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Sweden Drops Julian Assange Rape Investigation (cnn.com)

rmdingler writes: "Sweden is dropping its investigation into WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on rape allegations, according to a prosecution statement released Friday," reports CNN. "Assange, who has always denied wrongdoing, has been holed up at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London since 2012, in an effort to avoid a Swedish arrest warrant." Despite Friday's announcement, he's unlikely to walk out of the embassy imminently. There is no apparent change in the risk of being detained in the west, particularly in the U.S., but it's definitely a win for Assange. Joshua.Niland adds: The pressure on Julian Assange may have lifted ever so slightly with Swedish prosecutors dropping their investigation into the allegations of rape. A brief statement ahead of a press conference by the prosecutor later on Friday said: "Director of Public Prosecution, Ms Marianne Ny, has today decided to discontinue the investigation regarding suspected rape (lesser degree) by Julian Assange." This will not likely deter the United States from pursuing their own charges against him for publishing tens of thousands of military documents leaked by Army whistleblower Chelsea Manning. After describing the development as "an important victory," Assange said, "[...] it by no means erases seven years of detention without charge under house arrest and almost five years here in this embassy without sunlight. Seven years without charge while my children grow up without me. That is not something I can forgive. It is not something I can forget."

187 comments

  1. Blame it on Trump? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I wonder if Trump had made a back channel request for Sweden to send Assange to the USA if Sweden ever got their hands on him - so Sweden decided they didn't want to be involved something like that and dropped the whole thing?

    1. Re:Blame it on Trump? by Rei · · Score: 5, Informative

      No. See the explanation for the dropping of the investigation which for some reason Slashdot didn't bother to mention. The short of it: They dropped it because Moreno won the Ecuadorian election, and he's refused to negotiate on handing over Assange, so there's no realistic possibility that he'll be surrendered before the statute of limitations runs out. Swedish law mandates that when all possibilities to resolve an investigation have been exhausted, the prosecutor is obliged to discontinue it.

      --
      You're treating a symptom while the disease rages on. The fish rots from the head. Why not cut off the head?
    2. Re:Blame it on Trump? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Well, that's the official reason. But it was always a long shot that Ecuador would hand over Assange anyway. They could easily have justified dropping the investigation many years ago.

    3. Re:Blame it on Trump? by easyTree · · Score: 1

      USA USA USA: "It's safe to come out now, we now know you're innocent of the charges we helped fabricate"
      Assange: "uhh, ok"

    4. Re:Blame it on Trump? by AK+Marc · · Score: 1, Troll

      If he, at a later date, makes himself available, I will be able to decide to resume the investigation immediately, says Marianne Ny.

      The answer is a lie. So the "drop charges" is a lie as well. The moment he's outside the embassy, he'll be arrested, and the charges will be re-instated.

      The proof of this is that Sweden has traveled to foreign countries to interview someone, and has conducted interviews over phone and videoconference. That Sweden refuses to follow their own standards in this case is proof they aren't following the regular process.

      Julian Assange has *always* "been available". Sweden has not followed their own policies, and refused to make themselves available.

      Much like the charge of "Rape (lesser degree)" is always mistranslated to "rape (with or without a degree listed)". It is "sexual misconduct" in English. But has always been deliberately mistranslated to further vilify Julian Assange. Why?

      The deliberate misconduct on the part of Sweden can only be explained by them not actually wanting to catch and convict for the charge given.

    5. Re:Blame it on Trump? by Megol · · Score: 1, Informative

      First your claim that this goes against Swedish policy is bunk.

      The more the actual case details are leaking out (well they aren't really "secret" however they aren't directly released to public either) the more obvious it is that this is about real rape not as some (including me) thought just technically rape. The allegations are that women that agreed to have sex with a condom were being fucked - while sleeping - without a condom. If that's true (and remember that there were two similar complaints from two women giving this significant support) then it is 100% rape, no ifs or buts, not sexual misconduct but a case of someone willingly taking advantage of someone else not capable to consent.

      Mr. Assange can rot on English soil in the jail of his own choosing.

    6. Re:Blame it on Trump? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      AND, the US has probably said "hey he's only going to get 2-5 max from you guys, but if WE grab him he will get 20 to life",
      all they need to do is drop the charges and see if he is stupid enough to step outside.

    7. Re:Blame it on Trump? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Actually not true and totally misleading. The women NEVER wanted to pursue charges. They just wanted him to take an STD test. What Americans (I'm assuming you're American) because in the US charges are placed by the victim and they have discretion to remove them. In other parts of the world that's not the case, the police place the charges with or without the wishes of the victim.

      In this case, rape is fairly harsh since you're wanting to create victims out of people who may not want to be treated as victims.

      I can understand their willingness for wanting him to take an STD test, that makes sense. But its not often that people know the intricacies of the law or the part they play in the legal process. In this case I believe they didn't know what was in store for Assange or for them by reporting this. So by trying to get the police to help them with one thing it evolved into a crime being reported. Which also goes back to the purpose of why we have police, you'd think police are there to keep order and peace, in this case its not whats happening as what's happening is much greater than that.

