'WikiLeaks WON'T be stopped': Founder reveals 100,000 encrypted versions of secret files have been

[Turborama]

Source: The Daily Mail

'WikiLeaks WON'T be stopped': Founder reveals 100,000 encrypted versions of secret files have been sent out as insurance

The founder of WikiLeaks today revealed he has sent out 100,000 encrypted copies of secret diplomatic cables so they will definitely be released whatever happens to him.

Julian Assange, breaking his silence in an online question and answer session, acknowledged there had been death threats against him and his colleagues because of the damaging leaks. He told for the first time of the insurance policy he had put in place to ensure that his whistleblowing website will not be silenced, whatever drastic steps may be taken by his enemies.

=snip=

'The threats against our lives are a matter of public record. However, we are taking the appropriate precautions to the degree that we are able when dealing with a superpower,' he said.

All the leaked American diplomatic cables as well as 'significant material from the U.S. and other countries' has been copied to more than 100,000 people in encrypted form, he added. 'If something happens to us, the key parts will be released automatically,' he wrote.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1335244/WikiLea...

---

Related OP in GD: Assange: "If Something Happens To Us Key Parts Of Cablegate Archive Will Be Released Automatically"

The original OP about it in LBN from the end of July: WikiLeaks founder uploads mystery 1.4GB "Insurance" file

[Autumn]

1. Very smart man. n/t

[happygoluckytoyou]

45. hope they are hidden in his pelican briefs!!!

[dipsydoodle]

2. I thought that might be the case

I appalled at Amazon for pulling the plug on him.

[RKP5637]

4. Even if he were to release info. on banking shenanigans? n/t

[dipsydoodle]

8. Those will be the icing on the cake.

.

[RKP5637]

10. Yep, I surely would not mind seeing some of these arrogant greedy banksters

getting slapped around some ... The problem is if one of them falls, then innocent people will get hurt along the way, loss of jobs, etc. But I sure smell a lot of rottenness around the trillions flowing around.

[wordpix]

139. banksters + congressmen ensuring tax cuts for the rich = wikileaks I'd love to soak up

[crikkett]

204. I had been thinking that the insurance file was the banking info.

But I was secretly hoping it was plans for a free energy device (it's one of the things that the UK NASA hacker was looking for when he broke into USG computers some 8 years ago)

[donquijoterocket]

29. Not that

I needed any more reason to refrain from patronizing Amazon- given that their management are big-time republican donors- but this will seal the deal. Amazon will never again see a penny of my money even if I have to pay more elsewhere.More of the drive to institute a plutocracy in this country.Despite the ability of censors to attack Wikileaks at its weakest point, their connection to the web I believe the decentralized nature and fluidity of the overall structure will allow them to continue their good work.

[postulater]

51. Damn. I didn't know about their RepublicOWNED tendencies.

I just bought a bed frame from them.

They had the lowest price around. Lower than even the manufacturer.

I would have paid the extra if I had known.

[molly77]

98. donquijoterocket

I use Amazon a lot. Thank you for the tip. Will not use them again. sigh

[rbixby]

87. I think the reason they pulled the plug

Is because the DDOS attack had reached something like 10gbits/second, which I'm sure slowed all of their hosted sites significantly.

[Creative]

116. If Amazon had not have pulled the plug on Assange, Holder would have pulled

the plug on Amazon.

[Scruffy1]

149. I am boycotting amazon

[No Elephants]

3. Aside from anything else, this is as interesting as any movie I've seen in years.

[dipsydoodle]

5. With the added bonus

that Bambi's mother won't die.

[awoke_in_2003]

125. True, but unfortunately...

someone will.

[glinda]

165. Let's hope not.

[awoke_in_2003]

172. he will...

it will be ruled a suicide.

[arikara]

179. I have an idea

that he has some major insurance that won't happen. I hope he's sitting on something so big that they won't dare do anything to him.

[awoke_in_2003]

180. me too...

but the people he is fighting had no problem killing a president. The fuckers have no fear.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

166. Thousands already have

with no prospect for justice in sight.

[awoke_in_2003]

173. hundreds of thousands...

have died for our stupidity. Very sickening.

[bemildred]

13. Yeah, great show.

We might get some "clarity" in the sense of Clausewitz out of this too.

[Uncle Joe]

6. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, Turborama.

[northernlights]

7. color me not surprised...

they knew from the get-go what they were up against and planned for every contingency.

Assange is a hero. He's taken the role of target for TPTB, knowing he may not survive this.

And the truth shall set ye free...

[RKP5637]

11. Frankly, I see him as a hero too ... there is a lot of shit going on sometimes and

often the secrecy exits just to cover illicit activities. I just do not believe in my country right or wrong.

[truedelphi]

59. You say (and so rightly)

I just do not believe in my country right or wrong.

Yeah, especially given how often this country of ours insists on being wrong.

Example - just the other day, a headline was screaming word s of military analyst that there is no way we can win in Afghanistan, but we do have to leave in a way that we are not ashamed of our actions. (Reminds me of that other little Asian war)

[GoddessOfGuinness]

168. Why do we have to be so freaking arrogant?

I'll never understand...

[axollot]

32. Yes he did! I also knew of this insurance and 'participated' months ago. n/t

[glinda]

117. Somehow I think Obama allowing "going after terrorists" in other Countries no matter who they are

was in part of the Gov. knowing about this a long time ago.
If anything happens to Assange, I will personally swear off this Country for either ever or a long long time. I will shun Obama and all of his associates and I will have the deepest hatred for the Conservatives. I will look for a New Party or a new Country. If I can afford to get out.
Even deeper than before.

[axollot]

188. I completely agree. My other home country Australia has

become the lap dog to the US so not sure where I'd go. If I could go - the plan is to make us accept worse working conditions, hours and no benefits. Has been for the past 30 years.

Cheers

just as frustrated
Sandy

[get the red out]

60. +1

I was thinking about this today, he is a hero. We need more like him.

[vanlassie]

160. Absolutely.

[BenzoDia]

9. Well, there's no guarantee that he won't release them anyways eventually

[EFerrari]

14. On the contrary, what he's saying is this material will be released

no matter what.

[BenzoDia]

21. Ah I see. I figured he was gonna hold onto these for as long as he's free.

[axollot]

33. No. It means if you try to kill him before a file dump the files are still

released.

