It appears increasingly likely Wikileaks founder and publisher Julian Assange will wind up in the clutches of the U.S. government, says Ann Garrison.
United States Will Bring
Assange to US in Chains
By Ann Garrison
It appears increasingly likely Wikileaks founder and publisher Julian Assange will wind up in the clutches of the U.S. government.
It’s hardly surprising, given that in ten years’ time, Wikileaks published more classified information than all other media combined. It exposed human rights abuses, government spying, torture, and war crimes on an unprecedented scale.
WikiLeaks put government, corporations and even the Pentagon, the FBI, the CIA and other intel agencies on notice that they could no longer count on operating in secret.
It created a trove of primary source material that serious journalists and researchers will mine for years to come. Its publications are accessible to readers who prefer primary sources to mostly mediated news.
Wikileaks so infuriates the USA’s most violent, corrupt, and criminal institutions that Hillary Clinton half-jokingly suggested drone-bombing Assange. Other U.S. politicians called for his execution by other means.
California’s 28th District Congressman Adam Schiff, who became the chair of the House Intelligence Committee when Democrats reclaimed the House, said he would speak to Assange “when he is in U.S. custody, not before.”
Schiff is a vociferous and supremely self-righteous leader of the Democratic Party’s “Resistance,” which sullies the name of the underground movement formed in France during World War II to fight Nazi Germany’s occupying forces and the collaborationist Vichy government.
The “Resistance” tolerates only one truth and one loyalty: Russia is the enemy, interfering in Syria, the Ukraine and even U.S. elections. Russia elected Trump with Wikileaks’ help, it says. Russia dares to position missiles on its own borders, it says, to respond to NATO’s missiles on the other side. The U.S. must build more missiles, more drones, more nuclear weapons, and every other sort of weapon to defend the European world against Russia and its ally China.
Moral and Racial Superiority
Moral and racial superiority entitles the U.S. to occupy the world with military bases, ringing any nation that challenges its hegemony with military aircraft, battleships, assault vehicles, and military surveillance. Moral and racial superiority entitles its spy state agencies to shut down access to information deviating from its narratives and therefore to arrest and extradite Julian Assange.
The Republican Party shares the same supremely intolerant nature as the Democrats, but differentiates itself by insisting that, although Russia is the enemy, Donald Trump did not collude with Russia to steal the 2016 presidential election.
The Republicans also want to silence the founder of Wikileaks and find a way to shut the organization down. Trump’s former CIA director, and now Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, has called Wikileaks a “non-state hostile intelligence service often abetted by state actors like Russia” and vowed to hunt Assange down.
Has Time Run Out?
Assange has been an asylee in Ecuador’s London Embassy for more than six years—since August 2012. Ecuador and the UK, however, are no closer to an agreement that would allow him safe passage out of the embassy. In a recent video conference, #Unity4J organizer Suzie Dawson said she fears Assange and those working to free him are running out of time:
“Right now time is not on our side. And I had someone today complaining because they want us to do a big, big action day march. When you do those types of actions it takes two or three months to organize. You need to have an organizing committee, you need to wallpaper the town, you need to have one date that you do it on, you need to do a ton of advertising. You need to get all the unions and various other organizations to sign on board, and then you have this one action day.
“Well, there’s a couple of problems with that. First of all, I don’t think we have three months right now. If we schedule a February giant march in support of Julian, I honestly don’t think we have until February. I hope I’m wrong. I hope that the actions we take in the short term, in the next days and weeks, will buy us that much time for Julian, but I don’t see it.”
CIA whistleblower John Kiriakou, who spent two years in prison for exposing the agency’s official use of torture, said if Assange walks out of the embassy without a guarantee of safe passage, he will be extradited to the U.S. in chains:
“We all know why the British have that embassy ringed. It’s to snatch him and to turn him over to the United States. If that happens, the CIA and the FBI are both going to be on that plane and they’re both going to be at least attempting to interrogate him all the way back home. They will bring him back to the United States in chains because that’s what they do.“
Dawson feels the FBI and CIA will interrogate and torture Assange to try to obtain information that would allow them to bring Wikileaks down. She has no doubt he’s been preparing for this eventuality for years. She believes he will have made sure the organization has adopted security codes and measures he himself doesn’t know and therefore can’t reveal—even if he’s tortured.
“They want to know about security files for example. They want to know about the inner processes and workings of Wikileaks. They want access to the knowledge that’s inside Julian’s brain. And they will torture him. And they will interrogate him in order to attempt to get that.
“Now I trust Julian to be smart enough to have made sure that even he doesn’t possess a lot of that knowledge. In my personal opinion, Julian has spent years planning for these various eventualities, but it won’t stop them from trying.”
Dawson aded intelligence agencies are eager to punish him: “At the end of the day they want to punish him for outing their corruption and their crimes. They’ve been waiting eight years to do it, and they will be rubbing their hands together with glee at the prospect of the UK detaining him and extraditing him to the USA.”
Ann Garrison is an independent journalist based in the San Francisco Bay Area. In 2014, she received the Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza Democracy and Peace Prize for her reporting on conflict in the African Great Lakes region. She can be reached at [email protected].
If you enjoyed this original article please consider making a donation to Consortium News so we can bring you more stories like this one.
Can someone please tell me what Wikileaks has revealed that is just so dangerous to the US oligarchy? Don’t say Vault 7, most of that has been out there for a long time. Remember John Young saying how Wikileaks was funded in the beginning and how it operates? I’m sorry but this guy should not be an international hero to the “counter” culture. How about Udo Ulfkotte? Michael Hastings? These people were never put on TV. We really need to rethink Wikileaks, especially if the NY Times and NPR fawn over it.
Since when do NPR and the NYT fawn over Wikileaks? Evidence please!
You seriously asked that question? The question should be “What ISN’T dangerous to the oligarchy” when it comes to disclosures on Wikileaks? Accountability in this day and age is like a turd in a wedding punch bowl!
It appears the previous Obama administration decided it could not prosecute Assange without also prosecuting the NYTimes, Washington Post, and Guardian, who all published WikiLeaks info and benefited from the arrangement.
Since Trump is bat guano crazy, he likely would find glee in prosecuting the NYTimes & Wa Po, if just to troll them. His new Attorney General henchman Whitaker seems just the type.
Theoretically, freedom of the press should win the day. In the real world? Who knows? Especially if they can find a way to do nasty things to Assange without bringing him to the US. Torture him elsewhere. No doubt bypassing American courts all together could fix the issue for Trump. Trump isn’t very bright, but he is sadistic and loves to push boundaries in his own sociopathic way…
http://opensociet.org/2018/11/17/prosecution-of-julian-assange-for-publishing-documents-poses-grave-threats-to-press-freedom
“Since Trump is bat guano crazy,” So everything has to be explained in terms of how bad Trump is. Note that it was Obama who was president in 2013.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evo_Morales_grounding_incident
Whatwas done to Morales was a violation of International law.
Right. Greenwald is doesn’t seem reliable here. He is just quoting the Washington Post saying that the Obama DOJ decided not to prosecute. If you think the WP is omniscient and reliable and honest I have a bridge to sell you. There is sketchy evidence that there has been a sealed US indictment for years, evidence that Assange has had to weigh to determine his course of action.
Obama outdid Trump in bat-guano crazy. There is nothing in US (& many other states’) history and nothing in Trump’s craziness like Obama’s assertion and exercise of an imaginary presidential power to murder anybody he feels like anywhere he feels like. In a less sick nation – like the USA even 30 years ago, Obama would have been indicted when he murdered Anwar al-Awliki and his son – and Obama would have had a pretty good insanity defense. But in such a healthier society, Bush & Obama would have been impeached for bat-guano crazy when they even openly suggested that the President has such a power – again something that has no precedent.
