Tonight both Chelsea Manning and Julian Assange are in jail, both over offences related to the publication of materials specifying US war crimes in Afghanistan and Iraq, and both charged with nothing else at all. No matter what bullshit political and MSM liars try to feed you, that is the simple truth. Manning and Assange are true heroes of our time, and are suffering for it.
If a Russian opposition politician were dragged out by armed police, and within three hours had been convicted on a political charge by a patently biased judge with no jury, with a lengthy jail sentence to follow, can you imagine the Western media reaction to that kind of kangaroo court? Yet that is exactly what just happened in London.
District Judge Michael Snow is a disgrace to the bench who deserves to be infamous well beyond his death. He displayed the most plain and open prejudice against Assange in the 15 minutes it took for him to hear the case and declare Assange guilty, in a fashion which makes the dictators’ courts I had witnessed, in Babangida’s Nigeria or Karimov’s Uzbekistan, look fair and reasonable, in comparison to the gross charade of justice conducted by Michael Snow.
One key fact gave away Snow’s enormous prejudice. Julian Assange said nothing during the whole brief proceedings, other than to say “Not guilty” twice, and to ask a one sentence question about why the charges were changed midway through this sham “trial”. Yet Judge Michael Snow condemned Assange as “narcissistic”. There was nothing that happened in Snow’s brief court hearing that could conceivably have given rise to that opinion. It was plainly something he brought with him into the courtroom, and had read or heard in the mainstream media or picked up in his club. It was in short the very definition of prejudice, and “Judge” Michael Snow and his summary judgement is a total disgrace.
We wrapped up the final Wikileaks and legal team meeting at 21.45 tonight and thereafter Kristian Hrafnsson and I had dinner together. The whole team, including Julian, is energised rather than downhearted. At last there is no more hiding for the pretend liberals behind ludicrous Swedish allegations or bail jumping allegations, and the true motive – revenge for the Chelsea Manning revelations – is now completely in the open.
To support the persecution of Assange in these circumstances is to support absolute state censorship of the internet. It is to support the claim that any journalist who receives and publishes official material which indicates US government wrongdoing, can be punished for its publication. Furthermore this US claim involves an astonishing boost to universal jurisdiction. Assange was nowhere near the USA when he published the documents, but nonetheless US courts are willing to claim jurisdiction. This is a threat to press and internet freedom everywhere.
These are scary times. But those may also be the most inspiring of times.
UPDATE
We are reassembling Wikileaks/Julian legal and media team from 10am Friday in Doughty Street Chambers. I and others will be available for further media interviews from then. I can be reached on 07979 691085.
—————————————————
Unlike our adversaries including the Integrity Initiative, the 77th Brigade, Bellingcat, the Atlantic Council and hundreds of other warmongering propaganda operations, this blog has no source of state, corporate or institutional finance whatsoever. It runs entirely on voluntary subscriptions from its readers – many of whom do not necessarily agree with the articles, but welcome the alternative voice, insider information and debate.
Subscriptions to keep this blog going are gratefully received.
Choose subscription amount from dropdown box:
The official indictment text can be found here:
https://www.justice.gov/usao-edva/press-release/file/1153481/download
https://thehill.com/opinion/judiciary/438578-alan-dershowitz-is-julian-assange-another-pentagon-papers-case
Alan Dershowitz: Is Julian Assange another Pentagon Papers case?
Dershowitz. The one who was involved in the denial of Norman Finkelstein’s tenure at DePaul?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dershowitz%E2%80%93Finkelstein_affair
And a defender of Jeffrey Epstein who played a big role in getting that sweetheart deal for his client.
“Swedish lawyers have said they doubt Julian Assange will ever stand trial in Sweden even if prosecutors decide to reopen an investigation into a rape accusation.”
Assange’s Swedish lawyers thinks it unlikely, as does a former Swedish prosecutor.
https://www.theguardian.com/media/2019/apr/12/lawyers-doubt-julian-assange-ever-stand-trial-sweden
Backbenchers, including Diana Johnson, Stephen Kinnock, Stephanie Peacock, Siobhain McDonagh and Stella Creasy, have distanced themselves from the leadership by urging Sweden to reopen its investigation into allegations of sexual assault against Assange. What have allegations in Sweden got to do with addressing the US request for extradition? Absolutely nothing since no request has been made by Sweden, virtue signalling from jobsworths.
