U.S. charges Assange after London arrest ends seven years in Ecuador embassy

[Pilotman]

31 minutes ago, dick dasterdly said:

"a narcissist who cannot get beyond his own selfish interests"

 

Clearly an unbiased judge! ????

Just telling the truth. 

[mauGR1]

I wonder what interest have the US in creating a martyr, what's happening to the greatest democracy in the world ?

[Bluespunk]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

As he was being hauled out of the embassy in a dramatic scene shortly after 0900 GMT after Ecuador terminated his asylum, the Australian-born Assange was heard shouting, "This is unlawful, I'm not leaving."

Turns out it was and he did. 

Edited April 12, 2019 by Bluespunk

[Pilotman]

It is the height of nativity to think that there can ever be true free speech and an absolute 'right to know'.  The western style of government, that is by far the most attractive and 'free' regimes to live and grow up in, rely on safely navigating grey areas in moral values.  It is the human condition that some people will always go over the line, but it is for the establishment to rectify those problems, not for some self appointed 'guardian of the truth' (as he sees it) to blow holes in very necessary State secrets and put lives and the very way we live in jeopardy.  Most of us on this forum enjoy the freedoms that the western style of democracy and Nationhood provide for us. This man is trying to destroy that and has come close a few times.  Is it any wonder that he is the darling of the less savoury States in the World?   The man is a disgrace.  

[mikebike]

4 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

The western style of government, that is by far the most attractive and 'free' regimes to live and grow up in, rely on safely navigating grey areas in moral values.

What is “the western style”?

 

UK v US... freedom of speech is VERY different in those two bastions of western style of government.

[newatthis]

1 hour ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Yep, he’s wasted the best years of his life in a futile effort to avoid being held responsible for his own actions.

 

 

Sounds like the American government.

[dick dasterdly]

1 hour ago, cleopatra2 said:

There was no US extradition request when Assange sought refuge in the embassy skipping bail.

Obama decided not to pursue the leak .

 

41 minutes ago, dick dasterdly said:

So it was trump that decided to pursue Asssange?

 

37 minutes ago, cleopatra2 said:

The indictment is dated 2018 March

 

31 minutes ago, cleopatra2 said:

https://theintercept.com/2017/04/14/trumps-cia-director-pompeo-targeting-wikileaks-explicitly-threatens-speech-and-press-freedoms/

So it WAS trump that decided to pursue Assange?

[rumak]

freedom's just another word.................

[Pilotman]

Just now, mikebike said:

What is “the western style”?

 

UK v US... freedom of speech is VERY different in those two bastions of western style of government.

There is an obvious similarity in the acknowledgement and application of 'freedom of speech' in the Western democratic world.   

[mikebike]

2 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

There is an obvious similarity in the acknowledgement and application of 'freedom of speech' in the Western democratic world.   

No, there is not.

 

US freedom of speech is infinitely broader than in the UK.

[248900_1469958220]

He was the lefts poster boy for a while with Iraq et...fast forward to Clintons email scandal and now all the soy boys want his head! I hope he has some reeeeeaaal juicy bombshells. Could get interesting.

[moontang]

Espionage against the US is still espionage....a jury will be asked to vote guilty or not guilty...there is no allowance for philanthropy or charity.  A judge will sentence the convicted based on sentencing guidelines for the crime, and have only a little more leeway...IOW, he is going to do most of a 20, and that will be if he pleads guilty to one count..otherwise, he may face 200 years...looks like he is ready for the CM Expat Club..poor, broken, bearded....

[bristolboy]

1 minute ago, 248900_1469958220 said:

He was the lefts poster boy for a while with Iraq et...fast forward to Clintons email scandal and now all the soy boys want his head! I hope he has some reeeeeaaal juicy bombshells. Could get interesting.

He was also the right's public enemy #1 before he became their darling. For some reason, you failed to note that.

[248900_1469958220]

1 minute ago, bristolboy said:

He was also the right's public enemy #1 before he became their darling. For some reason, you failed to note that.

He was the LEFTS POSTERBOY...therefore.....???? Can you add 2 + 2 ??

[bristolboy]

1 minute ago, 248900_1469958220 said:

He was the LEFTS POSTERBOY...therefore.....???? Can you add 2 + 2 ??

Can you address the issue of the right's hypocrisy about Assange? I have no idea what you're on about here.

[mikebike]

5 minutes ago, 248900_1469958220 said:

He was the lefts poster boy for a while with Iraq et...fast forward to Clintons email scandal and now all the soy boys want his head! I hope he has some reeeeeaaal juicy bombshells. Could get interesting.

Hmmmm... maybe it has nothing to do with left or right, maybe it has more to do with transparency.

[thaibeachlovers]

Sooooo, the official line that Assange was not going to be extradited to the US has been proven to be government lies. He was correct, and shame on all that said he was being paranoid about it.

[Pilotman]

13 minutes ago, mikebike said:

No, there is not.