My earlier comments have probably been misidentified as spam. But on further research it is fairly clear that Greenwald is wrong on the idea that the Obama administration decided it could not prosecute Assange. Or at least he is basing this assertion on murky, undisclosed sources – and not even saying so. There was a Wikileaks Grand Jury under Obama. Did it produce a sealed indictment? Is this recent disclosure of a Trump-era charge or from the earlier Obama Grand Jury? These are open questions.
See e.g. Recently: ” Throughout that time, the United States has refused to say whether there are any sealed charges against Assange.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/julian-assange-has-been-charged-prosecutors-reveal-in-inadvertent-court-filing/2018/11/15/9902e6ba-98bd-48df-b447-3e2a4638f05a_story.html
“Many crucial details about what prosecutors have done remain unclear, including when the criminal complaint was filed, what specific charge or charges it contains, and what facts it is based upon. ”
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/16/us/politics/julian-assange-indictment.html
From February: “It is not known whether Assange faces a U.S. indictment because of secrecy rules governing grand jury decisions.”
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/judge-upholds-arrest-warrant-wikileaks-founder-julian-assange-n847466
Last, and most important, from Christine Assange’s recent emergency appeal (which was before the recent disclosure though)
“They are setting my son up to give them an excuse to send him over to the US where he will face a show trial. Over the past 8 years, he has had no proper legal process. It has been unfair at every turn, with much perversion of justice. There is no reason to consider that this would change in the future. The US WikiLeaks Grand Jury producing the extradition warrant is held in secret, has four prosecutors but no defense and no judge. The UK-US extradition treaty allows for the UK to extradite Julian to the US without prima facie case. Once in the US, the National Defense Authorization Act allows for indefinite detention without trial. Julian could very well be held in Guantanamo Bay and tortured, sentenced to 45 years in maximum-security prison, or face the death penalty”
https://unity4j.com/content/communications/Mrs_Christine_Assange_-_3_Nov_2018_Emergency_Meeting_includes_Spanish_Translation.pdf
This “news” seems to be meant to probe the people’s reaction. Indeed, if A. gets extradited, tried, and sentenced, that will be the point at which the establishment irrevocably crossed the line. Such probing, however, will not produce the desired result, because those who know this are not talkers, but doers…
Then why are you reading this?
You can learn a lot from propaganda…
I have called and emailed the attorney Barry Pollack, who represents Julian Assange in Washington DC as follows:
To: [email protected]
Dear Mr. Pollack,
I inquire on behalf of many U.S. citizens, and others, who are gravely concerned for Mr Assange’s welfare.
What can we do to help him now?
With your permission, I would post your response on Consortium News and FB.
Thank you for representing this heroic journalist.
respectfully,
Kim Louth
Thanks for doing that.
When a nation gives more value to a “lying infrastructure” instead of its physical infrastructure, you know the crazies and criminals rule the roost! Apparently Trump & Co. have forgotten the heroic ride of Paul Revere in warning Americans that the “British are coming, the British are coming!” Trying Mr. Assange would only further confirm to the world the evil nature of the US government in killing, torturing, trying, etc. those who have the courage to sponsor the truth, even in fear for their lives! Assange should be REWARDED for exposing criminality but what can you do when that “criminality” makes their own sordid and un-Constitutional rules?
The New York Times shut down its comment section as thousands of pro-Assange comments poured in. This one was blocked by the filter, so I’m posting it where free speech appears to have gone for refuge- state media of “enemy countries” and independent left-wing and libertarian websites
—
Democracy is served by the exposure of corruption no matter the source. WikiLeaks, as the New York Times has outlined, exposes the TTIP and TiSA texts along with going after NATO. They exposed the unethical and undemocratic rigging of the primaries against Bernie Sanders. They have, via the diplomatic cables and StratFor leaks, revealed US meddling in Ecuador and attempts to force the EU to accept GMO crops. These is real information, these are real documents, and these are facts that benefit the general population of the United States. They may not please the corporate elite or some elements of Washington power, but those are not “democracy.” Finally, the New York Times and other publications like the Wall Street Journal and the Guardian have revealed many truths via documents obtained through sources which many, including I, would consider reprehensible, such as Trump administration insider leaks. Only a nationalist or extreme patriot would care about the national origin of these truths. If the publication of secret documents is placed under scrutiny we’re all worse off.
I worry for Julian and despair for the direction of our institutions. Would cetainly stand in the streets for him. It ain’t much but it went to all elected except the newbies who aren’t accepting emails until January.
The recent news stories about the inadvertent disclosure of a secret sealed indictment against Julian Assange prompt me to write this. Please oppose through voice and action any and all attempts to pursue either the indictment or prosecution of Assange. He is a hero of our times. Punishing individuals responsible for releasing documents that expose secrets of the government or powerful institutions in our society has no place in a representative democracy that values freedom, truth and a free press. Government secrecy has a corrosive effect on honest discourse and the accompanying punishment of whistleblowers is an ill wind chilling hope for a free society. And our track record for punishing whistleblowers and those that publish their information is growing worse despite the pretense of laws protecting those people. This affair smacks more of mob like revenge than protecting national security. Some may argue this is just a mind game and part of an effort to break Assange, but that makes it no less heinous. I urge you to take a principled stand against those who would silence discourse no matter how entrenched they are within our institutions.
Thank you , William S, well stated. I would like to copy and send to my representatives, with your permission.
“Lawyers for Assange and others have said his work with Wikileaks was critical to a free press and was protected speech.
“The notion that federal criminal charges could be brought based on the publication of truthful information is an incredibly dangerous precedent to set,” Barry Pollack, a U.S. lawyer for Assange, said in a statement….
Criminal charges in the United States would add pressure on Britain to extradite Assange, an Australian national.”
https://www.reuters.com/article/assange-usa-int/us-prepares-criminal-case-against-wikileaks-assange-idUSKCN1NL0FU
CAN ALL THOSE CONCERNED FOR JULIAN ASSANGE’S WELFARE CONTACT THIS ATTORNEY TO ASK HOW WE CAN HELP HIM?
I doubt the “cut and paste” error was inadvertent. Some are saying it gives Ecuador the basis for ousting Assange from its embassy.
Assange is a major threat to the CIA’s self-serving narrative that Russia was behind the email leaks, and therefore, I fear, the CIA will do whatever is needed to take him out. Would very much like to hear from Ray McGovern on this as well as his suggestions for concerned citizens who want to help. Is there anything we can DO??
Trump DOJ’s Secret Charges Against WikiLeaks’ Julian Assange “Accidentally” Revealed
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/11/16/dangerous-path-democracy-and-dire-threat-press-freedom-trump-dojs-secret-charges
“Free speech advocates and civil libertarians are warning that fundamental press freedoms are under threat after the Trump Justice Department accidentally revealed in an unrelated court filing that secret charges have been filed against journalist Julian Assange.” “Experts told the Guardian it was likely a simple copy-paste error.”
“Accidentally Revealed.” Yeah, right. And, Britain just “accidentally” ignored a UN Human Rights ruling that he was “being arbitrarily detained in violation of International Law.” And, Assange will be just “accidentally” tortured. And, Leaks will “accidentally” provide details of all his (False) confessions obtained through endless “enhanced interrogations.”
But, then again (and again, and again), these types of worldwide repercussions often happen with “simple copy-paste error[s].”
“In the last couple of hours it’s been revealed, “inadvertently”, that he’s already been charged;”
This is even more reason to stop wasting time on Hillary& rise up against Trump, Inc.
Hillary isn’t in, Trump is.
Trump is a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
Trump is leading the true “Deep-State” in their quest to quash ALL dissent & opposition.
Trump is one of the most dangerous people on the planet at the moment.
STOP WASTING TIME PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT ISN’T AND FOCUS ON WHAT IS.
Waaaay back in the 20th century I had a Teacher in high school who was from Germany.
