WikiLeaks and the future of information freedom

[Joanne98]

In 2000, the New York Times revealed in a leaked document that America’s secret police, the CIA conspired with S.I.S, the secret security wing of England to overthrow Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadegh in 1953 in Iran. The move was inspired by Washington and London’s interest to control Iranian oil. The document cited, “Britain, fearful of Iran’s plans to nationalize its oil industry, came up with the idea for the coup in 1952 and pressed the United States to mount a joint operation to remove the prime minister. It was a successful. And for close to five decades, how and why a democratically elected prime minister of Iran was overthrown had gotten “lost to history”.

American President George Bush Jr. dismissed the leak as an “ancient piece of history.” Surely, it had taken so long to get known. And his argument was that such revelations should be forgotten and thrown onto the waste basket — and people should move on with new lives and new agendas. This is how a lot of information has eluded the public eye and the troublemakers and victims alike, either retire or die one by one without telling the story or even getting to account for their misdeeds.

A lot of mischief continues to be plotted all around the world. Plots to assassinate presidents are drawn, nuclear facilities are constructed, wars are funded and money is stolen, etc. And the superpowers who claim to act as the world police and who, because of their strength, would have held criminals accountable are instead the major actors in this ugly trend. This information therefore remains lost until some veteran, like chief CIA agent in the Iran coup Kermit Roosevelt did, writes a memoir. Roosevelt released some information that he deemed less wounding and holding back much of it where CIA moves were more selfish and exploitative. Not anymore!

The 21st century has seen developments in technology and science that have come to change the way our history will be written. Developments in the flow of information, especially the internet, have made and unmade men. Michael Zuckerberg, the whiz behind Facebook, has been made by the internet as was President Barack Obama and his match to the White House. Monies are sent or stolen via the internet. Banks have crumbled because of the internet.

http://www.independent.co.ug/index.php/column/guest-column/68-guest-column/3784-wikileaks-and-the-future-of-information-freedom

[Kurovski]

1. Kick. (nt)