      It can be quite clearly seen as a misuse of the justice system (for whatever reason) because of they hows and whys here. Normally you'd see such cases being thrown out UNLESS you had distort victimised people who cant live with whats happened and demand justice. And if that is the case then yes you'd be right. But what i see as an issue is that this is not evident. Where are they? can you point them out to me?

    8. Re:Blame it on Trump? by Zemran · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Assange leads an average life, not too many sexual encounters but he does OK. One of his encounters evens brags about her conquest on Twitter. Then a year later, her and another ex press charges at the same time. Unlikely to be a coincidence. I am sure that if asked, you will lie and say you are always a saint when with a woman but this is not rape. This would never go forward as a case as it can never get past being an accusation. There is no case to answer as all he has to say is that it is not true and there is no evidence. It is just an attempt to get him into custody so he can be extradited to the US. Why not extradite him from the UK? The UK have a special agreement and never refuse to extradite. The only difference being that if extradited from Sweden the US does not have to agree not to execute him. It is not rape as sex was agreed upon. You are discussing the terms which makes it a civil case not a criminal case. If I buy a car from you and you make the sale conditional it does not become theft if I break those conditions but you may be able to make a civil case and sue me. Sex was agreed and the girls are saying that the terms and conditions were broken, that does not make it rape.

      --
      I love stacking my barbecues in the shed at the end of summer - you can't beat a bit of grill on grill action.
    9. Re: Blame it on Trump? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      False!

    10. Re:Blame it on Trump? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Mr. Assange can rot on English soil in the jail of his own choosing.

      I see that you have already decided that a trial is warranted, that he is guilty (as to whatever the actual charge ends up being) and that he is to be sentenced.

      Cute.

      Ponder why nobody should, ever, consider anything you have to say on this topic again.

      I won't be waiting. You will be ignored.

    11. Re:Blame it on Trump? by lindseyp · · Score: 2

      Wouldn't their minds better be put at rest by taking their own STD test? Why the concern over Assange's well-being?

      --
      j'ai découvert une démonstration vraiment admirable (de ce théorème général) que cette si
    12. Re:Blame it on Trump? by Kjella · · Score: 2

      It is just an attempt to get him into custody so he can be extradited to the US. Why not extradite him from the UK? The UK have a special agreement and never refuse to extradite. The only difference being that if extradited from Sweden the US does not have to agree not to execute him.

      This is a load of bullshit. Neither Sweden nor Norway will extradite anyone facing capital punishment, this was also directly confirmed by the Swedish minister of justice William Hague. That is to say we'll certainly extradite to countries that have the law on the books, but in that particular case we'll insist you can at most get life without parole. If they executed him it'd lead to a huge diplomatic incident and the end of any future EU-US extraditions, that would never happen. The only semi-valid accusation he could make is that this was a honey trap set to discredit Assange and Wikileaks by creating trumped up rape charges.

      As for the actual charges, to have any power to demand invasive tests you must be charged not merely a suspect, at least here in Norway and I assume also in Sweden. That is to say, a breathalyzer is considered a non-invasive test, but before anyone will poke a needle in you because you're suspected of a DUI you will be charged first, then tested and if you're sober the charges will be dropped. I believe STD checking is the same, they interpreted what the women said in terms of some sexual misconduct so they'd have a basis for demanding he take the test. If he had come and taken the test I think the whole case would probably fall apart either before court or in court and never reach a conviction.

      When you try to evade the justice system though that becomes the issue by itself. And when you run the assumption becomes that you run because you're guilty, not because you fear a miscarriage of justice. The justice system doesn't care if the accused trust the system. They care that the people can trust in the rule of law and that if they've been victims of a crime that the police will investigate, the courts will give a fair trial and hopefully the guilty punished and the presumed innocent let go. The merits of this case will never be tested in court, because the accused has successfully evaded it. I real don't understand people cheering over this.

      --
      Live today, because you never know what tomorrow brings
    13. Re:Blame it on Trump? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Things like HIV take a while to show up. So testing Assange is more for them. Not so much for him.

    14. Re:Blame it on Trump? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      > because in the US charges are placed by the victim

      No, they aren't. In fact, victims cannot "press charges." You were obviously educated by pop culture.

      http://blogs.findlaw.com/blotter/2015/12/pressing-charges-what-does-it-mean-and-who-does-it.html

    15. Re:Blame it on Trump? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well... no. In the past they had a shot. A long shot perhaps, but with the political climate as it is in Ecuador, that is no more.

      A Swedish prosecutor cannot drop a investigation because is "too hard".

      But I cannot get you to take off your tinfoil hat, can I?

    16. Re:Blame it on Trump? by eric_harris_76 · · Score: 1

      I'm pretty sure Trump wasn't president 7 years ago. Or 6 years ago. Or 5, 4, 3, or 2 years ago. Or 1 year ago.

