Julian Assange like a hi-tech terrorist, says Joe Biden

[cali]

Joe Biden appears on NBC's Meet the Press, for a taped interview. Joe Biden appears on NBC's Meet the Press, for a taped interview. Photograph: Getty Images

The US vice-president, Joe Biden, today likened the WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to a "high-tech terrorist", the strongest criticism yet from the Obama administration.

Biden claimed that Assange has put lives at risk and made it more difficult for the US to conduct its business around the world.

His description of Assange shows a level of irritation that contrasts with more sanguine comments from other senior figures in the White House, who said the leak of diplomatic cables has not done serious damage.

Interviewed on NBC's Meet the Press, Biden was asked if the administration could prevent further leaks, as Assange warned last week. "We are looking at that right now. The justice department is taking a look at that," Biden said, without elaborating.

The justice department is struggling to find legislation with which to prosecute Assange.

<snip>

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/dec/19/assange-high-tech-terrorist-biden

[Crazy Dave]

1. Joe, Joe, say it ain't so

You know damn well if this happened under Bush you would be praising Assange as being a hero to the free world.

[Poll_Blind]

2. My take on Biden is that he probably has different opinions, personally, but he knows...

...his job as VP is to echo, echo, echo the President.

I could be wrong. Joe could be a summabitch. But I don't have any red flags raised on his actions outside of being a VP. Anyone who knows more about Biden either way and would care to comment? In other words, despite his proclamations, I that if Obama were out of the picture and he were President that this is not a course he would naturally follow.

:shrug:

PB

[egoclothes]

9. Even as an echo of the WH, he did NOT have to link him as being

a terrorist. That went beyond what was necessary to say.

[LWolf]

13. I have no respect for those who parrot propaganda that they don't personally believe.

And I am sick of this excuse for people who ought to know better.

[HopeHoops]

3. Has Biden been taking Dickhead Cheney pills?

I mean WHAT THE FUCK???

[glinda]

4. His comment surprised me.I do not agree with it nor like it. He does not speak for me.

In fact, I am a fan of Biden's but now I will re-evaluate that position.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

5. Neo-lib ramblings from the mouth that never closes.

[Luminous Animal]

6. Remarkably, the day before he said the opposite...

" MITCHELL: This is Vice President Joe Biden, who told me that the leaked cables created no substantive damage -- only embarrassment . . . .

BIDEN: And I came in almost all to embraces - it wasn't just shaking hands - I know these guys, I know these women - they still trust the United States - there's all kinds of --

MITCHELL: So there's no damage?

BIDEN: I don't think there's any damage. I don't think there's any substantive damage, no. Look, some of the cables are embarrassing . . . but nothing that I'm aware of that goes to the essence of the relationship that would allow another nation to say: "they lied to me, we don't trust them, they really are not dealing fairly with us.""

http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/glenn_greenwald/2010/12/18/wikileaks/index.html

[krabigirl]

7. Typical neoconservative/neoliberal.

[TheKentuckian]

8. gas face

[Vickers]

10. "made it more difficult for the US to conduct its business around the world"

Not necessarily a bad thing, Joe.

:eyes:

[texshelters]

11. Joe Biden is lying for Obama and to look tough to Republicans

When the leaks first came out, VP Biden said,

BIDEN: I don't think there's any damage. I don't think there's any substantive damage, no. Look, some of the cables are embarrassing . . . but nothing that I'm aware of that goes to the essence of the relationship that would allow another nation to say: "they lied to me, we don't trust them, they really are not dealing fairly with us."

http://www.salon.com/news/wikileaks/index.html?story=/opinion/greenwald/2010/12/18/wikileaks

Are there any politicians left in Washington that have integrity? Biden was always suspect, though I predicted here 2.5 years ago that he would be Obama's nominee. People confused my pick with my preference for Biden. I just thought Obama would pick him to win.

Now the schmuck (Biden) is getting all tough and law and order. Forget it Joe. Why don't you fight the Republicans and banking crooks with such vigor? They are the terrorists.

Peace,
Tex Shelters

[spanone]

12. word for word...

MR. GREGORY: Do you think he's a criminal?

VICE PRES. BIDEN: If he conspired to get these classified documents with a member of the U.S. military, that's fundamentally different than if somebody drops on your lap, "Here, David, you're a press person, here is classified material."

MR. GREGORY: Mitch McConnell says he's a high tech terrorist, others say this is akin to the Pentagon Papers. Where do you come down?

VICE PRES. BIDEN: I would argue that it's closer to being a high tech terrorist than, than the Pentagon Papers. But look, this guy has, has done things that have damaged and, and put into jeopardy the lives and, and occupations of people in other parts of the world. He's made it more difficult for us to conduct our, our business with our allies and our friends. For example, in my meetings, you know I meet with most of these world leaders, there is a desire now to meet with me alone rather than have staff in the room. It makes things more cumbersome. And so it is, it has done damage.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40720643/ns/meet_the_press-transcripts/ns/meet_the_press-transcripts