This is the statement from the White House on today's release of thousands of highly sensitive diplomatic cables by WikiLeaks. Needless to say, they are, non-happy.

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs faces the WikiLeaks firestorm. (photo: Getty Images)

White House Statement on WikiLeaks Release

The White House | Office of the Press Secretary

28 November 10

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release

November 28, 2010

Statement by the Press Secretary

We anticipate the release of what are claimed to be several hundred thousand classified State department cables on Sunday night that detail private diplomatic discussions with foreign governments. By its very nature, field reporting to Washington is candid and often incomplete information. It is not an expression of policy, nor does it always shape final policy decisions. Nevertheless, these cables could compromise private discussions with foreign governments and opposition leaders, and when the substance of private conversations is printed on the front pages of newspapers across the world, it can deeply impact not only US foreign policy interests, but those of our allies and friends around the world. To be clear -- such disclosures put at risk our diplomats, intelligence professionals, and people around the world who come to the United States for assistance in promoting democracy and open government. These documents also may include named individuals who in many cases live and work under oppressive regimes and who are trying to create more open and free societies. President Obama supports responsible, accountable, and open government at home and around the world, but this reckless and dangerous action runs counter to that goal. By releasing stolen and classified documents, Wikileaks has put at risk not only the cause of human rights but also the lives and work of these individuals. We condemn in the strongest terms the unauthorized disclosure of classified documents and sensitive national security information.

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+22 # Sheila Samples 2010-11-28 22:08

"President Obama supports responsible, accountable, and open government at home and around the world."

??? -- Run that by me one more time...

"President Obama supports responsible, accountable, and open government at home and around the world."

Okay. Thanks. That's what I thought you said.

-3 # Magginkat 2010-11-29 05:31

Quoting

"President Obama supports responsible, accountable, and open government at home and around the world."

??? -- Run that by me one more time...

"President Obama supports responsible, accountable, and open government at home and around the world."

Okay. Thanks. That's what I thought you said.

I thought I had mis-read that line. Thanks for verifying that I heard correctly. Now pardon me while I LMAO!

+24 # Mouna 2010-11-28 22:11

We are always at risk when we have anything to hide.

"We shall know the truth and the Truth shall set us free."

+8 # Koondog 2010-11-28 22:27

Robert Gibbs,
Suck it up and own it. It will be better for the country in the long run.

+1 # Phyllis 2010-11-29 12:32

Right on!!! What's wrong with owning up? If what we do is wrong, then we change it. If it's right, we have nothing to fear. That's what I taught my kids growing up.

-3 # Bluntnose 2010-11-28 22:36

Hey, guys, when you don't know the extent of repercussions, including whose lives you might be throwing away, that is beyond irresponsible. Criticize open government -- fair game. But this kind of leakage will necessarily bring about more harm than good. Very bad idea.

+1 # tishado 2010-11-29 16:30

Are you saying that it is better that criminal acts by the government should best remain secret so as to protect their impunity?

+2 # Merry Maisel 2010-11-28 22:42

Open and transparent, is it, to call all Persians (Iranians) "born egotists" who cannot understand their own "long-term benefit"? Just racism, and a good thing it got leaked.

+14 # tishado 2010-11-29 00:18

I can understand the sensitive nature of international diplomacy, but perhaps the cause of human rights is not best advanced by doing and saying things in secret that cannot be revealed. The reason for keeping things secret is usually to avoid embarassment and the reason for embarassment is usually doing something you should not be doing.

As a side point, the US is probably making the situation worse. Wikileaks has offered to work with the government in editing material for release and the response has been to demonize and hound the group, including what appears to be a politically-motivated indictment of Julian Assange. The government is destroying the incentives for Wikileaks to be careful in releasing information. Government demonizing is creating strong incentives for Wikileaks to be less discriminate in releasing documents.

