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proverbialwisdom

(4,959 posts)
64. THE LIONS (MY INFLUENCES): McGovern, Ellsberg, Chomsky on Assange, Wikileaks, Manning.
Thu May 31, 2012, 04:39 PM
May 2012
http://www.democraticunderground.com/101629511

http://www.counterpunch.org/2010/10/25/honoring-julian-assange/

October 25, 2010

In the Tradition of Sam Adams

Honoring Julian Assange

by RAY McGOVERN


You are not likely to learn this from corporate press but WikiLeaks and its leader Julian Assange have received the 2010 Sam Adams Associates for Integrity in Intelligence (SAAII) award for their resourcefulness in making available secret U.S. military documents on the Iraq and Afghan wars.

If the WikiLeaks documents get the attention they deserve, and if lessons can be learned from the courageous work of former CIA analyst Sam Adams—and from Daniel Ellsberg’s timely leak of Adams’ work in early 1968—even the amateurs in the White House may be able to recognize the folly of widening the war from Afghanistan to adjacent countries. That leak played a key role in dissuading President Lyndon Johnson from approving Gen. William Westmoreland’s request to send 206,000 more troops—not only into the Big Muddy, but also into countries neighboring Vietnam.

<...>

SAAII is a movement of former CIA colleagues and other associates of former intelligence analyst Sam Adams, who hold up his example as a model for those in intelligence who would aspire to the courage to speak truth to power. Sam did precisely that, and in honoring his memory, SAAII confers an award each year to a member of the intelligence profession exemplifying Sam Adam’s courage, persistence, and devotion to truth — no matter the consequences.

<...>

In the past, the annual Sam Adams Award has been given to truth tellers Coleen Rowley of the FBI; Katharine Gun of British Intelligence; Sibel Edmonds of the FBI; Craig Murray, former UK ambassador to Uzbekistan; former US Army Sgt. Sam Provance, who told the truth about Abu Ghraib; and Maj. Frank Grevil of Danish Army Intelligence, who exposed his government’s eagerness to conspire with the Bush administration in advertising non-existent weapons of mass destruction in order to “justify” the invasion of Iraq — and went to prison for it; and Larry Wilkerson, Col., US Army (ret.), former chief of staff to Secretary Colin Powell at the State Department, who exposed the powers behind many of the crimes of the Bush administration — first and foremost what he called the “Cheney-Rumsfeld cabal;" in Washington, DC.

RAY McGOVERN was an Army officer and CIA analyst for almost 30 year. He now serves on the Steering Group of Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity. He is a contributor to Imperial Crusades: Iraq, Afghanistan and Yugoslavia, edited by Alexander Cockburn and Jeffrey St. Clair (Verso). He can be reached at: rrmcgovern@aol.com


For additional context, this year's award winners:

http://consortiumnews.com/2011/11/16/whistleblowers-honored-on-nov-21/

Whistleblowers Honored on Nov. 21

November 16, 2011


In recent decades, information – the lifeblood of democracy — has often been cut off from the American body politic on “national security” grounds or because insiders feel it wouldn’t be “good for the country.” To counter that benighted view, a group of ex-U.S. intelligence officials honors brave whistleblowers, this year Thomas Drake and Jesselyn Radack.

By Ray McGovern

Our country’s need for courageous whistleblowers is now. That is mostly why Sam Adams Associates for Integrity in Intelligence (SAAII) publicly honors people who have spoken truth, and suffered the consequences, as Sam Adams, my former analyst colleague at CIA, did on Vietnam.

So that is why, this year, we are honoring Thomas Drake, who was a senior official at the National Security Agency where he observed serious waste, fraud and violations of the constitutional rights of Americans, and Jesselyn Radack, a Justice Department lawyer who objected to the abusive treatment of John Walker Lindh, dubbed the “American Taliban” during the early days of the Afghan War. [See details below.]

We want to encourage people with integrity to blow the whistle, preferably with documents, when circumstances dictate this course of action as the correct moral choice. There are, in other words, what ethicists call “supervening values” that dwarf non-disclosure promises, and SAAII’s annual award for integrity is an excellent reminder of that reality — and of its relevance to today.

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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/16/daniel-ellsberg-wikileaks_n_797801.html

Daniel Ellsberg Defends Julian Assange, Bradley Manning

MATTHEW BARAKAT 12/16/10 04:35 PM ET


WASHINGTON — The man who famously leaked the Pentagon Papers during the Vietnam War defended both WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and the Army private suspected of providing the site with thousands of sensitive government documents.

Daniel Ellsberg said Thursday that Wikileaks' disclosure of government secrets on the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and thousands of diplomatic cables was "exactly the right thing" to do.

"I think they provided a very valuable service," Ellsberg said, also referring to man suspected of leaking the documents, Pvt. Bradley Manning. "To call them terrorists is not only mistaken, it's absurd."