      Golly, I wonder if that whole "back channel" thing was under consideration before Jan 20, 2017?

      YMMV.

      --
      There's no time like the present. Well, the past used to be.
    17. Re:Blame it on Trump? by eric_harris_76 · · Score: 1

      People of an extremely suspicious nature have speculated that the charges are a frame-up, totally bogus, to allow that exact scenario to play out. Under a previous administration, FWIW.

      Given the extremely dishonest nature of statements made by the CIA -- even to the Congress, in sworn testimony -- perhaps being extremely suspicious is reasonable.

      --
      There's no time like the present. Well, the past used to be.
    18. Re:Blame it on Trump? by F.Ultra · · Score: 1

      That this whole things would be a conspiracy honey pot in order to extradite Assange to USA is beyond stupid. First of all there are no extradition agreement between USA and Sweden which i.e is why we harbour quite a few American draft resisters from the Vietnam war (they knew that they could live here in peace and not be extradited to USA for their crimes).

      If this would have been a honey pot operation then Assange would have been woke by armed police with the woman in bed screaming "rape, rape!" and not like how it was now that a few days later the women goes to the police, the police questions Assange, lets him go, lets him travel to the UK and then a new prosecutor decides to open the investigation again. Makes no sense what so ever to go this route if this was a honey pot. Also going though all this mess when Assange is in the UK which is a country with extradition agreements with the USA is also a very strange move.

      People always bring up the Egyptian extradition as proof that Sweden extradites when the USA wants to but then they forget that this was done completely in secret with no involvement of either parliament or the judicial system and that we only know about it due to digging journalism. At the same time the Assange case was handled completely in public, so he could not have been extradited without extreme political turmoil with the party in charge most likely to loose the next election.

      And to be honest, if the USA wanted him that bad they would have grabbed him of the streets in the middle of the night like they did with all the other people that they grabbed in Germany and Italy which they sent to gitmo.

    19. Re:Blame it on Trump? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I find your argument unconvincing.

      As far as Assange waking to the police with a woman screaming rape, there is this little thing called evidence. The accusation can't extend beyond what the evidence can reasonably allow at least in civilized countries.

      The juggle from no prosecution to issued warrant makes complete sense. The initial prosecutor was not persuaded by the evidence while Assange was in a non-extradition country. As soon as Assange entered a country with an agreement with the US, Swedish law enforcement reverses thus placing Assange in jeopardy forcing Assange to take refuge. Those events are actually the most damning evidence suggesting Sweden was acting in the interest of the US. Prosecution reversing itself without any new evidence is irregular and the timing was rather obvious.

      Your Egyptian point only strengthens the view that Sweden was working for the US. Sweden lacked the ability to extradite outright so they had to employ some subterfuge. They lulled Assange into a sense of false security then in a rare and non standard move reversed themselves placing Assange in a tough spot. Your example only proves that Sweden will in fact disregard their own law to serve US interests using less than honest and open means.

      I'm not a fan of Assange but it really was rather obvious that Sweden had the goal of assisting the delivery of Assange to the US especially after their decision to press charges after they had appeared to have decided against charges. It was obviously a sprung trap..

    20. Re:Blame it on Trump? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      For HIV to show up reliably in tests, it takes 6 months - time to check the calendar.

    21. Re:Blame it on Trump? by Zemran · · Score: 2

      So you say I am talking BS and then go on to explain that you think it is legal to accuse someone of rape based solely on a desire to get them to take a STD test? Whether or not he has an STD is not in any way relevant to whether or not it was rape. It is extremely unlikely that he did anything illegal at any point but at worst he is being accused of being a cad. Given that the girls were happy with the encounter at the time and only became unhappy a year later, at the same time, it is extremely unlikely that the unhappiness is related to the event. A view that the initial prosecutor shared when the case was initially dropped. There never has been a charge so why was there an extradition request without a charge? You seem to be wrapped up in the idea that Sweden is above reproach but this whole case stinks.

      --
      I love stacking my barbecues in the shed at the end of summer - you can't beat a bit of grill on grill action.
    22. Re:Blame it on Trump? by AK+Marc · · Score: 1

      First of all there are no extradition agreement between USA and Sweden

      https://internationalextraditionblog.com/2011/06/15/sweden-extradition-treaty-with-the-united-states/

      I don't know if that's real. But the first hit on Google shows a treaty in place, since the '60s.

      If this would have been a honey pot operation then Assange would have been woke by armed police with the woman in bed screaming "rape, rape!" and not like how it was now that a few days later the women goes to the police, the police questions Assange, lets him go, lets him travel to the UK and then a new prosecutor decides to open the investigation again.

      Julian Assange is arrested. He is questioned. Some agency thinks "great, he'll be in trial for months, and we can work out a diplomatic solution to the extradition. Charges dismissed. Assange goes to the UK. Oh,fuck. They don't ever try anyone for rape there? CIA calls someone ,and the prosecutor on the case is replaced with someone who will prosecute, even if for a loss, to get Assange back in Swedish custody. Too late, he's hiding in Equador.

