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  • Thursday, 02 September 2010
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WikiLeaks, the Pentagon and the War in Afghanistan

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This is IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English.

This week, the website WikiLeaks published more than seventy-five thousand American military documents on the war in Afghanistan. These documents from the Army and Marine Corps included secret reports from the past six years.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates says the problems they describe are not new. But he says their release could harm troops and damage American relationships in that part of the world.

He says intelligence sources and methods will become known, and Afghans who have helped American forces may now be in danger.

ROBERT GATES: "Will people trust us? Will people whose lives are on the line trust us to keep their identities secret? Will other governments trust us to keep their documents and their intelligence secret?"

Admiral Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, criticized the Australian-born founder of WikiLeaks, Julian Assange.

MICHAEL MULLEN: "Mr. Assange can say whatever he likes about the greater good he thinks he and his source are doing. But the truth is they might already have on their hands the blood of some young soldier or that of an Afghan family."

In London, Mr. Assange said WikiLeaks is still examining fifteen thousand more documents. He says the released documents do not include any top-secret reports or names of informants or information like troop movements.

JULIAN ASSANGE: " This material doesn't just reveal abuses, this material describes the past six years of war, every major attack that resulted in someone being detained or someone being killed."

WikiLeaks is a nonprofit organization that publishes documents from governments and businesses. It released the military documents on Sunday. It gave early copies to three news organizations in the United States, Germany and Britain.

The White House is urging WikiLeaks not to not publish any more classified documents about the Afghan war.

In April, the site posted video of an American helicopter strike in Iraq in two thousand seven.  That attack killed two Iraqis working for the Reuters news agency.

An American soldier is charged with releasing that video. Army Private Bradley Manning has also come under interest in the latest release of documents.

Afghan War Diary on WikiLeaks
AFP
Afghan War Diary on WikiLeaks

Some of the documents suggest that members of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence agency are helping insurgent groups in Afghanistan.

Pakistan denies that. And Senator John Kerry, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, says: "These are not new allegations."

JOHN KERRY: "We have been wrestling with these allegations, and we have made some progress."

But a vote in Congress this week showed weakening support for President Obama's war policy among members of his own party.

More than one hundred Democrats in the House of Representatives voted against an emergency spending measure. It included thirty-three billion dollars to send more troops to Afghanistan.

But the bill passed with strong Republican support. The president requested the money in February and the Senate agreed in May.

Democrat David Obey, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, explained why he could not support the measure.

DAVID OBEY: "Military experts tell us that it could take up to ten more years to achieve any acceptable outcome in Afghanistan. We have already been there nine years. I believe that is too high a price to pay."

Sixty-six deaths made July the deadliest month yet for American troops in Afghanistan.

And that's IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English. I'm Katherine Cole.

___

Includes reporting by Jennifer Glasse, Sean Maroney, Suzanne Presto, Cindy Saine, Robert Raffaele and Dan Robinson

Comments (45)

30-07-2010

WikiTreason. Too bad no one has the spine to press charges.

30-07-2010 alta (USA)

The biggest trust breaker was saying there were WMD in Iraq. But there have been many other political & military claims, continuing today, to justify the ongoing wars in Iraq & Afghanistan. What constitutes broken trust? The truth coming out, or the misplaced claims in the first place.

30-07-2010 Pashtun (Pakhtunkhwa)

The West ultimately is fighting for some vague notions, whereas the defenders have no place left to go. More over the western soldiers are products of a post-honor society, where honor is just another word for use in slogans whereas for the Pashtun "Nang" is the core value around which the other values of Pashtunwali revolve. They live breathe execute honor. This is all they have. This is what they die for: give me honor or give me death.

30-07-2010 sam

The USA is failing to learn from history. The war in Afghanistan is unwinable. This region of the world will never embrace democracy. The blood of NATO troops is being shed in vain. There will never be an acceptable outcome in regards to Afghanistan or Iraq, or the Middle East for that matter. Get out now.

30-07-2010 Cstar (USA)

Espionage against the United States is allowed publicly now apparently. Used to be we executed people for that.

30-07-2010 jwjw (USA)

I strongly comdemn wikileaks web realeased the documents which might harm our troops fighting in Afghanistan. The revelation only creates more enemies ,weakens our abilities,puts our soldiers’ lives in jeopardy,and narrows our insights of the tangibilities that can help the problems solved more rapidly. We must stop it.

