I immediately questioned the 3-mill number, and usually don’t dismiss out of hand, so followed this up myself -  there’s a long IT-security-related discussion here http://tinyurl.com/33q3osk

[...]
I keep on seeing the number ‘3 million’ floating around, but I’m not quite sure. The active military for the U.S. (if I can trust Wikipedia to have at least 2 sig-digits of precision) contains 1.5 million soldiers and 580000 civilian employees, 830000 reservists, and 97000 other ‘DOD Personnel’.

The Wikipedia reference about the size of the U.S. Military is http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

Posted by: karrde at December 9, 2010 10:33 AM

RE: 3,000,000 people in the USA with sufficient clearance to access them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

- a source for that?
- of 3 million, only this one Pfc. is tempted to copy and disseminate?

some with NSA background, assert contrary to this  
e.g. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MQXeIm4kd4
scroll to 11:30 for commentary on Manning’s presumed copying files
scroll back to 11:00 to hear of other ‘leaks’ (not from Manning)

clearly this operation is bigger than the players in the forefront
- useful tools, useful fools? - hard to say, many unknown factors

again - no ‘character assassination’ per se by innuendo or otherwise

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

unfortunately, too many here exhibit adolescent inability to engage
in polemic free of gratuitous ad hominem invective - distracting,
but easily dismissed - save the keystrokes and the embarrassment

fearnolie,

I really am fearing for your mental health.  Again, I re-emphasize that your standard of proof for accusing Assange of being an Israeli/American agent is astonishingly low.  Your ability to grasp reality is marginal to completely gone.

“how so junior an officer as..Manning, manage to copy…so many files?”

Oh really, well the reality is these are low grade confidential files and from my understanding there are about 3,000,000 people in the USA with sufficient clearance to access them.  Is it really that outrageous that the government could screw up like this with that kind of exposure?  I think not.

“always ask: who benefits?”

Oh really, well please recognize that the government/MIC exercises extraordinary control over the media.  No matter what the event this propaganda machine will spin it to their advantage.  Is it so hard for you to believe that this institution might pick and choose stories favorable to their agenda when thousands of releases are available?  And just what was the benefit of revealing the collateral murder video (oh right, I forgot, it is to legitimize Wikileaks before they pull the big one!).

Does any of your irresponsible obscene innuendo require a shred of evidence?  No and that is the problem!  Realize that anyone can make this shit up about anyone at anytime.  Get a grip on yourself!

RE: Self-Righteous, Self-Involved, Narcissistic Hypocrites.

typically intended to provoke even more L-vs-R / love-it-or-leave it, petty,
stumble-bum, histrionic, gutter rumbling

don’t fall for it - the issue requires a deeper look - consider that if not ‘rich
assets,’ possibly then useful tools e.g.:

December 7, 2010, 9:00 PM - Opinonator - NY Times
Is Julian Assange Helping the Neocons?
By ROBERT WRIGHT

[...]
Yet in one sense Assange is the anti-anti-Bush.

Communication, and trust, may also be cooled by our recently revealed
appraisals of foreign leaders. I’m guessing the Turks won’t warm to the cable
from Ankara that looked forward to a day when “we will no longer have to deal
with the current cast of [Turkish] political leaders, with their special yen for
destructive drama and rhetoric.” And Vladimir Putin can’t be liking our
depiction of him as a slacker thug.
[...]

from http://tinyurl.com/34y3p43

In regard to young Manning, he creates the question(s) that irritate me for not being aware. He maintained the rank of PFC, so I have observed. The fact that a person in the Army with the rank of PFC, which is given usually for completing Basic training, was allowed the responsibility to protect government secret information or at least access to it. That alone allows reason for question. Put that together with coincidental(?) timing of bringing Assange to reckoning for what focus of charge seems to me more of a worry to keep people from knowing just how much the financial sector controls, at least to me. The book “Family of Secrets” by Russ Baker tediously uses his investigation prowess to showcase just how our system can be and probably is manipulated and by who. Found it hard to read but enlightening to me and my naivety.

Julian Assange, along with the entire WikiLeaks group, is, among many things, cowardly. Courageousness would involve meeting with Iranian dissidents, Russian journalists, Pakistani Christians, or Chinese human-rights activists — and then releasing any confidential information that they might have about the torment institutionalized by their countries’ authoritarian regimes. That would be much too risky for Assange, however, since such governments do not customarily go to court against their leakers; they gulag them — or liquidate them.

-

Self-Righteous, Self-Involved, Narcissistic Hypocrites.

RE: ...odd that the governments didn’t really go after Assange until…

don’t give up questioning, especially if emotionally impacted, keep a clear head

who’s considered this: how so junior an officer as Bradley Manning, manage to
copy out of the Pentagon so many files? According to Wayne Madsen, former NSA
official, doing so would trigger a number of alarms

keep in mind the potential that this is a ‘deflective source disinformation’
psychological operation and always ask: who benefits?

Hope his security is good. Being a man with possibly damaging information toward the financial industry and their operations puts him in harms way. Found it odd that the governments didn’t really go after Assange until he related that banks were the next target for disclosures. They seemed to just talk about it after he divulged government material, but dare to attack the financial boys and the word got out to bury this guy in corruption. Almost CIA like. Not saying-just saying. Who does control this country? I said this on another popular blog and was immediately deleted due to content. If I were Assange, I would be worried more being out on bail. Hope he has all he needs hidden well, or do I?

Good News, although I think the U.S. Government has succeeded in their intent to make life as difficult as possible for Assange/Wikileaks.  I hope Assange is able to manage this such that the release of Wikileaks exposures is not slowed.  Fortunately it is a double edged sword for the U.S. to go after Assange in this manner.  It draws a lot of attention to the leaks and validates the underhanded secret and hypocritical behavior of those in power in the highly undemocratic wing of the U.S. government.

Letters to Eric Holder and to Senators, plus Amnesty International and American Civil Liberties might help, especially if letters are strong but not ranty. Also to John McCain due to his experiences in Vietnam. Also to American Red Cross to demand to ascertain Manning’s situation and condition, which Greenwald of Salon says is extremely isolated and severe—and with no charges yet issued. Also letters to local papers—if they’ll print them. Mine refused, which rather indicates the nastiness of “conservatism” if you can grace it with that name.

“During my time in solitary confinement in the bottom of a Victorian prison I had time to reflect on the conditions of those people around the world also in solitary confinement, also on remand, in conditions that are more difficult than those faced by me.  Those people also need your attention and support.”

Manning comes to mind.

Today’s empire truly resembles those of times of old… in the days of castles and serfs… of dungeons and inquisitions…

God Have Mercy on the REAL evil doers and Bless them… Bless them Bountifully!

Well that’s good news!

I wonder if Assange will reach out with his popularity and network to help bring Manning out from the hole.

Even though the entity known as the military pretty much owns or is leasing Manning’s body at the moment, perhaps a ransom for his freedom can be negotiated.

It would be the LEAST Assange can do, really.