It is not conventional to publish war records before their declassification. During the Vietnam War, in the 1960s, the unauthorized publication of the PENTAGON papers led to heightened interest in the United States about what was going on in Vietnam. It led to protestations against the Vietnam War. The national outcry led to the US pull-out from Vietnam.

Daniel Ellsberg, an authority on US foreign policy, speaking on Larry King live, drew the same conclusions about the danger to US national security as General Wesley Clark, an American authority on US Military Intelligence.

The Pakistani Intelligence is being accused of double standards, which they have vigorously denied. The 90,000 documents in question contain information that observers already know a lot about. The problem is that the World Press has the tendency of over-blowing the whole news out of proportions.

There is a problem with understanding American self-imposed commitments to Iraq, Afghanistan, South Korea and other diplomatic/military support for some Middle East states. All these engagements must cost an awful lot of money. There must constitute constraints on the US financial system.

One cannot but admire the sacrifice in sending US soldiers to the worlds’ troubled spots.

This is why national security risks must be avoided by all means by the avoidance of publishing sensitive military data as was the case of the Pakistani disclosures recently.

The work of NATO commanders is complicated by the rough terrain, harsh conditions of living in very cold or very hot climatic zones. These troops suffer from regular ambush, detonatinging mines and bazooka attacks.

When the Soviet Union got entangled in Afghanistan military warfare, it encountered formidable obstacles. How does one fight austere nationalists, who are determined to die in circumstances of utmost brutality, including self-immolation?

There is something at once impertinent and daring in a psyche that has been conditioned to bloody encounters as a way of life.

The state of American finances can no longer support a war economy. California has just declared fiscal emergency. The state has a deficit of 19 billion dollars. Military expenditures surely affect the socio=economic conditions of citizens. This is why there are protestations each time there are disclosures about military operations.

No-one in his right senses should recklessly disclose military intelligence. Hammed Karzai described the act of disclosure as “irresponsible and shocking”. Battle field consequences of leaks could be severe, said Secretary Gates.

Those who will be affected more are probably the Afghan informants, whose names were disclosed. The United States may wish to reconsider its global role as it appears that is a thankless task.

Professor Dr. Emmanuel Omoh Esiemokhai is the President of the proposed AFEMAI UNIVERSITY, Fugar, Edo State, Nigeria.