Wikileaks Afghanistan files biggest intel leak in U.S.military history

Wikileaks released 92,000 classified reports related to the Afghanistan war on Sunday that many are calling one of the biggest and most indicting public disclosures of intelligence in U.S. military history. The whistleblower group’s founder Julian Assange described the shocking information as "the nearest analogue to the Pentagon Papers."

The files reveal that the situation in Afghanistan is much worse than advertised by U.S. officials. The secret documents provide a six-year daily account from January 2004 through December 2009 of U.S. troops combating an insurgency that grew deadlier and more sophisticated over time.

Wikileaks provided The New York Times, the British newspaper The Guardian and the German magazine Der Spiegel access to the records several weeks ago. The New York Times reported that the documents:

“illustrate in mosaic detail why, after the United States has spent almost $300 billion on the war in Afghanistan, the Taliban are stronger than at any time since 2001.”

What were some of the biggest leaks?
This massive divulgence of classified intelligence actually serves more as a validation of already publicly-known issues and well-founded suspicions. The bigger story might be how the information was leaked in the first place. Some key information that has come to light includes:

* Pakistan has allowed members of its spy agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), to secretly meet with the Taliban to organize militant attacks against U.S. soldiers and devise plots to assassinate Afghan leaders. This, despite the fact the U.S. gives Pakistan $1 billion a year to fight insurgents.

* Hamid Gul, a retired Pakistani spy chief, allegedly met with insurgent leaders in South Waziristan in January 2009 to plot vengeance against the U.S. for drone strikes that killed an al-Qaeda operative. Gul served as the ISI’s director general from 1986 to 1989 and worked hand-in-hand with the CIA to coordinate a covert war against the Soviets.

* Iran is waging a covert campaign against US-led forces in Afghanistan by providing money, arms, training and safe haven for Taliban militants.

* There are records of Afghan police brutality, corruption, extortion and kidnapping and reports that they are loathed and distrusted by Afghan civilians. Some officers are accused of collaborating with insurgents, arms smuggling and highway banditry. There was often friction between Afghan police and army personnel. One police report described “enemy action” with the enemy in that case being the Afghan National Security Force.

*NATO forces have killed scores of civilians in unreported incidents in a myriad of ways including airstrikes, shootings from misunderstandings, crossfire or chaotic moments like when Afghan drivers venture too close to convoys or checkpoints.

What is WikiLeaks?
Wikileaks, founded in 2006 by Julian Assange -- an Australian former hacker and computer programmer -- publishes leaks of sensitive government documents while preserving source anonymity. The organization originally consisted of Chinese dissidents, journalists, mathematicians, and start-up technologists from the U.S., Taiwan, Europe, Australia, and South Africa. According to the Wikileaks website:

“We believe that transparency in government activities leads to reduced corruption, better government and stronger democracies. All governments can benefit from increased scrutiny by the world community, as well as their own people. We believe this scrutiny requires information.”

The site styles itself as "the first intelligence agency of the people." Its most well-known scoop was a video called “Collateral Murder” which was posted in April of this year showing a U.S. Apache helicopter strike in Baghdad in which 12 civilians -- eight Iraqis and two Reuters journalists -- were gunned down in 2007.

Why did they leak this information?
Assange said the documents would reveal broader and more pervasive levels of violence than the military or media had reported [see video below for Assange's statements]. He told the Guardian newspaper after being asked about the negative reaction from the White House:

"It is the role of good journalism to take on powerful abuses, and when powerful abuses are taken on, there is always a back reaction.”

Assange also asserted he wanted to show the public the true nature of the war so that steps can be taken to address issues. Assange claimed that Wikileaks does not "have a view about whether the war should continue or stop.” Then added: "We do have a view that it should be prosecuted as humanely as possible."

What was the White House’s reaction?
President Obama's national security advisor, James Jones, released a statement that chastised Wikileaks for putting American lives at risk and threatening national security. The U.S. is also upset by the fact Wikileaks never contacted them about the documents. Below is Jones’s statement in its entirety:

The United States strongly condemns the disclosure of classified information by individuals and organizations which could put the lives of Americans and our partners at risk, and threaten our national security.

Wikileaks made no effort to contact us about these documents -- the United States government learned from news organizations that these documents would be posted. These irresponsible leaks will not impact our ongoing commitment to deepen our partnerships with Afghanistan and Pakistan; to defeat our common enemies; and to support the aspirations of the Afghan and Pakistani people.

The documents posted by Wikileaks reportedly cover a period of time from January 2004 to December 2009. On December 1, 2009, President Obama announced a new strategy with a substantial increase in resources for Afghanistan, and increased focus on al Qaeda and Taliban safe-havens in Pakistan, precisely because of the grave situation that had developed over several years. This shift in strategy addressed challenges in Afghanistan that were the subject of an exhaustive policy review last fall. We know that serious challenges lie ahead, but if Afghanistan is permitted to slide backwards, we will again face a threat from violent extremist groups like al Qaeda who will have more space to plot and train. That is why we are now focused on breaking the Taliban's momentum and building Afghan capacity so that the Afghan government can begin to assume responsibility for its future. The United States remains committed to a strong, stable, and prosperous Afghanistan.

Since 2009, the United States and Pakistan have deepened our important bilateral partnership. Counter-terrorism cooperation has led to significant blows against al Qaeda's leadership. The Pakistani military has gone on the offensive in Swat and South Waziristan, at great cost to the Pakistani military and people. The United States and Pakistan have also commenced a Strategic Dialogue, which has expanded cooperation on issues ranging from security to economic development. Pakistan and Afghanistan have also improved their bilateral ties, most recently through the completion of a Transit-Trade Agreement. Yet the Pakistani government -- and Pakistan's military and intelligence services -- must continue their strategic shift against insurgent groups. The balance must shift decisively against al Qaeda and its extremist allies. U.S. support for Pakistan will continue to be focused on building Pakistani capacity to root out violent extremist groups, while supporting the aspirations of the Pakistani people.

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