31-07-2010 Neil (UK)

VOA is not telling the truth. Between eight and twelve men were killed including Reuters journalists. In the third airstrike a Hellfire missiles which destroyed a building. An unknown number of civilians were killed, including women and children. If VOA cannot the truth in Special English then people will not know waht happened. It is not surprising that Wikileaks have exposed the truth which VOA cannot bring upon it self to tell the truth. VOA is a propagande arm of the US State Department

31-07-2010 hamad part 1 of 2 (oman)

Eventually ,everybody exposes each other .Suspicion revolved around Afghan and American troops in the most longer war in America history . Six years document of war which include important details about this war and their strategy to deal with Afghan nation can really keep life of Americans and afghans soldier in danger .

31-07-2010 hamad part 2 of 3 (oman)

People will feel upset about this leak of information and that surly will reflect on the ground. Nobody trusts on other . Even relationship with Pakistan government gets worst . Day after day the situation be more complicated . 33 billion dollars for support this war and send American soldier to death whereas American border is unsecured . That s really strange . The tru of this war ......

31-07-2010 hamad part 3 of 3 (oman)

The truth of this war and who created and who will get the benefits of this mess and who dominate the decision in the UN court manifest rapidly . Those people think themselves smart and lead the world to disaster whilst they fortify behind Nuke weapon and exploitation of people weakness . That s really disgusting .

31-07-2010 Verita ("us"of a)

The truth shall set you free THANK u Wikileaks!/J. Assange for having the guts/honour & spine to expose the organized mafia.The mor peopl exposes them the faster we can move into a mor transparent and honest society.The peopl and the supporters who do nothing r the real enemies. We remain in the dark ages with all the lies & manipulation from politicians and the elite/puppet masters aka world governments. Humanity is indebted to u and those alike who's goal is 2 search and publish truth.

31-07-2010 cindy

Who is right or wrong,we do not know ,but the war is curel.

31-07-2010 Simon Wong (China)

I don't know much about this news. Afghanistan war has lasted nine years, isn't it time to end this war?

31-07-2010 truth (hell)

When all American solders are home. There will no more debates. For hundred years, Uncle Sam has atrociously invaded 50% of the countries around the world and still do that ........ There will more and more innocent family not only Afghanistan but also Iraq, Vietnamese, Korean, Bosnia Hezgovina, Somalian, .............. Where there is a conflict, there are more and more American Armies die because of their arrogance!!!!

31-07-2010 Aminullah Pooya (Afghanistan)

The US is not failing in Afghanistan; on the contrary, it is reaching its ambition in Afghanistan. United states wants to remain in Afghanistan and the game goes in the favour of their plans. 9 years being in war after the wars would make any nation withdraw, but not America. As an Afghan citizen I see no progress. Because I see men, women and children are still being murdered and their is not a promising tomorrow if again they leave our country.

31-07-2010 Joruji (Japan)

Studies done after the terror attacks of 9/11 against the U.S. indicated that sharing information instead of keeping it secret could have lead government agencies to crucial clues that could have thwarted the terrorists' strikes. So information sharing have been promoted to more effectively combat terrorism, but it seems that the government is losing control of the country's secrets.

31-07-2010 Ahmed (ksa)

You americans will be defeted in Afganistan and Iraq.

31-07-2010 chengfuing (china)

US government has made so many lies,including the war in Iraq.it's obviously to figure out,this is a strong developed country but its methods to develop are so mean.fairy tales are created one by one,i appreciate Assange 's courage,because have this kind of brave warrior,truths can be found!

31-07-2010

US should avoid USSR mistakes concentrating on military solution. The operation should be concentrated on the other side of Durand Line where the terrorists are being trained and sent to Afghanistan fighting US forces and the Afghans. More attention should be paid to ISI which was/is active supporter of extremists since 30 years.

31-07-2010 Ken (Australia)

This traitorous dog makes me ashamed to be an Australian.

31-07-2010

Assange is a hero. There is absolutely zero chance that we would have found out the extent of how our plan in Afghanistan isn't working without him. He's exposed more innocent people being murdered by the U.S. Airstrikes than he's put at risk. Where is the blood on YOUR hands Bob Gates??

31-07-2010 kvoi (vietnam)

War of USA to fight agiant Iraque and Afgha is the long term storry from many of USA presedents vitories. We just know it and no more thing be done?

31-07-2010 no body (not in the world)

uk always sought hit to usa policies..and i dont know when american officials accept this reality of the uk politics...

31-07-2010 lili (iraq)

i know war is sth unpleasant generally speaking,but its sometimes necessary and as they say no one give u sweets in war!!!

