Wikileaks irritates me greatly.
On one hand, I very much support the idea of keeping governments of their toes and keeping them honest and I believe that leaking information about misdeeds is important to keep the country honest. For instance, while I feel that the helicopter video released doesn't show anything even resembling a war crime (and in fact, given the circumstances of being in a combat area with actual weapons being recovered, I feel it was entirely justified even if I am simultaneously saddened by the death and injuries of innocents), there was a great deal of information contained that needed to make its way into the open to show what had really happened.
The thing is, this is the type of information that needs to get into the hands of JOURNALISTS, not a hacker with a god complex. The leak of the diplomatic cables doesn't reveal anything in particular except that people are people and that communications behind closed doors is not as diplomatic as communications in the open. Many people were embarrassed in a way that doesn't really expose them, but in a way that DOES hamper further communication. Wikileaks has also demonstrated they do not contain the diligence, wherewithal or desire to protect the innocent when putting massive loads of information into the public sphere, potentially compromising hundreds of people who are cooperating in getting rid of such oppressive regimes as the Taliban.
So yeah, the idea is good, but the execution leaves MUCH to be desired and head of the organization has proved to be without either the morals that such a morally indignant position demands or the ability to properly manage the information.
~Jason
