Julian Assange to stay in Ecuadorian embassy to avoid US extradition

[DonViejo]

Source: Newsweek



WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is expected to remain at the Ecuadorian embassy in London until the U.K. clarifies whether it has received an extradition request from the U.S., a member of his legal team tells Newsweek.

Prosecutors in Sweden dropped a preliminary investigation into an allegation of sexual assault against Assange, repealing a Europe-wide arrest warrant. However, an investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice remains ongoing over WikiLeaks’ release of secret military files on the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Melinda Taylor, an international human rights attorney who represents Assange, told Newsweek the U.K. has repeatedly refused to confirm or deny whether it has already received an extradition request in relation to the ongoing national security prosecution in the United States.

“I haven’t had a chance to speak to Julian yet, but the sole reason for his asylum was and continues to be the ongoing national security prosecution in the United States,” Taylor said. “That hasn’t changed and despite repeated requests to the U.K. and U.S. for clarification on whether an extradition request is in place, none has been given. In the meantime, the U.K. remains under a continuing obligation to ensure his liberty and protection.”

Read more: http://www.newsweek.com/julian-assange-stay-ecuadorian-embassy-612175

[snooper2]

1. Lie to him then nab the asshole- Would love to see him questioned by the Senate

[JackRiddler]

28. The authoritarianism is so charming.

You'd love to see him questioned by the Senate? I don't think you are that naive about what kind of people will be doing the questioning, the kinds of means they will be employing, and the odds that he would ever appear in public again.

[cloudythescribbler]

2. I'm less enthused about security state than some on DU

I would like to see Julian Assange finally walk free, and continue his important work

I did STRONGLY disagree w/his equating of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump during the elections (as broadcast on Democracy Now). But I do NOT think the Wikileaks revelations about Podesta were significant in the elections -- the whole focus on this rather than on the VERY IMPORTANT AND ELECTORALLY DECISIVE issues raised by Greg Palast, (which have been all but completely ignored, not only in MSM but here on DU since the election was stolen in November) is misdirection -- and I do NOT regard Assange as some are all too eager to demonize him. Russia & Assange are more convenient targets than dealing w/domestic electoral issues including the failure of the Democratic Party to ever seriously challenge the issues Palast raises, and the broad failure not only in the MSM and Democratic Party leadership, but even more broadly (glass walls of invisible underground repression being what they are) to raise these issues effectively, or even seriously try

Curiously, some who celebrate Chelsea Manning as heroic (rightfully) start getting nasty about Wikileaks who made it possible

I would add that many of my political colleagues on the Left (not on DU, where it would be banned) -- including some I generally respect -- followed the nonsense of not seeing Hillary as VASTLY better than Trump, and few if any even today don't admit that they were wrong.

[Dopers_Greed]

3. So let me get his straight...

Performing cyber-espionage for rightwing despots is "important work"?

Wikileaks is practically an operative of the Russian government now, and they are far more oppressive than the American "security state".

[cloudythescribbler]

7. another MSM/powers-that-be encouraged meme of "rightwing" Wikileaks efforts

Wikileaks has brought MANY important issues to light. The Podesta emails (whose impact on the elections folk at DU like to VASTLY exaggerate) were information brought to Wikileaks, it is presumed in the MSM and on DU apparently, by the Russians, tho Assange denies it (he categorically will not reveal sources -- that is the whole point of Wikileaks) were a footnote to a footnote in the election

Just a reality point: If the Russians want to reveal info, they could in a myriad of ways -- Wikileaks hardly made it possible. And as for the supposed Russian sources becoming known -- much hay was made about this in the election, to zero effect.

People just want to find targets that are in truth establishment-approved to cast blame & hate on. To hate those who REALLY cause the world's problems, TO REALLY and EFFECTIVELY target those -- well that requires courage, and true courage (like Chelsea Manning's stepping forward and enduring much for it, as Assange has) is very hard to find

The facile notion of Wikileaks as a cats-paw of Russia is bogus

[Cha]

17. Bullshit.. wikileaks and assange are rw assholes..

pawns for putin.