Thousands if not millions have participated in collecting and holding these files. This was the reason Homeland Security went after torrent sites the week before the dump. Didnt stop a thing.

Cheers
Sandy
(old time tech)

[dixiegrrrrl]

124. That's why they went after the torrent sites?????

Man, that went right past me last week.

Thanks for connecting the dots.

You are sure, yes?

[bhikkhu]

145. ...that does make perfect sense.

I would expect them to keep tightening things up as we go along, unfortunately, if that's the case.

[axollot]

189. I'm just connecting dots too but makes sense does it not? That's

where those insurance files have been for each dump over the last year. I've used torrents since it's inception and have supported wikileaks.

Cheers
Sandy
just another schmo but there is no coincidence here IMHO.

[kaffy4x4]

183. Please excuse my ignorance

But what is a torrent site?

[dixiegrrrrl]

187. Wiki is good source for that:

BitTorrent is a peer-to-peer file sharing protocol used for distributing large amounts of data.
BitTorrent is one of the most common protocols for transferring large files, and it has been estimated that it accounted for roughly 27% to 55% of all Internet traffic (depending on geographical location) as of February 2009.

More:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BitTorrent_%28protocol%29

[axollot]

190. file sharing that uses a program called 'bit-torrent' (originally there are others)

to share - bits of a file amongst thousands of users so no one user is uploading/sharing 1 file alone. No one is hosting the file online, only a link to share with others.
Hope this helps, torrents have been in popular use for 8 years or so now.

Cheers
sandy

[NoGOPZone]

23. Nice edit

[BenzoDia]

30. eh?

[Gregorian]

12. This is the first time I've truly felt hopeful in years.

Yes, I'm thinking of smashing the state.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhP3wt859II

I hate greedy politicians I hate greedy corporations
I hate their manipulation, I hate all their exploitation
I hate their economy, I hate this whole society
I hate it all, I hate it all

Smash the state
Smash the state
Smash the state
Smash the state
We donõt need it

I hate all the presidents, I hate all the governments
I hate all laws that they invent, I hate all that they represent
I hate their fake democracy, I hate their damn hypocrisy
I hate it all, I hate it all

Everything could change, everything could change
Everything could change, everything could change
Everything could change, everything could change
Take some action

Everything could change, everything could change
Everything could change, everything could change

[harun]

36. Glad I'm not the only one. It is the first cracks in what seemed an unstoppable conglomeration

Of media, government and Corporations.

Keep pulling away that curtain!

[axollot]

192. Yes! Time for the curtain to fall! n/t

[Moonbat2]

110. THE SHINING

all work and no play makes jack a dull boy

[StarburstClock]

15. Whistleblowers in general won't be stopped, too many people are fed up

with living lives that are lies in support of a failed form of capitalism. Capitalism is only as good as it's regulation.

[RKP5637]

44. Exactly!!! Capitalism only works to benefit the majority "if" well regulated, if not,

it's a damn draconian system and devours anything in its path bringing out some of the worst elements of humanity.

[molly77]

104. RKP5637

Hitler also believed in deregulation. Sold off the public utilities railroads etc. and gave them to his cronies. The definition for deregulation is "We don't need laws, they are for the little people."

You would not believe the things going on in New England .

1) They enacted Cap and Trade without benefit of Congress passing that law.

2) 40 million dollars worth of energy charged to New England rate payers that never was produced. The Conn AG Max Blumenthal sued Iso New England over it. They stated they would only show their books to the judiciary. Well, they didn't have to. SC ruled in favor of the criminals.

3) Wind farms , which produce virtually no energy, get a lot of govt subsidies. It is so lucrative that the mafia got into it.One of them , First Wind, just about ran Maine when gov baldaci was in power. They could have power purchase agreements with foreign countries which did not require them to produce energy.Maine and NY are close to the Canadian border.Building wind farms when the grid won't even allow any more juice. (the money is in the Renewable Energy Credits)Matt Taibbi says "this is the next bubble. Only diff. , the middle man is cut out. The money goes straight to Wall Street."

4) Lots of former Enron execs. are in this corporation. Larry Summers has a stake.They are never convicted of crimes. Sorry I got off topic.

[Moonbat2]

112. we all drift sometimes

[RKP5637]

122. Thanks for your reply!!! n/t

[elias49]

16. Who are these 2 f'n women?

And who's been talking to them, I wonder.
If a formal complaint was filed by either/both, one would think they'd be identified.
What an interesting pair

[Alcibiades]

34. You seriously don't know?

http://gawker.com/5619931/meet-wikileaks-founders-alleg...



I am assuming there's some leverage being employed. It would be safer for them to go along with this than not.

It helps that what they are accusing is almost impossible to disprove.

[molly77]

108. The two women who are accusing Assange of rape

are really accusing him of unprotected sex. This is against the law in Sweden I guess. Assange's lawyer was on democracy now and said that the police in Sweden refused to talk to him. Guess they don't want to look that stupid.

[Nihil]

111. Foreskin Assistant?

[Systematic Chaos]

182. That's exactly how I kept wanting to read that, too.

Oh, dear me.

[katty]

17. he is smart, and of course he put something in place like this

[orbitalman]

18. Just WOW ! n/t

[cbdo2007]

19. Hopefully the insurance file has some "smoking gun" type stuff in it....

otherwise it's just masturbation for this guys ego.

Really, where is the good stuff? I'm afraid he's got 500,000 "documents" sent by the state department and the worst things we're finding out is that Hillary Clinton called someone a bad name. There are easily Millions of emails sent every day in different government departments, 99.9% of which are useless, .1% are somewhat interesting, and .00001% is actual "game changing" stuff. So....where's the good stuff Julian?

[smiley]

24. just masturbation for his ego?

doubtful IMO. Otherwise I don't think you would be seeing the US and every other major world government trying to silence him.

[axollot]

37. bingo.

[cbdo2007]

40. They're scared of what he *might* have but what's actually been released so far....

has just been like, so what?

I'm still on the fence with the Wikileaks thing. If he's got some really, really important information, then fine, but the rest of it all just seems to be a random batch of misc circumstantial topics and evidence that doesn't really prove anything about anyone. Shit or get off the pot, dude.

[felinetta]

84. And the fact that more will be released even if he is killed, makes me think there is something

for people to panic over.

