WikiLeaks: Obama and Hillary blame the messenger

The U.S. government is in an uproar over Wikileaks, blaming it, and its “publisher,” Julian Assange, for releasing the information. Yes, we agree that Hillary Clinton and Obama should take a strong stand against the release of U.S. classified information—but the U.S. should seek the blame where it really lies—at its own doorstep.

Obama again blew a chance to show he has some spine and brains. He should have come down hard on his own administration, vowing to seek out the perpetrators in his own government, and to punish them to the full extent of the law—not flail out at WikiLeaks.

Once someone in the U.S. government decides to release confidential and classified U.S. documents, there will be plenty of folks like WikiLeaks around to disseminate the information.

In early October, WikiLeaks shut down its document-submission system; Julian Assange says it was receiving more information than it could find resources to publish, thousands of additions a day at some points.

In blaming the messenger, WikiLeaks, Obama is making a lame and transparent attempt to give cover to his own administration, which is the true culprit in the affair.

In the past, the U.S. made strong moves to ferret out Communists and fellow travelers who were working for the government. While we don’t agree with all the tactics used in some of the “witch hunts” of the past, Obama should do an honest job of cleaning out his own organization.

Obama’s silence regarding WikiLeaks, and his failure to place the blame where it really lies—in his own backyard—once again shows us that he is weak. Even Sarah Palin might have done a better job.

Here is an example of a WikiLeaks “leak,” which gives a telling insight into Hillary Clinton’s “methods.”

“How is Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner managing her nerves and anxiety?” asked a cable dated Dec. 31, 2009, and signed “CLINTON” in all capital letters.

The cable, sent at 2:55 p.m. on New Year’s Eve, and originating in the department’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research, asked a series of other probing questions as part of what it said was an attempt by her office to understand “leadership dynamics” between Kirchner and her husband, former President Nestor Kirchner.

“How does stress affect her behavior toward advisors and/or her decision making?” the cable continued. “What steps does Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner or her advisers/handlers, take in helping her deal with stress? Is she taking any medications?”

Here is the entire cable, courtesy of WikiLeaks:

Thursday, 31 December 2009, 14:55
S E C R E T STATE 132349
NOFORN
SIPDIS
EO 12958 DECL: 12/31/2034
TAGS PINR, PGOV, AR
SUBJECT: (C/NF)  ARGENTINA: KIRCHNER INTERPERSONAL
DYNAMICS (C-AL9-02612)
Classified By: ELISSA G. PITTERLE, DIRECTOR, INR/OPS. REASON: 1.4(C).
1. (S/NF) WASHINGTON ANALYSTS ARE INTERESTED IN ARGENTINE LEADERSHIP DYNAMICS, PARTICULARLY WITH REGARDS TO CRISTINA FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER AND NESTOR KIRCHNER. DRAWING ON PREVIOUS REPORTING, AND BUILDING UPON OUR OWN ANALYTIC ASSESSMENTS, WE ARE CURRENTLY PREPARING A WRITTEN PRODUCT EXAMINING THE INTERPERSONAL DYNAMICS BETWEEN THE GOVERNING TANDEM. WE HAVE A MUCH MORE SOLID UNDERSTANDING OF NESTOR KIRCHNER’S STYLE AND PERSONALITY THAN WE DO OF CRISTINA FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER AND WE WOULD LIKE TO DEVELOP A MORE WELL-ROUNDED VIEW OF CRISTINA FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER’S PERSONALITY. AS POST,S TIME AND RESOURCES ALLOW AND TO THE EXTENT POST HAS ACCESS TO THIS TYPE OF INFORMATION, WE WOULD WELCOME ANY INSIGHT INTO THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS. MANY THANKS, AND REGARDS FROM WASHINGTON.
A. (U) MENTAL STATE AND HEALTH:
1) (S/NF) HOW IS CRISTINA FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER MANAGING HER NERVES AND ANXIETY? HOW DOES STRESS AFFECT HER BEHAVIOR TOWARD ADVISORS AND/OR HER DECISIONMAKING? WHAT STEPS DOES CRISTINA FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER OR HER ADVISERS/HANDLERS, TAKE IN HELPING HER DEAL WITH STRESS? IS SHE TAKING ANY MEDICATIONS? UNDER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES IS SHE BEST ABLE TO HANDLE STRESSES? HOW DO CRISTINA FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER,S EMOTIONS AFFECT HER DECISIONMAKING AND HOW DOES SHE CALM DOWN WHEN DISTRESSED?
2) (S/NF) WHAT IS THE STATUS OF NESTOR KIRCHNER’S GASTROINTESTINAL ILLNESS? DOES IT CONTINUE TO BOTHER HIM? IS HE TAKING ANY MEDICATIONS? LONG KNOWN FOR HIS TEMPER, HAS NESTOR KIRCHNER DEMONSTRATED A GREATER TENDENCY TO SHIFT BETWEEN EMOTIONAL EXTREMES? WHAT ARE MOST COMMON TRIGGERS TO NESTOR KIRCHNER’S ANGER?
B. (U) POLITICAL VIEWS:
1) (S/NF) WHEN DEALING WITH PROBLEMS, DOES CRISTINA FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER TAKE A STRATEGIC, BIG PICTURE OUTLOOK, OR DOES SHE PREFER TO TAKE A TACTICAL VIEW? DOES SHE VIEW CIRCUMSTANCES IN BLACK AND WHITE OR IN NUANCED TERMS? DOES SHE SHARE NESTOR KIRCHNER’S ADVERSARIAL VIEW OF POLITICS OR DOES SHE ATTEMPT TO MODERATE HIS HEAVY-HANDED POLITICAL STYLE?
C. (U) ON THE JOB:
1) (S/NF) HOW DO CRISTINA FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER AND NESTOR KIRCHNER DIVIDE UP THEIR DAY? ON WHICH ISSUES DOES CRISTINA FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER TAKE THE LEAD AND WHICH ISSUES DOES SHE LEAVE TO NESTOR KIRCHNER?
¶2. (U) PLEASE CITE C-AL9-02612 IN THE SUBJECT LINE OF REPORTING IN RESPONSE TO THE ABOVE QUESTIONS. CLINTON