[ismnotwasm]

29. And he's a rapist piece of shit

He's been pulling that "scared of America" bullshit for years. People died because of his sloppy ass.

[Cha]

30. Exactly, ism.. I was thinking about that after

I posted.. Mahalo for that.

[sandensea]

35. I'm ambivalent toward Assange and Wikileaks

I agree with you: Wikileaks has, in the past anyway, provided the public some sorely needed transparency of the kind our public officials have utterly refused to. Democracy thrives only in sunlight - which is the best disinfectant besides.

So that's why their role in the 2016 election was so shameful. Even if Putin's spies could have easily leaked the e-mails with absolutely no help from Wikileaks (I'm with you on that), and even giving Wikileaks the benefit of the doubt on the question of whether they were intentionally carrying water for Putin (and by extension Trump), Assange himself admitted being staunchly opposed to Hillary Clinton before the election.

It seems, then, that at the very least he let his own, personal animus guide his work - and Wikileaks'. Whether personal reasons were to blame for his very one-sided handling of the two campaigns' private info, or collusion with Russia was, Assange did nothing but damage the credibility of Wikileaks.

And, perhaps unintentionally, help get King Con elected.

[Dr Hobbitstein]

4. Assange's "important work"

was getting Donald elected over Hillary.

I'd like to see him get hit by a truck.

[cloudythescribbler]

5. scapegoating of Wikileaks for DT presidency is the kind of thinking ...

that is and will likely keep the Democratic Party out in the wilderness (not winning either House in 18, or the majority of state legislatures, and of course the federal judiciary as well as the presidency

As I mentioned (not responded to anywhere) where the bodies REALLY are buried in this election was uncovered by Greg Palast, and virtually ignored on DU (and continues to be)

[Dr Hobbitstein]

6. Supporting assholes like Julian Assange is why the far left and the far right are the same. nt

[cloudythescribbler]

8. equating the "far left" and the right is the kind of thinking ...

that has kept mainstream liberalism in decline as against the RW for generations, long before Wikileaks

[Dr Hobbitstein]

10. Both the far right and far left love them some Jillian Assange and Russia.

They also both call for ideological purity. They're one and the same.

[LiberalLovinLug]

13. What is your definition of "far left" and "far right" that they can be the same thing?

I can see what the "far right" is. They are represented by the Freedom Caucus, and other member of the GOP. Steve Bannon, and members of the Trump inner circle. They hold real power. (And they did so even with Obama in office)

Who is the "far left" in your eyes? Sanders and Warren? Politicians that just want to give Americans what every other western democracies have? Because I don't see many further left than that having a lot of influence in positions of power.

Julian Assange is more about freedom of information. I doubt he considers himself right or left. Its also been clear from his statements that he agrees with Princeton University in their assessment that the US is already an oligarchy. And he most likely despises both parties in the US. I would surmise that he would have released GOP insider emails as well if someone had leaked them to him. He is an idealist about that "the truth will set you free" And more information is better than no information, even if its not the information you wanted to hear.

As far as I'm concerned, fake news is much more dangerous than honest truthful revelations that you don't want to hear. That decades long fake news assault on the Clintons is what did her in, not the Podesa emails. Now did they help? No, and I wish he hadn't released them, but holding back secrets that authorities don't want us to hear is not his shtick.

Now I do think he got used by Putin and is too arrogant to admit it. He isn't the most likable person I grant that. But my gawd, the vitriol spewed out in DU against him, as if he was largely responsible for the Democrat loss is laughable. and worse, the idea pushed around that "the left" who represent people coming together, pooling taxes to help everyone have heathcare, making a fairer society, treating the elderly with respect by assuring them of SS, paying workers a decent minimum wage, freedom of choice for women, on and on....that if we are not careful we will want these things a little too too much and suddenly are transformed into RWers who blame minorities, hate gays and womens rights, and generally approach life as "I'm alright Jack".

