Transcript: Daniel Ellsberg Says He Fears US Might Assassinate Wikileaks Founder

[Donnachaidh]

http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2010/06/11/transcript-daniel-ellsberg-says-he-fears-us-might-assasinate-wikileaks-founder/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+CampaignSilo+%28Jane+Hamsher+Campaign+Silo%29&utm_content=Twitter


Daniel Ellsberg, the former US military analyst who released the pentagon papers in 1971, appeared on MSNBC today with Dylan Ratigan. He said he fears for the safety of Julian Assange, founder of Wikileaks, who is reportedly on the verge of leaking secret State Department cables. The Daily Beast reports that Assange is currently being sought by the Pentagon, and Ellsberg advises him not to reveal his whereabouts.

“We have after all for the first time, that I ever perhaps in any democratic country, we have a president who has announced that he feels he has the right to use special operations operatives against anyone abroad, that he thinks is associated with terrorism,” says Ellsberg. “Now as I look at Assange’s case, they’re worried that he will reveal current threats. I would have to say puts his well-being, his physical life, in some danger now. And I say that with anguish. I think it’s astonishing that an American president should have put out that policy and he’s not getting these resistance from it, from Congress, the press, the courts or anything. It’s an amazing development that I think Assange would do well to keep his whereabouts unknown.”

Full transcript:

RATIGAN: Do you see direct parallels between what’s developing here and what you went through?

ELLSBURG: Yes, there does seem to be an immediate parallel between me and whoever leaked the video on the assault on the 19 or 20 Iraqis. Someone–allegedly, it was Bradley Manning–did feel that that deserved to be out. the “Reuters,” whose newspapermen were killed in the course of that, had been trying to get that through the freedom of information act for two years, as I understand it and had been refused. Let’s say whoever did it, hypothetically, Bradley Manning, showed better judgment in putting it out than the people who kept is secret from the American people and from the Iraqis.


MORE at the link --


This was an AMAZING interview -- everyone needs to watch the video at the site.

[Duer 157099]

1. Yes, I saw that earlier and it WAS powerful

It's not even as though it's a somewhat similar situation I mean, it's IDENTICAL (for all intents and purposes).

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

[Ozymanithrax]

2. If the person is holding classified documents he could be shot while resisting arrest. n/t

[frylock]

6. yes. just like ellsberg should have been shot..

for fucks sake. :eyes:

[Ozymanithrax]

10. Sorry you think that way. Ellsberg did a service...

he still violated the law. Sometimes non-violent non-compliance with the law is necessary. And people who are brave enough to do what it necessary, even if it leads to a long prison term, are heros.

[liberation]

21. I guess Orwell wasn't really kidding with that whole "doublethink" thingie

Well, gotta hand it to him he really saw the devolution from the get go decades ago...

[mike_c]

15. you must be kidding....

Daniel Ellsberg is a hero.

[frylock]

24. i was being completely facetious..

I've read Ellsberg's 'Secrets' and would recommend it to anyone.

[mike_c]

26. gotcha....

Whew!

[Scruffy1]

32. I hope your being sarcastic

Ellsberg did not break the law. It was the government of the United States that broke the law by classifying information because it was embarassing to the same government. This went to the Supremes
who ruled that the government had no right to withhold information simply because it embarassed the government. The whole thing was just a history of the Viet Nam War and withholding it was an act right out of Orwell.

[unblock]

16. it's not illegal to hold or leak classified information UNLESS you have a security clearance and

were properly passed that information.

tom clancy has famously divulged plenty of classified information. he has no legal liability whatsoever because he never had a security clearance as far as the government is concerned, he's just another fiction writer. to the extent that he figured things out for himself, no one has any legal liability. to the extent that someone with a security clearance who was properly authorized to possess that information divulged it improperly THAT person is subject to up to $10,000 fine and 10 years imprisonment.

[sabrina 1]

28. Then the obvious solution is for him to get online as soon

as possible. Holding them seems to be what is endangering his life. If they prove criminality on the part of the U.S Government then let there be a trial and let a jury decide.

I doubt if there are issues of national security in these documents, that the person holding them WOULD put them out online, as he seems to be a very rational individual.

The video already released by WikeLeaks did not contain anything damaging to national security. It did contain proof of crimes by this government. The slaughter of innocents is a crime and U.S. citizens have a right to know what their government is up to since it is being done in their name and with their money.

The excuse of national security has bee way over-used and people really don't buy it anymore. Usually it is used to cover up government crimes.

IF they are stupid enough to kill this very brave person, the backlash will be enormous and I have no doubt that the documents will be released anyhow. Political assassinations are illegal under all laws. The U.S. is becoming a rogue state.