She used to regale me with horror stories of living in E Berlin, watching Hitler and the Nazis rise to power, keenly aware of the looming dangers, yet living amongst a seemingly mindless population, too complacent & frightened to take action.
Her family luckily escaped….most weren’t so lucky.
Too many were too convinced of, and brainwashed by Hitler’s empty-rhetoric and hidden agendas.
WTF is wrong with the mindless masses again today?
AM I ONE OF THE RELATIVELY FEW WHOM FEEL LIKE THEY’RE LIVING IN A GROWING, TRUE NEO-NAZI LIKE STATE…….AND ABSOLUTELY SCARED OF SUCH?
TRUMP, THE CIA, FBI AND NSA ARE THE LARGEST DANGERS TODAY.
THEY ARE THE TRUE TERRORISTS.
I appreciate the story about your teacher and her experiences in the early days of the Nazis. I shudder when I think of all those innocent souls whom those monsters and their dupes put to death for no good reason.
However, in the case of the present situation, It is more likely that Trump isn’t the danger to our Constitutional freedoms, but rather those who support the agenda of the “new world order” (I refuse to use capital letters for that vile idea, which can be traced back to H—-r, himself.
Instead, it is the likes of Hillary Clinton and her mob, the Bush family, and their supporters, and the British monarchy and Eurocrats, who want to see the quick demise of Julian, because he not only has the story of their perfidy, but also has the evidence.
The President is also considered the enemy by that criminal bunch, so anyone who understands and supports JA’s mission, should advocate in his behalf with Mr. Trump for his (JA’s) safe passage.
Isn’t it possible to organize some great party at the embassy, invite many people and some of them similar to Assunge ?
And maybe in the midst of great crowd of thousands he could be whisked away under the noses of a small number of British police without observation?
Or could someone build a tunnel from a nearby location and get him out of there?
We need some imagination and resources here.
Otherwise, the bastards in Washington going to get him.
In the last couple of hours it’s been revealed, “inadvertently”, that he’s already been charged;
https://www.google.com.au/search?q=assange+charged&oq=assange+charged&aqs=chrome..69i57j69i61j69i60.6756j0j8&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
Is there anyone that you may know, or that WikiLeaks may know that has the ability to get a message directly through to President Trump, or perhaps directly through to his son Don Jr.? I know that U.S. Congressman Dana Rohrabacher met with Julian and tried to get in touch with President Trump about an “immunity deal” but was pre-emptively blocked off by the White House Chief of Staff John Kelly. So no communication ever occurred. Trump is surrounded by some bad people and some WikiLeaks haters.
But during the 2016 campaign, Trump would applaud WikiLeaks for their work, and would often say: “I love WikiLeaks”. He should .. as only they could prove before the World that neither “Russia”, Vladimir Putin, nor the President had anything whatsoever to do with “hacking DNC server”.
John Kelly is rumored to be on his way out, but that may mean nothing. I believe it would be possible to protect and save Julian Assange if there was someone who could get through and reach either President Trump or Don Jr. directly about an immunity deal (where Julian could also be free to publicly disclose who his source was for the DNC and Podesta Emails). Such an arrangement would benefit President Trump (with respect to “Russian collusion)”, as well as Assange and reverse an injustice.
I don’t know who might have that type of direct line access. Obviously Congressman Dana Rohrabacher did not. I don’t know how hard he tried. But I believe this is the best hope and best strategy for Julian’s ultimate freedom … if only someone could get through directly. Someone needs to take this as an action item to locate someone who can make it happen.
* I know that U.S. Congressman Dana Rohrabacher met with Julian and tried to get in touch with President Trump about an “immunity deal” but was pre-emptively blocked off by the White House Chief of Staff John Kelly.
An UNELECTED BLOCKING an Elected from seeing/talking to the Head of State. It has gone way past the unbelievable what the political system has come to, and not only in the US, the EU is run by a building full in Brussels by UNELECTED “clowns”.
Wonderful World We Live In!
Only way to put an end on this “Great” Britain charade is by thousands of people getting in the street, get Assange out of the ridiculous embassy and put him in the core of all these people, walk him to the nearest airport also surrounded by thousands of people, put him on a private jet aircraft and fly him to Russia. Sorry having to bother Putin with something he had absolutely nothing to do with. But he is the only one as shown in past performance(s) who calmly and decisively handles the problem dropped in his lap. Same as he has calmly and decisively created OPEC+ONE HQ Russia in which Russia has taken over from Saudi Arabia as the LEADING Oil Producer of the World.
You should consider reading the book “National Security and Double Government” by Michael J Glennon.
In it, Glennon highlights how the U.S. has essentially devolved into a bureaucracy, with unelected Bureaucrats truly running the show.
Obama promised change, but failed.
Trump promised change, but has failed.
Glennon presents the case that there are two institutions in control: the “Madisonian” public institutions of the congress, presidency and the courts, which maintain the necessary public illusion that they are in charge and in control of policy, while a secretive “Trumanite” network of unelected, unaccountable national security bureaucrats actually make and set policy that the Madisonians appear to implement as their own.
One area in which Glennon seemingly fails is his lack of identifying the Actors behind those national security bureaucrats.
The military-industrial-technological complex and Iron Triangle are alive & well.
The .001 percent are a powerful bunch. The U.S. military budget is over $700 billion, but the .001 percent control TRILLIONS.
Plus, they largely own & control the defense contractors that make the aircraft, and bombs, and missiles, and other military gear (as well as the other largest corporations, in most every single industry).
So, whilst military & security elite control a lot of money and power, they truly only do so at the behest of those with the money and ever greater power.
It’s the true hierarchy of power & wealth in the U.S.
One must pledge total loyalty and allegiance to the powers & establishment systems above.
It’s similar to the Praetorian Guard of the Roman Empire. These bureaucrats serve as personal bodyguards to the American emperors, the neo-feudal Lords.
They are promised and granted extra-special status and modest wealth in the process.
With enough loyalty proved, they continue to rise thru the ranks.
Thus, those national security bureaucrats are driven from others, above, with the hope of eventually becoming part of those powers above.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau, in his ‘The Social Contract” wrote: “Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains. One man thinks himself the master of others, but remains more of a slave than they are.”.
That being said, you should first stop relying on puppets like Trump.
Hillary or Trump, the same wealthy elite would’ve gotten their way, just via slightly different means (different distractions offered by either puppet president).
Presidential candidates are just those pre-selected politicians whom have pledged unwavering loyalties to the true ruling elite.
He is neither all-powerful, nor sovereign. All politicians exist to serve those masters above.
The .001 percent have the power and money to place & remove ANY politician that threatens their establishment system.
Assange was just another unwitting pawn in Trump’s quest for high-office.
How many others has Trump thrown under the bus during his quest for self-glory?
Guaranteed Team Trump is aware of the situation.
Trump doesn’t give a crap about your opinion, so what good is it wasting time looking for someone to “get through” to Trump.
This isn’t some hero, action movie.
It’s not like trying to get the bat signal thru to Batman.
Presidents have large teams of staff whom brief them on most all affairs (deemed important to them, or those controlling them).
You assume that ” Such an arrangement would benefit President Trump (with respect to “Russian collusion)”, as well as Assange and reverse an injustice”, yet you don’t know the full story.
Have you ever worked in politics, or executive-level government?
There’s a lot more going on than you can possible know.
You know only what the officials whom control the news narratives want you to know (refer to Project Mockingbird).
This country is hardly “free”.
The elitist with the most power control most everything you hear, read, see, do, think you know, etc.
Trump has banned Reporters from the WH just because he doesn’t like the questions they ask (as have other presidents).
You really think you’re going to get the truth from presidents like that?
You’re seemingly very naive (not a personal criticism, just an observations, based on what I know truly happens behind the scenes).