-13 # marina aamodt 2010-11-29 01:35

To steal classified information and publish it worldwide is treason and very unhelpful for an elected government trying to protect us and should be punished accordingly. I am a supporter of RSN but cannot agree with your sending out repetedly the petition in support of such an activity

+14 # maxima 2010-11-29 04:59

Marina, first, it can't be "treason" as he is not a US citizen. The US does not set the rules for the rest of the planet, though we apparently like to think that we have this right. Second, I think a quote by Joseph Goebbels here is significant, at least as food for thought: " “If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State."

I consider myself patriotic, but we see repeatedly in our so-called democracy that our government acts with near total disregard to our own laws. Has Assange's releases caused as much death and distruction as the lies of Bush, Powell, Rumsfeld et al regarding the buildup to the Iragi war? Then why, in keeping with our own laws and treaties, are these poeple not brought before justice? In this the Obama administration is as guilty as they are.

+5 # Joe King 2010-11-29 06:11

Quoting

To steal classified information and publish it worldwide is treason and very unhelpful for an elected government trying to protect us and should be punished accordingly."

TREASON means disloyalty or treachery to one's own country or its government. Treason is an attempt to overthrow the government or impair the well-being of a state to which one owes allegiance; the crime of giving aid or comfort to the enemies of one's own government.
WikiLeaks never swore allegiance to USA nor is it their own country!! How can what it leaks be called treason? It may be damaging to USA but then USA claims to be open to truth and facts!

+9 # AngryMan 2010-11-29 07:05

Quoting

To steal classified information and publish it worldwide is treason and very unhelpful for an elected government trying to protect us and should be punished accordingly. I am a supporter of RSN but cannot agree with your sending out repetedly the petition in support of such an activity

WikiLeaks revealed a video-captured, cold-blooded murder of reporters. This multiple murder was not investigated. THAT is the crime. It should not be a crime to report a crime! Our government tells us that getting X-rayed or groped before we fly on an airplane is okay, because if you have nothing to hide, what's the problem? Turn the tables around ... if our government has nothing to hide, what's the problem? Sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.

+2 # tishado 2010-11-29 16:34

I suggest you go and read any good book on the classification system and you will find that there is a strong tendency to hide information based on the ability to hide and the desire to avoid embarrassment and not on necessity. If you are talking about necessity, I agree with you, but the government has given up the necessity argument by refusing to cooperate with Wikileaks by identifying sensitive information to be redacted. In essence, by refusing to take Wikileaks up on its offer to allow the government to review and help identify sensitive information, the government is either saying that none of it is sensitive or that it is willing to assume the consequences of any damage that is done.

To be honest, when bad things are being done by government, I think it is better to know about them and make a public judgment than to cover it up.

+9 # darelex 2010-11-29 03:56

I resent these officious government goons lying and killing in my name, and I have to pay for this! Expose their butts...

+11 # PGreen 2010-11-29 04:38

It is a shame the the US government participates in activities that shame us all, that officials feel they must hide. "For the people, by the people," is not happening.

"The spirit of critique is meaningless without literacy and an informed public. For such a public to flourish, it must be supported with public debate and informed agents capable of becoming both a witness to injustice and a force for transforming those political, economic and institutional conditions that impose silence and perpetuate human suffering."
--Henry A. Giroux
----------
"It is error only, and not truth, that shirks from inquiry."
--Thomas Paine (1737-1809),

+7 # Arden Kirkman 2010-11-29 04:58

It's the White House, NOT Julian Assange, that not only "puts at risk" but STOPS all progress in human rights. They do that with every bomb they drop and door they break down and human being they condemn as terrorist and kill, with every torture tactic, with their refusal to hold people accountable for the inside job of 9/11, and with their lack of transparency. My mother-in-law used to say sweep around your own doorstep before you try to sweep around hers. That surely applies to Washington with its war policy and war economy.

+11 # Rothie 2010-11-29 05:05

Bush doesn't want the information released, wonder why?Bush didn't raise an eye brow when the business of Valerie Plain was leaked.

