WikiLeaks sets Debates in motion

Scott Gilmore, Carl Ford, Carne Ross AND Richard Dalton

WikiLeaks and its contribution to global media and politics will be the focus of the latest edition of the Doha Debates tonight, during which panellists and audience members will address the motion "This House believes that the world is better off with WikiLeaks.”
Following recent revelations concerning diplomatic relations between the US and various countries in the Middle East, the debate will provide an Arab audience with the opportunity to participate in a public forum on whether they believe WikiLeaks - and founder Julian Assange - have contributed positively or negatively to the current state of global affairs.
Doha Debates chairman, Tim Sebastian said that the revelations "seemed to have excited huge interest in many Arab capitals, where information about the ruling elite remained tightly censored.”
"Arabs are not used to kiss-and-tell stories about their politicians.  So there’s a huge impact when they read in black and white what their rulers have been saying to the Americans,” he noted, adding "especially when several of them have been telling the US to bomb Iran, rather than let it acquire nuclear weapons.”
"The debate is likely to take place in a highly-charged atmosphere, coming so soon after the overthrow of the Tunisian regime, with some Arabs wondering who’s next,” he added.
Arguing for the motion will be former British diplomat, Carne Ross, who quit government service over the Iraq war and now runs the world’s first non-profit, diplomatic, advisory group.
He will be joined by Sir Richard Dalton, a former British ambassador to Tehran and currently an associate fellow at the Royal Institute for International Affairs in London.
Speaking against the motion will be former US State Department intelligence chief, Carl Ford, who is now adjunct professor at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service.
Ford will be joined by the head of non-profit humanitarian organisation, Peace Dividend Trust, Scott Gilmore who served as a Canadian diplomat in both Indonesia and East Timor.