US diplomatic cables to be dropped by wikileaks; US doing pre-emptive damage control

[Demosthenes11]

woulda been better if the shell exec said "leaky vag"

[Cyn]

No need to run to a mod, we're all adults here (I think?).

Last one isn't all that shocking. Can't say I really blame Shell, it's a smart business move to do what you can to protect your interests in a volatile environment.

[Correction]

Yeah god forbid the government of Nigeria represent the interests of its citizenry, there's oil wells to exploit.

Is that grounds to prosecute Shell for anything? Can you persecute a company for an internal coup of a government?

Shell is perfectly willing to settle in the amount of $15 million for its role in executing nonviolent protestors. I'm sure they'll work out appropriately severe monetary penalties for usurping a sovereign nation.

[Demosthenes11]

big business always knows whats best

[archibaldcrane]

Is that grounds to prosecute Shell for anything? Can you persecute a company for an internal coup of a government?

I'd assume they are bribing or otherwise compensating a great number of elected officials in some way to obtain this type of influence (why else would they have it?) so that's probably illegal - but not detailed in the leak.

[Cyn]

Yeah god forbid the government of Nigeria represent the interests of its citizenry, there's oil wells to exploit.

To some extent though, it's in their best interests for the government to run smoothly and their presence could actually have a stabilizing effect.

And no, I'm not justifying their actions.

[Pirian]

ITT: people who think Nigeria's government would be less corrupt/more stable without Shell. I mean, don't get me wrong, it sucks for the population, but yeah...It would basically be Cameroon if the big oil companies left/were kicked out, and that's soooooooo much better, right? I mean, at least then their own leaders would be the reason their country is being held back, as opposed to an outside entity.

[archibaldcrane]

Soon, Shell will be encouraging remote African villages to get a new special vaccination.

And then racism occurs.

[Callisto]

Soon, Shell will be encouraging remote African villages to get a new special vaccination.

And then racism occurs.

Wasn't that the story in RE5?

[MF Perm tha Fineass]

Wasn't that the story in RE5?

based on a true story

[MF Perm tha Fineass]

RECURSIVE MINDFUCK AHHHHHHH

[archibaldcrane]

Wasn't that the story in RE5?

...yes

[Correction]

To some extent though, it's in their best interests for the government to run smoothly and their presence could actually have a stabilizing effect.

Even the most superficial examination of the living conditions near any shell operation in Nigeria proves this a hilariously underinformed statement.

[SwampdonkeyPLD]

Is that grounds to prosecute Shell for anything? Can you persecute a company for an internal coup of a government?

I think we have a statute that says you can't bribe foreign officials. But if Shell isn't a US company, most European countries actually make bribes tax deductible lol.

[Callisto]

...yes

lol wooshed myself, I didn't really pay attention when I played through and it sounded familiar

also

http://www.cwcnog.com/CWCFiles/Micro...%20Pickard.png

unfortunately no hot cougar involved in the scandalz

I think we have a statute that says you can't bribe foreign officials. But if Shell isn't a US company, most European countries actually make bribes tax deductible lol.

They're UK-based, like BP

[Ashmada]

ITT: people who think Nigeria's government would be less corrupt/more stable without Shell. I mean, don't get me wrong, it sucks for the population, but yeah...It would basically be Cameroon if the big oil companies left/were kicked out, and that's soooooooo much better, right? I mean, at least then their own leaders would be the reason their country is being held back, as opposed to an outside entity.

No need to use the conditional. There's plenty of non-Shell related corruption in Nigeria as it stands, including but not limited to the culture of "area boys", a nationwide extortion racket scheme organized around a part-cult leader, part-pimp, part-mob boss man calling himself "MC".
Not that Shell infiltrating the government is in any way justifiable, though.

[Demosthenes11]

how funny though. White people invaded nigeria's government and a nigerian invaded ours

[Pirian]

No need to use the conditional. There's plenty of non-Shell related corruption in Nigeria as it stands, including but not limited to the culture of "area boys", a nationwide extortion racket scheme organized around a part-cult leader, part-pimp, part-mob boss man calling himself "MC".
Not that Shell infiltrating the government is in any way justifiable, though.

I know, but people were speaking as though Shell is Nigeria's main problem which is just laughable.


edit:

how funny though. White people invaded nigeria's government and a nigerian invaded ours

Oh shit! Fucking birthers were right...Fuck, I take back every bad thing I ever said about them

[MF Perm tha Fineass]

I think we have a statute that says you can't bribe foreign officials. But if Shell isn't a US company, most European countries actually make bribes tax deductible lol.

AMERICA! FUCK YEAH! Also, prove it or lose it.

[Mistress Stowastiq]

Rixstep posted up a link and info about [SVT] Sveriges Television's rough cut preview [57 minutes] of a documentary WikiRebels," that is going to be released about WL on SVT. It goes back to before the beginning of WL when Assange was dealing with troubles from the Scientology folks. BTW: Very graphic detail related to the Collateral Murder video is focused on later in the film.

I'm sleepy so I didn't check for reposts here of this, I will later though, and update accordingly. Oh and the video player seems to be postable here like youtube but I cannot read Swedish!

http://rixstep.com/1/20101209,00.shtml

http://svtplay.se/v/2264028/wikirebels_the_documentary

WikiRebels: Rough Cut

A coming documentary on WikiLeaks from Swedish national television.

STOCHOLM (Rixstep — Swedish national television SVT will air a new hour-long documentary on WikiLeaks in their 'Dokument Inifrån' series on Sunday evening at 20:00 local time.

You can view the rough cut here now.

http://svtplay.se/v/2264028/wikirebels_the_documentary
Six Months in the Making

From the summer of 2010 until now, SVT have been following the elusive WikiLeaks and their enigmatic founder Julian Assange.

Reporters Jesper Huor and Bosse Lindquist traveled to key countries where WikiLeaks operated, interviewing top members including Smári McCarthy, Kristinn Hrafnsson, Iain Overton and James Ball at the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, Daniel Domscheit-Berg, Birgitta Jónsdóttir, and of course Julian Assange himself.

57 minutes 25 seconds; in English with subtitles when necessary; highly recommended.

From the film page of SVT site.

WikiRebels – The Documentary Exclusive rough-cut of first in-depth documentary on WikiLeaks and the people behind it!

From summer 2010 until now, Swedish Television has been following the secretive media network WikiLeaks and its enigmatic Editor-in-Chief Julian Assange.

Reporters Jesper Huor and Bosse Lindquist have traveled to key countries where WikiLeaks operates, interviewing top members, such as Assange, new Spokesperson Kristinn Hrafnsson, as well as people like Daniel Domscheit-Berg who now is starting his own version - Openleaks.org!

Where is the secretive organization heading? Stronger than ever, or broken by the US? Who is Assange: champion of freedom, spy or rapist? What are his objectives? What are the consequences for the internet?

Openleaks.org : There is conflicting info online about it yet it is described in detail within the film.