US diplomatic cables to be dropped by wikileaks; US doing pre-emptive damage control

[SwampdonkeyPLD]

Is there any evidence that Assange conspired with Bradley Manning to get the information? Or did Manning just say, "here ya go!"

[Thoronas]

It was my understanding that Manning did this on his own and Wikileaks was just the destination for his data. I recall reading that he bragged to the guy that ratted him out and that was the only person directly in contact with him about the whole thing.

[SwampdonkeyPLD]

Then I wonder how the US thinks they're gonna get Assange for spying.

[Indalecia]

Thats just the thing, they're not thinking. Its all rhetoric and ass covering while trying to make as much noise as possible over how he's the bad guy.

[archibaldcrane]

Then I wonder how the US thinks they're gonna get Assange for spying.

>implying foreign enemy combatants can't just be stuck in Guantanamo for the rest of their lives.

[#686578]

Whoops

[Kuya]

WikiLeaks: U.S. Overlooks Corruption in Uzbekistan

Other newly released U.S. diplomatic cables by WikiLeaks characterize the post-Soviet state of Uzbekistan as a nightmarish world of "rampant corruption," torture, indentured servitude and organized crime. However, the cables also reveal that the United States makes special efforts to pander to Uzbek President Islam Karimov because he allows a crucial U.S. military supply line to run into Afghanistan. U.S. Ambassador Richard Norland warned in a cable to Washington: "Clearly, pressuring [Karimov] could cost us transit."

WikiLeaks: Colombia’s Uribe Discussed Invading Venezuela in 2008

Another just-released WikiLeaks U.S. diplomatic cable reveals former Colombian President Álvaro Uribe was ready to order troops to cross into Venezuela and capture rebel leaders in 2008. According to one secret cable, Uribe told U.S. Navy Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, that he was "prepared to authorize Colombian forces to cross into Venezuela, arrest FARC leaders, and bring them to justice in Colombia." Less than two months after Uribe’s meeting with Mullen, Colombia’s military attacked a FARC camp in Ecuador on March 1, 2008, killing Raul Reyes, one of the rebel group’s senior leaders. In addition, Uribe told a group of visiting U.S. lawmakers that Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez represented a threat to South America, similar to the one Adolf Hitler once posed to Europe.

http://www.democracynow.org/2010/12/13/headlines#4

[Correction]

Fairly certain our pandering to ruthless Central Asian dictators has been a common subject in Asian/Central Asian policy publications. That we ignore brutal repression there because the airports there are supply bases there convenient to Afghanistan is no great leap of logic to deduce, given our history with Saudi Arabia, China, South America, etc.

[Kuya]

I don't know if most Americans know about these things. At the very least i've never seen any polling on it. So in my book it's a positive when this stuff gets revealed because the US has put a lot of effort into public diplomacy, which means the constructing of a public image to faciliate diplomatic goals. It's a good thing when the contradictions and hypocrisy are made apparent.

[aurik]

Most americans don't know a lot of things.

[Penthesilea]

I wanna say that most american's do know about it, but it just could be that I've had some good schooling and teachers who actually taught more than the bullshit they're required. Public school failure at work again.

[MF Perm tha Fineass]

Most things don't know a lot of americans

[notorious bum]

"most americans" were either paranoid and have always assumed the govt. has operated like this OR were willfully ignorant to any govt. wrongdoing before these leaks. Educated about this subject, "most Americans" are not.

[SwampdonkeyPLD]

So somewhere I read that Congress is looking at passing a statute right now that makes what he did illegal in order to convict him.

[Ragnus]

Yet again, really not surprising if that was true. The founding fathers would be spinning in their graves if they saw the country they created today.

Btw, Mike Moore has posted bail for Assange.

http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/mi...-michael-moore

STATEMENT OF MICHAEL MOORE

Aged: Over 18

Occupation: FILM MAKER AND AUTHOR

__________________________________________________ __________________________

This statement (consisting of 2 pages each signed by me) is true to the best of my knowledge and belief and I make it knowing that, if it is tendered in evidence, I shall be liable to prosecution if I have wilfully stated anything which I know to be false or do not believe to be true.

I, MICHAEL MOORE, care of Finers Stephens Innocent, 179 Great Portland Street, London, W1W 5LS make this statement and say as follows:

1. I am a filmmaker, author and political commentator and I produce as my exhibit [MM/1] evidence of my identity in the form of a photocopy of my passport/driving licence. I am an American citizen.

2. I am aware of the various allegations Julian Assange faces in Sweden. I am willing to act as security for Julian in the sum of twenty thousand dollars USD$20,000.

3. I am the director and producer of Bowling for Columbine, Fahrenheit 9/11, Sicko, and Capitalism: A Love Story, four of the top nine highest-grossing documentaries of all time. In September 2008, I released my first free movie on the Internet, Slacker Uprising, documenting my personal crusade to encourage more Americans to vote in presidential elections. These experiences underpinned my conviction that it is the duty of a free press to probe, and hold government and the powerful to account – and that citizens must be properly informed and have access to information in order to exercise their democratic rights.

4. Governments have always been discomfited by a probing press. With the hollowing out of newsrooms, in large part as a consequence of the new digital world, old media have largely abandoned the territory of investigative journalism.

