Publication of the cables has caused no loss of life; troops are not being mobilised; and the only real diplomatic crisis is merely one of discomfort. The idea that the past two weeks have been a disaster is self-evidently preposterous. Yet the leaks are of unprecedented importance because, at a stroke, they have enlightened the masses about what is being done in their name and have shown the corruption, incompetence – and sometimes wisdom – of our politicians, corporations and diplomats. More significantly, we have been given a snapshot of the world as it is, rather than the edited account agreed upon by diverse elites, whose only common interest is the maintenance of their power and our ignorance.
by Henry Porter

Everything we knew about the mass killing, torture and corruption in Iraq and Afghanistan has been confirmed. The world's leaders can no longer hide the truth by simply lying to the public. The lies themselves have been exposed.
President Obama -- singing the praises of an "unrestricted internet" -- said recently, "I believe the more freely information flows, the stronger the society becomes, because then citizens of countries around the world, can hold their own governments accountable, they can begin to think for themselves."
US secretary of state Hilary Clinton agrees with Obama. On 21 January 2010 she said: "Information has never been so free. Even in authoritarian countries, information networks are helping people discover new facts and making governments more accountable."
Except, of course, when it is the US and its allies, including Britain, who have invaded other people's countries without justification. Then the information is to be suppressed and the messenger is to be destroyed.
By Robin Beste and Alistair Cartwright