Small Wars Journal

NYT: The Afghanistan War Logs

Sun, 07/25/2010 - 7:33pm
The War Logs: "An archive of classified military documents offers an unvarnished view of the war in Afghanistan" - New York Times.

More

Massive Leak of Secret Files Exposes Truth of Occupation - The Guardian

Explosive Leaks Provide Image of War from Those Fighting It - Der Spiegel

Leaked Files Lay Bare War in Afghanistan - Washington Post

90,000 Classified Documents Revealed - Daily Telegraph

U.S. Documents Leaked Online Give Inside Look at War - Associated Press

Leaks 'Reveal Afghan War Details' - BBC News

Afghan War Diary, 2004-2010 - WikiLeaks

WikiLeaks Drops 90,000 Secret War Docs - Wired

The Big Leak - Politico

Reports From the Ground in Afghanistan - New York Times

In Disclosing Documents, WikiLeaks Seeks 'Transparency' - New York Times

Wikileaks New Approach in Latest Release of Documents - Washington Post

White House Responds to Disclosure - New York Times

White House Decries WikiLeaks' Release - Los Angeles Times

Afghan War Logs: Inquiry Launched into Source of Leaks - Daily Telegraph

U.S. Denounces Publication of Classified Documents - Bloomberg

Jones Lashes Out at Wikileaks for Putting Lives at Risk - The Hill

Strategic Plans Spawned Bitter End for a Lonely Outpost - New York Times

Afghanistan War Logs: Shattering Illusion of a Bloodless Victory - The Guardian

Afghanistan War Logs: Secret War Along the Pakistan Border - The Guardian

The Secret Enemy in Pakistan: Problems with an Supposed Partner - Der Spiegel

Pakistan Spy Service Aids Insurgents, Reports Assert - New York Times

Pakistan Secretly Helping Taliban - Reuters

Pakistan Denies Wikileaks Reports it 'Aided Taliban' - BBC News

Afghanistan War Logs: Iran's Covert Operations in Afghanistan - The Guardian

Afghanistan War Logs: Fear Taliban Could Tap Mobile Phones - The Guardian

Afghanistan War Logs: Taliban Listening in to Top-secret Phone - The Guardian

Afghanistan War Logs: 'Green on Green' Fights - The Guardian

Afghanistan War Logs: CIA Paramilitaries' Role in Civilian Deaths - The Guardian

Afghanistan War Logs: Civilians Caught in Firing Line - The Guardian

Task Force 373 : The Secret Hunters - Der Spiegel

German Naivety : Growing Trouble in the North - Der Spiegel

The Flaws of the Silent Killer: When Drones Fail - Der Spiegel

Intelligence Agents Drowning in Data - Der Spiegel

WikiLeaks' Afghan Documents and Me - Mother Jones

Reaction to Disclosure of Military Documents on Afghan War - New York Times

Comments

Tom (not verified)

Mon, 07/26/2010 - 8:48am

Gain.....

and other groups that will be interested, Taliban/AQ!

gian p gentile (not verified)

Mon, 07/26/2010 - 8:32am

Rex:

Agree; Like the Pentagon papers, but not really. I would only add to your points about this historical reference that another key difference is the general apathy of the American public toward the war in Afghanistan compared to the moral connection between the American people and war during Vietnam because of the draft.

Unlike the Pentagon Papers that resonated months and years and even beyond after they were released, these wikileaks on Afghanistan will be front page for a day or two then swept into the dustbin of history where the only folks interested will be wonks, experts, historians doing current history, and military bloggers.

gian

negotiator6

Mon, 07/26/2010 - 6:40am

Issues like Kamdesh or Wanat..we know...and alot has been discussed on issues like placement, support and strategy.

On issues like "Are the PRT's really providing the "success metric" in support of the hearts and minds component of the Afghan mission...these reports provide a window into success or failure.

These reports magnify the tremendous difficulty in fighting a war and at the same time attempting to win the support of the people...(did someone say RVN?).

With support from elements within the ISI and no doubt support from Iran on their particular area of Iran-AFghanistan...this results in issues far beyond the PRT initiative, training the ANA or ANP..and moreover the Afghan people identifying with a non-overtly corrupt central government in Kabul.

We are now approaching the longest war in American history...and frankly, it does not look too good..and perhaps all we can really do is to provide overwatch at a distance to stop terrorist training camps from again being the central focus on US interest at home or abroad. Or..was that the initial mission back in 2002-2003.

the fact that this was actually leaked is just incredible. lets see how the pakistan govt. reacts to this now that it is in the public domain.

subrosa (not verified)

Mon, 07/26/2010 - 2:35am

there are some surprises like they sell alcohol in markets of north waziristan.

Troufion (not verified)

Mon, 07/26/2010 - 1:50am

I know when I recieved a clearance I signed a lot of docs stating the consequences of leaking classified info. When are we going to prosecute these fools? Then again as an old friend told me once the US just cannot keep a secret anymore, everyone wants their moment. Sad, I just hope no troops get hurt because of this.

Anon (not verified)

Mon, 07/26/2010 - 12:08am

Where in the hell was the CIA? Wikileaks was known to be in possession of classified material in violation of U.S. and NATO country laws well before this release. They should have been stopped before what is probably the largest release of classified material during a war in history. Can you imagine what would have happened during WWII or even the "cold war" if something like this had occurred?

Rex Brynen

Sun, 07/25/2010 - 10:10pm

Anon:

They seem more like the anti-Pentagon Papers, since they reveal that the official and media portrait of the war has been--within the confines of OPSEC, the normal political spin, and the fog of war--accurate. There are, so far, no big surprises or scandals.

As to the intelligence and war-fighting consequences of the leak, it provides the Taliban with unparalleled information on what ISAF knows, doesn't know, and often how it knows it too. Its likely to have a chilling effect on intelligence cooperation and sharing too, within and across governments.

GI Zhou:

You're absolutely right--Secret isn't a "low level of classification". Indeed, it is very much the working level of classification, because once you get into TS and TS/SCI you risk dysfunctionally narrowing who can read the material.

Anonymous (not verified)

Sun, 07/25/2010 - 9:10pm

Is this the Pentagon Papers of the Afghan War?

Since when did Secret become a 'relatively low level of classification'.

IntelTrooper (not verified)

Sun, 07/25/2010 - 8:38pm

Hmmn... I honestly don't know how to feel about this.