PLUGGING LEAKS US STYLE--The US government has a dismal record plugging Leaks. President Nixon's self destruction all started with the White House "Plumbers " designed to stop the public knowledge of sensitive and illegal activities . Most lately we are witnessing the USG biting and slashing itself hysterically over the WikiLeaks information dump of classified information. There is a certain amount of truth to the concept that if a government cannot protect sensitive information, there a question of its long term survival.


The horse has left the barn ,so efforts to close the barn door on the recent leaks are too late. There may be legal implications for the leaker and those who published the data, but the mainstram media ,piously wallowing in the dissemination, is also implicated. In this case, freedom of the press complicates most legal questions .


It is beyond belief that there was one leaker to WikiLeaks, a US Army private !st class, who is the single source of the deluge of information published by WikiLeaks. You may believe the the MEEK Will INHERIT THE EARTH, but for a private first class to be awesome enough to inflict such damage without his supervisors' knowledge rates either as the crime of the 21st century or a biblical miracle equal to parting the Red Sea or simply propaganda by the USG to limit damage. If the PFC is to be court martialled, what about his higher chain of command-?


The stuff so far released by WikiLeaks falls into three categories:{1} Iraq War, {2} Afghan War,{3} US Diplomatic cables. By far the latest diplomatic releases have caused the most consternation in the US government. Though we are led to believe that in many cases the authorship has been purged in the releases, it is the State Department that appears more alarmist over the leaks than the Defense Department. Diplomats are required to demonstrate sang froid under stress; that is not the case of the US State Department.


Last week the State Department directed its minions not to read WikiLeaks releases and prohibited use of its computers to be used for that purpose. State employees are also banned from using social net works such as TWITER to discuss leaked subjects. Students at Columbia University Interntional Studies Department have also been warned by the USG not use the leaks as it could reflect on future clearances if they work for the USG.


TUT ,TUT, this is so asinine; panic is rampant. Hillary does not seem to understand that a WICKED BOOK GATHERS NO DUST. Madeline, Condelezza and now joined by Hillary form a coterie of ditsy US SEC States.


Few days previously Hillary publicly argued that these leaks demonstrated some Arab leadership requested that the US bomb Iran nuclear facilities; that it shows Arab support for such action. She did not mention , however,that the Arab populace based on polling consider the US /Israel threat much greater than a nuclear Iran. These polls run over 60 percent against US/Israeli interests. Hillary's hypocrisy is obvious;she still seems to be the Israeli Senator from NYC..


WikiLeaks is under counterattack. PAYPAL and AMAZON have withdrawn their business from the leaker. Assange, its leader has been red carded by Interpol--The Sweds want Assange for questions on two sex charges; reportedly apparently he did not use a prophylactics in two sexual encounters.


It would be an interesting trial as Assange may call the Roman Catholic Pope in his defense. The Swedish legal system could be held up to international ridicule, so get your tickets early.


Depending on what side you fall on, whistle blowers are either heels or heroes. Some say had they been around before 9/11, the attack could have been aborted; other believe that the Iraq fiasco could have been avoided with their presence. One thing for certain--no one seems to question WikiLeaks substance; it is only the process. In the case of 9/11 and invasion of Iraq, I would choose substance over process in a heartbeat.--Colonol Robert E Bartos USA Ret.