Stephen Kinnock
✔ @SKinnock
Julian Assange stands accused of rape, in Sweden. It is critically important that we all remember this, before all else. It would be deeply troubling if the possibility that Mr Assange may be guilty of sexual violence were to be air-brushed out of the conversation.
If anyone needs airbrushed out of politics it’s the spineless, gutless Kinnock.
Here the biggest traitor in South American history, Moreno, spits out his pathetic excuse as to why he stabbed Assange, and by proxy, the freedom of speech in the back.
https://mobile.twitter.com/Lenin?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
Good man, Craig. People like yourself, Pilger, Loach and Co are stalwart moral voices on issues such as these, in stark contrast to the self styled woke generation of left journalists. It’s annoying to see the omnipotent owen jones, ash sarkar etc always giving ‘left’ credence to right wing smears of Assange, Corbyn and other dissenters in order to advance their careers in MSM. Such voices do more harm than good IMO in terms of framing issues like this one. Your robust, unequivocal statements of truth are like a breath of fresh air in a weasel permeated media environment. More power to you.
This post by Spinning Hugo, another tweep whose opinion I greatly value, adds a lot of detail that I wasn’t aware of: https://spinninghugo.wordpress.com/2019/04/12/assange-extradition-and-human-rights/
For example, it turns out the Secretary of State has very little discretion in extradition matters anymore. Also, I note that Hugo doesn’t think the “political opinions” bar would be very plausible, nor does he think art. 10 ECHR would prevent extradition. I’m not sure that I agree with either of those, but it’s worth considering.
“I’m not sure that I agree with either of those, but it’s worth considering.”
You’re practically quoting from How to Troll Blogs 101.
Who gives a fuck what the legal opinion is? It has no bearing on this case. The law is only followed when useful for the state. Assange WILL be imprisoned in the USA. Fait accompli.
The whole discourse about “I’m a journalist” is a red herring. Journalists aren’t a feudal caste or a separate “estate”, and the legal systems in neither Britain nor the United States are supposed to be based on feudalism anyway. The word “journalist” doesn’t mean shit. All it means is someone who writes or handles pieces about matters of current interest that get published so that other people can read them just like we’re doing here. What kind of idiot would view that activity as their main role in human society? There are enough clerics who think they are ritually ordained intermediaries with God, and medics, and social workers and conveyancing solicitors and what have you, who consider that people outside their own job occupations are “laypersons”. It’s totally irrelevant that one person who writes blurbs has it as their “profession” and another doesn’t, regardless of how many idiotic US films have the Holy Role of Journalism as one of their themes. And if a “journalist” receives crucial information about, say, a murderer who is on the run, personally I don’t see why he shouldn’t have to hand it over to the police, why he should be exempt just because his employer pays him to write stuff. The issue here is not “journalism”. Screw “journalism”. The point in this affair is that the people who Julian Assange was helping to expose ARE the mass murderers. (Ask anybody in the Middle East for confirmation. Do you think anybody in that region of the world buys into the “Sacred Protected Role of NUJ Members” crap?
France’s government has said it would consider offering Julian Assange political asylum if he were to ask the country for refuge: France’s minister for Europe, Amelie de Montchalin, said in a radio interview on Friday that the country had not received a request for help from Assange.
“We should listen to what he wants to do”, she said, before also adding “we don’t offer asylum to someone who’s not asking for it.”
Do not trust them. Ask the Yellow Vests instead if looking for French state of mind.
Same story, different places: who is to stand for “The…” (French, Brits, Germans, Americans–fill the blanks): those in charge or the (whole) rest of a nation?
It’s been some time since the–democratically elected– French elite forgot about the lessons of 1789. As the French have it: “May they keep their heads on their shoulders.”
Does it make any difference? How is he going to get to France? He’s locked up in a high security prison.
I don’t care what if any organisation Julian Assange, may or may not have been working for in his youth, and may be even working for now. I think I have read most of the stories, and some of them I know are true ( I did at the time read the Swedish tweets – from the 2 girls, which were also published in Aftonbladet (the equivalent of The Sun during the invite to the next party) “Think pretty blonde girl – sheer delight -He’s staying at my place – we’ve arranged a BBQ for him”
I know about all that, and I know that he has still not been charged with any offence, except skipping bail.