      How does that sounds unreasonable. The dismissal and travel was too quick for any diplomatic channels to work.

      And to be honest, if the USA wanted him that bad they would have grabbed him of the streets in the middle of the night like they did with all the other people that they grabbed in Germany and Italy which they sent to gitmo.

      The conspiracy theory is that was the plan, only they wanted to do it in Sweden, not England. They missed their chance the first time, and put pressure on Sweden to give then another.

    23. Re: Blame it on Trump? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      They could have interviewed him years ago. It takes some concerted ignorance to not see the actual motives behind this situation.

    24. Re:Blame it on Trump? by F.Ultra · · Score: 1

      Its unreasonable because when the case was dropped the first time he was told that he could travel to another country. I.e that prosecutor completely dropped the case. So yes of course some agency here (CIA) could be stupid enough to believe that he would be detained for months as you muse but this is far to uncertain and "loose" to be a though out honey pot operation. If it would have been a real honey pot I will still argue that he would have been arrested at the night of the rape (since the rape was planned as part of the honey pot they would of course know both the time and location of the event) and shipped to the US that very night.

      Yes we apparently have a form of extradition treaty with the US, but #1 the crime have to be a crime in Sweden as well and #2 the punishment cannot involve a death sentence. Since 2001 also the whole EU have a "oh my the terrorists" extradition treaty with US so him being in Sweden or UK would not matter for that law either.

    25. Re:Blame it on Trump? by F.Ultra · · Score: 1

      No the Egyptian point makes it very clear that this was not a secret operation. Note how they did everything covert in the Egyptian case since the whole matter was illegal. The whole thing blew up politically as well here so doing something similar but also in the open is way far fetched.

    26. Re:Blame it on Trump? by Megol · · Score: 1

      Yes the women wanted to force Mr. Assange to have a test. How is that relevant? Even if neither of the women involved in this case wanted to press rape charges (not true!) the circumstances as described were consistent with two counts of rape and therefore the Police had the duty to investigate the case as a rape case rather than a sexual misconduct case.

      The rest of your post isn't worth answering in particular as you post anonymous.

  2. Obama by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Interesting

    Could still technically pardon Snowden and Assange.

    1. Re: Obama by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      You... realize he's no longer president, right?

    2. Re: Obama by arth1 · · Score: 1, Interesting

      You... realize he's no longer president, right?

      He is still president. That's a perpetual title. He just doesn't hold office anymore, except as an emissary in potentia, and his powers are rather limited.

    3. Re: Obama by sexconker · · Score: 1, Informative

      You... realize he's no longer president, right?

      He is still president. That's a perpetual title. He just doesn't hold office anymore, except as an emissary in potentia, and his powers are rather limited.

      Is this what they teach little millennials now? He holds no office. The US has no titles of nobility that he could hold. Former presidents are given security details, ambassador assignments, etc. because they know things and are potential targets, because they hold popular influence, etc. They've got less official power than the spouse of the president.

    4. Re: Obama by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Is this what they teach little millennials now?

      You are confusing the teaching, with the learning. What you meant to ask is "Is this what millennials don't learn now"? The answer is yes. The followup question is "why are they allowed to graduate while not learning?" The answer is HS is now about attendance, not learning.

    5. Re: Obama by will_die · · Score: 2

      No it is not according to the main sources on political manners it would be former President of the honorable. This can be seen in laws that that cover pasting for costs of corners presidents .

    6. Re: Obama by PopeRatzo · · Score: 2

      No it is not according to the main sources on political manners it would be former President of the honorable. This can be seen in laws that that cover pasting for costs of corners presidents .

      You need a new Russian-English translator, comrade.

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
    7. Re: Obama by dcollins117 · · Score: 1

      He is still president. That's a perpetual title. He just doesn't hold office anymore, except as an emissary in potentia, and his powers are rather limited.

      Barack Obama is a former president. He is not the president. He no longer has the power to pardon anyone. That's what the topic is. That's what we are discussing. Why you think posting irrelevancies is contributing to the conversation is far beyond my understanding.

    8. Re:Obama by ArchieBunker · · Score: 0

      To be pardoned you have to be convicted of a crime.

      --
      Only the State obtains its revenue by coercion. - Murray Rothbard
    9. Re: Obama by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No. Wing nuts lost touch with reality circa 2008. See Sarah Palin.

    10. Re: Obama by dbIII · · Score: 1

      The US has no titles of nobility

      You have a fucking King in all but name who is above the law in every way so long as half the Senate like him.

    11. Re: Obama by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      King is, by definition, a heriditary position. The US president is not. The latter also has far more power than any king, or a president in most other republics for tgat matter. Kings tend to be mostly ceremonial figures.

    12. Re: Obama by dbIII · · Score: 1

      King is, by definition, a heriditary position

      No.
      WTF is it with people giving lectures to "correct" an opinion when they are basing it on nothing but gut feeling?