The very fact you state that “U.S. Congressman Dana Rohrabacher met with Julian and tried to get in touch with President Trump about an “immunity deal” but was pre-emptively blocked off” should tell you something.
When U.S. Senators can’t personally reach the president, there is special privilege, and extreme disorder in the machine.
This authoritarian-fascist nut-job is supposed to be representing the PEOPLE, yet other relatively high-ranking Politicians can’t even reach him.
That’s a problem, and complete failure, of a supposed “democracy” (yes, a “Representative Republic is a form of democracy).
I think you need to stop reading the “news”.
“News” is just propaganda.
You’re getting only the narrative they want you to have.
There’s a huge difference between that and the truth.
Mark Twain realized it. Ben Franklin realized it. Most “enlightened” minds realize it.
Read the book “Propaganda” by Edward Bernays.
“The only difference between “propaganda” and “education,” [or “news”] really, is in the point of view. The advocacy of what we believe in is education [news]. The advocacy of what we don’t believe in is propaganda.”
“Propaganda is the executive arm of the invisible government.”
“If you can influence the leaders, either with or without their conscious cooperation, you automatically influence the group which they sway.”
-Edward Bernays-
You should also beware of false idols.
Trump “likes” Wikileaks only because they assisted him in his quest for power, by damaging his “opponent”.
Had Wikileaks published hacked info from the RNC damaging to Trump you’d have heard a different story.
Putin isn’t exactly a friend of liberty either.
Beware ANYONE whom feels the need to so closely control & guard the sources of information (the media).
Politicians make friends with enemies only so long as it suits their selfish personal goals.
Assange has openly criticized & attacked those whom criticize him (Barrett Brown). He’s not exactly a defender of freedom.
He’s perhaps identified one enemy of freedom (Hillary) but aligned himself with another (Trump) in that process.
Ignoring or excusing the malfeasance of one whilst attacking that of another is hardly reasonable, nor ethical.
How is that different than aligning oneself with “terrorists” (bin Laden/Al-Qaeda) in ones quest to destroy another “enemy” (Russia)?
Freedom for one means freedom for all.
Freedom isn’t a selective, subjective concept, based solely on some despots will.
“Even despots accept the excellence of liberty. The simple truth is that they wish to keep it for themselves and
promote the idea that no one else is at all worthy of it.”
-Alexis de Tocqueville-
“Whatever is my right as a man is also the right of another; and it becomes my duty to guarantee as well as to possess.”
-Thomas Paine- Rights of Man
Perhaps you’d have more luck finding someone whom can get in touch with & convince Kim Kardashian of your mission.
Trump seemingly like “young” “attractive” women more than reason, logic, or common sense.
In 2010, Donald Trump called WikiLeaks “disgraceful” and suggested that the “death penalty” should be a punishment for WikiLeaks’ releases of information.
Following the dump of e-mails hacked from the Hillary Clinton campaign, Donald Trump told voters, “I love WikiLeaks!”
If you love freedom, you should oppose all establishment politicians….even supposed “Deep-state” “swamp-drainers”.
Politics is but a grudge-match of the most evil.
Whitley Bulger once commented that the Mob seeks to infiltrate and control ANY entity that controls so much power & wealth.
Thus is the current state of politics in the U.S. (and world).
Too much money & power, and too many scum looking for a piece of that action.
We have little cockroach-shysters crawling out of every piece of rotted wood looking for control over that power & money, via government positions.
I have worked in politics, and it is one of the most vile, disgusting, and corrupted industries in existence.
Assange reportedly once said that choosing between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump is like choosing between cholera or gonorrhea. “Personally, I would prefer neither.”
Yet sadly, he focused too much time on only one authoritarian-fascist power-mongering scumbag.
He should’ve given equal time to Herr Trump.
Trump is nothing but a one-pump-and-dump-chump.
This reminds of those Nazis who used to say, “If only the fuehrer knew!”
Another one for you Email from Executive Director Health Canada quoted “Rescue breathing; Chest compressions only or full CPR” Which one is correct for OD or any of the 100’s of causes breathing emergency?
https://jgarythompson.wordpress.com/2018/10/06/health-canada-teaching-murder/
Psychological terrorism common quotes while crying Pharmacists; EMS; MDs and RNs “I know they are increasing morbidity and mortality anyone alive, including respiratory emergencies with chest compression’s and/or oxygen deprivation”
“Ignoring isn’t the same as ignorance, you have to work at it.” Margaret Atwood
Google more info @GaryCPR
Gary Thompson,
What does your message have to do with Julian Assange?
Its a bit disingenuous to blame the left and right for war mongering. The right has put us in unending wars in Afghanistan & Iraq, and virtually created our national debt to pay for Vietnam, the Cold War and the Gulf war. The GOP makes the military build tanks and weapons the military says it doesnt need, drives to make sure the US is the #1 weapons exporter, and destabilizes the Middle East through a 1-sided foreign policy that has caused the deaths if 100s of thousands of innocent civilians. American hegemony isnt strictly right wing, but they fuck it up so badly, the liberals are left trying to make a bad situaton better, while the right wingers chide them as weak-on-defense George Soros loving globalists, while driving unending cycles of lies and fake news stories on AM radio, Fox News, and conspiracy theory websites intended to dupe the dumbest, most uneducated, racist and xenophobic among us. Drawing a false equivalence between the left and right dilutes the truth that absent their outsized voice in US politics from gerrymandering, and a flawed constitution that gives 2 Senators from bum-fuck Wyoming an equal say in the Senate as 40 million Californians they would not be in power. Right wingers are the war mongers. And sadly you cant even genuinely call most of them conservative.
Terms like “left” and “right” are obsolete. The warmongers have co-opted the DNC portion of the Democratic Party and the true conservatives (using the original meaning of the word) from the Republican Party. There is an honest debate to be had between the progressives and the libertarians about the extent of the role of government in a free democratic society, but we will never get that debate because BOTH major parties have been entirely corrupted by forces set on building a GLOBAL plutocratic empire.
I guess as they opine, “there is only one party in Washington: the party of money”. I have long-despaired of the entirely false distinction drawn between the so-called Democrats and the Republicans. The Assanges of this world are a threat to the plutocrat-cum-securocrat-cum -warmongering shenanigans of both factions.
IMO, Assange must be forcefully liberated by a mob of citizens and smuggled out of UK to a safe location where he can continue his work and regain his health. I, too, was hopeful that May’s government would fall and Corbyn become the new PM; but even with today’s events, that still seems a remote happening.
In all this, I wonder what Julian’s thoughts are; would he agree to such a “jail-break” type escape; does he believe he’ll be allowed to confront his accusers in an open court of law; how likely is it he’ll be Khashoggied? Currently, the reality is the Rule of the Gun is prevailing over the Rule of Law and proven the UK to be an Outlaw Nation like its mentor the Outlaw US Empire, and we can add Ecuador to that list.
Arjen Kamphuis. Still missing.
Every time I click on Consortium News the site loads with only 69 comments showing. What is this about??
Meanwhile in response toAR’ s previous comment, I cannot believe in all seriousness this author actually believes the U.S. has moral and racial superiority but rather is suggesting, tongue-in-cheek (or facetiously, as I had implied earlier), that this is what the U.S. govt believes gives it the authority to take such actions.
WHAT IS HAPPENING TO THIS SITE? IT SHOWS ONLY 69 COMMENTS??
PLEASE FIX THIS.
Why have my comments been deleted from this site?
> Why have my comments been deleted from this site?
They haven’t!
Why did we not use the Trump protest in July to surround the Ecuadorian embassy and bundle Assange out? Why must we believe that it takes 3 months to muster a coordinated protest… lay down the challenge rather than letting him die at the hands of the criminal US.
