Wikileaks Release to Cause Mad Drama Between U.S. and Allies
Document-sharing website Wikileaks is preparing to release a trove of damaging diplomatic cables from the U.S. State Department. So the U.S. is calling all its friends to warn them. They're going to be in so much trouble!
"Girl," U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (probably) said on the phone to Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd, "There is going to be trouble." It's still unclear which State Department documents are going to be released, and what they'll contain, but Australia is worried that it could expose confidential talks between the countries' governments about the Iraq War—specifically, that then-Prime Minister John Howard had secretly committed to the war in advance of the official sign-on in March 2003. (Australia's handling of former Guantanamo Bay detainees David Hicks and Mamdouh Habib may also come up.)
Canadian foreign affairs minister Lawrence Cannon, meanwhile, got a call from U.S. ambassador David Jacobson about the "compromising conversations" that could come up in the cables. Sounds sexy! Like a Cinemax movie! But, actually, it seems likely that the "compromising conversations" will be confidential discussions about another Gauntanamo Bay detainee, Omar Khadr, will be released—specifically, diplomatic pressure from the U.S. for Canada to accept his transfer. (Though you never know! Maybe we will get some high-level diplomatic cable-sexts.)
Besides informing allied governments, the State Department has also been briefing relevant congressional committees. The release is expected to come as early as Friday. So get pumped!