+8 # Magginkat 2010-11-29 05:41

The only thing that is endangered by these releases are the political lives of some not so nice politicians. TOUGH!

If the U.S. would stop sticking our noses in everyone else's business we would not have these problems. Bring our soldiers home, close down some of the hundreds of military bases scattered around the globe, use the money to rebuild the U.S. instead of wasting it on unwanted, illegal, useless wars.

+2 # Jane Gilgun 2010-11-29 05:43

Where is the balance between open government and the space to talk candidly and even wildly about international matters? Sometimes we come up with creative solutions by saying some strange things first. Should everything be public? Let's hope we have a nation dialogue and come up with fair solutions. The public has intruded into diplomatic affairs. For government officials, it's like being in one of the full-body scanners at airports.

-11 # Pat in Idaho 2010-11-29 05:49

The publication of classified information in the manner of WikiLeaks is dangerous and irresponsible. I haven't been able to identify any redeeming points for such an act. I do not agree with RSN repeatedly sending out the petition in support of Assange regarding his "work and integrity". I see no integrity here!

+1 # tishado 2010-11-29 16:41

Where do you draw the line, then? Wikileaks first came into trouble by revealing evidence of serious crimes against American, military, and international law being committed. It is not okay for people to come forward with evidence of serious crimes?

Wikileak's "lack of integrity" has involved contacting the US government and asking for assistance in identifying sensitive information that might hurt people then, when rebuffed, trying to determine and redact the documents on its own, and providing the information to a variety of major mainstream news outlets around the world.

What would be the definition of integrity in this case? Holding onto evidence of serious crimes and aiding in the cover-up? Assisting the political agenda of successive US governments?

+6 # genierae 2010-11-29 06:05

A policy of secrecy is always vulnerable to exploitation by those who wish to hide their crimes. If we had transparent government, we would not have had the Vietnam and Iraq wars. We would not have had Iran-Contra, or the CIA backing the Shah's overthrow of Iranian democracy. Etc. Etc. Etc. Yes, airing our dirty laundry in public will cause quite a bit of trouble, but don't blame the messenger, Mr. Assange. If we want a better, more open government, then we must put up with the extraordinarily bumpy road that leads us to it.

+4 # Joe King 2010-11-29 06:09

-7 # terry 2010-11-29 08:09

Treason should be charged to the person or person responsible for the leaking of secret documents, what don't you understand?

+4 # tgmcnaughton 2010-11-29 10:54

Julian Assange is not an American citizen. He does not owe allegiance to the US and so cannot be guilty of treason. What don't YOU understand?

+4 # Nelson Valderrama 2010-11-29 06:36

If the duplicitous bastards running things had their every word made public, things would be run in a much more honest manner and we would be spared a lot of trouble from their "behind our backs" shenanigans!

+6 # OCCUPIED AMERICA 2010-11-29 06:49

With three references to OPEN government, only the lies are becoming more transparent. Truth is held hostage in the name of "safety" -only for the safe passage of more lies. Having very nearly reached total corruption, there are no other 'proper' avenues of expression, when freedom to protest is prohibited by roping it off into "privatized" areas, thus silencing the voice of the people. The American government is presently operating EXACTLY BACKWARD to the benefit of the Earth and its peoples. When the "free press" media is owned or controlled by weapons-makers, the pretty words about free societies only show contempt for the truth.

+3 # albert urs eugster 2010-11-29 07:31

I vaguely empathise with you, alas it is well known and amply documented that by no means all US efforts serve the noble goals mentioned by you or indeed by your president

That soem people may be put at risk can't be denied, but truly accountable people only involved with proper deals shouldn't be made to suffer. Maybe other channels can be found for the inevitable underhand stuff.