I don’t care if he is or was a spy. It’s quite obviously a hazardous occupation, and I think it extremely likely that he is now being thrown to the wolves, and may not survive it.
At the end of the day, he is a human being who has displayed great courage and integrity, at revealing the most despicable war crimes.
What I find really depressing and upsetting, is not the MSM. It’s obvious they were all long ago bought and paid for by the war criminals.
It is the performance of our British Members of Paliament and our English Judiciary – not just on Assange, but on BREXIT too.
It is as if, I in England, am living in NAZI Germany in 1939 or the USSR during the Trotsky or Stalin purges.
I never thought it would come to this.
But here we are.
“If you tolerate this, then your children will be next.”
Tony
The fact that you’re able to post that demonstrates that it is not like living in the USSR in the Stalin era
Not yet. Google the Internet Harms white paper.
Credit to Diane Abbott for standing up for Julian Assange in the face of the onslaught by lying regime-paid journalist John Humphrys. Humphrys literally laughed at her as he told the blatant lie that the reason Swedish charges weren’t brought was that they “couldn’t” be brought because Assange wouldn’t go back to Sweden. Abbott is another on the list of left-wing figures who have been physically harassed by Z__nist thugs, in her case on the tube in London.
Invoke Article 13 of the NATO treaty now!
I see Emily Thornberry has suggested that Julian be extradited to Sweden first should they ask for it.
That would be a big mistake. Much easier to forward on to the US from Sweden than directly from the UK.
The UK would only have to give the go ahead to Sweden, which wouldn’t create so much of a backlash in UK as if they were extraditing him directly from UK.
Diane Abbott is the Shadow Home Secretary. Emily Thornberry should not be undermining her. Thornberry is a bloody menace.
Come on, admit it, Grouse Beater. You’re Gavin Williamson.
Yup – the ‘Grouse Beater you answered is some half-wit unionist with a very small penis and even smaller brain.
My thoughts on Assange are contained in this recent essay: https://wp.me/p4fd9j-nqw
PS I’ve alerted Craig.
Threats and bluster following the ICC’s investigation of US activities in Afghanistan. Trump and Pompeo are worthy of the mafia.
‘Major international victory’: Trump cheers ICC decision not to probe US atrocities
12 Apr, 2019
https://www.rt.com/news/456363-victory-trump-icc-atrocities/
The point of the Godfather movies is that there is no difference between mafiosi and powerful people in government.
@ lysias April 12, 2019 at 20:51
Perforce, already.
Any government!
The Mafia are simply the amateurs…
Oh thats lovely, ICC and Trump are now allied against the warcrimes leak by Assange!
Jesus western world going down fast now..
The US have committed atrocities in every conflict they have been involved in. For around 222 of it’s 243 year existence, the US has been engaged in some military conflict or other, somewhere in the world, ‘peak atrocity’ being the Vietnam war. On the subject of Vietnam, Nick Turse’s gut wrenching account of the systematic slaughter of civilians, ‘Kill Anything That Moves’, will leave you reeling.
“Lesser degree rape”, whose statute of limitations is due to expire in 2020.
This is the only one left on the sweeds books.
So what? The allegation is false.
A very informative Interview with Whistle Blower Daniel Ellsberg On Assange Arrest:
Daniel thinks that Julian could well be locked up for life
The Beginning of the End For Press Freedom –
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tw8yf6Luwo4&feature=youtu.be&t=78
Probably not “press freedom” though but rather making criticism against the regimes of the western world a crime.
That is why the gloating liberals in the MSM right now sit safe and do not support Assange.
Yes, Jack that is “press freedom”!
Huge support for Julian just now on Sky News from Lady Tracey Worcester.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tracy_Somerset,_Duchess_of_Beaufort
I was surprised they allowed her to speak many truths and to dispel the lies that are being told about him.
She was interviewed by Dermot Murnaghan, a refugee from the state broadcaster, the BBC and the younger brother, ITV.
I’d like to have seen that interview.
She’s a nice aristocrat.