31-07-2010 Maki (Japan)

I also thought like the public think, that people who are on their lives and worked for the US are no more trusting as the sensitive information was leaked. Especially, what will happen on those locals who told information in the vicinity. They're at a risk. The government seems to pass the buck as criticizing the founder of the leak website, but what they should do now is how to take responsibility for the people affected. They should escape citizens to a safer place.

01-08-2010 armyguy (usa)

I think that the goverment documents published by WiKileak are good thing because politicans in white house and cognress always want to cover the truth to their voters. If personal does right things, he or she are not afraid of medias to published these things he or she did to publics. lots of truth in Afgan is still covered by US politians. I support WiKileak.

02-08-2010 Ashkrez (Afghanistan)

No body knows the policy becuase this is not a real policy as th Islam policy is the best, just they are all lie in current situation specially the foriegn countries who are against Islam and it is policies

02-08-2010 m (k)

do not important a war. important is people life.

02-08-2010 yingmu1117 (china)

this could let all people on the world know what the SAM uncle has done to the Iraq and afgan

02-08-2010 abraham (turkey)

what a shame! people are dying there and we are still talking about whether what wikileaks doing is right or not.Hopefully this documents will prove that the war aganist Afghanistan is unfair in the eyes of public.

03-08-2010 Uyên (Vietnam)

I hate war. It is so terrible. I hope that there are no war on our green planet.

03-08-2010 alex (brazil)

Mr. Assange is a irresponsible!

03-08-2010 Hadi (Afghanistan)

very usefull for english learner

03-08-2010 Abdelkader (Tunisia)

Thank you Mr Assange for giving us the truth about the war in Afghanistan.We have to criticize the responsable of that war. Democracy must be based on truth not lies.

04-08-2010 Gerard George (Malaysia)

Every country should be invited, even nudged firmly to send development type corps to reconstruct Afghanistan. Let's build a better world in Afghanistan so that the warring factions may be embarrased and so that good Afghans may receive the blessings they so rightfully deserve. Let's wage peace! Let the implements of war "rust in pieces" and deliver security, not the other way around. Gerard George

04-08-2010 DJ CuDung (Viet Nam)

I hate war. But I think WikiLeaks was wrong. If they do not want war to be happen, they should not show these document. I think many soldier and afgan will be kill. I hate the man who want to gossip. Sorry for my badly english

04-08-2010 Jack Nguyen (US)

We need to support our country . We are the US citizen . We proud that ,but the war in Afghanistan will stop right now . What's wrong ??? like Sep 11 2001 . I want to say thankful to the US soldiers in Afghanistan , so they're protecting the US and the world also .

05-08-2010 Jack Nguyen (US)

We need to support our country . We are the US citizen . We proud that ,but the war in Afghanistan will stop right now . What's wrong ??? like Sep 11 2001 . I want to say thankful to the US soldiers in Afghanistan , so they're protecting the US and the world also .

06-08-2010 Nike (Russia)

We lost 15,000 soldiers in Afghanistan. do not repeat our oshibki.Afganistan yet nobody has been able to conquer

06-08-2010 yahya (egypt)

do you think us army had gone to Iraq or Afghanistan to establish democracy? plz send your answer to yourself. democracy not established on blood rivers.

06-08-2010 Zafar jaamay (Afghanistan)

I think all these are the secret policies of united states against its enemies, the secret documents have been released by the order of us bec no has that much power to be able to open the secret policies of united states and i think it can be a challenge for republicant inside the united states bec all the docs have been released between 2004 tii 2010.

08-08-2010 lonelyhero (viet nam)

american failed again just like in viet nam

09-08-2010 Ghulamrasool (Afghanistan)

What people see on Wikileaks,it is not new things because of that Afghanistan government lost the way.it was something what government of Afghanistan alwasy emphasis on;Like Terrorism is not at Urban of Afghanistan,for defeat of Terrorism you must bombard the training places & the financial sources. in these documents what change to reality is; ISI extensively spent 2 billion US dollar for killing of Afghanistan strategista and official. that is ASAP shameful and BAD.

21-08-2010 s.a.s (Afghanistan)

Documents whcih released by Wiki Leaks are very important, it shows sources and resources of terrorism in the world. I think the time come to stop terrorism idealogical, political and financial resources. at the end i want to give a sepecial massage to USA army and rest of anti terrorism forces: If you want a free terrorist, and a free fundementalist world pleas force Pakistan fight terrorism honestly. TERRORISM RESOURCES ARE IN PAKISTAN NOT ANY WHERE ELSE.

29-08-2010 Fattahi (Tunisia)

Why are you seeking to cover up ? That means you are doing wrong . You must be thankful to Wikileaks and Assange. Spreading mayhem and havoc everywhere is not good .

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