[laughingliberal]

42. "the worst things we're finding out is that Hillary Clinton called someone a bad name"

Au contraire. I learned our state department knew long ago that the coup in Honduras was illegal and there was no legal basis for the removal of their democratically elected president. I learned that our state department knew this when they were still dithering around trying to blow smoke up our butts about it to avoid doing the things they would have been required to do in response to an illegal coup had they admitted they knew it was an illegal coup.

IOW, I learned our state department still supports the ouster of democratically elected leaders in Latin America in order to install right wing fascists who serve the oligarchs.

Nice try, though.

[molly77]

107. laughingliberal

Did you see South of the Border? It is uplifting. (there are still good leaders) Oliver Stone interviewed several of the presidents. One of them, can't recall his name said that g bush told him the only way for a country to make money was through war. This movie is very enlightening.

[Goldstein1984]

177. I haven't seen the film yet, but I think that president was

the President of Argentina.

[Bragi]

144. The "nothing important here" meme isn't holding

Fact is, go to any major newspaper or news media site, and look at all the articles not about Wikileaks, but about fall-out from the information in the cables showing that governments are telling US diplomats one thing, and telling their own people another.

The surprising thing for me is that it isn't the U.S government that is under pressure from these leaks; the governments in trouble are those whose revealed views on world events and each other, as documented in the cables, are totally inconsistent with what they say publicly.

[ProudDad]

50. You have not been paying attention to the state dept. cables

Obviously

[truth2power]

75. Where have you been? Seriously!!..In my view, the most despicable

thing so far has been the disclosure that after Obama didn't have the stones to bring the Bush/Cheney war criminals to justice (wanted to "look forward" don'cha know) Spain stepped up to the plate and we twisted their arm, with god knows what, and succeeded in shutting down their judicial process. Sickening!

Yeah...masturbation. NOT.

[Frisbee]

91. You mean like

that Obama bent over backwards to keep Bush and gang from being charged as war criminals (which they are)?

Edited for spelling

[Yavapai]

130. As I see it,

President Obama has continued Dubya's policies of torture, middle-east wars, the continued denial of Habeas Corpus, and much more.


At this point in time, Obama cannot prosecute the Bush crime family for the same war crimes that he himself is guilty of!


I really wish and hope that I am wrong, but it seems self-evident...

[byrok]

129. You're not paying attention.

Funny how the world media is pointing out how people like K.O., John Stewart, and other so called "people in media" are just saying "move along here people, nothing to see here".

Only in the U.S. though.

You may want to actually read them, because there are plenty of very disturbing things coming out.

Or by all means, just keep repeating the Government's meme.

[shanti]

141. yeah

i want to know about the aliens/ufo's and other esoterics. he IS a hero, imo. pull the curtain away! tpdb won't let this stand, so better make it good, julian...

[tekisui]

185. You are vastly understating what has already been linked.

We know the Obama Administration worked with repukes to block torture investigations. The State Department supported the coup in Honduras at the same time that Obama called it illegal. We learned that the US used cluster bombs in Yemen, killing 21 children and then tried to cover it up.

The list goes on, it is far from ego masturbation. Whether any of it is a 'smoking gun' is irrelevant. There is plenty to start asking more questions and to open investigations.

[Crowman1979]

20. Going viral is the key.

[Hissyspit]

22. As I said last night:

"WikiLeaks is not just Assange.

Edited on Thu Dec-02-10 11:09 PM by Hissyspit

It is redundant in electronic structure, strategic structure, and personnel structure. Some of our leaders seem to have a problem grasping this."

MIT's Tech Review - "WikiLeaks Is Not Going Anywhere:"

http://www.technologyreview.com/blog/editors/26085 /

[defendandprotect]

26. We need to undo this "national security" state which has created national insecurity ....

for American citizens --

and good luck to Wikileaks -- !!

[defendandprotect]

25. "Threats to their lives" .... no doubt of that ... !!!

[davidwparker]

27. Love me some Assange. K&R.

[Hardrada]

28. Ha ha! Fuck LIEberman. I hope his name comes up a lot.

[axollot]

31. Old news made new. This was the reason for Homeland Security raids

on torrent websites. NOTHING ELSE.

Cheers
Sandy

[Azathoth]

35. Why encrypt them if he is going to release them anyway?

This whole thing reeks of attention-seeking.

[axollot]

38. I imagine he's letting them know - killing me wont shut it down. That is all.

You honestly didnt see that coming? It had to be done - there was insurance done for the Iraq files and for every dump he's done and will do.

Also why Homeland Security tried stopping sites that hosted links to download files - not actual 'file sharing sites' per say and many were wondering how it was a 'national security threat' well now everyone can add 2+2 on this - they tried to stomp out the sites in a futile effort to stop the spread but they didnt come close.
Cheers
Sandy

[Turborama]

39. I don't know anything about the technical stuff but I've read it's like onion rings

There can be a decryption key for different parts of the file, apparently.

It was somewhere on Crytome at the end of July when the "Insurance" was released but I can't find it now: http://cryptome.org /

If that's the case, there might be a special folder he's told his enemies about and is holding it over their heads. That's just a guess as to his motives, though. It's obvioulsy called "Insurance" for a reason.

[Azathoth]

53. It's a Mission Impossible PR stunt

If the file contains the cables, it would have been easier just to release it unencrypted. Then everybody would have all the cables and there would be no use going after Assange -- the damage would already be done. Instead, Assange apparently wants to draw this whole thing out and attract as much media attention to himself as possible. The whole Mission Impossible-esque "encrypted file with dead man's keys being emailed out in the event of foul play" game is nothing more than attention-seeking hype.

On the other hand, the file might, as you suggest, contain something so secret and damaging that Assange is using it to actually blackmail the government and ensure his own safety. Of course, if that were true, it would make him the world's biggest hypocrite. The whole point of his (and WikiLeaks') espoused philosophy is that government secrets are bad, and the more the government wants to keep something secret, the more urgent it is that that secret be revealed to the public. By his own logic, something so secret and damaging that it can be used to blackmail the US government is something that he has no right to conceal from the public.

[Duval]

43. If I were targeted for assignation, I would be

seeking attention, too, especially from those who are "for" me. And I believe in an informed citizenry for whatever is left of our "Democracy". Our media certainly has not done its' job in years.

