You either don't comprehend that WikiLeaks is not just a few people, or your head is in the sand. Given the globally distributed nature of its architecture, and the fact that it is "operated" by literally thousands of volunteers around the world, the Internet itself would have to be shut down to actually do anything about WikiLeaks. Your premise that the US would declare any and all persons assisting with or volunteering services and support to WikiLeaks to be "enemy combatants" and initiate renditions on everyone they could round up, is ridiculous. That would be equating them to actual terrorist organizations (i.e. al qaeda) who actively seek to kill and destroy on a daily basis. That's not exactly comparing apples to apples.

There is no legal issue. Nobody has legal jurisdiction over WikiLeaks. It's a globally distributed network supported by individuals across the world. There is no main office maintained; Instead, the staff of volunteers moves from place to place, country to country, working out of spaces provided by supporters. Its content is mirrored across thousands of servers on virtually every continent. Additionally, the leaked materials are almost immediately available on multiple bitTorrent sites, ensuring unstoppable propagation. So, you tell me, what legal remedy is there?

WikiLeaks is by all standards, a neutral repository and conduit for all sorts of leaked information and materials. Before the War Diaries were published, many documents from several other countries were published, as well as leaked documents related to foreign businesses. Those leaks didn't have the global impact of the latest releases, but I think the fact that the leaks are from our government is more circumstantial than by design. While WikiLeaks is an open repository, Assange and his staff have a moral obligation to carefully examine each document and redact the names of individuals, or other identifying descriptions that could put innocent lives in danger. This by no means affects the neutrality of the organization, which simply publishes leaks provided by individuals around the world.

I have a sneaking suspicion that this newly scheduled announcement is in some way related to the latest WikiLeaks release. Is NASA trying to get ahead of some potential situation with this announcement?

It certainly doesn't surprise me that the US Government initiated such a ridiculous faux pas. Remember, these are the same people who run the DMV. And I have serious doubts about the competency of anyone in the IT field who would choose to work for the government.