Ellsberg said he frequently hears people praise his 1971 leak of the Pentagon's secret history of the Vietnam War while condemning the WikiLeaks disclosures. The 79-year-old former military analyst rejected that argument, calling Manning a "brother" who, if he indeed provided the documents to WikiLeaks, committed "a very admirable act."

And he said the government is wrong to pursue criminal charges against Assange, comparing him to New York Times and Washington Post journalists who have published information from classified documents.

"Anybody who believes Julian Assange can be distinguished from The New York Times ... is on a fool's errand," Ellsberg said.

Ellsberg once faced criminal charges over his leak, but they were thrown out by a judge.

While generally praising Assange, Ellsberg said Assange should have done a better job in his initial document releases of redacting names of people and sources who could be subject to violence if their names were discovered, such as Afghans who could be targeted by extremists for helping the U.S. He said WikiLeaks has modified its policies to release only documents that are also released by mainstream news outlets.

Ellsberg acknowledged that the government needs to keep some secrets, but said the WikiLeaks documents expose information that the public needs to know, including cables showing that U.S. special forces are engaged in operations in the tribal areas of Pakistan.

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http://www.democracynow.org/seo/2012/5/14/noam_chomsky_on_wikileaks_obamas_

Monday, May 14, 2012

NOAM CHOMSKY: I don’t see anything that’s come out on WikiLeaks that was a legitimate secret. I mean, WikiLeaks is a service to the population. Assange should get an award for—presidential medal of honor. He’s—the whole WikiLeaks operation has helped inform people about what their elected representatives are doing. That should be a wonderful thing to do, like—and it’s interesting. Nothing really sensational has come out, but it is interesting to know, for example...



http://www.bradleymanning.org/news/ellsberg-assange-and-others-attend-bradley-manning-press-call

Ellsberg, Assange, and others attend Bradley Manning press call

May 25, 2011
Bradley Manning Support Network


[img][/img]

Noted attorneys, military experts, and transparency advocates who support Private First Class Bradley Manning held a press teleconference this morning (Wed., May 25, 2011, 11:00am ET) to discuss updates in Manning’s situation. PFC Bradley Manning is accused of being the source of revelations leaked to WikiLeaks, including diplomatic cables that many experts believe helped to catalyze democratic revolts across the Middle East. His supporters assert that the information PFC Manning is accused of revealing should have been in the public domain.

The complete audio from the call can be downloaded with the link below: Audio of May 25, 2011 press call (MP3)

The Speakers:
Daniel Ellsberg, retired defense analyst known for releasing the Pentagon Papers
Julian Assange, editor-in-chief of Wikileaks
Jesselyn Raddack, attorney and staff member of the Government Accountability Project
Ann Wright, Retired Lt. Colonel of the United States Army
Christina McKenna, activist arrested at Quantico in an action to support Bradley Manning
Kevin Zeese (moderator), attorney with the Bradley Manning Support Network

FULL TRANSCRIPT: download file (.doc) (.rtf)


http://www.bradleymanning.org/news/update-32712-daniel-ellsberg-at-a-whistle-blowers-conference-wikileaks-and-freedom-of-the-press-and-livestreaming-a-play-about-bradley

Update 3/27/12: Daniel Ellsberg at a whistle-blowers conference, WikiLeaks and freedom of the press, and livestreaming a play about Bradley

Daniel Ellsberg praises Bradley Manning at whistle-blowers conference. At Occupy the Truth’s whistle-blower conference, Pentagon Papers whistle-blower Daniel Ellsberg lauds Bradley Manning for, if doing what he’s accused of, shining light on grave abuses. He talks about his own case, and also about what we can do for Bradley, whom he calls a hero. The segment includes audio from the Collateral Murder video and comments from other soldiers, but Ellsberg’s talk begins just after the 13-minute mark:

