Asange "rape" case

[Moses]

Palin would have made a good running mate for Bush. Not sure who'd play dumb, and who'd play dumber though

 

[Scarfman]

Just some more stuff:

http://radsoft.net/news/20101001,01.shtml

 

[Ruggo]

Assange himself is a good read in today's Australian
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/in-...mfortable-truths/story-fn775xjq-1225967241332

In response to Ruggo, in Assange's on words

Add The Australian, ABC, and the Sydney Morning Herald to that list.

He didn't leak the material, and he was amongst a who's who list in publishing it.

Fair point that Moses. You are right that he is not the only one publishing the leaks and I was probably hard on Assange as the individial, but I still think it irrisponsible for anybody to publish SOME of this material. These groups need to have a long hard think of some of the potential consequences for their actions. Is still think Assange is a smug little prick. We already have media outlets so why would you set up a group called Wikileaks? The only reason I see is to draw attention to yourself.

 

[Ash]

What's the Vampire Squid story??

Don't know, the rumour just was that they had stuff on BoA and Goldman Sachs (as reported in standard media). Zero Hedge ran an article further claiming that they could bring down BoA, and had explosive stuff on the Vampire Squid.

ZH ran a link to this:

http://www.washingtonsblog.com/2010/11/dear-wikileaks-leak-bank-records-now-or.html

That has links off of it to some interesting articles.

I'm trying to find the find the ZH bit on Goldman and Wikileaks, but the damn search returns too many hits and I can't be bothered to wade through them all. Seeing as Wikileaks have openly said that they have a BoA executive's HDD, the Vampire Squid rumours may just be rumours.

 

[Scotty]

Now Arbib has been found out as a US 'informer' regarding the workings of the Labor party. Probably nothing too sinister, but he apparently asked for his name/involvement to be kept quiet, so there is something in it. We can't have a government where this guys is pulling some of the strings.

http://www.businessspectator.com.au...ssy-source-BXQVZ?OpenDocument&src=hp1&src=amm

The US embassy in Canberra has used Labor right-wing powerbroker Mark Arbib as a secret source, new leaked diplomatic cables show.

Senator Arbib was instrumental in former prime minister Kevin Rudd's deposition in June.

He is identified in the latest WikiLeaks release as a valued source of information on Labor politics and a supporter of Australia's military commitment in Iraq and the war on terror, The Age newspaper reports.

The cable is another criticism of Mr Rudd, who is now foreign minister.

"(Senator Arbib) understands the importance of supporting a vibrant relationship with the US while not being too deferential," an embassy profile on Senator Arbib from July 2009 says.

"We have found him personable, confident and articulate.

"He has met with us repeatedly throughout his political rise."

 

[Bullrush]

Is still think Assange is a smug little prick. We already have media outlets so why would you set up a group called Wikileaks? The only reason I see is to draw attention to yourself.

From what I understand, the difference between WikiLeaks and the normal media is that WikiLeaks doesn't just report on the information it has - it actually puts the information in the public domain to let the public see and decide for itself. No media spin or political slant on the information that you can get from news outlets and organisations. Personally, I like that.

 

[barbarian]

Now Arbib has been found out as a US 'informer' regarding the workings of the Labor party. Probably nothing too sinister, but he apparently asked for his name/involvement to be kept quiet, so there is something in it. We can't have a government where this guys is pulling some of the strings.

Come on Scotty, did you read the article? I saw the headline and though- shit, this is big. But then I read the article, and it doesn't say anything other than the fact that they talked a fair bit. It doesn't say what they talked about, or whether classified information was exchanged. Basically all it alleges is he's mates with the blokes in the US consolate.

I'm sure there is a lot of that type of stuff in Canberra. And I actually think Arbib is one of the better Labor politicians, and this relationship could well be a positive for both nations.

 

[lily]

The free press has been too infiltrated by each end of the political divide that there is no possible way that you can receive a as Fox news would say a "fair and balanced " reporting of the news. All media has an agenda and alot of it is compliant in the covering up of terrible cases of civilian deaths in the war on terror. The lies that the US military have pushed onto the US population by their right wing conspirators the Fox News Network have been nothing short of amazing. I for one are happy that Wikileaks has been able to shed light on these lies.

 

[Scotty]

Come on Scotty, did you read the article? I saw the headline and though- shit, this is big. But then I read the article, and it doesn't say anything other than the fact that they talked a fair bit. It doesn't say what they talked about, or whether classified information was exchanged. Basically all it alleges is he's mates with the blokes in the US consolate.

