Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Julian Assange has reached a plea deal with the U.S., allowing him to go free

nbcnews.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

401–410 of 1001 posts

Re: Julian Assange has reached a plea deal with the U.S., allowing him to go free

#401

Post by zadler »

davedx wrote: post #352
tetris11 wrote: post #327

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> At least the current Labour leader strikes me as a decent man with some actual principles and backbone and this would fundamentally be a decent thing to do. (massive sidetrack, but I can't let this sentence go unpunished) The current labour leader is the lamest duck in a group of wet blankets. His policies revolve around not being as corrupt as the Tories whilst doing virtually nothing else to better his constituen…

Labour just said they’ll enforce the warrant for Netanyahu’s arrest. You find that lacking backbone?

Have to see if they actually do it. Saying it means very little, it’s not a controversial position.

Re: Julian Assange has reached a plea deal with the U.S., allowing him to go free

#402

Post by jeswin »

Cody-99 wrote: post #276
jeswin wrote: post #228

Julian Assange's years of torment (14 years, which in many countries exceeds the length of parole eligibility for a life sentence) affected how I viewed the world and my political leaning. It wasn't clear how what he did wasn't journalism. Daniel Ellsberg who was bound by US laws didn't suffer like this; and Assange is not even a US citizen. Remember the people who didn't stand by him: The entire left. Most European…

>who were collaborating in a decade of torture; that he had to be protected by Ecuador is an utter shame. Oh come on. No matter your opinion on the whole situation you can't say sitting in an Ecuadorian embassy is torture lol. Dude had his girlfriend, internet, and pets. Calling the self imposed stay torture is beyond absurd. BFFR

Yes torture. Among many others here's the UN Human Rights Commissioner's office on the Assange situation: https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2019/11/un-expert-to...

His mental health deteriorated a while back.

Re: Julian Assange has reached a plea deal with the U.S., allowing him to go free

#403

Post by faizmokh »

olalonde wrote: post #151
chaoskitty wrote: post #110

It amazes me that so many people care more about the act of whistleblowing, which informs us, the citizens, about what our governments are doing that's illegal, than about the illegal activities themselves. What does that say about those people? Are they easily led by emotion? They certainly don't care about the rule of law, if breaking the law by others can so easily be ignored. They aren't particularly patriotic, i…

Which illegal government activities did the Manning/Assange leaks uncover? The only thing I can recall is that "collateral damage" helicopter footage but it was an isolated incident and was deemed legal following investigation.

Yeah "collateral" and "isolated" incident.

They hate you because of your "freedom" anyway.

Re: Julian Assange has reached a plea deal with the U.S., allowing him to go free

#404

Post by dmje »

tetris11 wrote: post #327
jillesvangurp wrote: post #310

Good, this was getting majorly embarrassing for all countries still involved with this legal mess. The man dying in prison stuck in legal limbo without any conviction whatsoever (innocent until proven guilty and all that) would have been a PR disaster for the UK. And of course there's also the issue that the UK is very likely to get a new government that would have likely been leaning to just letting the man go in an…

> At least the current Labour leader strikes me as a decent man with some actual principles and backbone and this would fundamentally be a decent thing to do. (massive sidetrack, but I can't let this sentence go unpunished) The current labour leader is the lamest duck in a group of wet blankets. His policies revolve around not being as corrupt as the Tories whilst doing virtually nothing else to better his constituen…

The question is whether his backbone will grow back once he's in power. I'm in two minds. In our house I'm of the opinion that Labour should go "Full Left" and be strong and confident about it; my wife thinks they should get in using whatever means possible (including the slightly pathetic not-very-left agenda they're currently sporting) and then hope they'll make proper changes once in. Let's see what 4th July brings. At least it'll be the end of the current horrorshow.

Re: Julian Assange has reached a plea deal with the U.S., allowing him to go free

#405

Post by thomassmith65 »

NoPicklez wrote: post #132
chaoskitty wrote: post #110

It amazes me that so many people care more about the act of whistleblowing, which informs us, the citizens, about what our governments are doing that's illegal, than about the illegal activities themselves. What does that say about those people? Are they easily led by emotion? They certainly don't care about the rule of law, if breaking the law by others can so easily be ignored. They aren't particularly patriotic, i…

I think people like the idea of whistleblowing because we have a lack of trust in Governments and corporations. Whistleblowing "lifts the lid" so to speak on potential large breaches of trust and breaches of the law to a greater degree of perceived damage than whistleblowing. Essentially uncovering hypocrisy in the way our Governments and corporations works. People can both care about the act of whistleblowing and th…

The Wikileaks affair opened my eyes. I used to think an informed public was a good thing. Turns out it just means they vote for Morton Downey Jr.

Re: Julian Assange has reached a plea deal with the U.S., allowing him to go free

#406

Post by noahlt »

DaoVeles wrote: post #351

All around my neighborhood is the graffiti of "Free Assange, Oz hero". Just this morning I saw a large amount of it in a new place. Was thinking "I really hope one day it happens but I am doubtful". And then I just saw this... wow! I am so glad to be wrong, to see my pessimistic side be completely wrong. Julian is free!

What part of the world is your neighborhood in?

Re: Julian Assange has reached a plea deal with the U.S., allowing him to go free

#408

Post by hoseja »

jillesvangurp wrote: post #310

Good, this was getting majorly embarrassing for all countries still involved with this legal mess. The man dying in prison stuck in legal limbo without any conviction whatsoever (innocent until proven guilty and all that) would have been a PR disaster for the UK. And of course there's also the issue that the UK is very likely to get a new government that would have likely been leaning to just letting the man go in an…

Yeah, now they can give him aggressive cancer without it looking too bad.

Re: Julian Assange has reached a plea deal with the U.S., allowing him to go free

#409

Post by draugadrotten »

searealist wrote: post #104
ggm wrote: post #101

Politically shrewd for each of the 3 primary governments involved, removes the issue from the agenda. I'd say its zero-sum outcome for any player: as many people will be angry as happy he's freed. the point being it can't be weaponised as easily as having him in the cell. Sweden may differ of course. I don't think either of the 3 primaries care what Sweden thinks.

Sweden does as the US tells.

One example which comes to mind:

"Swedish papers illuminate CIA renditions" https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna7915747

"Sweden Violated Torture Ban in CIA Rendition" https://www.hrw.org/news/2006/11/09/sweden-violated-torture-...

Re: Julian Assange has reached a plea deal with the U.S., allowing him to go free

#410

Post by Hawxy »

PUSH_AX wrote: post #376
yzydserd wrote: post #366

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The Australian government brokered the deal [0] after their parliament voted for him to be freed [1] [0] https://www.theguardian.com/media/2024/apr/10/biden-assange-... [1] https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/feb/14/austr...

Interesting, I’m guessing he didn’t expose many Australian secrets? Their government is fresh off of jailing a whistleblower (David McBride) ̶f̶o̶r̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶r̶e̶s̶t̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶h̶i̶s̶ ̶l̶i̶f̶e̶ 5 years who exposed a so called war hero as someone who actually committed war crimes.

> who exposed a so-called war hero as someone who actually committed war crimes.

Worth mentioning that this wasn't David's intentions. He leaked the documents as he thought special forces soldiers were being "unfairly" restricted via tighter rules of engagement & defense oversight in order to protect civilians. He wanted the ABC to tell everyone that special forces were being kept on too tight of a leash, not report on war crimes.

Post reply on HN