[RKP5637]

49. Yep, the media of today is just a corporate tool and only interested in

their P&L. The media could give a damn about this country, they will do nothing to impact their bottom line ... at the top of the greed list. Real journalism, investigative reporting long left this country for MSM. All we get today is tabloid crap from MSM.

[Azathoth]

55. You didn't answer my question

Why encrypt the cables if they're going to be released anyway? The only answer is that Assange wants to draw this whole thing out as long as possible.

[laughingliberal]

57. Well, it's answered now in #56 and it's been answered before on several sites and in many threads

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

[Azathoth]

64. Your post didn't answer anything n/t

[laughingliberal]

70. Nothing answers anything for the willfully blind. nt

[arikara]

181. Of course it did

if it were all dumped at once most of it wouldn't even see the light of day. A blonde would mysteriously disappear and the media would go chasing after that "news" instead.

[14thColony]

62. Nevermind. nt

[Azathoth]

66. So if you kill him, he's ensuring that you might also take out innocent bystanders?

If he's worried about releasing documents because they might hurt someone, why would it be alright to release those documents in the event of his death?

The justifications for this whole thing are absurd.

[14thColony]

72. In my personal opinion (and that's all it is)

The most selfish course of action, which also results in the greatest benefit (or at least lack of cost) is to release them now, unedited and unredacted. Hypothetically once Assange has nothing left to release, killing him becomes increasingly pointless because it won't stop what's already done. So I would suggest that if he really were just trying to save his own hide, tossing the hot potato (or live grenade) NOW is the best way to do it.

The fact he hasn't/won't leads me to believe that in his view that will only be acceptable as an absolute last resort, when all other options are exhausted, and when the only remaining option is that they never see the light of day (e.g., he's dead, the files disappear). I would suggest in that case his conclusion is that the cost of possibly hurting some innocent people is far outweighed by the benefit of getting the information into the public domain. I doubt it's something he wants to do, but I think he is prepared for to take this step if there are no options left.

Assuming that this reflects his actual thought process, I find it eminently logical.

[Azathoth]

80. That might be the case

Even though my personal feeling is that this is a needlessly elaborate twist which has much more to do with PR and showmanship than it does with truth-telling, what you propose is at least possible. But if it is true, it strikes me as morally questionable on Assange's part. He would be gambling that, as you say, the benefit of revealing the unredacted information to the public would outweigh any negative impact on innocent people. Given the unsurprising and banal nature of the revelations we've seen so far, I'd say that's quite a risk.

[14thColony]

97. I agree with you as to the showmanship aspects of this

There were more subtle ways to signal to the relevant people that a "doomsday device" of this nature had been turned on.

As to his hypothetical cost-benefit analysis I hasten to point out that, of course, logical thought processes do not guarantee logical outcomes. Or moral ones either for that matter. He might have come to an entirely logical wrong conclusion as to the impact versus the benefit of revelation. I suggest he might be too close to the problem to be entirely objective at this point, but now I'm utterly speculating.

[northernlights]

132. if you understood what Assange's goal is

you would understand why the encryption, the "showmanship," the dragging it out.

I'll give you a hint. Why does a cat not kill a mouse immediately, humanely? Why, instead, do they insist on toying with the poor thing, making it scurry about, trying desperately to escape, batting it this way and that, playing with it...before doing it in? You'd think they were trying to drive that poor mouse insane, wouldn't you?

[daleo]

195. The powers that be might kill him anyway

To prove the point that an elephant never forgets (or forgives).

[laughingliberal]

74. One of the best side effects of Wikileaks is watching authoritarian heads explode while they twist..

and pretzel themselves to defend the secrecy of the oligarchal police state.

[truth2power]

137. Yes, I do so enjoy that.

[frylock]

147. indeed

[Taverner]

76. I can answer that

It's because if encrypted, it can't be identified on filters and blackboxes (a blackbox is something the government uses to cast as wide of a net to identify a single steam of info. It's also a name for a box that an unencrypt anything.)

[Azathoth]

81. I'm not sure I understand

Are you saying the file was encrypted so it couldn't be blocked or identified using traffic snooping?

[Taverner]

83. Pretty much, yeah

Say I send an email to you, and it has a document. The government can set up 'blackboxes' to pick up any time a specific stream of text goes over the wire. That document has that stream or text, or has the checksum (a computation made of the bits and bites of the file to prove its real) of that document, they can trace who sent what to whom. If caught fast enough, they could even deny completion of the send.

I hope this makes sense, because I am oversimplifying things to a degree.

[Azathoth]

86. So how does a statically-encrypted document bypass this?

The government would simply look for the hash and/or bit pattern of the encrypted file rather than of the unencrypted file. Only some kind of dynamic encryption would be able to bypass this.

[Taverner]

95. Well that's the beauty of the encryption Assange is using

It changes keys several times in a document, and the checksums are always different

[Azathoth]

100. It wouldn't matter even if each byte was encrypted with a different key

The encrypted file is static. If you and I both go and download it, we will each get the exact same file. We will end up with the exact same bits, which in turn means that the exact same bits will be transferred to both you and me (and to everyone else who downloads the file) as network traffic. Someone snooping packets would simply have to look for the bit pattern of the encrypted file (or the hash value it maps to).

The only way to escape snooping/filtering/traffic-shaping is to use new encryption keys every time the file is transferred. This happens automatically during the key-negotiation phase of a secure communications link. But it doesn't happen when you just encrypt a file and then transfer it to multiple people. In this case, encryption does absolutely nothing to evade pattern recognition.

All of this, of course, completely ignores the fact that if the government wanted to keep people from getting the file, all they would have to do is get ISPs to block packets that originate from WikiLeaks' IP addresses.

[Taverner]

102. But only AFTER we decrypt it

The encrypted files look different every time after encryption

[Azathoth]

105. No they don't. The encrypted files you and I receive are identical

If they aren't, then each of us will need a different set of keys to decrypt them. This is mathematical.

** on edit **

Maybe I should put it another way. Suppose I have a file called ABC and I encrypt it with key 12345 and call the output ABC-1. Then I go back and encrypt file ABC with key 12345 and call the output ABC-2. Mathematically, this means that ABC-1 and ABC-2 are identical.