 

US freedom of speech is infinitely broader than in the UK.

so they both have 'freedom of speech' then, so same words, but not similar, is that what you are saying? ????

[bristolboy]

1 minute ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Sooooo, the official line that Assange was not going to be extradited to the US has been proven to be government lies. He was correct, and shame on all that said he was being paranoid about it.

Actually, if you follow the news, it was accidentally revealed in a court filing some time ago, that there was an indictment against Assange. Do keep up

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?utm_term=.baf21a8349d5

[bristolboy]

1 minute ago, Pilotman said:

so they both have 'freedom of speech' then, so same words, but not similar, is that what you are saying? ????

If one person likes coffee hot, and another one likes it even hotter, does that mean that their preferences aren't similar?  You are confusing "similar" with "identical".

[CGW]

2 hours ago, mike787 said:

He's a terd...life still goes on with or without him...a waste of time.

Would you like to explain why you consider he is a "terd" & a "waste of time" I'm intrigued how you came to these conclusions? your not a "truther" are you 

[Pilotman]

2 minutes ago, bristolboy said:

If one person likes coffee hot, and another one likes it even hotter, does that mean that their preferences aren't similar?  You are confusing "similar" with "identical".

I'm first language English mate, I know what I'm saying and I know the meaning of the words I'm using.   

[bristolboy]

Just now, Pilotman said:

I'm first language English mate, I know what I'm saying and I know the meaning of the words I'm using.   

Well then make your case for why they're not similar rather then simply asserting it.

[mikebike]

Just now, Pilotman said:

so they both have 'freedom of speech' then, so same words, but not similar, is that what you are saying? ????

In a number of areas, methods of controlling speech used in the United Kingdom would violate the first amendment in the United States.

 

Please read if you need clarification.

 

https://scholarworks.law.ubalt.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1516&context=lf

[dick dasterdly]

13 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Sooooo, the official line that Assange was not going to be extradited to the US has been proven to be government lies. He was correct, and shame on all that said he was being paranoid about it.

IMO, this can't be repeated too frequently.

 

Most of the anti-Assange posters on the various threads previously certainly held this view, and now they've been proven wrong, are trying to ignore this point.

 

Assange and his supporters were right - it was all about getting him extradited to the US......

[JustAnotherHun]

2 hours ago, Pilotman said:

Just telling the truth. 

it might be YOUR truth

[Chomper Higgot]

2 hours ago, JimmyJ said:

I've noticed that a poster calling him/herself "Chomper Higgot" is putting laughter emoticons after non-humorous posts which he obviously finds disturbing and threatening to his world view, in this and other threads.

 

Ouchie!!!

I must confess - nothing is more intellectually devastating to one's post then to know that an anonymous internet poster on TVF who I assume is over the age of 5 is posting a laughing emoticon.

 

The intellect and insight of such cannot be denied.

Pulitzer Prize level commentary.

Oh bless.  

 

 

[Chomper Higgot]

1 hour ago, dick dasterdly said:

IMO, this can't be repeated too frequently.

 

Most of the anti-Assange posters on the various threads previously certainly held this view, and now they've been proven wrong, are trying to ignore this point.

 

Assange and his supporters were right - it was all about getting him extradited to the US......

I'm not at sure who these most you are referring to are but please count me out. 

 

I stand by my earlier comments that Assange is almost certainly wanted by the US but that at the time of him claiming he was fleeing extradition there was no indication at all that the US were seeking his arrest. 

He was however avoiding being taken to Sweden to face rape and molestation charges.

 

But to be honest, none of that matters now.

What matters now is Assange has been arrested, his days on the run are over. 

 

The interesting bit is just getting started. One of his accusers in Sweden is asking for charges to be brought against him, meanwhile we now know that the US wants to extradite him for his part in the 'Manning case' we can also be certain (because of a poor redaction by defence lawyers in the US) that the FBI have him in their sights for his part in the Russian interference in the 2016 US election.

 

Trump meanwhile is laughingly denying knowing anything about Wikileaks and I have no doubt there are a number of others more than a little concerned that Assange might cut a cooperation deal. 

 

Manafort,  Stone and Farage. 

 

...

I take it Assange didn't get bail when he appeared before the magistrate.

[Chomper Higgot]

1 hour ago, mikebike said:

In a number of areas, methods of controlling speech used in the United Kingdom would violate the first amendment in the United States.

 

Please read if you need clarification.

 

https://scholarworks.law.ubalt.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1516&context=lf

Assange's arrest has nothing to do with 'Freedom of speech',  he's being charged with crimes that have absolutely nothing to do with freedom of speech, or journalism. 

 

 

[hansnl]

5 hours ago, darksidedog said:

Whatever you think of the man himself, this is a very dark day for freedom of speech. What is the next person going to do when they discover that their government has been up to all sort of foul play? Make it public and risk going to jail, or keep their mouth shut and let atrocities continue?

That's exactly what most, if not all, governments are aiming for, forced silence.