I don't think the UK is going to go to the extreme of entering an embassy over a relatively minor issue such as a man's extradition to Sweden to face rape charges. Assange isn't a threat to the UK, he's just a pain in the arse that they could do without. Better the UK have to deal with him than Australia, I say.

It is not a wise decision to go to Ecuador i think, the international behaviour of Ecuador may change with every new president and worldwide politics, also the ecuadorian president is not a sympathetic and reliable man. He sure likes to expose (?) the USA, and to express the new middle-american aplomb; so his intentions are clear (to instrumantalize Assange) and have nothing to do with HIS view on free journalism.

However seen from all sides, i ask myself why he does not go to Sweden, the case of the women accusing him was almost turned down when he decided to go to the UK ? And i do not think he would be killed in England, i do not even really think this would happen in the US - he is not a US citizen and the world would then really think about this special US democracy.
(/However as we saw with Bradley Manning, the US courts are willing to change laws according to the governments' or military's wishes .. :hmm2:
https://docs.google.com/a/firedoglak...WmM/edit?pli=1
First they tried to describe him as a suicidal psychotic (remember you have to destroy a man puiblicly, before the strike), then they tried to really make him crazy by that special pre-trial treatment.)


And A. may be an unsympathetic idi*t, but has anyone really talked to him, apart from all this phased media hype ? Never believe the media propaganda ! You should know how that works since the 14-18 war and Raemakers, don't you ?

Also he may be whatever, but he found out something backed up by real evidence - and now instead of being ashamed or outright be thrown out of office just of all those accused (again, with evidence!), are being allowed to organize a witchhunt, with the dumb masses as their mouthpiece ?

This is as if someone found out about the killing of people in concentration camps, and the whole world turned against the journalist who made that public.
Back then there was no internet and a lot less means of information. Now that we have all that, are we just as dumb or disinterested as the people back then ? This is so unbelievably primitive ! Where is the public outcry ?!

There wouldn't be a problem if Assange released only documents that were evidence of criminal behaviour on the part of US officials or military. That would be covered under whistleblower protection that all Western democracies have as far as I know. But he released thousands of documents that revealed US and other countries' state secrets with no such justification. This is just plain unexcused espionage. The man doesn't like governments keeping anything secret. Most people, on the other hand, understand that it is necessary.

The thing is though I have no problem with people uncovering corruption etc, what gets me is Assange and people like him think they are holier than thou, above the law and have special privileges to do as they please. Kind of like some journalists in the UK who think they have a moral duty to f*ck someone over regardless of the consequences.

Like Jim said, they could make him an Ecuadorean citizen, give him a diplomatic position and then he can't be touched.

However I have been reading that Ecuador has some trade agreements with the USA on some 1300 products that is due for renewal at the end of the year. So we will see what happens. Could be that President Rafael Correa is showboating before elections..

I read somewhere that the UK would have to accept his appointment as a diplomat, which they obviously won't do - so that may not be an option either.

TBH I just think Assange wants to stay out of Sweden because he doesn't want to face potential charges there and appears willing to do anything to prevent that from happening. At the moment all he is wanted for is questioning, however we don't know how far the case will go.

As I said earlier whether the poms think it is advisable to go get him or not is debatable.

However, Ecuador also is part of the anti-US axis in Latin America, being close friend with Venezuela/Chavez, and maintaining good relations with left-leaning Brazil and Argentina. Plus he is up head-to-head with US-ally Colombia.

They met before. However, Assange did not have many options to chosse from, and I think Ecuador indeed may have been a very good choice indeed, for the reasons I just metioned above.

Ecuador is spinning this as a reclamation of their national sovereignty, kind of a "you can't tell us we can't do it". I don't see how that lets you mess around with the judicial sovereignty of Sweden (in terms of sexual assault) and the UK (breaking bail - say what you will about the rape charges, there's a rock-solid arrest warrant for Mr Assange on this ground).

Ecuador's response seems to be a mix of lifting a middle finger to the US, and overreacting to that twerp in the UK FCO who mentioned revoking embassy status. Ecuador aren't doing anything out of protectiveness towards Assange - there is no possible method of bringing him to Ecuador and actually having to stand behind their promises.

What should happen is that Mr Assange should submit to the valid arrest warrant and be extradited to Sweden. Yes, this may be a front to bring him to the US. That's the risk you take when you distribute secret information.

Don't take this to seem like I disagree with Wikileaks' stated intent- I think they at least used to be a positive force, instead of the kneejerk anti-American propaganda mill they seem to be at the moment. You don't get automatic exemption from the law by blowing the whistle.

If charges get constructed and persec utioon gets abused for political opportunism, than I see neither a moral nor other responsibility for the intended victim to behave stupid, play by such rules and hand itself over to get spanked.

There is no legal obligation whatever to submit to a conspiratory effort of enemies. It's more a question then of who is the stronger one.

If Assange somehow ends up living in Ecuador, his worries will not end. It is possible that the next thing happening is trying to kidnap him. Though that probably will not be the Swedes, but the Americans, then. He has an interesting life ahead, no matter how the things in London turn out.

He has delivered possibly the greatest, at least one of the greatest PR disasters to the US ever. A self-proclaimed superpower will not let him off the hook for that. Never.

Luckily enough the common man did not notice that, and has decided to harass the journalist instead of the Mafia.

Hey, have a bit more faith in our allies, democracy and constitutional state :D

The UK government appear to be determined to adhere to their legal obligations on this matter, so as long as he is on British territory he is skating on extremely thin ice.

A little discussion with Ecuador around trade agreements should see an eventual shift in their attitude...unless the South American neighbourhood is prepared to make good any future shortfall.

I reckon Ecuador will eventually tire of Assange and all that will be left to do is devise a face saving end game for all parties.

In the meantime...anyone reckon he'll come out of the embassy on Sunday as he stated on Twitter?

I've just had a thought.....Has anyone told Julian Assange that if he wants to escape the attentions of the MET police, he just needs to wrap himself in a blanket and hide in his own loft? :hmm2:

I'm guessing he will, don't think Ecuador is into roast beef with yorkshires and all the trimmings :huh:

He speaks from the balcony! What a pompous a**!!:haha:

http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2...y-manning?lite

When he does get arrested then he should "slip down the stairs a few times" :haha: