Julian Assange
Out of context: Reply #8
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- BuddhaHat0
After all the marvellous masticating mammal & marsupial gifs, I submit:
One article on AlterNet asserts that Julian heading to Ecuador would be a brilliant move. youngdesigner's article link adds the caveat 'if he can get there'.
The English have balked at being so clearly beholden to their American allies that they have avoided outright and unjust extradition to the US (with the Supreme Court instead opting for the indirect route via extradition to US-beholden Sweden for allegedly trumped-up charges). For him to just fuck off to another country takes an incredibly delicate political situation out of their hands. Questions have been raised as to how he got all the way to the embassy, by removing his monitoring bracelet, and eluding any police between him and the Ecuadorian embassy. Unless they'd prefer to see him gone?
Others have pointed out President Correa's lambasting of foreign media agencies and misuse of political power as somewhat hypocritical, as he has significant leverage with the majority of media outlets in Ecuador. What may have been politically expedient for him at the time, may not be so advantageous for him now (he will be delivering a response in due course). If such is the case, Assange may be denied asylum in Ecuador. South American governments are less stable than in other parts of the world as well, so who's to say he wouldn't last down there until a change of power, and then be thrown in a jet bound straight for Gitmo?
I for one, don't want to see him sent to Sweden, where I think he could subsequently end up on espionage charges in the US (with the death penalty being a possible punishment). It's not guaranteed that this would be the outcome of his extradition to Sweden, but it would appear highly likely.
What I would like to see is Australia, his own country, jump to defend his rights under the law. But that's not going to happen. When Obama visited Australia, it appeared that our PM Julia Gillard would have sucked his dick under the table, had he asked. The extent to which Australia kowtows to the US is sickening.
At this point in time, Ecuador is a pretty good option for Mr Assange, if he can get there.