[Smarmie Doofus]

3. K and R. Pay attention to Ellsberg. nt

[BeHereNow]

4. Un-fucking real...

I want my country back.
BHN

[BeHereNow]

5. Any doubts about who is running this country? WATCH the video.

K&R
BHN

[gateley]

7. Link;

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31510813/ns/msnbc_tv-the_dylan_ratigan_show#37647573

[Liberation Angel]

8. Just watched the William Kunstler Documentary, no doubt assassination's policy of USGov vs Americans

There are some heart rending scenes of our history when those who dared stand up to tyranny were gunned down in their beds or were sacrificed by a fascist element within the US Government.

Obama, i pray, would not stoop so low as to allow this knowingly (but I could be wrong) with respect to this Wikileaks fellow.

That said, this courageous wikileaks guy must know that of you reveal state secrets you can be prosecuted just as they are prosecuting the soldier who leaked the collateral murder video.

It may be that he does not even have such cables

but i do think he potentially sees himself as a martyr (Read the article on him in the New Yorker Magazine last week - amazing and definitely kind of intense human being)

As a journalist, though, he should be protected by the right to free speech - whuich should be an international right...

This business of targeted murder for political reasons (including drone assassinations) is really really troubling.

If you or I oppose such policies do we become targets? Are we giving aid and comfort to terrorism?

We cannot really let these policies stand if we are humanitarians and the fact that Obama allows it at all is frankly disgusting to me. I realize it is war but they are deliberatley targetting people when they are with their families, their wives, their children. It is genocide. It is just like the aslaughter of Indians in this country or the Mexican boy on the border this week.

It makes me ill.

Can Obama honestly believe that this is just, humane or even necessary? Dpesn't he see it makes it worse and makes him a hypocrite or worse?

I have remained sort of silent on this.

But I worry too. And the assassiantion of an al qaeda man witgh his whole family a week or so ago turned my stomach and is turning my heart away from Obama completely (almost)

[sabrina 1]

29. Very nice post. I agree with every word you said and thank

for saying it so well ...

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

9. Naw. We would never do anything like that..just ask Reuters. Oh, wait.

[Robeson]

11. We don't do political assassinations in this country...

...unlike every country that has existed since recorded history, we're perfect. It just doesn't happen here.

[glowing]

13. I'm assuming that is acute sarcasm.

[kgnu_fan]

14. Please add the sarcasm icon

[IndianaGreen]

17. You missed Obama ordering the assassination of an American cleric

Just as Big Brother said it wouldn't torture Americans, and went ahead and did it anyway, now Big Brother is saying that it will not assassinate Americans--at least not on American soil.

We have gone so deep into the rabbit's hole that we have forgotten the sort of constitutional republic we once had!

[Robeson]

19. Apparently....

...I should use the sarcasm thingy, since no one seemed to get it. :-(

[liberation]

22. No worries, I got it

;-)

Some peeps are wound waaaaay too tight lately.

[IndianaGreen]

27. Actually, your post was so over the top that it had to be sarcasm

but you opened the door to people to point out the bad things our government is doing in our name, which worked out fine for all concerned.

Keep up the good work!

:toast:

[Wilms]

12. k&r n/t

[MinM]

18. Messages from alleged leaker Bradley Manning portray him as despondent soldier...

http://www.stripes.com/polopoly_fs/1.106157.1276153541!/image/1383991574.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_400/1383991574.jpg
Army Spc. Bradley Manning

Pentagon Fears Wikileaks Founder Julian Assange Will Spill Secrets

State Department assessing damage from cables leak

[IndianaGreen]

20. They also use the 'disgrunted federal employee' meme

when it suits their purposes.

[liberation]

23. Ah, here comes the "some people say..." character assassination diversion

The personal shortcomings of the leaker have to do what exactly with the contents of the crimes described in the leaked information? I wish people were quicker at asking that question when FOX et al go on their "some people say" BS tirades.

[defendandprotect]

25. k

[conspirator]

30. I hate governments and I hate the military, and all the rich people that control them n/t

[Phlem]

31. To bad there aren't multiple vendors like wikileaks

all over the country. It'd be impossible (or at least make it harder) to shut them all down.

-p

[laylah]

33. OMG...

sent far and wide. Thank you for posting this! :hug:

[freddie mertz]

34. Thanks for posting and keeping us informed about this.

Absolute power corrupting... still the same old story, just a new face on the label.

[burnsei sensei]

35. Only the truest cowards

fear the exposure of the truth.