The WikiLeaks Agenda

Adrian Chen observed an uncharacteristically earnest Colbert interview last night:

[H]is chat with Wikileaks founder and editor Julian Assange actually revealed some new insight into the notoriously mercurial Australian and the organization he runs. One constant criticism of Wikileaks' helicopter video has been that its heavy editorial slant clashed with the supposed objectivity of the material they presented. Colbert challenged Assange on this point: "You have edited this tape, and you have given it a title called 'collateral murder.' That's not leaking, that's a pure editorial." Assange responded that Wikileaks promises their sources that they will "try and get the maximum possible political impact for the material the give us." According to Assange's formulation, Wikileaks is essentially an advocacy group whose strength lies in its ability to secure incriminating documents.

I've never seen Colbert so clearly become his own character on the question of impugning the honor of American soldiers. I don't doubt that his experience with the troops affected him on this question.