The White House denies that the enormous cache of leaked military documents published by online whistle-blower site WikiLeaks has threatened national security. For the hundreds of Afghan informants (including civilians) whose names are reportedly revealed in the data dump, it may be a different story. Are those Afghans who've been aiding the U.S. military's efforts at risk of being targeted by the Taliban? (Watch Sen. Kit Bond criticize WikiLeaks)
Both Afghans and Americans will die because of this: Julian Assange, the WikiLeaks founder, has "blood on his hands," says Ed Morrissey at Hot Air. The leaked documents may just be a "publicity stunt" for him, but it's a "death sentence to people who helped us, and most likely their families as well." No sensible Afghan will want to work with us now, which means "more dead Americans," too. What a "despicable act."
"Wiki:eaks exposed hundreds of Afghan informants."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The consequences could go deeper: Not only could people die, this leak may also undo the military's entire "human intelligence network" in Afghanistan and Pakistan, says Alex Spillius in the Telegraph. Allied forces have spent nearly a decade recruiting everyone from "village elders who have worked behind the scenes" to "militants who have become double agents." It could seriously damage our progress in the war.
"Afghanistan war logs could lead to revenge killings, say intelligence"
So why are anti-war liberals still applauding the leak? This news should give the anti-war lobby pause for thought, says Logan Penza at The Moderate Voice. If WikiLeaks had published the "names and addresses of informants in witness protection who had testified against The Mob," there would be outrage. But this is essentially the same thing, and yet the "anti-war cheering section" won't shut up. It's time they realized that WikiLeaks' actions are not idealistic or noble, but "morally complex" and potentially deadly.
-
Jaguar Land Rover’s cyber bailoutTalking Point Should the government do more to protect business from the ‘cyber shockwave’?
-
Russia: already at war with Europe?Talking Point As Kremlin begins ‘cranking up attacks’ on Ukraine’s European allies, questions about future action remain unanswered
-
Crossword: October 5, 2025The Week's daily crossword puzzle
