What exactly did Wikileaks release, and why?

[ProSense]

What's in the files is anyone's guess for now, but there's already plenty of speculation.

http://www.businessinsider.com/wikileaks-insurance-file-2013-8

From the link at the above, "speculation":

The files, which were seeded as torrents publicly, went up around 1:30am Eastern, roughly 12 hours or so after a sentencing judge called the actions of former U.S. soldier Bradley Manning in leaking classified data to WikiLeaks "wanton and reckless."

If the files actually are "insurance" to keep the U.S. government from tightening the noose around the necks of Manning, Snowden, and WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, then it's a risky gamble for the site to take, to say the least.

http://www.dailydot.com/politics/wikileaks-insurance-file-facebook-encrypted/

From a recent Reuters article:

The Rio de Janeiro-based columnist for Britain's Guardian newspaper said he has recruited the help of experts to understand some of the 15,000 to 20,000 classified documents from the National Security Agency that Snowden passed him, some of which are "very long and complex and take time to read."

Greenwald told Reuters he does not believe the pro-transparency website WikiLeaks had obtained a package of documents from Snowden, and that only he and filmmaker Laura Poitras have complete archives of the leaked material.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/08/07/us-usa-security-snowden-brazil-idUSBRE97600L20130807

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023422231

[Aerows]

1. I guess we'll find out

when they decide to tell us what's in it. It could be something completely new. It could be a collection of pictures of cats.

[Safetykitten]

2. I think it may be your clippings archive.

[ProSense]

3. Or a list of your predictions.

[Safetykitten]

4. Nicely played.

[sabrina 1]

5. Wikileaks always said they had an 'Insurance File' which they would release if they were threatened

in any way. They said, years ago, that this was their only way of protecting themselves from angry people whose secrets they would be releasing, back then it was the Iceland Bankers and African Dictators etc so they always expected to be targeted.

This may be material they've held on to for a long time and it may be material that whoever it is about, KNOWS they have. I think that would be necessary in order for it to work.

They stated, years ago, that they would do what they have just done, and if threatened they would release the key.

I don't know if this is what they are doing, but calling it an 'Insurance File' makes me think it is.

[Cha]

6. "anti-secrecy org wikileaks".. lol, except when it comes to

their own shit.

"Asked their fans to download them and mirror them elsewhere".. Oh, GAS thinks they're hot shit now.. wait.. for it!

[Warren Stupidity]

12. Not curious at all about what is in these docs?

[drm604]

7. Didn't they release an encrypted insurance file years ago?

Is this something new?

Edited to add: Okay, I just did some reading and answered my own question. This is apparently something different from what was released before; and it's 349GB! If I were inclined to download it, it would nearly fill my hard drive and it wouldn't leave enough space to decrypt it (if they ever release the key).

[freshwest]

8. Some years ago they said they were going to bring down Bank of America with a big leak. Nada.

[drm604]

9. Yep. A big nothing.

How many big revelations have they promised and not delivered?

[JustAnotherGen]

10. I remember that

Funny - at least twice a month I get a credit card offer from BOFA.

[BumRushDaShow]

11. K&R

[MADem]

13. Insurance file?

Every AFLAC, Geico, and Allstate commercial ever made....in high def?

[hfojvt]

14. whatever happened to Mutual of Omaha and Prudential?

I used to watch the "Wild Kingdom" every week

and got a piece of the rock for my head.

Plus. I am still listening to EF Hutton.

[MADem]

15. Starring.... Marlin Perkins!

Own a piece of the rock....

I get a kick out of these commercials and themes on YT--some of them I am seeing for the first time; I wasn't in USA at the time many were aired.