LGSM came to support the miners in 1984. Do this again… It is try or die…
When miners and gay activists united: the real story of the film Pride | Film | The Guardian-Pride Official Trailer #1 (2014) https://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/aug/31/pride-film-gay-activists-miners-strike-interview
The oligarchs and their cowardly servants may do in Assange, but what he accomplished will never fade. The masks were torn off and only the massively ignorant will ever again trust their governments. A hundred years of mainstream propaganda and personal smears will not be enough to put the genie back into the bottle. We should all say: “Je suis Assange”
Assange is not a US citizen. Under what international law can he be extradited to the US? He does not fall under its jurisdiction.
I am curious about that too. Supposedly there is a sealed indictment in DC. I can’t imagine what he could be charged with-Journalism?
Wikileaks is no wheres near what it was before Assange escaped into Ecuadorian Embassy, the treatment and threat of same for even minor players has so weakened the organization.
Just in the years since his removal as head what has Wiki done, where are all the resources gone.
The leaders of Assande cause are without any strong figurehead, and backing is nlure bull shit even as to their numbers.
No internet sites dare to directly become a part of their outlet, unless it remains on a personality manner.
The Intelligence agencies and their military arms are the real source of power in US Israel, British Commonwealth, and all Eurppean nations. a total of over 3 closer to 4 billions of earths peoples.
Of those 4 billions not even0..000000001 % will actively resist what thse intelligence agencies have in store for Assange.
that # is maybe a silent zero removed will do no more than carry signs, hade streetfairs called protesy and text woe is me woe is Assange, and how bad the bad gys are.
Some will raise funds for yheir cause and travel from one group of weak puppies crying events.
Sorry Assange you tried to play against the bad guys, thinking there was an audience that would protect your butt, they won’t.
Now be a big boy and reap the penalty you thought you were too big . too important to be punished for.
In point of fact those intelligence agencies have already won the game, they completely destroyed Wikileaks ability to have truth exposed.
In the years since Assage ran away the control over and ability to stop messaging via internet and immediately shut down operatives imput; but most importantly they have all control over their main outlet.
EVERYDAY WE THE PEOPLE LOSE ABILITY TO PUT OR TAKE OUR IDEAS AND IDEALS BY USING INTERNET.
NOT ONLY THAT THE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE THAT EVEN CARE WHAT WORLDS LEADERS ARE DOING DECREASES DAILY AS WELL.
Ideals give no protecyion to those that say they have them because they all do more than bitch, cry, and whine by words and paper.
“Sorry Assange you tried to play against the bad guys, thinking there was an audience that would protect your butt, they won’t. Now be a big boy and reap the penalty you thought you were too big . too important to be punished for.”
You obviously didn’t read the article. Assange was well aware that the USG would come after him, but he exposed them anyway. Very few people have that kind of courage. So why don’t you “be a big boy” and see if you can understand that.
“Be a Big boy!!!!” Hahaha, the US and UK governments and you are pea brained in comparison to Assang e, and your morality is even smaller.
No time to read all the comments. Hope I am not duplicating. This part of Ann’s piece caught my eye: “The Republican Party…differentiates itself by insisting that, although Russia is the enemy, Donald Trump did not collude with Russia to steal the 2016 presidential election.” That is merely party loyalty at work. For the record, I do not believe the Russians got Trump elected. Seth Rich’s killer been found yet? Awfully quiet on that front. They may yet dig up some guy as a patsy.
bobzz That’s why it was necessary for Seth Rich to be taken out. Last I heard, all the evidence in his case has been classified.
Y
Lee Harvey Oswald shot Seth Rich.
He was operating by himself.
> Lee Harvey Oswald shot Seth Rich.
> He was operating by himself.
No, he wasn’t: Sirhan Sirhan and XXXXX and XXXXXX were helping him….
And size and transmission speed of data make it unlikely to be a “hack” but rather a USB. However confirmation requires DEM cooperation so…..
I don’t understand not organizing a day of protest because he may have been extradited by then. Does the “Free Assange” movement end once he is in U.S. hands? Organize the day and make the message be whatever is appropriate for the situation.
Exactly
This is actually getting stupid–as in, “why does the US government want to punish this guy so bad when the various “cats are already out of the bag”, so to speak? Punishing him at this point is absurd, it’s not going to put all these genies back in the bottle. And it’s going to make it worse for those pursuing Assange, both with general optics and with faith/good will toward them from their own people and from others around the world. People who used to look up to our great country, when we were fair and just and democratic in our dealings with foreign nationals who are citizens of one of our allies.
It doesn’t help that his captors are currently alleged to be making his life miserable to the point of witholding food and/or medical care–which, if it hasn’t already crossed the line, is dancing on the border of violating longstanding Geneva conventions of POWs. Oh, sure, he could leave tomorrow, except the US will take him away under arrest for making them look bad in front of the world. Which is stupid, because, again, that’s not gonna change with Assange’s arrest or prosecution. So stow the troll arguments–if your only option once you step outside the embassy where you’ve taken refuge to escape POLITICAL PERSECUTION is “arrest and jail” in a hostile nation, YOU ARE NOT A FREE PERSON.
And hey, I’m not the one that’s declared perpetual war on “Terrorists”–that’s open ended war. Which means Geneva conventions apply. So there’s that. The US and the Australians are both guilty of abandoning democratic principles and it is sickening to the point of vomit.
If you’ve ever read Orwell’s novel “1984,” reflect back on the conversations that O’Brien had with Winston Smith in Room 101 and you will have your answer as to why those in power often go to great lengths to make the unfortunates under their boot suffer, usually in obscurity and really to no great advantage for the regime. For many psychopaths, sadism is its own reward, especially when they can delude themselves and coerce the public into proclaiming that such vile acts are for the greater good of society. They not only get their jollies by inflicting torture but it makes them feel empowered and adulated by the public.
How do we expect an evil government to respond to one who uncovers and broadcasts their crimes?
We expect them to live and let live, because “journalists” and “democratic republics”. If they’re so evil that they can’t respect their own tenets of governance–if they’ve done such evil that they must fear “sunlight” on what they do–there’s no reason to respect them anymore.
It’s a short road from there to civil unrest and division of citizens on a mass scale, to the point of death and destruction. They better decide soon if they want to “die” on this particular “hill” (hill = Assange and this whole situation) because once they take him away in chains, there is no going back.
I would reckon we are way past the point of no return. The Washington regime, whether fronted by Republican or Democratic puppets, only knows how to double down when called on its every outrage. It inevitably makes things worse every time–unless the vicious and immoral are its intended actions, in which case its functionaries invariably hit their mark.
As someone recently said, it’s surprising that Seal Team Six hasn’t already been despatched to the Ecuadorian embassy with a canvas bag, a syringe full of potassium chloride, and a bone saw.
Might not be so surprising if you consider an enemy of the vile center of DC powers, who has the the teams of henchmen (and their loyalties, as well) willingly in his pocket.
Right.
Regarding the many before Manning, Drake, Kiriakou, and Sterling, as well as the many to follow – after Assange:
Truth to Power:
During our times of First Draft Coalition[s], where we are subjected to 98% (?) Controlled Narratives, a predominance critically desires to hear/see those sides which are purposely and collusively repressed, banned and/or censored. And, in these exponentially-escalating periods of secret laws based on secret memos, secret courts acting with secret evidence (which will not be revealed to the accused), absolute torture to the point of insanity (and death) as a means of interrogation until one gives predetermined answers (truthful or not), worldwide surveillance on every inhabitant (without probable cause) that can be (and is) used as a means to instill fear, to threaten, tarnish, oppress, and silence even peaceful dissenters of basic causes while (resultantly) turning back history 500 years, we need those with (the ability of) absolute Courage to Stand Up Now (more than ever).
An Evolution: from Total Information Awareness (which started long before 9/11) to Total Information (and Population) Control (as a goal in the present).