[Taverner]

113. Yes, but every time he resends the doc, he re-encrypts it

He's not crazy, you know

Checksums alone would bust him

[Azathoth]

115. That would mean he would need to release 100,000 different keys or passphrases

And then everyone would have to figure out which key goes to which copy of the file. Even theoretically, that's infeasible.

Moving out of the realm of the theoretical, however, what you describe is simply not what has happened. Everyone has the same encrypted file, bit for bit, which is why the same passphrase (if released) will allow everyone to decrypt their copy.

[Taverner]

123. Huh? PGP does that by default!

[Azathoth]

205. Wow, going back over this, I just realized you have no clue what you're talking about

[tex-wyo-dem]

164. Well, obviously they are encrypted to assure that the data is not...

Compromised. This isn't rocket science...If the data were raw, unencryped anyone could alter it and raise serious questions to its validity. Once it is released, every site that has posession of the same, uncompromised data.

[ProudDad]

54. It's simple...

Wikileaks has been VERY careful to vet what they release. They work with other media outlets to make sure that no innocent folk are put into jeopardy by any release...

The insurance file is unexpurgated material. It's a deterrent.

They assumes that the minions of the Empire have at least a little of the scruples that Assange and Wikileaks have displayed and won't want innocents put in danger...

That's how deterrents are supposed to work...

Get it now?


I'm not sure that the Empire would give a shit if they could shut down Wikileaks, scoop 'em up and send them on an extraordinary rendition for extraordinary "interrogation" in some deep dark dungeon, they'd do it...no matter how many innocents suffered.

The USAmerican Empire has shown no prior history of really giving a shit about innocents...

[Azathoth]

58. So you're saying that Assange is holding the lives of innocent folk hostage

in order to ensure his own safety? "Mess with me and I'll ensure that a bunch of innocent people get hurt!"

Are you sure that's the explanation you want to go with?

[ProudDad]

88. Why not?

Those "innocents" mentioned in dispatches aren't THAT innocent -- they're also doing the Empire's dirty work...

Assange is idealistic...he believes that his bluff WON'T be called...

I think he's underestimating the uncaring nature of the Empire -- they're more than capable of tossing a few of their low level people to the wolves to rid themselves of a major irritant...

So, NO, I'm not saying that "he's holding the lives of innocent folk hostage"...

[laughingliberal]

56. Asked and answered many times but just for you:

The way they prefer to do their releases is a way in which the information can be analyzed and disseminated before dumping another huge file out there where important information is overlooked in the onslaught.

However, should he be killed or, otherwise, incapacitated, it will be necessary to get it out before authorities are able to locate and shut down the release of the information.

[Azathoth]

63. Asked but apparently not answered

If the only goal is to get the information out to the public, and they're afraid they may be shut down before they can release the whole thing in a methodical manner, then there's no reason not to release the file unecrypted. Nothing prevents WikiLeaks from subsequently going back and analyzing the stuff and pointing people to the most important parts. The only reason for the cloak and dagger show is to draw out the suspense and generate as much media attention for Mr. Assange as possible. This is otherwise known as attention-seeking.

[laughingliberal]

73. Sorry. Not buying it. Assange would rather release the information in a manner where it can...

be absorbed and not in a glut where important details are missed. Not a damned thing wrong with generating some media attention. The inability to do just that is why progressives struggle to get their ideas out. His point is for each release to get the attention the information deserves.

I support him 100% in that. Too bad we don't have a few Democratic leaders who could generate as much attention for Democratic ideas.

[ProudDad]

90. Yep, where's the Mike Gravel of today? (n/t)

[ProudDad]

89. There's the time element

It takes a LONG time to vet that much material and Wikileaks is being very humane about the releases...

And they have a limited staff...

(Another major difference between Wikileaks and cheney/libby, et al)..

[glinda]

170. If you draw it out you afford the time for some people to actually read and analyze it.

I don't think it is for attention. I actually think that he does not like the attention but realized it could come to this.

[northernlights]

194. but you see, Mr. Assange is attention-seeking

his *role* is to keep TPTB and MSM attention focussed on him. It's highly risky, but helps protect leakers (who don't go sharing that they leaked with an unknown hacker over email) and keeps TPTB and MSM hypnotized.

Keeps Wikileaks front and center day after day, while they go nuts trying to pass the leaks off as "embarrassing" and "inconsequential," yet "highly dangerous" and "putting lives at risk." Which, of course, they never do. And go nuts trying to change their communications to lock future horses in the barn (which will never happen -- highly motivated people can get around pretty much any firewall you invent sooner or later). And are all in a tither when they have to come face to face with those whom they've dissed (say, SOS and UN Chief ). Not to mention those to whom they've lied, cheated and fucked over.

He's got them by the short hairs and they don't even know it...

P.S. so looking forward to the next novel, the one about the bank or two...

[truedelphi]

79. people posting after you are inviting others to look up

Post # 56 (that is you) to see the meaning of it all.

The trolls always need things explained very S-L-O-W-L-Y and for several times.

[ProudDad]

126. In words of one syl ah bull (n/t)

[truedelphi]

143. That too.

LOL.

[Festivito]

175. Let me try. Encrypted, he was able to release 100,000 copies before it was stopped.

People had several weeks to download the file. If it had been an open book, the file transfers would have been stopped in days, not weeks. This size of the file combined with the attacks would have made the file impossible to download perhaps even within a few hours. Instead of 100,000 copies, we be dealing with hundreds and maybe just tens of downloads. The keys may be harder to get now, but, can be passed underground via emails and even telephone, mail and by person to person meetings.

Additionally, with the source readable, the PR lies would stream faster than the true readings. Encryption allows certain journalists to review the information before the PR people start creating false stories, part of which would be making up stories not even in the file, but would be presented as from the file and would work to discredit the whole file based on a fake summary from what is one of our trusted news sources. If caught, they just plead that it all happened so fast, they got it wrong -- sorry -- damage already done, ... to bad. (I hope that is understandable.) This way the real journalists have a chance at debunking the false ones from the beginning.

Distribution and PR readiness are worlds more important than holding back for theatrical impact.

[tekisui]

201. It is a smart move. If he releases everything now, he has given up some

protection. I don't think the government knows exactly what he has. They run the risk of over-reacting, but are also saddled with the risk of more serious, damaging info coming out. What is clear is that they have a lot to hide.