    13. Re: Obama by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      King is, by definition, a heriditary position. The US president is not. The latter also has far more power than any king, or a president in most other republics for tgat matter. Kings tend to be mostly ceremonial figures.

      This is bullshit. For example, the King of Poland was for a time an elected position (only by the Nobility and for life, but still elected) and was not handed on by blood line.

  3. Slashdot can't be bothered to post the statement? by Rei · · Score: 5, Informative

    Guess I'll have to do it. Boldfacing the interesting parts, which for some reason Slashdot didn't bother covering in the summary.

    The investigation against Julian Assange is discontinued

    19-05-2017
    Director of Public Prosecution, Ms Marianne Ny, has today decided to discontinue the investigation regarding the suspected rape (lesser degree) by Julian Assange. The motive is that there is no reason to believe that the decision to surrender him to Sweden can be executed in the foreseeable future.

    – Almost 5 years ago Julian Assange was permitted refuge at the Ecuadorian embassy in London, where he has resided ever since. In doing so, he has escaped all attempts by the Swedish and British authorities to execute the decision to surrender him to Sweden in accordance with the EU rules concerning the European Arrest Warrant. My assessment is that the surrender cannot be executed in the foreseeable future, says Marianne Ny.

    According to Swedish legislation, a criminal investigation is to be conducted as quickly as possible. At the point when a prosecutor has exhausted the possibilities to continue the investigation, the prosecutor is obliged to discontinue the investigation.

    – At this point, all possibilities to conduct the investigation are exhausted. In order to proceed with the case, Julian Assange would have to be formally notified of the criminal suspicions against him. We cannot expect to receive assistance from Ecuador regarding this. Therefore the investigation is discontinued.

    If he, at a later date, makes himself available, I will be able to decide to resume the investigation immediately, says Marianne Ny.

    As a result of the decision to discontinue the investigation, the prosecutor has reversed the decision to detain him in his absence and withdrawn the EAW.

    – In view of the fact that all prospects of pursuing the investigation under present circumstances are exhausted, it appears that it is no longer proportionate to maintain the arrest of Julian Assange in his absence. Consequently, there is no basis upon which to continue the investigation, says Marianne Ny.

    --
    You're treating a symptom while the disease rages on. The fish rots from the head. Why not cut off the head?
  4. See slashdot he's not so bad... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I know slashdotters love to hate assange but now we know it was fake charges all along and he's a truly innocent man at last! apparently though he can't yet leave because he has pending U.K. charges for being on the run from the initial charges :/

    1. Re:See slashdot he's not so bad... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Good to know that "being shielded by a government to the point that the case cannot be carried out" translates to "truly innocent man at last".

    2. Re:See slashdot he's not so bad... by arth1 · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I know slashdotters love to hate assange but now we know it was fake charges all along

      We know no such thing. The European arrest warrant was dropped because there was no way to execute it, but prosecution can be continued if he becomes available before 2020.
      His claim that he has been imprisoned for seven years without a trial is of his own doing - he would have received either a trial or the charges dropped if he had presented himself. He chose to avoid to cooperate with the investigation, and jumped bail.

      Not only is he wanted for fleeing while on bail, but there are civil suits pending from several of the sureties; individuals who lost money when he turned out to have lied to them and skipped bail despite promises not to do so.

    3. Re: See slashdot he's not so bad... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Troll

      I don't know if he's guilty or not, but there was obviously something really fishy with this case to start with.

      If anything it clearly shows that the Swedish justice system is corrupted.

    4. Re:See slashdot he's not so bad... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      His claim that he has been imprisoned for seven years without a trial is of his own doing - he would have received either a trial or the charges dropped if he had presented himself.

      The timing here seems very suspicious. My guess is that, under Obama, Sweden thought they had a reasonable chance of bringing him to trial, punishing him appropriately, and then sending him on his way. But, now that Trump is president, Sweden knows they would face all kinds of pressure to extradite Assange to the USA if they ever managed to get their hands on him. And Swedish politicians, understandably, just don't want to deal with all that nonsense. So my guess is that some high level government people in Sweden talked things over among themselves and came to the conclusion that they should make some nonsense excuse - and wash their hands of the whole mess. They may not like foreigners treating their women badly. But I'm pretty sure they would like dealing with extradition pressure from Trump even less.

    5. Re: See slashdot he's not so bad... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Actually if you knew anything about suspected rape cases in Sweden you would realize that this case is in fact very odd.

    6. Re: See slashdot he's not so bad... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Why is it "blatant nonsense about a US extradition"

      Sweden done exactly that on the request of the US before,
      For example https://www.thelocal.se/20130120/45710

    7. Re:See slashdot he's not so bad... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Good to know that "being shielded by a government to the point that the case cannot be carried out" translates to "truly innocent man at last".

      Not really, Heres the deal:

      Logically speaking, if you make an argument and that argument turns out to be wrong for whatever reason, you make that argument again in another case or with another person and that argument by extension is still Wrong.

