Julian Assange: WikiLeaks is dealing with a superpower (US) that doesn't follow the rule of law

[Better Believe It]

Julian Assange: WikiLeaks faces 'very aggressive' investigation by US Organisation's founder says he is reliant on public opinion to rein in 'superpower that does not appear to be following rule of law'
By Peter Walker
December 17, 2010

Speaking to reporters outside Ellingham Hall, the Norfolk house at which he is staying on bail following his release from prison, Assange said WikiLeaks faced "what appears to be an illegal investigation ... certain people who are alleged to be affiliated to us have been detained, followed around, had their computers seized and so on".

He said he believed it was "80% likely" that the US authorities were seeking to prepare an attempt to have him extradited there to face charges of espionage.

Assange said he was worried about the prospect of being sent to the US, adding: "There have been many calls by senior political figures in the United States, including elected ones in the Senate, for my execution, the kidnapping of my staff, the execution of the young soldier Bradley Manning ... that's a very, very serious business.

"The United States has shown recently that its institutions seem to be failing to follow the rule of law. And dealing with a superpower that does not appear to be following the rule of law is a serious business."

Read the full article at:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/dec/17/julian-assange-wikileaks-us-investigation

[sabrina 1]

1. Well, he got that right.

The U.S. is beginning to look like the old British Empire who, when they wanted to 'get' someone, made up new laws if they couldn't prosecute people under the old ones. For some reason they felt the need to have a law to kill or torture or persecute people under, as if that made their crimes any less egregious.

It was against this Empire that the U.S. rose up and rebelled against.

Now we are no better and nothing makes that more clear than the pursuit of Wikileaks and the made up laws to try to make torture legal.

I wonder what the Founding Fathers would say about this country's slide into totalitarianism. I guess they wouldn't be surprised as they issued so many warnings to the people that they would have to fight to preserve democracy.

[rhett o rick]

2. There is no rule of law in the United States of Wealthy. nm

[fascisthunter]

3. Thank You

[Pavulon]

4. The rule of law will be used to extradite him on a warrant , did he call for the potus to quit too?

for conspiracy at minimum. Espionage possible as well, less probable.

Assange jumped into waters way over his head.

[Better Believe It]

8. So the Obama administration shouldn't follow the rule of law?

What's your point?

Assange conspired to spread the truth.

Hang him and damn a free press!

[Pavulon]

9. Conspired is the word you want. Press is free to publish

take a story about prostitution. They can observe crimes, interview "criminals", but during the story can not peddle their ass or pimp girls, the protection does not go that far..

Really that is how it works. If assange sent manning looking on siprnet he can be charged.

[Better Believe It]

12. I can't believe you're defending this attack on a free press and democracy!

If it was being done by George W. Bush would you be just as supportive?

[Pavulon]

13. The free press published data, as the law allows.

it does not allow conspiracy. No matter who is warming the chair in the executive branch.

[Better Believe It]

16. So whoever is President should go after anyone who questions or exposes government corruption.

And following your logic and narrative you probably believe that if deceptive government statements and outright lies are exposed by subversive "conspirators" like Julian Assange, they should be thrown into prison.

Is that about right?

I take it the ACLU and National Lawyers Guild are not on your holiday donation list.

[Pavulon]

17. Lets think this one through..

Manning broke the law by stealing massive amounts of classified information. He will no doubt be convicted. He confessed in public. He will die in custody an old man.

That leaves assange AND anyone who works with him. If the documents just showed up all at once there is no problem for them in reality.

however if they participated in the process of espionage by directing manning to steal data they wanted there are many charges available, conspiracy being the first and easiest to prove.

These charges are used in Federal cases all the time in situations with famous asshats and nobodies.

Funny thing is most of those documents have nothing to do with any "war crime", they just screw up diplomacy.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

5. We are a nation of laws....when it's convenient.

[DBoon]

6. "It's legal if the president says so"

-- Richard Nixon

[EFerrari]

7. Know, Caesar doth not wrong -- JC.

[provis99]

10. odd statement, since no country follows the rule of law.

Countries follow the rule of power; law is for the little people.

[Better Believe It]

14. U.S. is becoming one of the biggest and most outrageous violators of the rule of law.

[leftstreet]

11. K&R

[bemildred]

15. "The King can do no wrong."

If you want to go after something, that's the thing to go after. The Founders of this nation, at the time, were much exercised to extirpate that idea, but they failed, and some of them changed their minds about it later on, and it is still definitely with us.

[soryang]

18. As long as there is no US writ of extradition it follows that there is...

...no colorable case against against Assange. An indictment alone would be a major sanction whether supportable or not. The US clearly doesn't have that and judging by Assange's allegations the US apprears to be on a fishing expedition. Maybe the US could torture or threaten someone to create false witness testimony against Assange; or they could fabricate electronic evidence against him; or they could attempt to implicate him in some after the fact obstruction of justice charges by obtaining his communications with colleagues after the operative facts. The possibilities are endless. On cop shows on television now, city police routinely threaten the black hood and secret plane flight to the mideast after suspects invoke their rights. No one will ever know. If they do we'll make life treacherous for your family and loved ones.

[EFerrari]

19. They are holding Manning in solitary confinement

and have offered him a deal. When his mind turns to mush, I assume he'll say whatever they want.

[soryang]

25. Good point! n/t

[treestar]

20. The US is run by the rule of law

And is a respected member of the international community.

[frylock]

21. comedy gold

[chill_wind]

33. Harboring and protecting torturers and war criminals. Spying on our own citizenry

including little old ladies from The Methodist Church for their anti-war views. LYING us into wars and bleeding our economy and our childrens' futures dry for those lies. Bailing out criminal bankster thieves and defrauders with blank checks from our taxpayer money and letting the bloodsucker CEO's engorge themselves even more in the aftermath with their unprecedented obscene profits, while we throw people out of their shelter into the streets while not one bankster or any of its MERS robo-signing fraudsters or forgerers has yet gone to jail... get real.

[fascisthunter]

22. More like STUPOR POWER

with stupid arrogant meat heads driving it off a cliff like a drunk driver.

[PBS Poll-435]

23. Is DinkyDinks 15 minutes up yet?

This is SO tired.

[EFerrari]

26. Are you feeling neglected or is your DU not working?

[PBS Poll-435]

27. I'm cool

I just can't believe the current situation.

And, for the record, WGAFF?

[EFerrari]

28. Looks like you do.

Whatever. Grab a candy cane and chill, won't you?

[PBS Poll-435]

30. Pass me some eggnog and meet me under the mistletoe

:)

[Rex]

24. D U HHH ER.

Rules only apply to the Citizens, I'm sure it is in the Constitution somewhere. Series.

[spanone]

29. yea julian, like we would torture or anything like that, come on.....

[glinda]

31. Our Country is run by crooks. Big crooks.

[chill_wind]

32. Our country is run by proto-fascists.

John Dean was right. Way back.

http://demopedia.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=3435993&mesg_id=3435993

[glinda]

34. Can't they be both?

[chill_wind]

35. For sure.

And our system it seems has gotten better and better at protecting and preserving them.