Door open for Assange to come home

[bemildred]

Source: ABC.AU

Attorney-General Robert McClelland says nothing is stopping fugitive WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange from coming home to Australia.

Mr McClelland says Assange, who says he has been "abandoned" by Australia, is "entitled" to come home and could also obtain consular assistance overseas.

But as US anger over Wikileaks' massive cable dump grows, Mr McClelland has warned that the Government also has obligations to the US in the investigation of criminal matters.

A global arrest warrant for Assange was issued last week as Wikileaks pressed on with its release of some 250,000 US diplomatic cables.

Read more: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/12/06/3085658.htm

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A stirring example of NewSpeak.

[somone]

1. "the Government also has obligations to the US"

There's the fine print

[Nictuku]

14. Just like the US has obligations for the other Interpol warrant

.... for Dick Cheney. (don't hold your breath)

Silly me... I forgot that there are different laws for different people.

[tabatha]

2. He'll be arrested on the spot.

When he touches down in Australia.

[obliviously]

3. and you feel he shouldn't be?

[lefty2000]

4. Definitely Not

The risk is too great that he will be handed over to the United States security services.

[muriel_volestrangler]

5. Has he done anything worse than the German aide who passed info to the US?

WikiLeaks cables claim first scalp as German minister's aide is sacked

Helmut Metzner admitted acting as a mole for the US embassy during negotiations to form a government


The WikiLeaks revelations have claimed their first political scalp in Europe with the sacking of the German foreign minister's chief of staff, who acted as a mole for the Americans, keeping the US embassy in Berlin posted last year on the confidential negotiations to form Angela Merkel's new government.

Amid a mood of increasing anger in the German political class at the disparaging observations on the chancellor's cabinet from US officials, a liberal MP today demanded the withdrawal of the American ambassador in Berlin, Philip Murphy.

Guido Westerwelle, the German foreign minister and leader of the liberal Free Democrats, the junior partner in the Merkel coalition, is described unflatteringly in the US cables from Berlin as inexperienced, "exuberant" and "wild".

The cables relate how an FDP insider – "a fly on the wall, a young, up-and-coming party loyalist who was taking notes during the marathon talks" – delivered documents to the US embassy and kept US diplomats informed on the new government formation in October last year.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/dec/03/wikileaks-first-scalp-german-aide

The USA thinks it's OK for a German to pass them confidential information about the German government. Why is it a problem for an Australian to receive confidential information from an American about the American government? He's just doing what was American policy.

[JDPriestly]

11. Precisely. I am an American citizen. I would not do what Assange has done.

I am subject to American law, and publishing state secrets by me is prohibited.

But then, Assange is not an American. What Australian law has he violated? What US law has he violated for that matter?

As I have frequently pointed out Judy Miller (as an example and she is not the only one) did exactly what Assange has done. She refused to name her source although ordered to do so, but that was not considered a crime on her part. She was just ordered to tell who gave her the secrets.

As far as I know, no one at the New York Times has been arrested yet for publishing the Wikileaks.

[Ruperto31]

17. He conspired to run secret data through US servers.

For example, Amazon.com.

They could try to get him on that. I hope not. God bless him.

[JDPriestly]

22. Secret data that the New York Times, the Guardian and Der Spiegle

among other news media, are printing. No, running things through Amazon servers probably is not a crime. Surely the First Amendment applies to Amazon servers just as it does to the New York Times.

[alittlelark]

12. Obviously NOT.

:eyes:

[No Elephants]

15. Why do you hide your profile?

[JDPriestly]

9. And for what? Judy Miller published the name of a CIA agent.

No charges were brought against her. She went to jail for contempt, not for anything else.

The criminal probe in the Judy Miller case was never satisfactorily resolved.

Seems to me that Assange is due the same protections that any other member of the press who publishes secrets is due. I just cannot understand the fuss.

[No Elephants]

16. Story was, Cheney had authority to de-classify info, so no problem.

[JDPriestly]

23. Cheney had the authority to out a CIA agent?

I did not know that the identity of a CIA agent was in the category of secrets that could be so easily declassified. I think there is a special statute protecting the identities of CIA agents. I might be wrong about this. I'm not sure, but I thought that was a point made on DU at the time of the Plame inquiry.

[Catherina]

6. He has a peculiar definition of consular assistance

[defendandprotect]

7. Sounds like a con .... and I'm wondering if support for Assange ....

is becoming noticeable and "they" might like to get Assange off the

front pages --

in an odd way, the "surprise sex" issue has done less to smear Assange than

it has to smear out governments -- and it has caused a much larger spotlight

to fall on WIKILEAKS LEAKS ... imo. ????

[Matilda]

8. But would he ever be able to leave again,

unless it was in response to an extradition order from the U.S., once they can find a charge that will stick?

Australia is a lackey of the U.S. He'd be smart to stay away.

[RedCloud]

10. I hope our kids read the "wiki reader".

[shaayecanaan]

13. Completely gormless, spineless and feckless behaviour from our government as usual

they would far rather indulge the whims of the US government than fulfil their duty of protection towards their own citizens.

[No Elephants]

18. Like the door of the Hotel California

[Po_d Mainiac]

20. If I were him

I'd feel a lot safer after a very "PUBLIC" arrest.....Fuck the shit about trashcanistan and the imbacilassy memos.

It wasn't until a major bank (cough::bankof assholesamerica)was implicated as the next target did Interpol decide to fizz stale beer
And if you take down one, the rest will follow

[NBachers]

19. Juuuuuulian- Come HOooooome! We're waaaaaiting for you!

Waarriors- Come out to play-y-yaaay

[Catherina]

21. Yep, that's it.

Waarriors- Come out to play-y-yaaay