Was Dermot blushing and fidgeting any more than usual.
My congratulations to Craig on being vindicated.
The England bassed Scottish independence blogger Stuart Campbell, who like Her Majesty calls himself “We”, has stated that the SNP doesn’t have a clue about what it is doing.
Craig has been heavily attacked by Wings Over Scotland posters for questioning the SNP and Ms Sturgeon.
Now he has been totally vindicated.
Everyone who has criticised the SNP has been heavily attacked by its supporters even though like me, we all share the same goal. That’s when I realised it had become a cult. I have disassociated myself with all independence groups on social media and very, very seldom discuss the SNP or independence anywhere but here. People may not agree with me but here, you get a fairly reasonable, intelligent exchange of views and for that alone, I’m grateful for being given that opportunity.
Fascism – my definition
‘The subjugation of the individual’s will and freedom by an overweening state.
Humanity withers, freedom of speech is stifled and the soul dies. Self preservation becomes a dominant drive.’
Churchill talked of “stunted human development”.
Through policy.
Despite what we may think of him, he wasn’t in favour of this policy.
In answer to N_ on the previous page.
I believe you are right Herbie.
A friend of mine who used to be parliamentary agent to one of our top ministers suggested a petition to parliament stating that Assange would get a fairer hearing in this country. For me the wording would include something along these lines.
1. No extradition to US. 2. US should present their case in a UK court. 3. UK court should determine if there is a case to answer. 4. If there is a case to answer it should be answered in a UK court. 5. If it led to a conviction any sentence should be passed and served on UK soil.
It needs lots of input from younger and sharper brains than mine which is why I have not created an Epetition. Extradition should not be on the table.
A note of caution. I tried to start an Epetition to parliament to allow Yulia Skripal to speak. It was not allowed. She has not spoken in any meaningful way where she could speak freely in a non-scripted manner. I doubt she ever will now. But that digresses from the need for a well-worded Epetition on behalf of Julian Assange.
Would the EU stand by and allow a member state to extradite someone to the USA on the basis of jumping bail and a laughable charge of encouraging someone to hack into a computer? Actually, I was going to say ‘of course not’, but I suspect they’d keep silent on the matter.
Anyway, as I see it, Julian’s not going anywhere until the UK formally leaves the EU, maybe tomorrow, maybe October, who knows, but my point is that the USA/UK won’t risk an interjection by the EU before doing anything else. Once the UK leaves, then it’s free reign for them to do whatever they want and I think the UK will want rid of the ‘stone in their shoe’.
The EU, that champion of millions of Asian and African “political” refugees looking for asylum?
No, Assange is white and Anglo so more perp than a victim, probably also rich. No cultural enrichment from him so out in a whiffy.
I agree with Craig about Assange.
I disagree with Craig about Brexit – his stance on Brexit is elitist and undemocratic. Like it or not, the majority voted for Brexit and should get a full Brexit, not a fudge.
Mist001, what did the EU do about the laughable Russian chemical attack charge?
It accepted it as Gospel truth.
They are all in it together.
Brexit must mean Brexit.
I hope Nigel will achieve it.
Chemical Britain
Just because the EU pretended to accept the novichok whoppers, which it is obliged to do under EU musketeers rules, doesn’t mean they really agree. I believe the skripal lies is one reason the EU is now facilitating our Brexit. They do not want to be affiliated with such blatant lying as Mrs May ‘s about Russia.
As to Brexit, it is an entirely Tory issue and we’ve now got six months of extra rats in sack time for them to waste on this irrelevant issue.
Israel wants the UK to stay in the EU No politician gets on the gravy train without the Zionist ticket. So the Tory rats are going to get lined up dead on the fence pour encourager les autres not to disobey.
First past the post in brexit terminology means simply that the fence is long enough to accommodate anyone who doesn’t agree.
We can only weep. This is terrible.
‘WATCH: ‘British Gitmo’ jail where Julian Assange is being held
12 Apr, 2019 20:48
Julian Assange is being held at the Belmarsh Prison, London
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is being held at Belmarsh Prison, a notorious jail in southeast London that’s earned the moniker of ‘Britain’s Guantanamo Bay’ as a holding facility for terrorists and other high-profile prisoners.