Remember:
The aide said that guys like me were ‘in what we call the reality-based community,’ which he defined as people who ‘believe that solutions emerge from your judicious study of discernible reality.’ […] ‘That’s not the way the world really works anymore,’ he continued. ‘We’re an empire now, and when we act, we create our own reality. And while you’re studying that reality—judiciously, as you will—we’ll act again, creating other new realities, which you can study too, and that’s how things will sort out. We’re history’s actors . . . and you, all of you, will be left to just study what we do.’
Ann here, the author of this essay. I’m just trying to figure out how you’re now processing comments. Joe said that monitoring the long comments streams was gobbling up too much of your time.
Fail to understand how Assange’s contemporaries…fellow journalists…do not shed their respective yokes
to present a united front rolling across the world front pages in support of Assange’s complete freedom.
Their own cause celebre which might free them from eating s**t from the bowls of their paymasters, even
for a short time.
Ann, please make the call for protest, don’t let this time be wasted… get a group like the Lesbians and Gays who in 1984 supported the British miners. Start somewhere, please. I kbow in 20 or 50 years we will build a statue to Assang e in London… Let us not leave him to the murder squads and our own impotence… please lead the call to action, let it go where it goes, it is both the least and the most we can do!
Ed
A very well written article. Great overview of the recent history of Wikileaks and Julian’s demise. The world is watching. Angry elite in high places ate exposed and enraged. We the people must stand for Julian and truthful journalism. Free speech stands on a cliff if we fail.
But . . . doesn’t Donald Trump ‘love Wikileaks’?
What a joke.
Well apparently the same statement was already posted, but because this site keeps suppressing its own comments section to have CSI crimelab font, I had no idea until it was done with. Oh well fuck it- if they get Assange no more shit from the Dems about how Trump/Assange are big pals though, like they’ve been rattling on about unanimously.
You know nothing about Julian Assange and his bravery you fraud
Umm. My comments were in support of Assange, and against the various distortions put forth by the mainstream press. Funny you would level the accusation of ‘fraud’ at anyone- pretty sure everyone knows what a troll, and fraud, you are- so how about you go back to the drawing board and figure out another way to irritate people besides pretending you’re in any way related to the accused, eh?
What happened to all the comments. At least 20 have been deleted including mine.
Tragic!
Whatever happened to “I love WIKILEAKS!” Pronouncement by 45 during the election?
Outrageous injustice!
This is profoundly horrifying.
Like being a bystander as thousands are “famined” in Yemen and hundreds are shot down at the Gaza fence.
How can we in the USA support those in the UK who might launch some kind of defensive or protective action for Julian?
Can Jeremyh Corbyn play any role in stopping the kidnapping and rendition of Assange?
What about Amnesty International?
Assange is clearly a political prisoner.
My greatest hope has been that Jeremy Corbyn would become prime minister and guarantee Julian safe passage to whatever country will offer him asylum. I’m afraid we’re running out of time for that, but I imagine that US Intel has planned to circumvent that possibility. As Suzie Dawson said, I hope I’m wrong.
Litchfield: I agree. Tired of reading re-caps of the situation with no solutions. WHAT CAN WE DO????
If I were fabulously wealthy I would organize a helicopter rescue mission.
Marches ~ like praying ~don’t do anything other than make people feel that they have done something.
It must be totally stealth. I keep wondering if J.A. hasn’t planned for this by preparing the ultimate
bombshell revelation should he be captured, hoping he has such a file somewhere in case the worst happens.
I am also disgusted with the U.K. and Australia for turning their back on him.
I don’t put much faith in Amnesty International anymore. They are all aboard with the White Helmets B.S. and have been co-opted by the “Clintonistas” and George Soros. They have made a tepid statement about not evicting him from the embassy, but that’s about it.
What the US and UK are doing to Assange makes me sick to my stomach. That much of the so-called progressive media has taken up arms against him is absolutely outrageous. Adam “Stiff” is a neocon asshole from my former voting district.
NO MORE NEOCON DEMOS!
When I first click on this article, it says there are 0 comments. So I type a “test” comment and post it, and suddenly it shows 33 comments. Another commenter “Tim” says he’s having no problems and thinks the fault is in my system. I know for a fact that it’s not just my system because others have reported the same problems. Are there any other regular commenters who are NOT experiencing any difficulties with the comment section? If I leave this site and return to it, it will once again say 0 comments until I post one. This has been happening to me for about 3 weeks now. I run a MacBook Pro with Malwarebytes virus protection, and have tried a couple different browsers. I have even tried my Uncle’s PC, and it has the same problems.
I’m using Chrome on Windows 10 and have the same problem, but thanks to your workaround I’ve been able to participate in a more timely fashion.
I just had exactly this experience.
I thought it was weird that mine would be the first comment.
Now I see that there are 35 comments.
The irritating “old-fashioned” fuzzy, irregular enlarged Times Roman font is another source of irritation.
From a purely design perspective, did someone think this “manual typewriter” allusion was “original? It is totally hackneyed.
But thanks for sticking with Julian.
We can we do to help him?
aka the “Pirate Treasure Map” font. (credit to Realist)
Yeah, Matey, from the early days of print!!
Like, the sixteenth century!
X marks the spot!
I can’t take credit for that one, somebody else came up with that zinger, but I do want to thank Skip for coming up with the work-around of first submitting an empty post with no text to retrieve the extant threads and then deleting the empty post.
I had the same experience. I know that CN has been overwhelmed by the job of moderating comments, so I thought this might be a new moderation method.
These issues are really frustrating. The comments are very important ways of expanding the discussions.
On a side note, your articles are always illuminating. I check out Blackagenda Report every week and you guys really tell it like it is. Just wish you had a comment section!
> Another commenter “Tim” says he’s having no problems and thinks the fault is in my system.
> I know for a fact that it’s not just my system because others have reported the same problems.
Who said it was? We all saw that other people had similar complaints. Presumably, there is the same defect in the way they are accessing this Web site.
Sorry I’m no techie. The only way I know to access a website is to click on it via a browser. To get to CN I go to https://consortiumnews.com. Then I click on the article I want to read. If you could be more specific about our possible “defect” in the way we’re accessing the site you’d help out a bunch of folks. BTW, I have been accessing CN the same way for years now, and have only begun experiencing any problems in the last few weeks. Actually, as of today, more like a month.
Tim-
“the only logical conclusion is that there is something wrong in the system you are using to access this site (or at least, the comments section).”
Who said it was? That would be you. And yes we all saw that others had similar complaints. That’s why I was asking others about the “systems” they are using, and specifically asking if anyone not having problems was using a particular “system” and to please advise us.
I apologize if I misunderstand the meaning of the word “system”. I would take that to mean the hardware and software being used.
He should have gone to Cuba
He couldn’t get out of the country to do go to Cuba. At the time he was wearing an ankle monitor because he was on bail. Now he can’t leave the embassy because it’s usually surrounded by British coppers. Except for the night someone tried to break into the embassy.
Schiff and Comey refused to allow Assange to testify to congress about his role in Russia Gate because they didn’t want him telling the truth that Russia did not hack the DNC computers.
Given what international scofflaws and bandits the American regime has become, I’m surpised they haven’t sent Seal Team 6 to invade the sovereign territory of the Ecuadorian Embassy in London with guns blazing like they did in Pakistan to murder OBL and dump his body in the ocean, in violation of every international norm and treaty. Based on recent statements by Bolton et. al. for example. They passed the “Hague Invasion Act” under Bush in 2002, so they wouldn’t have too far to go to stretch the legal limits to Assange.
That would be a fine dramatic ending for Julian!
This commenter is a troll who tried this a week ago, same subject, similar alias: no fact, no argument, just a troll disruption.
M.A. YOU ARE DISGUSTING AND USELESS. GET OFF THIS SITE YOU MONGALOID.
