One Big Difference

Great and informative write-up. Would like to point out one major difference between Cablegate and the Pentagon Papers is that the publication of the latter was accompanied by journalistic analysis (which is what got Mr Sheehan his Pulitzer), something completely lacking from WikiLeaks.

But I grant that indeed you compared Assange to the NYT and not to Mr Sheehan.

Disclosure: Mr Sheehan has been a hero of mine since I met him after attending a lecture at my uni 20 years or so ago.