RT’s Ruptly agency live-streamed footage from Belmarsh on Friday, after Assange was apparently taken there. Bloomberg reported the same information later, citing Assange’s friend Vaughan Smith. Both Assange’s lawyers and the UK authorities are yet to publicly confirm his whereabouts.’
/..
https://www.rt.com/uk/456374-julian-assange-belmarsh-prison/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HM_Prison_Belmarsh
“Bloomberg reported the same information later, citing Assange’s friend Vaughan Smith”
Bloomberg again. Reasonably positive.
They’ve already published a piece arguing that Julian should be tried in UK/Europe, and not extradited to the US.
Michael Bloomberg is of course a major figure in the Democratic party. A New Yorker, like Trump.
Tucker Carlson of FOX has come out with a piece which undermines the idea that Julian has damaged the US. This is a Republican perspective.
Hillary and others say he should be held to account for what he has done.
Dunno, but maybe her star is fading…
Apologies if someone has already posted this John Pilger report on Assange’s brutal arrest.
https://space4peace.blogspot.com/2019/04/john-pilger-on-assange-arrest.html
“Imagine Tony Blair dragged from his multi-million pound Georgian home in Connaught Square, London, in handcuffs, for onward dispatch to the dock in The Hague. By the standard of Nuremberg, Blair’s “paramount crime” is the deaths of a million Iraqis. Assange’s crime is journalism: holding the rapacious to account, exposing their lies and empowering people all over the world with truth.”
Assange crime is multiple rape of women! I hope he gets to experience how they felt every day he’s locked up!
What makes you think the Establishment, Elite, Dark State.. Give a shit about Women, or children.. being raped
No:
Telling the world about war crimes; Yes.
War crimes like this –
WikiLeaks: Iraqi children in U.S. raid shot in head, U.N. says –
https://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/special-reports/article24696685.html
I think it worth saying that under UK law there exists a “presumption of innocence”. That is to say, a person is innocent in the eyes of the law until proven guilty.
So Julian is guilty only of skipping bail.
It is worth also saying that this case highlights the grave dangers of the current popular attitude that anyone making an allegation of sexual misconduct “must be believed”.
I have never thought this a reasonable attitude and as a matter of principle I never believe allegations of sexual misconduct that cannot be evidenced other than by an accusation.
I very strongly believe that the accusation of rape made against Julian is false. Julian was at that time already a figure hated and feared by powerful repressive governments and regimes the world over. This includes the regimes of Barack Obama and David Cameron.
They are I believe a crude and malicious smear designed to prejudice public opinion against Julian. I do not believe them. I will never believe them.
Congratulations Shona on producing the sutpidest and most ill-informed comment I have ever seen posted on Craig’s blog. That is quite an achievement.
Anyone who still believes the rape story would be well advised to acquaint themselves with the facts before commenting. Craig’s brief synopsis of the events which led to the story can be found here:
https://www.sott.net/article/410960-Why-Assanges-Accuser-Anna-Ardin-is-Almost-Certainly-Lying
Shona, inform yourself about this case and the facts please.
@Shona
Where is your evidence? You’ve made a serious allegation. Julian Assange has not even been charged with the crimes that you allege.
Shona Graham
“Assange crime is multiple rape of women!”
Could you please tell us what your sources are for this allegation, because at the moment, that is defamation or slander.
You obviously have not read the various reports for this case, because the two women never intended in the first place to accuse Assange of anything.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-wikileaks-assange-charges/special-report-std-fears-sparked-case-against-wikileaks-boss-idUSTRE6B669H20101207
Ah but he’s ‘exceptional ‘ as he assisted the ‘exceptional ‘ USA in the execution of their acts.
In the UK you can be part of a group and if one of your number commits a crime you committed it too.
The thing is that ordinary crimes are not usually on television for the world to see.
Assange is repsonsible for that and the yanks don’t seem to like it.
His arrest acts as a warning to any other publisher/journalists not to publicise anything similar in the future
even if it was gained ‘ legally’
I can’t get over the idea that the Military PTB just have passwords as protection.
If those Russkies get all the passwords to US nukes they may as well surrender now.
One for Bill Binney to answer I think.