That would alienate all of UK, and admit US roguery to the world, like the Kashoggi case, an historic disaster for the US.
What happened to the several comments that were posted here this morning?
If the US ever did get its hands on Assange, don’t expect a public trial with teams of lawyers in three-piece suits and 24-hour CNN spin coverage. The establishment knows that he would eat them alive in court, and make them look like the cowardly hypocrites that they are.
Anyone who has listened to him speak knows that he could do this on his own merits, without revealing sources or having to dip into Wikileaks’ treasure trove of data. His enemies would love to drag him down to their level, but everyone should know by now that Julian would never sacrifice his integrity or that of Wikileaks to save himself.
No, he would either accidentally hang himself with his shower curtain, get shot near the soda machine trying to quench his thirst before escaping, or get the black bag treatment and disappear into the empire’s Gulag system.
I fear you are right, especially the last part. As Captain Renoit famously said, “We can yet tell if he hung himself in his cell or was shot trying to escape.”
Every American citizen should be supporting Assange. But in Americaland Truth-Tellers go to jail or into exile, while liars, murderers, torturers, gun-runners and ruthless dictator after dictator after dictrator goes to the White House for dinner.
America: The World’s Moral Sewer
Where are the comments?
This is so disturbing. That such evil can occur in full view of the entire world is further evidence of the downward spiral we are experiencing.
I guess my only hope is that Trump will step out of line and free Julian. He did say he “loves Wikileaks” during the campaign.
Hardly likely though–he is firmly under the boot of the deep state now.
Trump only ‘loved Wikileaks’ during the small window it seemed to benefit him, and hurt the Clinton campaign. Since then Assange has been highly critical of Trump- so slim odds of that happening, boot or no boot of the deep state.
Why not organize a private covert rescue operation. Get Assange out before the British lackey’s know what hit them.
On second thought maybe open a back channel with the Kremlin. I’m quite sure Russia would offer him asylum and allow him to continue to publish.
Ecuador made him a citizen and then tried giving him diplomatic status so he could get to Russia. UK refused to guarantee safe passage.
So Ecuador may not oppose his being spirited to safety.
And UK might not really want to arrest him either.
The ticket is a quick tough operation to give them both excuses.
Sure, if Hitler can escape the bunker leaving the world to believe for 60 years he committed suicide, surely they can find an escape route for Julian out of there. Don’t laugh. It’s true.
Just leak that he was poisoned with Novichok by Russians and cut up into pieces by Saudis, as cameras record them leaving by the back door, one more in number than those who arrived.
Should the USA extradite and try Julian Assange, perhaps he will have a bully pulpit to play his Seth Rich card. Viva Assange!
Actually I think there’s a provision in the extradition treaty barring extradition to a country where there is a likelihood of inflicting the death penalty. Extradition requires a judicial proceeding in the sending country. That would make a good defense. But I think the US is brazen en to just kidnap him.
> Actually I think there’s a provision in the extradition treaty barring extradition
> to a country where there is a likelihood of inflicting the death penalty.
> Extradition requires a judicial proceeding in the sending country.
> That would make a good defense.
Except that, when the indictment is presented to the British judicial system, odds are a hundred-to-one that the crimes claimed will not carry the death penalty — or there will be an official pledge not to seek it.
The extradition could be governed by the UK–US extradition treaty of 2003, an unequal treaty that gives the US more power than the UK and which lowered the standard of “evidence” required. It would be in the hands of a UK government that wants to extradite Assange, who is not a UK citizen. So I think the question is that once he is in the hands of the UK, whether he would be just immediately handed over to the US without proceedings, or whether there would be a show trial in a kangaroo court with a foregone conclusion. I think the second is the less likely alternative, partly because it might give Assange some protection from execution.
What makes you think he’ll get a public trial? He’ll probably just face a tribunal at Gitmo.
What a sham the freedom of the press is. If folks can’t see Assange as a political prisoner wanted by the corrupt state, we will continually lose our Constitutional rights. I thought exposure of the inner workings of the state was what ‘freedom of the press’ was all about. Apparently they lied to us in public school about our country. “Freedom of the press” is a facile fraud.
A very good article, until we get to this:
“Moral and racial superiority entitles the U.S. to occupy the world with military bases, ringing any nation that challenges its hegemony with military aircraft, battleships, assault vehicles, and military surveillance. Moral and racial superiority entitles its spy state agencies to shut down access to information deviating from its narratives and therefore to arrest and extradite Julian Assange.”
What does race have to do with Washington’s imperialism? After all, wasn’t Obama black? Did he change anything essential about our foreign policy? And aren’t Russians white? Yet the official media here demonize them non-stop. For that matter, isn’t Julian Assange white? That doesn’t help him. No, Ann, race has NOTHING to do with it. None of this is happening because of ‘white supremacy’ or whatever. Please stop feeding the identity-politics scam of the Establishment.
Where have you been living for the last couple of centuries?
God is a white man and he said it is white people’s Manifest Destiny to rule the world, which includes killing all the wogs who get in the way. Genesis 1: God gave white men created in His image dominion over the Earth and told him to kill anyone and everything because he’s in charge. Amen.
Natives, Korea, Vietnam, Africans, the Middle East…. seriously, read a book.
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history/the-early-republic/age-of-jackson/a/manifest-destiny
If I sounded a bit snippy, it’s because we just came off a primary season in 2016 where Hill-bots felt perfectly justified in bashing Bernie and his supporters as ‘racists’ and ‘misogynists’. These terms should NOT be thrown around with wild abandon or used out of context.
Ms. Garrison appears to be referring generally to a US false sense of entitlement to power, whether based upon moral notions or the racism of some. There are many overlapping tribes in the US that proclaim their superiority and entitlement. That is true everywhere, but especially in an unregulated market economy where the poor feel cheated and powerless and worthless, and grasp for tribal propaganda that they have some virtue of the tribe, exploiting opportunities to oppress others so as to feel superior to someone.
Well said, Sam F.
No matter the stratum of society, it is the rare individual that, when given power over another, will not immediately proceed to abuse that power. Sadly, this seems to be an almost universal human trait; and I believe that our highly competitive, exploitive, and predatory culture only exacerbates this phenomenon, as the vulnerable ego looks for refuge, security, and self-worth.
However, at the level of US empire, I still see the primary mainspring as greed. Certainly there is the lust for power, but this is most often put into service for the purpose of further enrichment. Even the Native American saw white men as infected with a form of materialistic insanity:
“It has always been the pride of the Nez Perce that they were the friends of the white men. But we soon found that the white men were growing very rich very fast and were greedy to possess everything the Indian had.” – Chief Joseph
thank you ann, for this report, and thank you shamus, for your crit of identity politics…racism is real and horrible but it’s only a part of capitalism, which is the main problem for all of us..a democratic society and world in which humanity comes before private profit needs the work of all humanity…further divisions are only in keeping with the tactics popularized by ruling classes throughout history and will guarantee not only assange’s negative fate but ultimately all of ours as well…repeat: the market forces of minority capital must be replaced by the democratic forces of majority humanity, or else.
Seamus Paadraig : Do you really not know the meaning of the word “facetious?”
I’m pretty sure the article was not being facetious, and was reaching quite a bit on that one. Of course the US has a past history of racism, some of which still remains, to arguable degrees, but all of this (in the article) has to do with power and money- ideology and race left these folks a long time ago- it isn’t an efficient enough form of state violence; it’s too vulgar and doesn’t allow the oligarchs the ethical/PR wiggle room they like to have when claiming they’re ‘democratizing’ the world. Also, c’mon- Assange is a white guy, anyhow. I’m politically positioned on the left more than the right on a majority of issues, but this identity politics/bringing up folks melanin levels in every damned issue is counterproductive, and let’s be honest, was one major reason why the folks who voted left that swung to Trump- a quasi-racist- in the past election, did so.
