Rotten smelling things, or the truth and other fictions .1

The leaked American files story is an incredible piece of history unfolding before our eyes. It's a marker of the power of the internet and the way the internet has affected information sharing. This isn't just a misplaced disc with names etc of civil servants, this has massive global significance - not least because America is considering declaring a 'War On Journalism'. The first move of which, no doubt, will be to carpet bomb Iran. This is a leak which will be felt around the world, and any number of world leaders and diplomats may react in any number of ways.

America has come out strong saying that the leak is criminal and those responsible will be hunted down and punished - punished like no-one has ever been punished before, since this is a line YOU DO NOT CROSS! This response is clearly a reaction fuelled by embarrassment and a desire to look strong. Anger is the obvious way to go.

Meanwhile the rest of the media seems caught up in what will most likely turn out to be a key marker in the discussion over the freedom of the press V national security. Of course, the press being the press, this is happening while they simultaneously get to revel in the sensationalism of snippets of the leaked information.

Some of this stuff seems noteworthy, and some might even be damaging, but most of it appears to just embarrass individual politicians around the world. Not by virtue of it having exposed scandals in private lives or corruption in their political practises, but by taking clumsy comments they've made in what they assumed were safe places, writing them down and reading massive value judgements on the individuals into these notes.

The question i have is what sort of a document was it that was leaked and who thought it would be worthwhile document to authorise and keep? It's all such petty nonsense. It's like a scene in a primary school classroom where someones diary's been found and read out-loud. "I like Jason, but his trainers are cheap and he can be mean to Ashley. I don't like that because i like Ashley, even though she's a bit smelly sometimes. Kyra's really cool but she won't talk to me because she's up herself. And she's all buddy-buddy with Jordan who i really fancy. If he wants to kiss Kyra though, he can for all i care cos he's fit but he is stupid too...". The diary gets thrown round the room, different people reading out different bits, America, getting more and more cross, starts shouting death threats through its tears. Everyone waiting to see what's said about them then getting upset and hurt, but not as upset as those who don't get any sort of mention at all - for there, there is true pain.

So Prince Andrew is cocky (he's a prince!) and led a conversation which verged on the rude (he's a human!). So some German politicians want to reap political gain (their politicians!), and so Prince Phillip can be rude about the French (he's a racist!). It's as shocking as saying something like, i don't know, like... David Cameron and George Osborne lack depth. We know, we've seen them talk and have assessed them ourselves. Surely these aren't the sort of judgements you need to write down!? Surely this isn't the sort of information you keep and pass amongst yourselves in files marked 'Confidential' while saying things like "Our geese often stare at the moon" and replying "That's what the Spring time is for"!?

All the comments are so subjective it's ridiculous. And it's a great, great shame for two reasons. First, it will have a bearing on international politics. Secondly, because it has undoubtedly confirmed our most quietly held fears: the people running the planet, and their means of doing so, are exactly the same as the figures and politics which govern a school class' social scene. Shudder, weep and pray, for this is the world you live in.