Wikileaks

My first assignment at the ICT, after reading a book on CT strategies, is editing a paper on British security through the eyes of the Wikileaks documents.  While I find it interesting, there are two aspects of it I don't care for.  Firstly, the paper is very poorly written.  The author is either a poor writer, or doesn't speak English as a first language.  Much of the paper is cut and copied directly from Wikileaks reports.  In fact, it is glaringly obvious which parts were written by the author and which ones weren't.  I would certainly call it plagerized because much isn't quoted or cited properly either.  I asked that my name not be placed on it even though, after my extensive revisions, it is much better (if I do say so myself).  Stevie doesn't seem bothered by this and I wonder if it has anything to do with a difference in American vs Israeli academic ethics or if it is because that is what he wanted the student/intern to do.  The second issue, and one I tried to explain to him after he assigned the paper, was that as a potential US govt employee, I am not supposed to read any Wikileaks. Most of these were published openly through The Telegraph or other newspapers, so I don't think it will be much of an issue, but I wrote two of my professors to ask their opinion on the issue.  By the time they had gotten back to me, I had already read too much, though, and I am worried that I may have overstepped myself.  The documents were widely circulated enough that I'm sure it won't be a deal breaker for any candidate, but I wish I had insisted on a different project.  It's ironic that I specifically asked not to be placed in the PA because I was worried about a security clearance and it is in Tel Aviv that I run into what I assume will be the biggest stumbling block to one.  I'm sure that I am overreacting, especially since they were all published through the papers, but I have made a point not to go to any more websites regarding them.

The interns themselves are an interesting mix of people.  All are from the US, but only one is going to school at the IDC.  He is considering making Aliya (sp?) in a few years, but waiting until he is old enough that the army won't want him for the full time.  He basically said that if he becomes a citizen in a few years, the army either wont want him or he will only be in for about 6 months.  Those 6 months would mostly be spent making coffee for 1000 shekels a month, which is crazy because I go through more than a 1000 shekels a week here (Yikes! Tel Aviv is not cheap!  But that's my own fault for not eating/drinking at home more).  I was talking to a few IDF girls at a bar the other night and they said the same thing.  They are answering phones and doing secretarial work for about the same amount.  (I felt a moment of sympathy and almost bought them a few rounds of drinks.  However, their boyfriends showed up right around then and saved me some money and any additional resentment.)  I'm not sure how they do it.  I have no idea what combat soldiers in the US get paid, but I think it is a few thousand dollars a month.  I was told that IDF combat troops make less than US$1000 a month, which is crazy.  However, with all the deployments they have in the PA and the Lebanese and Syrian borders, I suppose it is necessary.  Israel is a wealthy country, but doesn't have the kind of cash to spend on its military that the US does, even with billions of dollars in US military aid.