Herb Phillipson: Posting military secrets on Wikilinks constitutes treason

Published 7:34 pm Monday, August 2, 2010

PhillipsonTreason requires overt acts such as giving sensitive government security secrets to other countries, even if such countries are not enemies.

When someone publishes “sensitive security secrets” on the Internet, he is providing others information to be used against this country.

I believe “Wikileaks”  and those who associate with them fall within the definition of treason when they publish information contained in secret US military documents.

They should be required to stand trial for their actions.

To wink at these actions and call it free speech is fuzzy thinking, something that we all condemn.

I heard Dennis Archer, former Michigan Supreme Court justice, former president of the American and National Bar Associations and former mayor of Detroit, just a few hours ago describe why Cass County works: we have a system of laws and we obey them. We do not look the other way. We respect others who follow the same rules.

Since when is it proper to publish secret U.S. military reports for everyone to see?

Persons who have cooperated with the United States in its military endeavors have been named in those reports.

Methods we have used in military operations have been laid out in those papers.

In short, these are military secrets and have been revealed to all — including our enemies.

Should the U.S. sit by and allow these actions without retribution?

I think not.