After the prisoners having finished raping him hope they come for you, you might change your mind about date rape not being the same as the holy rape of the violent stranger like your wife endured then!
What a nasty person you are Shona.
Julian Assange has never been convicted of rape. And rape in Sweden would be consensual sex anywhere else in the world. It is quite clear that the Sofia Wilen and especially Anna Ardin were part of a “honey-trap”.
Having dug out the real Shona Graham story I suspect you aer sock-puppeting which is not allowed on this blog if discovered.
I think it worth saying that under UK law there exists a “presumption of innocence”. That is to say, a person is innocent in the eyes of the law until proven guilty.
So Julian is guilty only of skipping bail.
It is worth also saying that this case highlights the grave dangers of the current popular attitude that anyone making an allegation of sexual misconduct “must be believed”.
I have never thought this a reasonable attitude and as a matter of principle I never believe allegations of sexual misconduct that cannot be evidenced other than by an accusation. That then includes for me ALL allegations of “historical” sexual abuse. ALL of them.
I very strongly believe that the accusation of rape made against Julian is false. Julian was at that time already a figure hated and feared by powerful repressive governments and regimes the world over. This includes the regimes of Barack Obama and David Cameron.
They are I believe a crude and malicious smear designed to prejudice public opinion against Julian. I do not believe them. I will never believe them.
Assange always said he was happy to go to Sweden and stand trial – if necessary – for the rape allegations. But he was only willing to do so on the proviso that he could be guaranteed not to be extradited. The guarantee was never given, so he didn’t go. His reason for not going had nothing to do with the charge in Sweden, as has been clear to anyone with 2 brain cells to rub together from the start of this sorry affair.
Hey. And now you’ve actually gone and bettered it.
Mairead Maguire, Nobel Peace Laureate, Co-Founder, Peace People Northern Ireland, Member of World BEYOND War Advisory Board
Mairead has requested UK Home Office for permission to visit her friend Julian Assange
“I nominated Julian Assange on the 8th January 2019 for the Nobel Peace Prize. I issued a press release hoping to bring attention to his nomination, which seemed to have been widely ignored, by Western media. By Julian’s courageous actions and others like him, we could see full well the atrocities of war. The release of the files brought to our doors the atrocities our governments carried out through media. It is my strong belief that this is the true essence of an activist and it is my great shame I live in an era where people like Julian Assange, Edward Snowden, Chelsea Manning and anyone willing to open our eyes to the atrocities of war, is likely to be hunted like an animal by governments, punished and silenced.
“Therefore, I believe that the British government should oppose the extradition of Assange as it sets a dangerous precedent for journalists, whistleblowers and other sources of truth the US may wish to pressure in the future. This man is paying a high price to end war and for peace and nonviolence and we should all remember that.”
https://worldbeyondwar.org/mairead-maguire-requests-permission-to-visit-assange/?
Some chap rang LBC tonight to point out that the reason Assange didn’t go to Sweden was because of the failure of the Swedish authorities to rule out extradition to the US. And yet every single “journalist” on the channel still claims he avoided going to Sweden because he was a coward escaping justice for rape in Sweden.
Even now, the MSM is still trying to peddle this story. The mind boggles!!!
there’s quite a good piece in the Independent by Slavoj Zizek,
https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/julian-assange-extradition-us-wikileaks-google-slavoj-zizek-a8866741.html
I saw David Starkey and a hastily assembled group that the BBC had put together to ensure that we all knew what to think of Assange. He is a “hacker” and a “rapist” who has “caused the death of innocents” according to even those who were purported to be speaking in his favour. A Guardian journo was there doing a slightly more subtle hack job than Starkey. Actually quite a clever idea, Starkey was rude, arrogant and reactionary as ever so when the ‘journalist’ then spoke, seemingly in support (when compared to Starkey’s extremism) it sounded reasonable, it sounded like a defence of him, it was nothing of the sort, THAT was the REAL hack job. Very clever.
The only OPEN supporter was then made out to be an extremist due to being described as an “admitted Communist” she was actually given a short filmed piece ABOUT Communism to seal this description and utterly discredit anything she will even say in her life again. Again, very clever.
There has, allegedly, been balance shown by the BBC in their own inimitable style of course. Balance which is never balance. Incomplete news reporting, reporting of opinion as fact, fact as opinion and flagrantly misrepresenting news stories.
