Gennady and Wendy Stolyarov continue their discussion of the achievements of WikiLeaks – wikileaks.org – including a haven for free speech in Iceland. They also address the courage of Private First Class Bradley Manning, who probably leaked the Iraq helicopter video and tens of thousands of documents pertaining to the war in Afghanistan. The kind of courage possessed by WikiLeaks operatives is remarkable and can change the power dynamic in the world, requiring governments to become more honest and transparent. See the “Collateral Murder” video that WikiLeaks released regarding the deliberate killing of civilians by US armed forces in Iraq: www.youtube.com See the Wikipedia page on WikiLeaks: en.wikipedia.org Read Mr. Stolyarov’s essay, “Liberation by Internet: How Technology Destroys Tyranny”: mises.org Watch the audio recording of “Liberation by Internet” on YouTube: www.youtube.com
I have many friends in Iceland and have been learning the language. The EU has attempted to bribe Iceland into joining along the lines of absolving them of the debts they owe to member states. Most Icelanders oppose joining. Their geographic isolation has a political corollary. Also Manning told an online aquantance, Adrian Lamo, but he had only met him a few weeks before. It appear Lamo baited Manning to divulge what he’d done with the intent off alerting the FBI.
You said Manning was born “in the same year” as you and Wendy. What, so were born in 1987, like myself? Damn, and I had the impression that you are at least a decade older. Or did I misunderstand something?
@Akatam0t0ma This is W of G + W, and yes, we were both born in 1987! :) I’m flattered that you thought we were so much older.
@lengthyounarther Thank you for your comment. I do hope that Iceland resists the EU bribe.
What you say about Adrian Lamo is true, but I think that Manning had to consider him a friend (or at least a friendly figure in whom Manning could confide) in order to share information that could jeopardize Manning’s freedom and even his life. Lamo probably never had friendly intentions toward Manning, so the perception was one-sided.
@karooble:
Intellectually, you two sound so much older. The fact that you two are married and already buying a house(From what Gennady told me in a PM exchange I had with him a while back) also make you much older than your actual age.
But maybe it’s just me who hasn’t matured as I should have by now yet :-)