Assange needs to keep the game going for as long as possible or the story will disappear and the lies and corruptions forgotten. He is playing the media and world governments in a brilliant way. I am impressed how one individual/organization can continue to exert the upper hand over states and the mass media. I can't wait for when the game with the corporations come.

[Shining Jack]

41. K&R

[swilton]

46. Assange is a global patriot

[Mikeystyle]

47. Scooter Libby hired by WikiLeaks

In an effort to protect itself from attacks by American conservatives, the media website WikiLeaks announced Friday that I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby has been hired as a consultant and spokesman for the organization.

Julian Assange, WikiLeaks editor, said via Skype from an unknown location that Libby would primarily serve as a communications consultant and spokesman in the U.S., which he hoped would placate those on the American right.

“Scooter Libby revealed classified information and put a covert CIA operative at risk as part of a political attack, yet Republicans rallied to his cause. He even got a ‘get out of jail free card’ from President Bush,” Assange said. “I can’t think of anyone better suited to represent our organization, which also reveals classified information. Since American conservatives don’t have a problem with one of their own breaking the law, perhaps Mr. Libby can help shield us from some of these attacks.”

(continued….)

http://www.thechicagodope.com/2010/12/03/scooter-libby-... /

[texastoast]

67. Wouldn't that be surreal?

“Scooter Libby revealed classified information and put a covert CIA operative at risk as part of a political attack, yet Republicans rallied to his cause."

He sure did, but of course, the shubbites didn't call it treason at all.


Wonder what The Onion's take on it might be. LOL.

[ProudDad]

48. Gotta love it!!!

The Empire twisting in the wind...

Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha

[RKP5637]

52. Yeah, like a broken mast with sails twisting in the wind! n/t

[Zhade]

61. Excellent. I applaud this hero.

NT!

[robinlynne]

65. na na na na na

[usaf-vet]

68. Am I the only one that feels that..........

what really got the hounds out on his trail was not the last dump (cables) but the threat of the next dump. BANK info.

Really the government has been threatening actions for months. But the moment Assange says the bank is next... interpol arrest alert. Websites shut down. Etc.

Expose the government ...... ho hum. Expose the bank(s) screaming hair on fire.

[texastoast]

69. The big corporate guys don't think "we can handle it"

And maybe they are just a bit afraid of their own homesteads. They've worked hard to get themselves in this position in the hopes of untold wealth, and now the chickens have come home to roost and, ahem, dump.

Welcome to DU!!

[truedelphi]

71. That's my feeling too.

And it could end up costing us the internet - or the Powers that be trying to stop the internet.

[Kaleko]

78. How do you figure it could be possible to stop the internet?

[truedelphi]

82. Well, here's one scenario: as the media companies that provide the technology

By which our households connect to the internet figure things out such that visiting "Fox News.com" might be a quite cheap task, (as there will be Big Corporate Ads there), while visiting DemocraticUnderground might end up costing you $ 1.50 for a three hour time period.

This would cut back on people going to the smaller more alternate sites.

WHERE MOST OF US ARE FINDING THE REAL NEWS.

And who is the biggest of these media companies providing internet access? Well, you have Comcast and they're about to be merged with larger company.

And you have AT & T providing ability to access internet - and we sure know how AT & T is already in bed with the National Security agency as AT &T was quite happy to let the "Powers that Be" spy on our phone calls.

So it is a brave new world. The internet won't be stopped as much as the Big Companies, in collusion with our National Security people, decide to price fix us bloggers out of the blogs, except for the amounts of time that we can afford.

[Kaleko]

94. Yes, charging more for access to certain sites is conceivable,

but most likely only in the US, not Canada and Europe. And, as you've said, the internet per se won't be stopped.

[RKP5637]

85. I've been thinking similar. The really big money now feels at risk and the connections

might prove extremely embarrassing to the gov. It seemed to me that's when all the heat got turned up, as soon as banks got mentioned, and we know the gov. is corp. owned. Hell, some of these companies are bigger than countries.

Welcome to DU!

[liberation]

127. Capitalism almost by definition is a game of confidence

... if you remove said confidence, you basically remove the basic building block for the system (or scam depending on the angle you're looking from).

Thus any real info from a major player in the game could have some serious repercussions in reducing the confidence in the system, and thus bring a lot air castles down to reality. The problem is that capital also by definition is sociopathic, even more so than nations/states/governments which have some slight concept of social contract at least, so the real shit storm for wikileaks will come when they affect the interests of capital.


Most people will not make that connection however, and there is the sad possibility of this ending up being a storm in a tea cup... oh, well.

[wordpix]

140. it's not just the banks, it's the corporate industrial congressional banking SECTreasuryFed complex

Those are the leaks I want to see spilled.

OTOH, everyone was ho hum once the Gulf oil spill was going on for about 30 days. It became old news very quickly and now it's faded, although the environment is still wrecked.

[glinda]

171. Maybe he has some of Bush/Cheney's lost cables and notes.

[axollot]

193. You nailed it mate. n/t

[coyote]

77. Somehow I just feel that we are getting played....

Who is Julian Assange? How and why was he able to get the documents?

And my biggest question, why is the media giving this man so much air time? The media never questioned Gore losing the election, Ohio voter fraud, or the official story of 911. Now this guy comes out of nowhere with some magic secret documents, and the media is now paying attention. My BS meter is raising alarms.

To me it's like blackwater, here we think it's just some independent security contractor, only to find out later they are pretty much a CIA front company.

It really bothers me this guy is getting so much airtime. A million people can march in Washington and it's barely a blip in the news, but this guy comes out of nowhere with some secret documents, and is now all over the news.

Perhaps I should take the story at face value, but something about this whole story I do not trust.

[Name removed]

93. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Bodhi BloodWave]

109. Isn't it frowned upon to judge others based on their post count?

Also why would somebody need 1000 posts over 9 years, not everybody posts like a whirling dervish?

I know that I personally posted very very little when I first arrived and have in all honesty only started posting a lot more in recent times rather then focus mainly on reading stuff here

[laughingliberal]

131. Probably wouldn't have gotten much attention now if it was just a USA story. nm

[truth2power]

138. Coyote...

"A million people can march in Washington and it's barely a blip in the news, but this guy comes out of nowhere with some secret documents, and is now all over the news."

