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Assange doesn't have access to government secrets. It was all stolen by government employees and insiders........he just provides a platform for the world to publish 'em.
That's like charging the New York Times and Washington Post of assisting in acquiring stolen classified information during war with the Pentagon Papers........the hypocrisy and the splitting of the hairs.
If Assange simply published them then he doesn't have a thing to worry about, he is charged with stealing the information.
Yes the Pentagon papers was a special situation, Ellsberg and the Editor of the Washington Post could have gone to jail for acquiring them. I guess the difference is that the Pentagon Papers didn't put people at risk which is the case with Assange's and Manning, just a side issue and they did expose the lies regarding the Vietnam war. It probably saved lives in the end.
Plenty of cases since the Pentagon papers of varying degrees regarding acquisition of information, threats of jail. Judith Miller and M.A. Farber are more recent examples. You shouldn't confuse Assange as a journalist, newspapers are cautious of releasing information that could damage the country and assist our enemies.
Australian citizen Assange was arrested in the UK under a European Arrest Warrant applied for by Sweden (in relation to sexual offences), something the UK must legally adhere to, and he was arrested but granted conditional bail but after both the High Court and UK Supreme Court dismissed his appeal in 2012, Assange entered the Ecuadorian Embassy and claimed political asylum. Since this time the Swedish prosecutor has dropped the charges, however it has cost the British taxpayer millions of pounds in legal and policing costs (around £12 million).
Assange is only wanted in Britain for breaking bail conditions, which in this case could mean a maxium of 12 months in prison, in terms of any extradition, that is up to the US and is a legal matter based on extradition laws. So certain politicians in Britain and in other countries need to just leave this to the courts.
In terms of Assange, he faces a maximum of 5 years in the US and can only be charged and convicted for the offences that are on the extradition order, however it is likely that Assange will fight extradition again and will go to the High Court, then to the UK Supreme Court and then to the European Court of Human Rights, which could take a couple of years and cost the British taxpayer even more money.
In the end isn't it better just to actually serve the 5 years rather than spend years hiding in Embassies or on the run or being remanded in custody while court cases take place over a number of years, as he's not going to be given bail ever again.
It's also unknown if extradited to the US whether Sweden will once again seek his extradition, as that is also a possibility, once the US has dealt with him.
If it was me, I would have just surrendered and take my chances in Sweden. The Swedish treat their convicts pretty well, and it appears the case on him was weak enough to be dropped.
Sweden has some pretty tough extradition laws too, as it has always been a neutral country.
But then, I can say this in the comforts of home as a free man. If I was wanted by 2 different countries at the same time, I doubt I would be trying to take any escape I could find.
If Assange simply published them then he doesn't have a thing to worry about, he is charged with stealing the information.
Yes the Pentagon papers was a special situation, Ellsberg and the Editor of the Washington Post could have gone to jail for acquiring them. I guess the difference is that the Pentagon Papers didn't put people at risk which is the case with Assange's and Manning, just a side issue and they did expose the lies regarding the Vietnam war. It probably saved lives in the end.
Plenty of cases since the Pentagon papers of varying degrees regarding acquisition of information, threats of jail. Judith Miller and M.A. Farber are more recent examples. You shouldn't confuse Assange as a journalist, newspapers are cautious of releasing information that could damage the country and assist our enemies.
So truthful info is to be released so long as it doesn't hurt the US? What a twisted opinion. There is no evidence material put out by wikileaks has caused people to die. This is one more lie by MSM. Notice how you repeat propaganda: "put people at risk". All in support of keeping US crimes hidden.
If Assange simply published them then he doesn't have a thing to worry about, he is charged with stealing the information.
Yes the Pentagon papers was a special situation, Ellsberg and the Editor of the Washington Post could have gone to jail for acquiring them. I guess the difference is that the Pentagon Papers didn't put people at risk which is the case with Assange's and Manning, just a side issue and they did expose the lies regarding the Vietnam war. It probably saved lives in the end.
Plenty of cases since the Pentagon papers of varying degrees regarding acquisition of information, threats of jail. Judith Miller and M.A. Farber are more recent examples. You shouldn't confuse Assange as a journalist, newspapers are cautious of releasing information that could damage the country and assist our enemies.
stop it. You are splitting hairs. You don't think the Pentagon Papers embolden our enemies during war and made the anti-war movement stronger at home which was an advantage for our enemies ? but think exposing the lies and atrocities of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars damaged our country and assist our enemies? LMAO! The hypocrisy and splitting hairs is laughable.
How do you steal information that you have NO access to? It was Manning that stole the data and Obama didn't think it was a big deal because he commuted his sentence from 35 years to 4 months and let him go FREE........so if you have somebody to blame then blame Obama.
Do tell, what are the hygiene and mental health protocols when one is under virtual house arrest while the most powerful govt in the history of planet earth eagerly awaits you just outside the door?
A red herring argument. Assange was never arrested by Equador.
Can I break into your home to gather facts about you?
The government can, hence I have no problem with the people being able to do the same. This idea that the government should be able to keep secrets from the people is a really bad one.
It's odd how no one wants to hold the government officials that were deemed to have done illegal actions that were exposed responsible for those actions.
Bush is exposed for allowing torture. Meh. Obama is exposed for illegal spying of the citizens of the country. Meh. Clinton is exposed for undermining our elections by cheating. Meh.
We are more concerned with throwing Aunt Becky in prison for cheating and Assange for exposing it all.
A red herring argument. Assange was never arrested by Equador.
You seem to think I like the guy. I don't.
no.
Look at what you quoted you'll see I said "virtual house arrest"
I dont care how feel about him and never said anything one or the other, so take that red herring elsewhere
Assange didn't just release the information, he is charged with assisting in acquiring the information.
Rachel Maddow merely published Trumps return as did other news sources, she didn't steal it.
Do you see the difference.
There have been hundreds of Wikileaks files that have been released over the past 15 years or so and only this one, has Assange been accused of assisting in the leak?
I find it hard to believe.
But this will be the way to lock up anyone the government does not want leaking out damaging info on them. He made the military industrial complex as well as George Bush and his neo-con allies look like the liars they are and he is going to pay. And these are the same folks who said Iraq had WMD's.
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