5. I support Julian, whom I see as a pioneer of free speech, transparent government and the digital revolution in journalism. His commitment to exposing the follies of government and business offers the greater society a chance to protect itself from these follies. Some aren't just follies. Some are crimes. What do we do with someone who informs the authorities -- and in this case it is the free people in a democracy who are the "authorities" -- that a crime has been committed? Do we arrest HIM? Do we try to shut his mouth? Do we hound him, threaten him, track him down and hunt him as if HE is the criminal? He bravely informed the citizenry of what was being done in their name and with their tax monies. That is no crime. That is an act of patriotism. He should be thanked and honored, not abused and jailed. It dishonours this court to be used in this way, holding this man without bail. Julian has made the world, and my country in particular, a safer place. His actions with WikiLeaks have put on notice those who would take us to war based on lies that any future attempts to do so will be met by the fierce bright light provided by WikiLeaks and intended to expose those who commit their war crimes. His actions will make them think twice next time -- and for that we all owe him a debt of gratitude.

6. I believe that Julian takes pride in his reputation and as any journalist would understands that if he were to abscond he would ruin his reputation in the media and journalism industries.

7. I regret that I am out of the country and therefore I am unable to attend court and explain in person that I expect Julian to observe his bail conditions. I am offering to stand and provide security for him abiding by his bail conditions to the value of USD$20,000.

8. I understand that by acting as security for Julian I risk forfeiture of the aforementioned sum to the crown if he breaches his bail conditions by absconding or by not attending Court as and when required.

9. The money which I will pay to the Court, to be held as security, is my own. As I am abroad I am unable to produce any statement as evidence of these funds. However I have already transferred the sum of USD$20,000 into the client account of FSI.

10. I have not been indemnified against the loss of this money in the event of Julian breaching his bail conditions, and understand that if I were to be so indemnified it would amount to a separate criminal offence for which I could be imprisoned.

11. I have been advised by Julian’s solicitors that it would be prudent to obtain independent legal advice in relation to my liabilities as security.

12. I have no previous convictions.

[notorious bum]

In semi-related news: "Gitmo may close down, open back up in Afgan's Bahram Prison, minus the chance of any U.S. court of appeals process." Sweet.

I'm praying for you bro, this shit smells bad.

[notorious bum]

damnit

[Ragnus]

dot dot fucking dot. -.-

[Korietsu]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11989216

The founder of whistle-blowing website Wikileaks has been granted bail in London on conditions including cash guarantees of £240,000.

But Julian Assange will remain in custody as prosecutors have two hours to lodge an appeal against bail.

The 39-year-old Australian is fighting extradition to Sweden, where he is accused of sexually assaulting two women - charges he denies.

Other bail conditions include having to give up his passport.

Mr Assange was bailed on condition he provides a security of £200,000 to the court, with a further £40,000 guaranteed in two sureties of £20,000 each.

He will also have to obey a curfew at an address in Suffolk, wear an electronic tag and report to a local police station every evening.

A number of demonstrators gathered outside City of Westminster Magistrates' Court for the bail hearing on Tuesday.

Mr Assange is due to return to the court on 11 January.

'Common sense'
Continue reading the main story
“
Start Quote

If he had been refused bail, it would have meant the court had become a political arena”

Yvonne Ridley
Author
A large crowd of reporters and a number of Mr Assange's high-profile supporters were also outside the court.

Following the bail decision, novelist Tariq Ali said: "I'm very pleased that he is out. I think the extradition charges should now be dealt with in the same way.

"His barrister made the same point, that this is not rape under English law and there is absolutely no reason for extradition.

"We are delighted he is out and he should never have been locked up in the first place."

Author Yvonne Ridley said: "It is a victory for common sense. If he had been refused bail, it would have meant the court had become a political arena."

In his first appearance at court last week, Mr Assange was refused bail on the grounds he could flee - despite the offer of sureties from figures including film director Ken Loach.

Mr Assange is accused of having unprotected sex with a woman, identified only as Miss A, when she insisted he use a condom.


Julian Assange was photographed inside a prison van on his way to court
He is also accused of having unprotected sex with another woman, Miss W, while she was asleep.

Mr Assange claims the charges are politically motivated and designed to discredit him.

Earlier on Tuesday, Christine Assange told Australian television station Channel 7 that she had spoken to her son in prison.

"I told him how people all over the world, in all sorts of countries, were standing up with placards and screaming out for his freedom and justice and he was very heartened by that," she said.

"As a mother, I'm asking the world to stand up for my brave son."

'No access'
Ms Assange also read a statement from him, which she had copied down when he spoke to her from Wandsworth Prison. In it, he defended the actions of Wikileaks, adding: "My convictions are unfaltering."

His lawyer Mark Stephens said he had not been given any of his post - including legal letters - since being remanded in custody.

"He has absolutely no access to any electronic equipment, no access to the outside world, no access to outside media," he said.

Mr Stephens said the only correspondence his client had received was a note telling him that a copy of Time magazine sent to him had been destroyed because the cover bore his photograph.

In recent weeks, Wikileaks has published a series of US diplomatic cables revealing secret information on topics such as terrorism and international relations.

The latest release, published by the Guardian newspaper, shows that the US had concerns after the 7 July bombings that the UK was not doing enough to tackle home-grown extremists.

Another cable claims British police helped "develop" evidence against Madeleine McCann's parents after she went missing.

[Thoronas]

Just to add to that story, Sweden is challenging Assange's right to bail. Even if they get the money he might have to stay in jail until the challenge is heard. Considering less than 6% of rape cases in Sweden go to court they sure are intent on seeing this one go to court.