http://soundcloud.com/flashpoints/flashpoints-daily-49
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Rules? Um, he isn't even in our country tavalon May 2012 #1
British court ruled. EFerrari May 2012 #3
Your concern is duly noted dipsydoodle May 2012 #4
Not our Supreme Court...Emily Litella, is that you? nt MADem May 2012 #13
Ha! That's hilarious tavalon Jun 2012 #66
I miss Gilda too. boppers Jun 2012 #72
She was a magnificently funny woman in a time when women tavalon Jun 2012 #74
Glad you are healthy! MADem Jun 2012 #75
Um, you know how in Game of Thrones, there are different kingdoms? msanthrope May 2012 #18
Aside from which dipsydoodle May 2012 #19
A peasant named Dennis told me all I ever needed to know about your government. msanthrope May 2012 #21
This message was self-deleted by its author Hissyspit May 2012 #28
Interesting? tavalon Jun 2012 #65
God I love this place. nt Codeine May 2012 #25
This is stunning provincialism even by DU standards. (nt) Posteritatis May 2012 #55
I strive to please, M'lord. tavalon Jun 2012 #67
It doesn't matter where the subject of the decision is physically located.... Swede Atlanta May 2012 #62
I've been getting out and trying to change it. tavalon Jun 2012 #69
Reuters link dipsydoodle May 2012 #2
Assange Loses Appeal, But Granted Stay to Apply to Re-Open Case on Technicality dipsydoodle May 2012 #5
The persecution and prosecution of Assange has been creepy EFerrari May 2012 #7
Couldn't agree more dipsydoodle May 2012 #8
They better not try to drag him over here, dipsy, because this country will erupt. EFerrari May 2012 #10
maybe erupt on internet message boards n/t Bacchus4.0 May 2012 #31
Stop being realistic HERVEPA May 2012 #42
. The Doctor. May 2012 #33
I hope so, but I fear people will be complacent. shcrane71 May 2012 #43
Terrifying, I'd say tavalon Jun 2012 #68
Independent MP gives warning to Australian Government Matilda May 2012 #6
I like what the Greens have to say... Violet_Crumble Jun 2012 #76
That's Terrible. I hope European Human Rights Court. Tells Sweden to go fuck it Self. pam4water May 2012 #9
Why is he so afraid? jehop61 May 2012 #11
None of the planned actions against him are transparent. EFerrari May 2012 #12
In an oligarchy that pretends to be a democracy fasttense May 2012 #14
Precisely. n/t EFerrari May 2012 #15
So jehop61 May 2012 #22
There is nothing progressive about pretending a corrupt process can yield a just result. EFerrari May 2012 #23
Innocence of what? He has not been charged with anything. tsuki May 2012 #24
I'm perfectly progressive, thank you very much. Hissyspit May 2012 #27
When a poster sarcastically talks about "progressives" brentspeak May 2012 #63
Exactly! tavalon Jun 2012 #71
Because he will never get to Sweden. The plane will be tsuki May 2012 #16
Even if he gets there, the trial is held in secret. EFerrari May 2012 #17
He hasn' been charged with a crime. Matilda May 2012 #20
Neither Assange, or his legal team, dispute that he has been charged with a crime. msanthrope May 2012 #30
Jeez, you know damn well that the poster means he hasn't Hissyspit May 2012 #40
... under the European arrest warrant system, if Britain hands over Assange to Sweden he cannot then struggle4progress May 2012 #44
Under the European system, Sweden does not collaborate with extrordinary rendition. EFerrari May 2012 #56
Why is he so afraid? Why don't they question him in UK? Hissyspit May 2012 #26
Because he fled Sweden the day before his scheduled interview there, according to his own lawyer. msanthrope May 2012 #37
None of that has anything to do with the question I asked,and your Game of Thrones rape comment was Hissyspit May 2012 #39
1) Actually, it has everything to do with the question you asked. You asked about criminal msanthrope May 2012 #46
1.) Hissyspit May 2012 #47
Beware selective reporting. I just read this. proverbialwisdom May 2012 #50
The Magistrate's Findings of Fact are selective reporting??? msanthrope May 2012 #51
THE LIONS (MY INFLUENCES): McGovern, Ellsberg, Chomsky on Assange, Wikileaks, Manning. proverbialwisdom May 2012 #64
It seems to have been about that many days since Wikileaks saved the world treestar May 2012 #48
That is complete nonsense. Hissyspit May 2012 #49
You don't think it's transparent of you The Doctor. May 2012 #52
Wow, the "if he didn't do anything, he has no reason to be afraid" meme! tavalon Jun 2012 #70
Have you met or chatted with him? boppers Jun 2012 #73
I was channel surfing last night bupkus May 2012 #29
Nice try, but ... frazzled May 2012 #32
Sorry I misread the court but bupkus May 2012 #35
Great source, important content. proverbialwisdom May 2012 #34
Quite a coincidence bupkus May 2012 #36
The judgement was actually today - 30th dipsydoodle May 2012 #38
So? Hissyspit May 2012 #41
She could've picked up a 'phone to do that. dipsydoodle May 2012 #45
So? The Doctor. May 2012 #54
That's your take-away? Really? See DemocracyNow's reporting. proverbialwisdom May 2012 #53
Zee 1% und there Police States must have there vay! fascisthunter May 2012 #57
DUers excited, by the thought of wandering through the 100+ pp decision, may currently struggle4progress May 2012 #58
PRESS SUMMARY struggle4progress May 2012 #59
How ironic that Assange is asking that a conservative interpretation of UK be applied to his case. msanthrope May 2012 #61
I appreciate it. nt msanthrope May 2012 #60
Update: http://wlcentral.org/node/2656 proverbialwisdom Jun 2012 #77
You can't pants a country still wearing Donald Duck underwear without expecting LanternWaste Jun 2012 #78
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