I'm sure there is a lot of that type of stuff in Canberra. And I actually think Arbib is one of the better Labor politicians, and this relationship could well be a positive for both nations.

I did say 'nothing too sinister'. But the report I heard on the radio this morning was that he specifically asked the US diplomats for his name to be kept quiet. Why would he do that if there was 'nothing in it'?

 

[Ash]

Hmmm, I still reckon the US are gearing up for an extradition attempt somewhere along the line. Well, if it was the Bush-era I reckon they would've already attempted to bring him in extraordinary rendition-style. But I'm a little cynical about the Bush-era government.

BTW, to see what kinds of wacky hijinks the Bush government was willing to get up to, check this out:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Service-Members'_Protection_Act
http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2009/0213/p05s01-woeu.html

 

[Scotty]

Why would Mastercard and Visa stop the processing of donations to Wikileaks? It seems most likely that the reason would be pressure from a government (likely the Americans). They have gone about the response to this all the wrong way. They are actually proving themselves, by their reaction, exactly what Wikileaks are trying to show. ie That the US talk of 'freedom' and 'democracy' is only used as far as it doesn't get in the way of them getting what they want.

 

[zeedok]

Palin would have made a good running mate for Bush. Not sure who'd play dumb, and who'd play dumber though

Anyone seen this article in the Washington Post:

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2010/12/palin-says-website-and-credit.html?hpid=topnews

The hypocrisy is amazing. I think I am truly outraged.

Hackers associated with the group "Operation Payback" -- an organization comprised of individuals who support Wikileaks founder Julian Assange -- have reportedly tried to shut down the SarahPAC Web site and infiltrate Sarah and Todd Palin's personal credit card accounts.

"No wonder others are keeping silent about Assange's antics," Palin e-mailed Tapper. "This is what happens when you exercise the First Amendment and speak against his sick, un-American espionage efforts."

Palin has been critical of Assange on her Facebook page, calling Assange "an anti-American operative with blood on his hands." Palin goes on to ask, "Why was he not pursued with the same urgency we pursue al Qaeda and Taliban leaders?" The post goes on to criticize the White House for not acting sooner to stop Assange from continuing to post classified documents.

What is WikiLeaks if not an exercise in Free Speech???

It might be ugly, and embarrassing, but it is definitely honest. Maybe that's what politics needs?

 

[zeedok]

Why would Mastercard and Visa stop the processing of donations to Wikileaks? It seems most likely that the reason would be pressure from a government (likely the Americans)

Worse than that I am afraid. Pure American corporate greed:

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/12/08/uk.wikileaks/index.html?hpt=T1

The February 2009 document noted that a bill before the Duma, the lower house of Russia's parliament, was likely to place domestic credit-card payments under the control of a consortium of state-owned banks. Visa and MasterCard -- which have suspended processing of payments to WikiLeaks -- would have been shut out of the estimated $4 billion credit-card fee market or forced to set up their own processing centers in Russia, the cable noted.

 

[Blue]

We already have media outlets so why would you set up a group called Wikileaks?

Because very few media outlets actually expose the truth.

They are too concerned with the advertising budget. They are too controlled by the relationship of their boards with the business community and goverment.

I can't comment on Assange. He looks like a very intense individual. He also strikes me as quite insecure but I could be wrong. Maybe he is just one of those toally contrary, anarchistic types.

The good thing is that it makes a lot of politicians look like the power hungry, backroom dealing, lying insecure individuals they really are.

That's a good thing. Whether Assange loves the limelight or not.

 

[Moses]

Saw this a few months ago, the bloke is bloody intelligent

[video=youtube;HNOnvp5t7Do]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNOnvp5t7Do[/video]

 

[lily]

I believe this man should be made Time man of the Year. It wont be the first time because in 2002 'The Whistleblowers' won so he certainly should. Freedom of speech is not part of our constitution but Freedom to disseminate information should be.

 

[Blue]

Interesting the parting words in the interview. "Be careful and all power to you."

 

[RugbyFuture]

Im now slightly more against him because "GetUp!" has gotten behind him....

I hate "GetUp!"

 

[matty_k]

I was conflicted when I heard Miranda Divine got behind him. She actually made sense for once. I am really scared now. Who am I?
http://blogs.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/mirandadevine/index.php/dailytelegraph/comments/telling_truth_is_julian_assanges_only_crime/

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

I'm in favour of most things that expose politicians for the puffed up egotists they mostly are, so go for it Mr Assange. On a more serious note, the world needs people who are prepared to expose the misdeeds of those in power.