The controversial Wikileaks of Julian Assange and its diplomatic consequences

Julian Assange who is the founder of the controversial Wikileaks has been set free by a US court in the Northern Mariana Islands. This has ended his long legal battle with the US. The Wikileaks founder has been accused of accessing classified information pertaining to the US and releasing them in an illegal manner. He has also been accused of recruiting individuals with access to this important information and illegally transmitting it to his servers. This information had damaged the relationship of the US with many of its partners including France, India and Japan among others.

Information leaked:

Some of his leaks include videos showing US forces killing Iraqi nationals, firing on journalists in Iraq, the US invasion of Iraq and their operations in Afghanistan and also the opinions of the top diplomats, many of which were controversial and damaged American’s relations with many of its allies. Many of these leaks made their way into the public domain in 2010.

There are also leaks targeting the US Democratic Party. The campaign against Bernie Sanders was particularly highlighted.


Also Read: Dandadan: All about global theatrical release, premiere dates, locations, trailer, voice cast, storyline, characters and where to stream

Impact on the US:

The Wikileaks led to a diplomatic disaster for the US. The authorities in the US and the UK had to declassify many documents related to Iraq and Afghanistan. After a point of time, the authorities refused to release other documents citing the issue of security of individuals.

There was also a diplomatic outreach by the US towards its allies and partners who had to be re-assured. The then Secretary of State Hilary Clinton personally reached out to her counterparts and assured them of continuous US support to them.

Lastly, it has been reported that the then US President Barack Obama was worried about the fall out of this controversy on domestic politics. In the US, it built pressure on the government to come out and support transparency in its dealings.

FAQs:

Have civil society organizations supported Julian Assange’s actions?
Many organizations supported him considering factors such as transparency and accountability in governance. Other organizations pointed out that diplomatic cables are sacrosanct and should not be leaked in such a manner.

What is a diplomatic cable?
These are exchanges between the Foreign Ministry and the diplomatic missions of a nation. The mission often sends out details pertaining to various subjects from the host country back to the headquarters.