      It has been shown that Chelsea manning was pardoned, because the case against her was shown to president Obama to be not worth pursuing and that what was shown by Chelsea needed to be revealed to the world so that the wrongs being committed by our military could be shown and corrected. Chelsea manning is innocent of the charges that she spent 7 years in prison over.

      Snowden and Assange however are still being pursued, technically for the same reasons that being whistleblowing. DO you really think that you can make any logical argument that is consistent that Chelsea should be allowed to walk free all the while Assange, for providing the service by which Chelsea published the documents is still a crime with no statute of limitations on it? Are we really going to not right the ship after seeing the same things from Snowden come through Wikileaks?

      You can't really make an argument in a logical fashion that makes the point that Assange isn't an innocent man at this point or that there was no crime or that it is the intent of the US to prosecute in a very selective fashion... going after exactly who they want when they want regardless of who committed the "crime" they are talking about when they pursue the people they decide to pursue arbitrarily. Trump would be wise to drop the whole thing and say that Assange and Snowden are pardoned, however he wont because his voter base are the types that want him to throw the rulebook in the shredder and go after all the terrorists and immigrants and fascists regardless of what rules of society get broken in the process or what rules he contradicts in doing so.

    8. Re:See slashdot he's not so bad... by AK+Marc · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Sweden can (but rarely does) try him in absentia. Sweden has been granted access to Julian Assange by phone, video conference, and in person. Sweden refused. Those means are commonly used.

      Sweden has chosen to not pursue a legal conviction since before Assange "escaped" to Ecuador. Sweden has only acted to get him back in custody. It's inconsistent and suspicious.

      Proof of his innocence is calls from the "victims" to drop the case.

      A crime that isn't a crime almost anywhere else. Essentially Sexual Fraud, where he lied to gain consent "Yes baby, you are the only one for me". Lying to a sexual partner is "rape" in Sweden.

    9. Re: See slashdot he's not so bad... by haruchai · · Score: 5, Insightful

      The only thing "fishy" about this case to start with was that Assange decided to run and hide in the embassy rather than face his day in court, spouting this blatant nonsense about a US extradition scheme.

      Yet America refused to say that they would not ask Sweden to extradite if Assange agreed to testify.
      And then they got Bolivian president's Evo Morales' plane rerouted by spreading rumors that Snowden was aboard and demanding extradition

      --
      Pain is merely failure leaving the body
    10. Re:See slashdot he's not so bad... by AK+Marc · · Score: 4, Informative

      He did present himself to Sweden, and Sweden refused. This was highly unusual on the part of Sweden. This makes the whole thing quite suspicious.

    11. Re:See slashdot he's not so bad... by arth1 · · Score: 4, Informative

      He did present himself to Sweden, and Sweden refused.

      No, he did not. He agreed to do an interview from the embassy to an Ecuadorian intermediary, but not to present himself. The "interview" took place last year, but was worthless in that none of questions asked were answered, and instead deflected to a pre-written statement. It was a farce. As a result, the Swedish prosecutors upheld the charges.

      The investigation is now dropped, mainly because after the election in Ecuador, there seems to be no way to negotiate an extradition. With no way to bring the investigation to a conclusion, the investigation has to be dropped. But if he presents himself, the charges can be brought forward, and he will have a chance to defend himself and actually answer the questions given.

    12. Re:See slashdot he's not so bad... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Lying to a sexual partner is "rape" in Sweden.

      Without someone else present, or a recording device, how would you ever prove this?

      Or is it some some bullshit third-wave feminist system where the woman's accusation is just taken as Truth and everything the man says is a filthy lie?

    13. Re:See slashdot he's not so bad... by Imrik · · Score: 2

      Chelsea Manning was not pardoned, her sentence was shortened. She is still guilty of the charges.

    14. Re:See slashdot he's not so bad... by Imrik · · Score: 1

      The timing is based off the presidential elections of Equador, not the elections of the US.

    15. Re: See slashdot he's not so bad... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's blatant nonsense because, as has been said so many times over this whole debacle, if the US wanted to extradite him they'd ask the UK to do it because (a) it's easier and (b) it's far more likely to have been achieved.
      This machiavellian nonsense about shipping him from an extradition friendly country (the UK) to one less likely to kick him over (Sweden) is arrant bullshit.
      Assange is just an asshole running from a rape charge because he's afraid of the consequences. Nothing more.

    16. Re:See slashdot he's not so bad... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Essentially Sexual Fraud, where he lied to gain consent "Yes baby, you are the only one for me". Lying to a sexual partner is "rape" in Sweden.

      That's not the charge and not even close. Stop making up lies, AK Marc.

    17. Re: See slashdot he's not so bad... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You don't think that spending something like twenty million dollars on a round the clock police presence (which didn't stand a chance of actually catching him since he was inside) over relatively minor charges is a bit fishy?

    18. Re:See slashdot he's not so bad... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Chelsea Manning was not pardoned, her sentence was shortened. She is still guilty of the charges.

      Stop calling that faggot traitor her. He needs to get a bulletin his head the second he steps out of prison.