"Far left" to me is Leninist / Stalinist / Moaist thinking from the last century. (Even then I'd argue that they devolved into power hungry elitists and never did establish a true "far left" government) But every party, the world over, other than a few exceptions, has been steadily moving right including both the Democratic and the Republican parties. Increased corporate donations and control. Whomever that regards themselves as "far left" holds zero power and is in such a tiny minority that they are insignificant. The idea of putting them on the same position of influence in the country is laughable.

And even though IMO the whole left/right meme is not applicable in Assange;s case, I have to say that I am also sick of this insinuation that there is this single giant ouroboros of political beliefs out there, and that one must be careful because if you travel a little too far around the circle, you may think you are more left but suddenly you have become a raving tea bagger. It makes no sense at all.

[Dr Hobbitstein]

16. The far left does not consist of any elected Democratic figures.

To equate the leftier than thous with Warren or Sanders is laughable.

Jill Stein, Susan Sarandon, and any other "psuedo-progressive" that pushed the Russia narrative that Trump was better than Hillary. THAT is the far left.

[LiberalLovinLug]

18. Thanks for clarifying

I still would still say your assessment that they are one and the same is a bit warped.
What I gather you mean is that they are 'one and the same' only so far as their levels of puritanism, both so beholden to their own particular set of demands and will not budge from them that it is detrimental to gaining any traction both for power or for followers.

But your definition of 'far left' is odd. Sarandon agrees with everything Sanders had proposed, and you just told me that to consider Sanders as 'far left' is laughable. So that makes no logical sense. And Stein was willing to vacate her position in order for Bernie to run in her place as head of the Green party, so if she had no problems with Sanders either, I fail to see how her positions are so radically 'far left' either. Mostly they share Bernie's and Warren's and others belief that we must get corporate money, and dark foreign money, out of politics. And fight for benefits that every other capitalist based, democratic country has for their citizens. Things like universal healthcare, maternity leave, etc..Not really communists in my books.

How I perceive the difference is that their supporters believe in almost all the same issues as Democrat voters, but that even the Democrats are too enmeshed within a corrupt system and too ensconced with their own corporate partners to get any real progress done. That they have given up on the good cop/bad cop Dems/Reps, both mostly working for the same 1% in their eyes, and they have been frustrated to the point of abandoning the idea of trying to change the system from within the Democratic party.

It has nothing to do with being too far left.

[Dr Hobbitstein]

19. Sarandon endorsed Jill Stein.

Jill Stein is nothing like Bernie Sanders. Sarandon is a moron.

The far right and the far left are the same: both willful idiots being playing by Russia.

[LiberalLovinLug]

23. You seem to be confusing personality with platform.

Sarandon said “I believe in a way she is more dangerous [than Mr. Trump],”. People always leave out the "in a way" part. Which is that she thinks a slow boil is, in a way, more dangerous than a quick boil. I agree with her in principle, but disagree that this was the right time, as the quick boil folks in charge now are much too dangerous to be applying that strategy at the moment.

But it all stems not from being too "far left" in what they want for their fellow citizens, which I would challenge you to find anything they promote you would even disagree with, but in the trust of the deliver system of those benefits. Policies that are not so radical and even normal in all other democracies.

Jill Stein is a lot like Sanders in their platforms. You just don't agree with any challenge to the Democratic party as being the sole saviour of America. I say we need to be challenged from the left. We sure as hell have been pressured and squeezed from the right in the past few decades. Democrats should heed the warning bell and work to usurp the Green party's platform out from under them instead of simply bad-mouthing them.

[bettyellen]

27. Sarandon is a flake who preferred Trump "burning it all down" to Hillary....

Seriously, most adults know better than that. Burn it down my ass.

[LiberalLovinLug]

31. You exagerate

Like a few others on here.

Its not that she preferred Trump, she actually preferred Sanders, and if not Sanders then Stein. I hardly think she would ever consider Trump. And if she really really had to choose between only two choices, I'm sure she'd choose whomever was running for the Democrats.

