Re: Logic and Actions of the US
Heathroi,
"You claim that government may deal with unsavoury governments for realpolitick, well why the secrecy? if its mutually beneficial then surely the citizenry could see that and accept it or not on its merits."
Try reading what I posted. What I said was that everyone knows we deal with unsavoury regimes. It's not secret. Nothing was revealed.
For example, it's in the US government accounts, that they've been giving Egypt $2bn a year of military aid. Extensively discussed as well (even before the revolution). Not a nice regime, but they signed a peace deal with Israel, and that was part of it.
"You may have noticed form from your extensive reading list you recommended that the american public seemed to repudiate the philosophies of the unsavoury Bush/ Cheney team for that nice Mr Obama in 2008."
Well if I was being pedantic, I might point out that Bush didn't lose, he wasn't allowed to stand. I made no comment about the Bush regime, just pointed out that there was a lot of debate about foreign policy.
A point I didn't make, but will now, is that the Neocons talked about this very issue. Obviously they did a lot of cheerleading for the war in Iraq, so maybe no-one listened... But the extremely valid point that they make is that we allied with a lot of horrible regimes in the Cold War, in order to get stability. This gives a temporary stability, but in the end, repressive dictatorships (of the right or left) aren't stable. Their argument was that foreign policy should promote democracy, because it was both morally right, and in our own long-term interests. Whatever else you think about them (the lunacy of bringing democracy by force etc.), I'd have thought that bit of analysis looks pretty good. Even if I'm not sure it's actually possible to turn into policy.
"And if our informants are rounded up because of an expose of naughty business our government is up to then I can only hope they enjoy their 30 pieces of silver in the afterlife."
And here you reveal your true colours. And reveal yourself a heartless fuckwit as well.
The Afghan war logs had GPS co-ordinates of ordinary people in villages who'd given info to the US. If you're a villager in certain parts of Afghanistan, you don't want NATO or the Taliban. You had a perfectly nice life until they came along. The Taliban plant landmines in your fields, which blow up your children (this being the reason many a village has defected to NATO). NATO want to fight a war in your fields, and maybe attract more Taliban. You probably have to pick a side. Not an easy choice.
But oh no. You, from your great moral height have judged these people imperialist lap-dogs of the running-dog capitalist empire. Targets ripe for murder by the other side, who's actions for some reason are purified by their opposition to the Great Satan. You truly are a fucking idiot! They're just people trying to get along. The Taliban are as alien in most parts of Afghanistan as we are. It was a civil war for 10 years before we joined in. Perhaps you could do some of that reading, you were so dismissive of just now?
Some of the informants in the diplomatic cables were democracy campaigners. Who happen to talk to the representatives of democratic governments. I very much doubt the real agents make it onto the database.
Use your damned brain, and don't assume wikileaks don't have their own agenda, just like anyone else.