    19. Re: See slashdot he's not so bad... by coastwalker · · Score: 1

      Who says that the UK are not going to extradite him to the USA? After all if he steps out of the embassy he will still be arrested for breaking bail and seeking refuge.

      It looks like Theresa May the coming UK Conservative Prime Minister will be the one to hand him over to Jeff Sessions for execution.

      --
      Facts are history now plebs have politics for religion on social media.
    20. Re: See slashdot he's not so bad... by coastwalker · · Score: 1

      That is the bit they will use to justify sending him off to the US for execution. They will say that he wasted millions of tax payers money and that is why he is being sent off to face the death sentence. The tabloid newspapers will publish anything you like if the owners agree and the people believe any old shit they are told.

      --
      Facts are history now plebs have politics for religion on social media.
    21. Re: See slashdot he's not so bad... by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      Yet America refused to say that they would not ask Sweden to extradite if Assange agreed to testify.

      You're complaining that someone doesn't give legal guarantees about a case that hasn't even been brought to the prosecutor. In other news the USA hasn't decided it won't go after me for murder charges. I haven't committed murder and I'm not in the USA but the point is the same. If you're expecting anyone to provide a legally binding comment on a charge that hasn't even been laid you're delusional.

      And then they got Bolivian president's Evo Morales' plane rerouted by spreading rumors that Snowden was aboard and demanding extradition

      They also killed Osama Bin Laden, and now Trump is president. Let that sink in for a moment. Why? Because just like your comment it has absolutely nothing to do with the case at hand.

    22. Re:See slashdot he's not so bad... by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      He did present himself to Sweden

      No, he gave Sweden an offer to do something that is not part of a normal process while hiding outside their jurisdiction knowing that whatever Sweden decide will not have any bearing on his current predicament.

    23. Re:See slashdot he's not so bad... by serviscope_minor · · Score: 1, Informative

      No, he did not.

      Going back further he did, when he was in Sweden.

      --
      SJW n. One who posts facts.
    24. Re: See slashdot he's not so bad... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Because just like your comment it has absolutely nothing to do with the case at hand.

      You must have missed everything in the past 7 years. If you expect people to run on torturers hands for spreading the truth, you are delusional.
      Some time ago "nice" countries would not extradite to other countries that they considered violators of human rights. Since that is clearly the case of the US, making a legally binding comment that they would not extradite to countries that torture, no matter the charges, would be pretty reasonable.

    25. Re: See slashdot he's not so bad... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No, not at all. He was out on bail, and fled. The police knew where he was so they could not ignore it and just put up notes in the police stations saying "apprehend on sight". And since it is a high profile case it is very hard for the police to sweep it under the rug and pretend nothing happened.

      Letting people who have an arrest warrant and have broken the law to get escape from it get away with doesn't put the police in a good light.

    26. Re: See slashdot he's not so bad... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The only thing "fishy" about this case to start with was that Assange decided to run and hide in the embassy rather than face his day in court, spouting this blatant nonsense about a US extradition scheme.

      Note that [barring serious deviation from norm] the time he would have spent in Swedish jail (you know one of those well known hell-holes of earth) if found guilty on all points (unlikely with a decent defense) would have been quite a bit less than what he's spent in the embassy...

    27. Re:See slashdot he's not so bad... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No No No. Assange was initially interviewed. He definitely DID present himself and participated in an interview while answering questions. Your assertion is clearly false. The prosecution at the time chose to NOT pursue prosecution. Only when Assange traveled to a country with agreements with the US did Sweden reverse itself. After this, Assange did in fact flee and seek refuge. With Assange exposed to likely US arrest, Assange refused to meet with Swedish prosecutors and answer (reanswer?) questions as Sweden was appearing to act in bad faith and it was highly likely that cooperating with Sweden would result in Assange's capture by the US.

      But Assange did in fact speak to Swedish law enforcement.

    28. Re:See slashdot he's not so bad... by arth1 · · Score: 2

      Going back further he did, when he was in Sweden.

      When he was in Sweden, he was not yet wanted as a person of interest in a rape case. The charges changed as more information was brought forward.

      (Which, incidentally, goes a long way to squash the conspiracy theory about the charges being phony and intended to get him extradited to the US. If that was the purpose, they would have brought full charges to start with, and not added to them after more details surfaced, giving him an opportunity to leave.)

    29. Re: See slashdot he's not so bad... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Maybe the UK will extradite him now if he leaves the embassy - if asked (nobody's asked them to yet...).

      But that's irrelevant to the nonsensical proposition that Sweden only wanted him back in the country to then ship off to the US through some kind of secret agreement.

    30. Re: See slashdot he's not so bad... by Rujiel · · Score: 2

      Whether the case case had been brought to prosecution is irrelevant, as the matters little to those who really want Assange: the US. The sexual assault case is just convenient cover to go after a declared enemy that is considered a threat. Don't play dumb.

    31. Re:See slashdot he's not so bad... by AK+Marc · · Score: 1

      No, he did not.