What will Trump want to do with Julian Assange? This is a really good question.
My guess is the latest drama manufactured between Acosta at CNN and Trump’s White House staff is a weather balloon. In other words, this drama is being played out to gauge the public’s reaction, to see which way the wind may blow when much worse is done to Assange. Trump’s base salivates at this kind of raw red meat thrown into their cages, their “fearless leader” putting the “liberal media” in their place. Trump will love the spectacle of it…
“This is All Donald Trump Has?”
Minha religiosidade não acredita na morte ( há mais constelações que as estrelas sob minha visão e as dimensões nem começaram a ser contadas). Nós humanos ainda não mudamos o necessário mas agora que enchemos a terra, ou mudamos ou perecemos. E o desenrolar dos acontecimentos não são nada animadores. Valhalla para os fortes!!!
My religiosity does not believe in death (there are more constellations than the stars under my vision and the dimensions have not even begun to be told). We humans have not yet changed the necessary but now that we fill the earth, either we change or we perish. And the unfolding of events is not at all encouraging. Valhalla to the for!
What a misleading headline! Followed by a non-news-report ‘news report’, which tells us nothing we don’t already know. If the headline had been “United States Will Bring Assange to US in Chains if It Can Get Him,” then at least it would have been an honest headline. It wasn’t even that.
You missed this little word in all caps at the beginning of the headline: COMMENTARY. It was never meant to be a news story and could in no way be construed as one.
Here is an article that looks at how the U.S. intelligence community was going to destroy WikiLeaks:
http://viableopposition.blogspot.ca/2016/11/how-to-destroy-wikileaks.html
As the article states, WikiLeaks is the only group that has an unblemished track record for telling the truth.
We have to start it even if there is not 3 mths, what if there is.. ? might be accomplished sooner, we have to try. Julian would be thinking differently.. we cannot sit and “wait” then regret we haven’t done it.
my thinking is it can be accomplished much sooner than 3 mths. 1 mth is plenty. When people unite , we can bring miracles.. adding Almighty God’s help, his Spirit can achieve this.. actions coupled with faith thtough works for the sake of Justice is pleasing to Him; thus, believing it can happen through work is what faith is about.
If you would rethink it all by now, you would be surprised. Yes, we can.
Mr Class recently said that we cannot ignore there is a God, this God he said was sustaining him. We must believe it does, to receive the same.
**continued….
….reiterating alone what will happen “ifs” they get him, is time not used efficiently.
If we mobilise, we can do it… even if there is a “diversion” on the way, we will be ready.. who knows what it would bring, certainly better than worst.. All the time we discuss our amazing online vigils is beautiful to behold unity per se, yet, we can cut short on those, just gathering discussing only our main project /purpose, and esp. actions, whether to do a march or other, looking like less or “less”, with the “less” that could prove to be more. There are underneath currents in our favour and especially for Julian. Its hard concept perhaps, yet is part of Faith which once active, is rolling on such a waythat we cannot rely alone on what we see..
Q: are we all ready to start now Weekibees?
whether we will do this, or in the process, get on similar powerful project..
Much gratitude on all of this platform or lone workers
Feedback please anyone…
Hasn’t Corbyn declared support for Assange? One would think that the Labour Party or other political organizations there would be the place to look for activist intervention.
All I know is Wikileaks helped Trump get elected whether that was the intention or not. Trump should help Assange.
It is a waste of time to attack him because ultimately the US agencies and branches of government are responsible for their own cyber security and they need to look in the mirror when they get hacked.
“All I know is… blah, blah, blah” What you don’t know would fill a book.
Critical thinkers know how Trump was elected, lady. And that wasn’t it. Read widely. You’ll figure it out.
Barbara seems to have simply used the phrase “all I know is” to preface the interesting observation that “Wikileaks helped Trump get elected,” no more than infelicity. One can always counter observations without attacking the observer. Our mission is as much education as exploring truth ourselves, and some commenters have been helpful in supplying links as suggestions.
It is surprising that there have been no great demonstrations in London for Assange, perhaps because the issue is not domestic. Surely there are other activists who can publicize, and a bold masked group to bring him out into the crowd and spirit him away.
I am not aware of any activism on behalf of Assange here in the States. But I am not on social media and perhaps one has to be in order to find out whether anything has been or is being organized.
Why isn’t Chelsea Manning and other whistle blowers taking the lead here to get some kind of online petition, or at least to make the case more high profile, or to lead protests at Ecuadorian consulates here with demand to continue to protect Assange or else to provide safe egress via helicopter. Would the Brits shoot Assange out of the sky?
Where is Flash Gorden when we need him?
Julian Assange in chains IS the death throes of democracy.
Je suis Julian Assange.
J. Ortíz
The last remaining differences between the USA and Nazi Germany are rapidly disappearing, as the American state discards its elaborate pretences of virtue and good will.
Underneath, we see exactly the same sneering face of national supremacy and unrestrained violence.
The world has come full circle since Alexander Solzhenitsyn was the oppressed dissident in a tyrannical state and self-righteous America demanded his human rights and freedom, which he was ultimately given. America has become exactly what it decried in those days before its mask fell off, though Assange will not be its first victim. There were plenty of those renditioned to torture chambers in “emerging democracies” of “New Europe,” processed at Abu Graib, or repeatedly water-boarded, sleep-deprived and left to rot in Gitmo. Hell, our people used to torture unfortunate captives to death in “tiger cages” back in ‘Nam. The only difference is we don’t call our assemblage of torture centers an “archipelago.” I guess that would sound pretentious.
Yes, it is remarkable that tribes never see in themselves what they abhor in others, just presuming that the virtue is on their side because those are group values, that conceal their own tyrants. They ignore their own genocides as “worth it” and simply falsely accuse their victims. A free press would confront the public with such contradictions and hypocrisy.
Excellent comparison, Realist!
Reading Solzhenitsyn’s “One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich” and “The Gulag Archipelago” in my twenties was quite sobering (and depressing), yet here we are today with the shoe on the other foot. And with the way events are progressing it is certainly within the realm of possibility that we could find ourselves in internment camps one day as political prisoners, not unlike poor Ivan.
With the mask of pretense gone, the moral high ground lost, and a propaganda machine no longer able to veil our shameless hypocrisy, other nations are now able to see the US for what it is: a greedy, ruthless empire, and the greatest threat to world peace.
Solzhenitsyn was a reactionary swine promoted by the New York Times, CIA, and French New Philosophers to discredit left-wing politics and stoke anti-Soviet hate. The Gulag was about equal to the prison systems of the USA (https://gatorna.info/threads/the-truth-about-the-soviet-gulag-surprisingly-reve-1770/). It’s disappointing to see CN readers fall for that shlock, but then, Jordan Peterson is popular internationally, so I suppose anything is possible.
“Dawson aded intelligence agencies are eager to punish him:”
typo: added
Thank you Ann Garrison!
They will put Assange naked in a cage and they will torture him. Not only to get information but to serve as an example.
All journalists will know what happens to one who dares cross the line which separates The Great American Narrative from the truth.
No one questions the veracity of WikiLeaks publications. It’s always their provenance. Because their content is legit, the contention goes straght to “classified information is national security.”
And how do we define “national security?” What’s in the government’s best interests for us to not know about.
I think he is going to Brazil.
As this indicates, despite professions to the contrary, the true nature of the yankee imperium is an odious despotism up there in the level of evil with the worst 20th century historical examples. Their cooperation with the worst barbaric elements of the Middle East to destabilise everything reveals them as enemies of civilisation itself.
Yes, the tyrants always hide behind a pleasant tribal philosophy, whether it is religion or democracy, and betray and destroy for handouts to their followers, and personal gain. So the facade of religion for centuries masked tyranny, and now the facade of democracy.