Whistleblower Katharine Gun on why she exposed this lie ...

Watch Whistleblower Katharine Gun on why she exposed this lie about the Iraq War and other politics, TV ... News&Politics Culture Food Science&Health LifeStories Video About Profile Login/SignUp StickyHeader: NightMode: SavedArticles GoAd-Free Logout StickyHeader NightMode Search Videos Playlists SalonTalks- Politics TVandFilm Art,BooksandMusic Food OtherPlaylists- TheSalon5withD.Watkins SalonTVPartnerFilms SalonTVSpecial:TheFutureofFood viewinapp PreviousPage WhistleblowerKatharineGunonwhysheexposedthislieabouttheIraqWar In2003,KatharineGunmadeadecisionthatwouldchangethecourseofthereasoningbehindwhytheUnitedStatesinvadedIraq.AsatranslatorattheUK'sGovernmentCommunicationsHeadquarters,GunleakedatopsecretmemorevealingthattheUnited... In2003,KatharineGunmadeadecisionthatwouldchangethecourseofthereasoningbehindwhytheUnitedStatesinvadedIraq.AsatranslatorattheUK'sGovernmentCommunicationsHeadquarters,GunleakedatopsecretmemorevealingthattheUnitedStateswasplottingaspyoperationontheUnitedNationsinexchangeforauthorizationtoinvadeIraq. Gunjoined"SalonTalks"todiscusswhyshechosetoexposethememo,whatshethinksoftoday'swhistleblowers,andthenewHollywoodfilmbasedonherstory,"OfficialSecrets,"outintheatersAugust30andstarringKeiraKnightleyandRalphFiennes. InordertoobtainlegitimacyforlaunchingtheIraqWaratthetime,TonyBlairandtheBushadministrationweredesperatetogetUNcover."Leakingthememoessentiallyblewthatupintheirfaces,"Gunsaid.Theallieswereforcedtotakeanotherroute-provingthatIraqhadweaponsofmassdestruction. Whiledescribingherimmediatethoughtsafterreceivingtherevealingmemoinheremail,Gunrecalled,"Ireallyfeltthattimewasabsolutelypressing,thattherewasnotimetotakeituptoanyofmysuperiors,"shesaid."Ifelttheywouldjustsweepitundertherugandtheywouldjustkeepextraspecialeyeonme." Gunthenmailedthememotoacontactintheantiwarmovement.ItwasexposedtotheworldinastorypublishedbyTheObserver.Gunadmitsthatshedidnotenjoythelimelight."Iwasactuallyquitetraumatizedbythewholething,"shesaid."Attheend,Ijustwantedtodisappearbackintoanonymity." WhenitcomestotodaywhistleblowerslikeEdwardSnowdenandJulianAssange,Guncallsthemsmart,butisalsoquicktodistinguishhercasefromtheirs."Ithinkthoseguys,it'saphilosophicalargument.It'saboutwhetherthedegreeoftransparencythatweshouldexpectfromourgovernmentsandsoon.Ithinkthat'sawholedifferenttopic."WatchtheepisodeabovetolearnmoreaboutKeiraKnightley'sportrayalofGuninthemovieversion. More About:"SalonTalks"Politics MembersofCongress,journalistsandanalystssharetheirtakesonWashington Watch&follow,streaminglivedaily. MoreFrom"SalonTalks"Politics 1:55 HowSteveBannongetsconvicted,accordingtoformerfed.prosecutor 2:26 IsTrumpcriminallyresponsibleforJan.6attack? 23:47 FormerfederalprosecutorweighsinoncriminalityofTrump'slies 1:19 Rep.AdamSchiffonreportsoflawmakersmeetingwithJan.6organizers 3:00 Rep.AdamSchiff:JusticeDepartment"shouldbedoingalotmore"oninvestigatingTrump 22:26 Rep.AdamSchiffontheaftermathofJan.6andthefutureofAmericandemocracy 1:11 AndrewYang'scaseforanewvotingsystem:"Takeitfromaguywholostaranked-choiceelection" 1:43 AndrewYangonwhyourpoliticiansandtwo-partysystem"failus" MainTVPage SalonTalks Politics TVandFilm Art,BooksandMusic Food OtherPlaylists TheSalon5withD.Watkins SalonTVPartnerFilms SalonTVSpecial:TheFutureofFood MoreFrom 1:55 HowSteveBannongetsconvicted,accordingtoformerfed.prosecutor 2:26 IsTrumpcriminallyresponsibleforJan.6attack? 23:47 FormerfederalprosecutorweighsinoncriminalityofTrump'slies 1:19 Rep.AdamSchiffonreportsoflawmakersmeetingwithJan.6organizers 3:00 Rep.AdamSchiff:JusticeDepartment"shouldbedoingalotmore"oninvestigatingTrump 22:26 Rep.AdamSchiffontheaftermathofJan.6andthefutureofAmericandemocracy GETTHEBESTOFSALON RIGHTINYOURINBOX Email BysigningupyouagreetoreceiveemailnewslettersoralertsfromSalon.com.Youmayunsubscribeatanytime.