My Contrarian View.
As you may know by now, I do not tend to follow the crowd; chalk it up to the Libertarian in me.
Same goes for my thoughts on Wikileaks; I find them refreshing.
Well maybe "refreshing" is going overboard, but in truth I get a kick out of them.
Most - should I say virtually all reports I have read, be they from the Left or the Right, are in high dungeon about them and indeed several are literally calling for the Head of Wikileaks.
Tsk Tsk - I say bring it on. A little candid exposure concerning what our respective Ambassadorial Communities are up to is more helpful than harmful and provides for some unexpected candour and openness albeit involuntarily.
And what I have read so far chiefly consists of a series of derogatory comments about this Leader or That. All of which have been quite amusing and yet quite consistent with the man on the street's view.
The Leaks have also served another useful function - they have shown America's Diplomatic Communications to be - well - 'Leaky', and if Wikileaks can get it hands on these communications so can others with less friendly hands.
But for the moment we can read and enjoy what our respective governing classes think of each other. And it is not pretty.
Openness and Candor in Societies though can only serve to educate the people which in turn allows them to choose more wisely come Election Time. If it takes Wikileaks to help to this process along - so be it.
That said, I do not support the leakage of information that puts individuals' lives at risk as say in the case of operatives in the field but so far I have neither heard nor read of such happening here. Wikileaks would be wise to self censure such if that type of information came its way.
So put me down as one of its few current supporters.
As I see it..
'Galagher'