There are two elements to what Manning took/leaked. The video was about one particular incident, and while it may have been "classifed" it certainly did not expose any technical capabilities. The world already knew that US gunships in Afghanistan can kill from a distance. The video *did* show a particular incident, one that the military command might not want public for non-technical reasons. I have no problems with that video being leaked, as it will likely result in lives being saved.
The diplomatic cables is a different matter, I feel. These will be a "big picture" bit of background, and while there will almost certainly be information that is classified simply because it can embarrass the government, there will be others that are secret to preserve lives, and because important diplomatic initiatives are at risk.
Anyway, I just think you need to separate the two elements, because the ethics are clearer for one than the other.
Discussion on:
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