-3 # Sharleen Kapp 2010-11-29 07:35

Dealing with the world at large is difficult at best and certainly following the Bush administration it must have been like walking on chards of glass. I am so pleased with everything the President has managed to achieve and I am suspect of this whole happening just at this time. It has never been okay to reveal such secrets when it could so severely damage so many people and undo so many of the advances we have made. To reveal such information is not open honesty, it is treason. And maybe a lesson learned by too many too late. Where were all the ones shouting for truth when Bush was in office and covering up so much from 9/11 to the illegal Iraq invasion, to the corruption of our elective processes. And I wonder if all those folks demanding such openness would feel the same if we demanded to see all their emails and messages. Get sane!

+8 # genierae 2010-11-29 08:33

Ms.Kapp: As one of "the ones shouting for truth" today, I will be glad to reassure you that I was also shouting for truth when "Bush was in office". The whole eight years of his abominations, I yelled long and loud, getting verbally abused and physically threatened for my efforts. And I would be glad to publish my emails, but most people would find them exceedingly dull.

Julian Assange is a hero, and you need to stop blaming the messenger, and instead work to support his efforts to bring transparency to the dark deeds of the US government. If they know that their actions are going to be public, they will not commit so many crimes, now will they?

+5 # Jander2 2010-11-29 09:51

What a bunch of happy horseshit. "Open government" , I doubt it. We are under the control of the military-industrial complex and any way to "out it" is good in my estimation. Cheney didn't hold back on Valerie Plame.

+4 # B.A.Zalesky 2010-11-29 12:47

Let's see now, if one of our so-called "diplomats" talked a year or so ago about another "diplomat" burping, etc., that brings us closer to war and causes people to dislike us more than our killing of 100,000 Iraquis, attacking a nation for no just cause, playing "war games" in the Yellow Sea next to South Korea, etc. Go figure!!!

0 # DMB 2010-11-29 14:24

I support RSN on a lot of things and financially, but am not in agreement with their support given the bastard who is releasing "classified" information to the masses. It is treason in my opinion and should be dealt with openly, and without apology. An intelligent friend of mine once said that trying to be "objective" at times is only an excuse to not think things through and give something its proper weight...How appropriate that seems in this instance. It's okay to be "liberal" but you have to give things its proper weight to be a "wise liberal." RSN should wise up and take the petition down or i'll feel obligated to go elsewhere for some of my news.

0 # tishado 2010-11-29 16:54

We are either a democracy or an empire. If we are an empire, I agree with you and people like you and me should shut up about corporate rule and get with the program.

I prefer to live in a democracy, even if it is not perfect. If our government is saying things in our name, we should know about it. If we have secrets that need to be classified, maybe we should be very careful so that we release information that does not need to be classified so that the people will trust that "secret" really means "secret" and not "politically embarrassing." With the Afghan documents, Wikileaks tried to make the distinction but was rebuffed by the administration, which refused to assist in redacting sensitive information. That either means that the government does not really believe the information is all that secret, or it would rather suffer the risks of damage to innocent people instead of supporting the principle of open government and open information. Either way, sounds very bad to me.

0 # SANDY BARR 2010-11-30 08:54

*Have read somewhere *GIVE ME YOUR TIRED YOUR POOR YOUR HUDDLED MASSES YEARNING TO BREATH FREE* Seem to recall that a lot of Brits and many other Nationalities, died just so that statement could be a truism...one written in Blood and Stone. *God Bless America.* and all her peoples Native and ALL children born from the first Incoming peoples and subsequent generations. In the One Light Sandy Barr, Findhorn, Scotland, UK

0 # SANDY BARR 2010-11-30 09:15

IF I RECALL MY VISIT TO THE USA AND REMEMBER WHAT IS WRITTEN IN STONE AT THE BASE OF THE STATUE OF LIBERTY:-

*GIVE ME YOUR TIRED YOUR POOR YOUR HUDDLED MASSES YEARNING TO BREATH FREE*
THIS IS SURELY AN ALL ENCOMPASSING *WISH* STATEMENT OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
SO MY QUESTION IS .....*IS DEMOCRACY THE PROBLEM?

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