Because the million people are not a real threat to the PTB. We can protest all we want to as long as we're ineffectual. In fact, ineffectual protests are a GOOD thing for the oligarchy, because it keeps us distracted.

Which is why I think Assange has something that really makes them sh*t themselves.

Assange is a hero. Our so-called government is a criminal enterprise.

[bhikkhu]

148. If you watch how the media does things...

this is about the norm. Whether something is massively important (Katrina, for instance) or completely trivial (like any number of things) it gets way overplayed for a few days or a couple weeks at most, then its either done or its one the back page. I would expect the same here, just because thats how those guys are, though the information will be available if you look for it.

[Peace Patriot]

155. I think that's a good instinct, coyote. Ask questions. Be skeptical. Especially important as to

reviewing these millions of cables. Putting Julian Assange's motives aside for the moment--a hard thing to know--we should ask: Who wrote the memo? To whom? Why? What was the context? What are they leaving out? Paper trails in government can be Treachery Trails. If it's low security, they knew how easily it might get published. Etc. Lot of people involved in the U.S. Foreign Serve, for instance. I've seen one cable where a US financial rep is reporting back what a French financial rep (of Sarkozy's rightwing gov't) said that somebody in Brazilian gov't said about Chavez in Venezuela. Third hand hearsay, in other words. And I happen to know that it was propagandistic crap--and stupid propagandistic crap at that. So, WHAT is going on in this correspondence? Also, the writer of the cable is different from the US financial honcho who merely signed off on it. You gotta be careful in analyzing such a doc. One other thing, I happen to know that Jim DeMint (SC-Diebold) was holding up all of Obama/Clinton's appointments in Latin America (blackmailing them on Honduras). So there are a lot of Bushwhacks and Bushwhack toadies hanging around in the diplomatic corps (where the Bush Junta made appointments and promotions for 8 years), especially in Latin America. In other words, you can't be sure that any given cable is sincere--intended to help, to give candid advice. Could be deliberate bad information.

With such a huge cache of documents, I think it's safe to assume that Assange is doing what he says he's doing: targeting government secrecy. His time must be very consumed just with dealing with logistics and security. He doesn't have much time to have other motives. And I believe the set up is that he has to accept whatever is leaked TO him. He is not the chooser (except as to releasing it). The peril, as to motives, is really from the leakers themselves and/or the writers of the cables. It's a peril but it's not a given. We just need to bear it in mind. (WHY is this being leaked? And who are the cable writers and what are their purposes?) The Sweden/Interpol thing and politicians and others openly talking of prosecuting him and even executing him as a "terrorist" and all the condemnation, gov't cyber attacks, etc., is too much to be orchestrated, say by some theoretical power behind Assange who has ill motives--putting on a mere show of objection, to mask some intentional ill motive in the releases. The reaction is too pervasive to be a con. The "establishment" seems genuinely to be rocked back on their heels. Could be one part of the "establishment" against another part, but so far the content doesn't point that way--and the genuine peril that Assange seems to be in doesn't point that way either. Another possibility is a good power behind Assange--somebody fed up with the wars, the coverups of crimes and the looting--trying to nudge policy in a better direction, maybe trying to help Obama. But, all in all, I don't think there is any remote power.

The only thing I've seen said that causes me any suspicion about Assange is that the corpo-fascist media is paying a lot of attention to him. THEY are completely untrustworthy. But maybe they just can't help it. It's too good a story. And it fits their contrived narrative of "failure" about Obama. Even though the cables hit both administrations, this is happening on Obama's watch. I wonder what they would have done with this if the Bushwhacks were still in the White House. But this says more about the corporate media than it does about Assange.

Anyway, I just wanted to say that it's good to raise questions. And I'm glad you do. It's okay to have heroes, but we shouldn't be slavish to them, and we should always be prepared for disappointment, especially as to heroes in a media environment. 'We the People' need to be heroes to ourselves--individually and collectively--and not depend on others to "save" us or lead us.

[Peace Patriot]

159. Just wanted to add that the way they're treating Manning indicates that the war establishment

feels threatened. Assange may be so adept at PR that one almost feel suspicious of him because of it--which is unfair. It's just a skill like any other. And he has need of that skill to do what he's doing and to be safe. But Manning is another matter--and, as I just saw in another thread that Assange said in his interview--IF Manning was the leaker, as he is charged with, he is "an unparalleled hero." Manning doesn't have Assange's skills or power. He's just a young soldier. His plight, as the accused, really argues for good and straight-up motives on those leaks. Of course, neither is Manning responsible for who wrote the leaks and why, and how to analyze them--if he leaked them. The whole weight of our war establishment on his head, poor fellow--whether he is the courageous one or whether he's just a patsy.

[sabrina 1]

92. Thanks for the OP. Turborama.

They are truly making a hero of him. Instead of addressing the issue in a mature way, they are throwing temper tantrums and threatening death to the messenger.

Now is the time when a country needs a real free press. One that would challenge the Government to address the issues these documents raise for the AMerican people.

Also to question the U.S. government acting like the Chinese government and censoring the internet as a way to try to cover their crimes.

But sadly, our press will wait for the memos and report this story as they are ordered to do.

There is no statute under which Assange can be prosecuted in this country.

[LandR]

96. So in the case of using the insurance file, what is the best method to publish?

Let's say it reaches the point of having to use the insurance file, does anyone have good recommendations for the options to release this information?

Check out this link: http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20101203/11262712118/s...

It's a story about Columbia University warning students to ignore wikileaks on social networking sites bc the state department checks these before hiring people.

[laughingliberal]

134. Not a blogger in the world who wouldn't give their eye teeth to be the first one out with it. nt

[Ramulux]

99. I almost hope they arrest him

Just so it all can blow up in their faces. If they do try to arrest him, the US and Sweden are really fucking stupid on a level I cant really fathom. He is saying that if you arrest him things are going to get worse, so maybe dont arrest him. It sounds pretty simple.

[orbitalman]

101. This is SO impressive... thinkin' ahead !!! n/t

[Duer 157099]

103. Was this that 1 gigabyte file that they released a while back?

Or have there been multiple such files?

[Shining Jack]

118. They also released...

a Gigapounds gorilla...bad idea.

