.

These massive leak of secret US cables are so appalling that they have been dubbed humorously yet seriously as the 9/11 of world diplomacy! Perhaps WikiLeaks’s gone too far away from their main aim – as listed in their website (wikileaks.org): give people around the world an unprecedented insight into the US Government’s foreign activities. Owing to lots of “additional” “off-topics” and trivia, we have reasons to suspect their purposes…

Spoiled children are mother’s faults

No sooner had the shocking disclosures, allegedly stolen by an American Army intelligence analyst, released than many country representatives and Presidents expressed their frustrations and irritations against these documents. Sympathized replies, if any, are just again diplomatic! In return, embarrassed American have given their heartfelt apologies all around the world. A great deal of acute pains – doubts, misunderstanding as well as embarrassments have been caused by the so-called ‘WikiLeaks’ organization, led by the guy named Assange.

This guy has smartly utilized the so-called “equality and freedom” to fight back against its most advocate (US). He’s absolutely brilliant. In fact, the name “Julian Assange” is being hailed worldwide by different kinds of people, including Ecuador Deputy Foreign Minister (who offered him home) and those who feel interested in the trivia he’s provided. But are what he’s done really great as its first glances?

Unanticipated Effects

“The longer that Wikileaks continues to pump out trivia, and governments issue their theatrical, orchestrated cries that the sky is falling, the longer we’re left in the dark.” Andrew Orlowski, yet again, expresses his worry about the leaked documents.

In deed, though we haven’t seen any direct loss or damage of lives due to the exposure of WikiLeaks documents so far, effects and results of the issue are out of control and remains unknowable. There is in all likelihood a lag between the sensational revelations and jeopardy in reality.

One thing the experts appear to agree on is that “the leaks will make it more difficult for US diplomats and human intelligence operatives to do their jobs. Although that does not present an immediate threat to American lives, strained international relations may create a more dangerous world” (Katie Connolly @ BBC) “They embarrass governments with which the US co-operates. At the very least, they will make governments like Pakistan and Yemen and others, which are collaborating with the US in the battle against terrorism, more reluctant to co-operate. It’s harming some of the vital activities that the US government, the UK government or others engage in, which are protecting us against terrorism.” Max Boot, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, added.

Returning to China – North Korea story, the public still remain skeptical about the “spoiled child” or “reunified Korean” tale that the documents revealed. Despite of this, the fact that such headlines as “China’s ready to abandon North Korea” or “Guesses on North Korea” appear all over newspapers is really terrifying any pacifists around the world: That the North is on the verge of collapsing. That his one and only one friend is planning on what to do hereafter. That his best friend is ready to see him dead …

We’re still left in confusion whether Assange is saving the world, or destroying international relations!? At the moment, the later seems more obvious!!

We want more than just trivia!

One of the most hitherto damaging and shocking documents is a directive issued by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to diplomats ordering them to spy on top UN officials including Ban Ki-Moon. Because of this – which Assange claims to be in violation of the international covenants to which the U.S. has signed up, WikiLeaks founder has called for Clinton to quit! A harsh lesson will be learned by US that they must be much, much better in their mechanisms for democratic accountability as well as foreign policy… However, it would have been much more impressive if Assange revealed more concerned information as Cryptome operator John Young has suggested, including:

War plans of all nations, for and against one another

Files of billionaire political meddlers

Files of the major world banks and their attorneys …

I tend to agree with Daniel Ellsberg, the former military analyst who in 1971 released the Pentagon Papers which detailed government lies and cover-ups in the Vietnam War, that to a certain extent, “lives are at stake as a result of the silences and lies which a lot of these leaks reveal”. But as mentioned, not only trivia the recent released information is, but it also looks as if it’s already been heavily filleted. Notably, revelations about Syria and especially Israel are conspicuous by their absences.

Verdict

There is no doubt about WikiLeaks’s great purposes since its launch in 2006. However, the aim of this biggest diplomatic strike ever is confused. Who and what are causes? What are their real purposes? Who benefits? Is there really a mastermind behind Assange? If so, Who are they?…

Anyway, it’s not a great way to begin a story unless there is an obvious purpose behind.

Interesting links:

Comment: Don’t get me wrong, I generally support Assange’s actions, his courage and philosophy. Just regret if only the information could have selected more careful…