Lenox

The Pursuit of Julian Assange Is an Assault on Freedom and a Mockery of Journalism
By John Pilger, Truthout | Op-Ed

'The British government's threat to invade the Ecuadorean Embassy in London and seize Julian Assange is of historic significance. David Cameron, the former PR man to a television industry huckster and arms salesman to sheikdoms, is well placed to dishonor international conventions that have protected Britons in places of upheaval. Just as Tony Blair's invasion of Iraq led directly to the acts of terrorism in London on 7 July 2005, so Cameron and Foreign Secretary William Hague have compromised the safety of British representatives across the world.
Threatening to abuse a law designed to expel murderers from foreign embassies, while defaming an innocent man as an "alleged criminal," Hague has made a laughing stock of Britain across the world, though this view is mostly suppressed in Britain. The same brave newspapers and broadcasters that have supported Britain's part in epic bloody crimes, from the genocide in Indonesia to the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan, now attack the "human rights record" of Ecuador, whose real crime is to stand up to the bullies in London and Washington...'
Ah, but John Pilger (an Australian), he's a leftie, right?

HBG

I would hope not. I often criticise the system in the US, where the nutter would likely have been topped, which in this case I agree with, or sentenced to several thousand years, which I also agree with.

I'm against capital punishment, on principle, but there have to be exceptions. If you kill 77 innocent people, you don't deserve to live.

To get back to Assange and Sweden, if a Scandinavian court found him guilty of a sexual assault on two women, he would probably be given money out of the poor box, and one of those suction pumps used by Rambo.

rugbymatt

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012...n_1818020.html

rugbymatt

http://www.firstpost.com/world/the-i...ag-427536.html

jackytoo

Assange is an asshole. A lying cheating coward. His fans have deserted in droves. Hope he rots in that office block.

Dick Dasterdly

Nice to see that the pathetic cowardly sleazebag is getting a taste of his own medicine and finding out what democracy is definitely NOT all about, whilst the Ecaudoriians manipulate and use him like a puppet on a string for their own devious purposes.
He has no one but himself to blame for ending up virtually cowering in a sewer like a cornered rat.
His foolish self styled ego trip has come to a sad and predictable end and any govt still holding a grudge against him can now afford to simply sit back, watch him sweat and have a good laugh at the pathetic cowards present predicament.

Lenox

We'll pencil you in the 'don't like Assange column', then.

rugbymatt

I think its fair to say that many Assange supporters also believe in other more radical conspiracy theories and tend to have persecution complexes.

dunmovin

As a general rule, I don't folllow things like this, so can someone please tell me if I've got it right: he's Australian bloke, who broke or sanctioned the breaking of several USA secercy laws,hiding in Britain, in an Ecaudorian embassy,from the Swedes,who want to question him about about if he did or did not commit a sex crime and if he goes to Sweden to defend himself, the Swedes won't give a monkey's.... but stick him on the 1st available flight to the USA. Meantime, it is costing the British taxpayer large fortune in legal fees and taking large numbers of police away from the job of protecting ordinary people

One other point, does anyone know how much money he made from wikkileaks?

Dick Dasterdly

As I understand it, first off he is wanted in Sweden with regard to the sex crime allegations.

I've not seen any reports that " the Swedes won't give a monkey's".

Nor that they will stick him on the first flight to the US.

The US hasn't yet asked to extradite him.

The general opimion seems to be that its unlikely they will, as it not in their own interests.

In addition it's against Swedish law to allow anyone to be extradited who may face the death penalty.

I don't see how it would take large numbers of police to guard the embassy door.
I would have though 2 would be quite adequate and in any event his chances of getting on a flight to Ecuador would be extremely remote.

No idea how much money he made from wiki leaks.

jimenato

I'm not quite sure why it should be costing lots of money in legal wrangling or policing.

He is effectively in Ecuador so leave him there. What's the problem?

missile

It is a political issue. There are many suspected of far more serious offences at large.

rugbymatt

Looks like something is about to happen....

Dick Dasterdly

What legal wrangling ?
The only regular policing seems to be a couple of guys on the door.
No problem with leaving him in Ecuador.
He is the only one with a problem.

jimenato

That's the way I see it.