I’ll admit that I’m not clear about the legalities in Oz however you’re wrong RE: USA. The First Amendment protects publishing of classified information, if it weren’t so, then the WaPo, NYT et al would have all been prosecuted for the Pentagon Papers and various other Nat Sec disclosures.
It’s why the U.S targets whistle blowers with such gusto, they know they can’t nail the publisher however the person who leaks the classified information is breaking the law.
This will be the first time in U.S history that the government of the day will be using the Espionage Act against a publisher. That’s why it’s such a huge deal.
I thought the espionage charges were constructed to Assange being an enabler, in that he allegedly encouraged Manning on technical issues and content - so that Assange is more than a recipient of classified information.
There is a bigger issue, in relation to governments classifying documents to cover up illegal actions or actions which might be perceived in the electorate as indefensible. Happens all the time, including in FOI.
Yes you’re correct, the charges are framed in such a way that it paints Assange as a sort of “co conspirator” which is utterly bizarre and alarming as several investigative journalists have noted that they routinely encourage their sources to get as much information as they possibly can.
Not only are the charges against Assange ludicrous and laughable, they effectively criminalise national security journalism. The MSM has no love for Assange/WL whatsoever so when they denounce the U.S govt use of espionage laws against Assange then you know the Trump admin has crossed the line.
It won’t be. This will go down a few ways
UK refuses to extradite Assange (this should be a slam dunk given the political nature of the charges);
Assange dies in Belmarsh prison - increasingly likely, all reports suggest his health is deteriorating badly; or
Assange extradited to U.S, locked up in a U.S supermax and given a sham show trial in front of an espionage court. As with (2) - Dies in prison.
Mr Fox and I disagree a lot on most political stuff but I’m with him here. Not a fan at all of anything that could harm National security being released
As long as national security isn’t trotted out to cover malfeasance, like the stuff where we bugged the East Timorese to benefit an Australian resources company.
Do you take the same approach to all of life’s challenges? That is, if it hasn’t worked for you then the idea or principle is something that is, of itself, entirely invalid?
And I sense an odd contradiction in your commentary: you say that you accept that “all Governments (sic) lie, cheat and steal” but, from your own accounts, spent some time as a local government mayor. Does that mean that you yourself presided over a local government that lied, cheated and stole?
Alan nails it. The reality is that over classification is rife within Western governments. If national security journalism is criminalised then any Gov’t can classify malfeasance away.
Is there stuff that should never see the light of day? Obviously
Is there stuff that absolutely needs to come out in the public domain - clearly, that’s the point of Wikileaks
All Governments, Federal, State and Local have Members elected by a democratic process, not totally democratic but about as democratic as you can get in a capitalist society. Everyone lies to get elected; they make promises that they have no idea if they can keep. In my case, I promised a new library and a new swimming pool. I got the Library, but not the pool. Governments all cheat; some constituents and residents get worse treatment than others, clearly from bias or patronage. All Governments steal in the way they raise taxes, levies and rates. It is not a level playing field and again some are shown bias and others are just treated shamefully.
I am not that troubled by life’s challenges, as I am a fatalist. My Father taught to try everything at least three times, which often leads to massive loss, but at least I have tested it out.
My issue with every Whistleblower that I have encountered is one of motive. You might think that a Whistleblower is motived by truth and justice, but all I have seen is the need for revenge.
FO50 I checked with my wife, who is always right, (as you would expect), she says she doesn’t give a rats about Assange or what happens to him.
You might find this is a common attitude . Ambivalance.
Yeah by lots of people who don’t know him and have an axe to grind
Even if that was true, what has that got to do with anything? A publisher deserves to be tortured and kept in solitary for publishing govt malfeasance?
