The US goes after the (Wiki) Leaker. But what about the Flooders?

So the US is all upset about Julian Assange and Wikileaks. They have expressed their glee that he's been arrested in the UK for charges in Sweden. Eric Holder has launched a Justice Department probe. Some have even suggested that he be charged in the US with spying.

But here's an interesting experiment. Ask people you know what they know about the leaks. They'll probably tell you they heard (at least) the following:

• The USA pressured countries to take Guantanamo prisoners
• Saudi Arabia is the primary funding source for Al Qaeda
• Egypt would be 'ok' with the US bombing Iran
• Hillary Clinton ordered her staff to spy on representatives at the UN

Once they've told you about the leaks, ask them where they learned of them. Ask them "So you read this on the Wikileaks site?" I bet that 100% of them say no. They heard it from The New York Times (and the multitude of other papers who republished them after that).

Julian Assange didn't steal the secret cables. Bradley Manning did and will likely spend the rest of his life in a military prison. Assange just published them. Just like the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and The LA Times, etc. And since most people learned of the cable's contents from those news sites/papers, aren't they the more damaging source? Aren't those 'sites' the ones who are really revealing these 'secret' cables to the world?

So why hasn't the US government pounded its fists on the table demanding the editors of the NY Times be arrested?

It's all a little strange.