My ONLY hope on this is that it is harder, not impossible, but harder to get away with this than it used to be. Even everyday ordinary folk have read WikiLeaks now, know the story behind why Assange REALLY had to seek asylum and are less likely to swallow what is clearly a ministerial handout to our news providers, another BS Memo (I remember actually receiving “BS Memos” in the Civil Service, they were a real thing, not even sure that the BS DIDN’T stand for bullshit, it really should’ve)
One slightly amusing thing about all of this. Those on the right wing of politics will cheer at anyone being arrested for anything, even if they are plainly not guilty, it’s just the way of the right wing to blindly trust authoritarianism. But ACTUALLY they, of all people, should be outraged. For if it were not for WikiLeaks publication of the e-mails of Hillary Clinton Trump would likely have lost by a narrow margin.
They should be reminded that until the e mails came out we did not know how she stole the nomination from Sanders corruptly, we did not know how she lied and cheated and we didn’t know how she knowingly allowed the Afghan heroin trade to flourish either. All of this is in her e mails and in cables released by WikiLeaks. Without Assange, the right wing would be facing a second Hillary Clinton term, would be involved in at least one war and Trump would be back telling people “You’re Fired”
The right wing genuinely don’t know enough to get out of their own way…
Gary
I posted about the Politics Live programme today earlier on this thread. I agree with you that it was appalling.
David Starkey is a vicious hateful man and his treatment of Ash Sarkar today was disgraceful. The newbie chairing the debate was useless. Starkey called her a non-academic and talked down to her, even turned his back on her at one point. He should never have been allowed to bully her like that.
The Guardian journalist was Jessica Elgot who more or less said, kind of quietly, that Assange’s situation was potentially not great for journalism. That was about it.
And the guy from the think-tank Onward said, send him to the US, he’ll only do five years. Absolutely shocking stuff, even for the BBC.
Thank goodness I missed it. Starkey is very spiteful.
A link if anyone wants it !
Politics Live
12/04/2019
Elizabeth Glinka is joined by David Starkey, Ash Sarkar, Will Tanner, and Jessica Elgot to discuss the Julian Assange case, Brexit and communism.
Duration 44 mins
Available for 29 days
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00048pc
Puff piece for Glinka, Neil’s replacement presumably. She should go far in the BBC firmament.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/profiles/4zJPlpYSjp1XmVm6Qpr70ch/elizabeth-glinka
I don’t agree with your assumption that “the right” of politics in general wanted Trump.
Trump is not really an insider and no one in “the blob” which is most of the establishment left or right could want him. Those on the left but not mainstream dislike his rhetoric but this doesn’t make it true that the whole right wing must like him – most are more interested on staying on the inside first and their political stance depends on expediency.
Whatever. AIPAC and the lobby love him.
He just got Bibi re-elected by moving the US Embassy to Jerusalem and giving his authority to Israeli ownership of the Golan.
Very successful businessman.
A billionaire.
Knows how to cut a deal. Rip red tape.
And make America great again.
What’s wrong with that.
Worth watching Haim Saban’s interview with Jared Kushner.
The man’s a genius.
You so-called ‘reporters’ right around the world, have a VERY real opportunity here, though I doubt one of you have the brain power or the testicles to follow though with what MUST be done at all costs.
To begin with, the word ‘reporter’ means NO Port Contract, NOT what you believe, therefore, EVERY single word you ‘reporters’ have written from Day One of your careers, is in the wrong position within your trivial attempts to write sentences and paragraphs.
You have ALL forgotten the Basic Rules of English = ONE Verb per Sentence, ONE idea per sentence, and ONE idea per paragraph.
If I had the money, and the time, I would sue the entire world of lawyers, lawmakers, attorneys, judges, journalists and ‘reporters’ out of existence, for their continuous and ignorant Fictitious Conveyance of Language & Grammar.
We can only hope and pray to Almighty YHWH, for Yah’Shua’s return to save the blood from running in the streets of the law and media fraternities, when the Facts are made known.
Who made you headmaster?
Re Grammar police
Language is a living entity and constantly evolving and changing in usage, you cannot make fixed rules for it. Get used to it.