Wikileaks releases searchable database of old U.S. records

Wikileaks, scourge of the federal government that they are, has released a brand new collection of data files from the `70s today that show the country’s dealings with the rest of the world.

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Wikileaks founder Julian Assange is actually releasing the information within a new searchable database, the Public Library of U.S. Diplomacy (PLUSD), which also launches today. The bulk of the database includes the Kissinger Cables, which is around 700 million words and about five times the size of WikiLeaks’ Cablegate, according to the organization.

Here’s the official description from the press release:

The Kissinger Cables comprise more than 1.7 million US diplomatic records for the period 1973 to 1976, including 205,901 records relating to former US Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger. Dating from January 1, 1973 to December 31, 1976 they cover a variety of diplomatic traffic including cables, intelligence reports and congressional correspondence. They include more than 1.3 million full diplomatic cables and 320,000 originally classified records. These include more than 227,000 cables classified as “CONFIDENTIAL” and 61,000 cables classified as “SECRET”. Perhaps more importantly, there are more than 12,000 documents with the sensitive handling restriction “NODIS” or ‘no distribution’, and more than 9,000 labelled “Eyes Only”.

It’s worth noting that much of the data from these leaked files should have been released after 25 years under current freedom of information laws, but have been held up for one reason or another. The database is significant because it could potentially cut down on the time frame of media organizations to uncover important information and cross-reference new information about the U.S. government’s diplomacy efforts.

Image via Wikileaks