Wikileaks. We know them best as the people responsible for making politics seem more like an episode of House of Cards. The Hilary Clinton emails, the Hilary Clinton…it’s most recently been filled with Hilary Clinton scandals. Now, I am no Wikileaks expert. I had little knowledge of this organization until this past November when the background noise was “tonight on *insert generic TV Station* Wikileaks reveals…”
Aside, through my research I have found that Wikileaks is a non-profit organization that offers a platform to reveal classified information to the public with complete anonymity. Their mission is to “open governments” and combat corruption. Do I agree with the mission of this stealthy cyber-organization? The simple answer, yes. But I think it is important to know a little more about what Wikileaks does exactly.
An essential piece of the Wikileaks brand is that it is non-bias. They present concrete facts, and through this build their nonpartisan objectives. It opens a forum for the public to make judgments through a more informed lens, and I couldn’t agree more with this approach in media. Posted to their website is a statement that reads, “Wikileaks will accept restricted or censored material of political, ethical, diplomatic or historical significance. We do not accept rumor, opinion, other kinds of first hand accounts or material that is publicly available elsewhere.”
Since its founding in 2006, CEO Julian Assange has captured many shocking truths in international politics. Even before Hilary was the hot topic, this group unveiled the “Iraq War Logs,” charting near 109,000 deaths caused by insurgents in Iraq, released footage from the Baghdad airstrike of 2007, and uncovered six years of classified intelligences information reporting ground coverage in Afghanistan-including the search for Bowe Bergdahl beginning the night he walked off his post.
The Serial Podcast titled “The Golden Chicken” covers the sprawl to return the Dustwun. As described in the podcast, from the point of Bowes disappearance it became every soldier’s mission to find their guy. Documents released by Wikileaks confirm the immediate attention described by soldiers in Mest and Sharana at the time.
UPDATE: 1212z YUKON 6 REPORTS ALL OPERATIONS WILL CEASE UNTIL MISSING SOLDIER IS FOUND. ALL ASSESTS WILL BE FOCUSED ON THE DUSTWUN SITUATION AND SUSTAINMENT OPERATIONS
“Even if your job was to look for Osama bin Laden, now you were going to look for the Dustwun” explained the Serial 2 narrator.
An informant under the name of “Raman” tells Serial 2 that it was clear that US forces were flowing into eastern Afghanistan for the search, leading the Taliban to think quickly and keep the soldier moving.
UPDATE: 1248z SPOT REPORT MISSING US SOLDIER WAS LAST SEEN IN A VILLAGE AT GRID LOCATION VB 611 818; A BAG WAS COVERING HIS HEAD AND HE WAS WEARING DARK KHAKI APPAREL. HE WAS BEING TRANSPORTED IN A BLACK TOYOTA CORROLLA WHICH IN ADDITION WAS BEING ESCORTED BY 3-5 MOTORCYCLES.
Bowe recalled that during his captivity the Taliban had approached him on motorcycles. He also retells the story when they blindfolded him, covered his face with a blanket, and transported him. He could hear the motorcycles, and at one point was placed on the back of one until they stopped to later video him.
1- I THINK HE IS BIG SHOT THAT WHY THEY ARE LOOKING FOR HIM. 3-CAN YOU GUYS MAKE A VIDEO OF HIM AND ANNOUNCE IT ALL OVER AFGHANISTAN THAT WE HAVE ONE OF THE AMERICANS. 1- WE ALREADY HAVE A VIDEO OF HIM.
Bowe’s story has caused great controversy. And although many speculations surround what really happened during Bowe’s capture, the document leaks aid in understanding his path and how it was followed.