Once again, she said "in a way", ie. that there is one silver lining in that people will be compelled to get involved more, that it will wake people up. And you cannot argue with that. That has happened.

I don't agree with the "burn it all down" approach myself. I think there is just too much to burn down. And burning down the house will not guarantee a socialist utopia that some dream will rise from the ashes. In fact IMO it would just delay any progressive progress even longer.

But its the tea baggers, the freedom caucus, the white supremists, the fake news like Brietbart and Fox, that have diametrically opposite goals and desires. The ones that hold the actual power. The Saradons, the Steins, the Naders, etc are not the enemy. They share values we do. They just have decided that there is a better vehicle to get to those goals. So we have to work to get those like minded people back into the Democratic party by showing them we are moving in the same direction. And we have by allowing Sanders and Warren to help rebuild it. A good first step.

[bettyellen]

32. Bullshit. She preferred Trump over Hillary. Such an unhinged woman.

She's one of a million suckers that fell for the Russian propaganda. Idiots, all. They need to wake the fuck up.

[LiberalLovinLug]

37. That is a very 'with us or against us' view

No room for nuance. So its impossible to even argue with you.

have a nice day.

[bettyellen]

38. Those that fell for the Russian propaganda need to wake the fuck up, period!

Sorry but whoever fell for the Wikileaks/Guccifer/RT crap need to face the facts that they were manipulated. They need to be more critical consumers of the media. I do t know anyone who believed half that shit unless they were already poisoned by hatred.

[LenaBaby61]

26. The far left does not consist of any elected Democratic figures.

"Jill Stein, Susan Sarandon, and any other "psuedo-progressive" that pushed the Russia narrative that Trump was better than Hillary. THAT is the far left."

Add Cornel West to that "pseudo-progressive" pack of hounds per his stupid and embarrassing rant against Hillary last night on Real Time, where he railed more against her than against tRumputin.

I swear, these "educated," pseudo-progressive, purist FOOLS

[Demsrule86]

9. Assange is a Russian troll...and helps no one but those the Russians like

He was also responsible for the France leak...he has destroyed his brand and his life.

[cloudythescribbler]

11. detail in Assange-trashing narrative new to me -- what linx him to "France Leak"?

I read about an attempted hack of French election on eve of vote. I never previously heard any allegations of Wikileaks and Assange involved.

plz explain

[Demsrule86]

14. google is your friend...Assange is an asshat Russian troll.

Friday's leaks were released by Wikileaks with the #MacronLeaks hashtag. It said the files contained "many tens of documents".

The whistleblower website created by Julian Assange added credit to the leaks by saying they were "a significant leak" in which it had "not yet discovered fakes" and that it was "not economically feasible to fabricate the whole".

https://euobserver.com/elections/137810

[bettyellen]

39. The original Wikileakers who were honest left a while ago, disgusted by Assaange's power plays....

[brooklynite]

12. Don't you hate houseguests who hang around forever?

[DeminPennswoods]

36. LOL! True dat

The Ecudorians probably rue the day they allowed him in. I won't be surprised if they tell him to leave now that the criminal charge in Sweden has been dropped. He can hide out in the Australian embassy for awhile.

[Jose Garcia]

15. He must be getting tired of all of that ceviche

[jpak]

20. It sucks to be him

lol

[TexasBushwhacker]

25. I have little sympathy for his pasty ass n/t

[treestar]

21. this has always seemed paranoid

there are no charges against him in the US, and so how would there be a request for extradition?

[hrmjustin]

22. I would like to see Assange in prison.

[brooklynite]

24. I'm guessing the Russians could park a car under his balcony...

...and spirit him away to the Russian Embassy. Sounds like a win-win for everyone.

[GReedDiamond]

33. I guess you could say he's in a prison...

...of his own making.

I hope, for his sake, that Asshole enjoys the interior design of his surroundings.

[orangecrush]

34. Stay in the embassy and rot

Con artist.