[madmax]

106. k&r

[Dangerman]

114. Julian Assange...

Is a brave man and deserves to be the hero to all.

Umm... I accessed wikileaks.org, can there is nothing but an error page. Do you think the government is on to him?

[Autumn Colors]

119. The domain name was shut down, but there are new ones....

You can find the site at:

http://www.wikileaks.ch
http://www.wikileaks.de
http://www.wikileaks.nl
http://www.wikileaks.fi

(new domains are in: Switzerland, Germany, Netherlands, and Finland)

[shanti2]

146. I've gone to the sites BUT

couldn't find a way to read any of the cables etc anymore..

[mistertrickster]

120. Someone said on NPR that if Wikileaks had been around BEFORE Iraq, the war would have been stopped.

Think about that.

[russspeakeasy]

121. Thanks for ripping the cover off this steaming pile of shit

He should get a medal.

[ClayZ]

128. Bravo! K and R

[marasinghe]

133. k&r for Assange, hero to the planet. fuck all fascists + their asskissers, some on this thread. n/t

[mstinamotorcity]

135. I bet he got some

great goods on some of these folks that don't want him talking. Where you at Shooter?????

[stray cat]

136. Kind of like most leaks!

The same thing seems to be true of Sarah palin

[snappyturtle]

142. K&R Great! nt

[SalmonChantedEvening]

150. Tell the truth, shame whoever deserves it.

Bravo, Mr. Assange.

[unkachuck]

151. K&R....n/t

[Celtic Raven]

152. K&R

Assange is our version of Mr. Universe.



Can't stop the signal.

[NeeDeep]

153. Witch Hunt on Steroids

And if no one is in the forest, does a tree falling make noise? If no one is left to care, did care ever exist? Since is when is silence golden, give me some fucking noise!!!!

[Thor_MN]

154. Interesting watch the government and corporations get their undies in a bunch

after they have been telling us that our personal financial information is public and to just get used to it being bought and sold.

[tsuki]

156. I got sick today when I learned that we are supplying the Saudis with

arms and they are supplying the Taliban. Apparently everyone, the government, the pentagon, the media knew that the arms we were selling were used being funneled to the Taliban to shoot our soldiers.

[bertman]

157. Brass ones. Rec. nt

[craigmatic]

158. I hope he got a hold of the JFK files. The public deserves to know the truth.

[texshelters]

161. You have to admire the man

even if you are dumb enough to believe the sky is falling now that the leaked files are available.

http://texshelters.wordpress.com/2010/11/30/you%E2%80%9... /

Peace,
Tex Shelters

[Hubert Flottz]

162. Like the freepers used to say...when we found out Bush was spying

on you and me, "If you haven't anything to hide what is there to worry about?"

The spies can't take being spied upon. They can dish it out but they can't take it. I hope every bribe, kickback or payoff in Washington is EXPOSED before this is over. "Dirty little people have dirty little secrets."

[Axle_techie]

163. So what?

If there are 100,000 copies out there, one is bound to get leaked whether or not anything happens to him... This is basically an empty threat because the documents will be leaked one way or the other. It may make a G-man feel good to pop him anyways.

[Turborama]

169. No-one has been able to crack it open yet, and it's been available to download since July

I think the only people who can possibly open it are him and the NSA, and if they can that will only confirm his threat.

[glinda]

174. I am hoping there is a second, third and fourth back up plan.

[blackspade]

167. This is total Cyberpunk!

The scifi world of 20 years ago is here!
The next war will be fought on the Net.

[Festivito]

176. The next war is NOW, and is being fought on the net. /nt

[blackspade]

178. We are definately in the warm up stage.

It's going to get really ugly very soon.

[newtothegame]

184. Assange would have more credibility if his ego was just a TAD smaller

"Assange says that Wikileaks has released more classified documents than the rest of the world press combined: "That's not something I say as a way of saying how successful we are – rather, that shows you the parlous state of the rest of the media. How is it that a team of five people has managed to release to the public more suppressed information, at that level, than the rest of the world press combined? It's disgraceful."

Regardless of what he thinks, it's the press's job to report the news, not make it. Holding everyone else to his own standard is about as egotistical an attitude as I can imagine.

[kgnu_fan]

186. Your ball is too small

[TexasObserver]

191. They're going to get him in custody. They're going to find out what he knows.

And at some point thereafter, they're going to kill him.

[Hissyspit]

196. Report: WikiLeaks Has Insurance File (Suspected of Including BP, Guantanamo Bay)

Source: Sunday Times / MSNBC

Report: WikiLeaks has 'insurance' file

msnbc.com staff and news service reports
updated 13 minutes ago

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has circulated across the Internet an encrypted cache of uncensored documents suspected of including files on BP and Guantanamo Bay, The Sunday Times reported.

An "insurance" file has been downloaded from the WikiLeaks site by tens of thousand of supporters, the newspaper reported, meant to trigger a deluge of national and commercial secrets if Assange's activites are curtailed.

Computer experts interviewed by the newspaper said it was unlikely that the U.S. could defeat the encryption in the files. The Sunday Times reported that the U.S. Defense Department said it was aware of the insurance file, which has been available for download since July

Assange is known to possess an aerial video of a U.S. airstrike in Afghanistan that killed civilians, BP files and Bank of America documents. It is not clear how WikiLeaks obtained the diplomatic documents, but the U.S. government's prime suspect is an Army private, Bradley Manning, who is in custody on charges of leaking other classified documents to WikiLeaks.

Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40512398

[Ruperto31]

197. This is great news. Gramsci would have heartily approved.

Much of Gramsci's prison writings is devoted to the importance of "exposing" the rotten behavior of the ruling class and its government. Providing people with this information is the beginning of organizing a mass movement.

[JDPriestly]

198. Why would Bradley Manning have BofA files?

Much less Guantanamo or BP files?

This tale does not make sense to me. Especially the BofA angle. I just cannot see it.

[Hissyspit]

199. Why are you assuming they came from Bradley Manning?

[wordpix]

203. maybe there's a wikileaker in the SEC, Treasury or DOJ?

Hope so

[mainer]

200. Why doesn't he just release them all NOW?

Are there too many?

Once the secrets are out, I would think he'd be a much safer man.

[wordpix]

202. truthout! And Bank of America, too!

Can't wait to see those BP -Gitmo communiques.