Hi guys,
I raced to SoSZ, wanting to read what everyone thinks about these WikiLeak Embassy cables. Am I really the first post on it? Anyway, assuming that I am, here goes!
Like with the Afghanistan and Iraq leaks, so far, I've learned nothing new, and from the responses of the involved countries, neither has anyone else. The only thing possibly gained is a way to cite this information to peers, and possibly also the ability to say "I called it!" on issues, only now there are the actual cables to show what everyone knew all along. A lot of it is, in fact, stuff that I've been trying to just find information on casually, just to know what's going on in the world of international relations. That is, I'm surprised it's secret!
What I have learned, though, is that what I want to be - usually I say "an international environmental policymaker working to implement transfer of technology in environmental treaties" - means "diplomat." I read these cables, and I get excited. I love this whole world of hand-shaking, information sharing - it's like the embassies are a place where countries can have calm relations with each other without the media making conclusions at every second of the way. While The News talks about how the US is (or should be) scared of China Taking Over The World, and The US Shall Be Overtaken, we're seeing the US and Chinese diplomats discussing their common economic goals, hand-in-hand, coordinating international policy to fit China's increasing importance.
I also find it funny that the US media is choosing to focus on things like how the Minister Mentor of Singapore called Kim-Jong Il a "flabby old chap." As if that will actually have ANY bearing on diplomacy. Same with the US giving directives to acquire personal information about UN and other foreign diplomats. I'm shocked that people are shocked about that: I assume, perhaps incorrectly, that if a person is to become a diplomat, they are 100% aware that yes, every country on the planet is going to try to find every single detail about them, from credit reports to medication prescribed to birth records to their pets' names, and that no, they are not at ALL bothered by that, because, as diplomats, they have nothing to hide. In fact, it's helpful that all of the countries will find out that you are not, in fact, a spy.
Also, I'd argue that even the latest-dated cables to be released so far - from early 2010 - are too outdated to actually represent current international affairs. Things change so quickly as governments, businesses, and people adapt to circumstances that the way these cables are being published are giving a sort of misconception that the information detailed is somehow relevant.
So . . . what do people think? Will there actually be any repercussions? Anyone else amused by the gossip-like focus of the US media? How is it being covered in other places? Anyone actually learn anything they didn't already kind-of-know anyway?