I think they are actively partisan, and I think back to that quite public split at Wikileaks a few years ago when a number of breakaway members came out and said all was not well with WL and Assange. Possibly co-opted or compromised.
Publishing material hacked by hostile foreign intelligence agencies with the intent of influencing an election is not providing a secure safe outlet for whistle-blowing in areas of public interest.
The US have certainly been after him, their Intelligence agencies consider WL a front for the GRU. Maybe that pursuit twisted him and his cause, or maybe they were right all along. Maybe those charges were a trumped up attempt to discredit or apprehend him but he shouldnât have hid away in the embassy.
Not sure if you are comparing Putin to Merkel or what.
Angela Merkel is possibly the Worlds best Leader at present, not that there is much competition. Germany continues to thrive, and while they have some issues with mass immigration, they are coping well, building new houses and getting on with it. The Germany economy is the strongest in Europe and wages and conditions for workers are better than us. And Merkels Government has a plan for the environment; and if you were ever in Germany before 1980, you would know what a sh itty mess its rivers and air were in, and how millions of trees have been planted.
I donât really care much about Putin, but his record on free speech and civil rights is poor and the rich are getting very rich and the poor are looking for the next Revolution.
It was interesting to see Obama get involved in the French election. But of course he wasnât trying to meddle at all, he just wanted to say hi to only one person who was trying to get elected and then tell the world how much he likes him.
Still Russia are amusing if not transparent with their behaviour. I think most intelligent people can see through their actions as the French have shown.
Yep. Obama and Merkel endorsing Macron had a similar effect to Farage and Putin backing Le Pen; very little.
The top three issues, in order, were: unemployment / the economy, the EU and security.
Thank god Le Pen didnât get the Presidency. But how terrifying that she got so close. This is the National Front we are talking about FFS. THE NATIONAL FRONT. You know - the holocaust denying, white supremacists who glorify Hitler? I understand some people are feeling marginalised by globalism, but they are looking for answers in the wrong places.
And Putin is playing them all like puppets. Even Hanson is on board. Yes, Iâm aware of the American habit of interference & aggression (Granada, Iraq, El Salvador etc. etc. etc.) but this is getting close to home.
Which is why today, and to a slightly lesser extent, the Dutch elections was so critical. Fingers crossed Merkel wins. What folks donât realize is that its not globalism that took their jobs, shuttered their businesses, and caused havoc among the less qualified. It is technology. And there is no stopping its march. For example, in the US, the Solar Energy sector alone employs more people than oil, coal, and gas COMBINED. Where governments (including a series of Republican and Democratic ones) have failed is in not clearly accepting this and ensuring the population is trained and prepared.
Next issue in France is whether the NF increases the number of seats in the Assembly elections and the number of votes that a non-aligned President can harness to get policies through.