      He presented himself multiple times in person in Sweden. He was told he could travel, and did.

      He agreed to do an interview from the embassy to an Ecuadorian intermediary, but not to present himself.

      You are twisting the words "present himself" to imply "surrender". He did not surrender, but he offered many times to a phone, videoconference and in-person interview. Sweden has done all of those with other people, but refused for Assange. Why?

      But if he presents himself, the charges can be brought forward,

      If he's suspected of being in a jurisdiction with extradition, the charges will be brought forward without him presenting himself. Then he'll be arrested.

      he will have a chance to defend himself and actually answer the questions given.

      Ah, presumed guilty until proven innocent. At least that's one thing the us got right, at least in theory.

    32. Re:See slashdot he's not so bad... by arth1 · · Score: 1

      He presented himself multiple times in person in Sweden. He was told he could travel, and did.

      That was before enough details had come out to turn it into a rape case. They could not question him about rape or issue a detention order before there was a rape case.

    33. Re: See slashdot he's not so bad... by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      Re-read my post. It has nothing to do with your response.

    34. Re:See slashdot he's not so bad... by AK+Marc · · Score: 1

      Once someone is out of the country and is "wanted", it's standard to invite them back (including international warrant), and once that fails, then interview them remotely. But Sweden didn't follow their own regular procedures. Why not?

    35. Re: See slashdot he's not so bad... by Rujiel · · Score: 1

      "You're complaining that someone doesn't give legal guarantees about a case that hasn't even been brought to the prosecutor." What difference does the status of the case matter to the US when everyone knows the case is an excuse to go after him for something totally different?

    36. Re: See slashdot he's not so bad... by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      No you got that backwards. What doesn't matter is the state of the case, it's the legal guarantee that's the issue. The same reason why you don't ever comment to the public when you're in a court battle.

      Anything you say can be used against you. Giving legal immunity against something without having actually defined that something (i.e. no case means he hasn't actually been even accused of a crime let alone a specific crime, and even then if you read about what's going on no one is 100% certain about which if any crime he's actually committed), that would be the kind of peak stupid that only the current POTUS would be capable of.

      Regardless of what the unwashed masses say the government shouldn't make any comment on a case before or not before the courts unless that comment is along the lines of "here in my hand is a signed pardon document".

    37. Re:See slashdot he's not so bad... by david_thornley · · Score: 1

      I don't understand the Swedish justice system in any detail, and I distrust accounts from people who aren't authorities and don't cite sources. Trials in absentia are abominations. I see no inconsistency in Sweden's waiting until they can get custody of a suspect to proceed with a case.

      Every so often, rape victims call for charges to be dropped, for various reasons. That doesn't mean innocence.

      I'm not taking any position on the accuracy of the statements, but one woman accused Assange of holding her down, forcibly removing her clothing, and refusing to wear a condom. Another accused Assange of sex without a condom while she was sleeping. Both of these would be considered felonies whee I live.

      --
      "When you have eliminated the unacceptable, whatever is left, however improbable, must be the truthiness" - Holmes
    38. Re:See slashdot he's not so bad... by david_thornley · · Score: 1

      With the Swedish extradition request, the UK could not have legally extradited Assange to the US. He was safer from the US because of the extradition request.

      Assange voluntarily traveled to Sweden, and then to the UK. Going to the UK is a very strange thing to do for someone who fears a US extradition request.

      --
      "When you have eliminated the unacceptable, whatever is left, however improbable, must be the truthiness" - Holmes
  5. Victory redefined? by shanen · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Trying to imagine how Assange can see "victory" in any part of his situation. While he started with nice ideals, at this point he has been transformed into a "useful idiot", though it would still make a lot of powerful people quite happy to see him punished well beyond indefinite imprisonment in an embassy.

    Still seems to me to be an economic problem at heart. Largely based on a couple of books about WikiLeaks, I think it was the lack of a viable economic model that led them (though mostly just Assange) to where they are now. Competing economic models of journalism are equally bad or worse. Consider the eyeballs-for-advertisers model that produces disaster porn like CNN and clickbait websites. Worse than that is the paid propaganda model of FAUX "news", rightwing listen-to-a-nut-talking radio, and Alt-Right websites. The vestiges of mainstream journalism are now engaged in a last-newspaperman-standing strategy, and I think journalism still loses, regardless of whether the last paper standing is the "venerable" NY Times or the Washington Post. (I think the LA Times is already on the ropes and the Boston Globe was never a real contender, though the last paper might be some dark horse like the tainted WSJ.)

    Assange is no longer part of any solution, so he must be part of the precipitate.

    If this is still the first post, it says something about the state of the Slashdot, eh?

    --
    Freedom = (Meaningful - Coerced) Choice != (Speech | Beer^2), and sad sock puppets' bad mods avail them naught.
    1. Re:Victory redefined? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Stop spamming us with your bullcrap!

    2. Re:Victory redefined? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Trying to imagine how Assange can see "victory" in any part of his situation. While he started with nice ideals, at this point he has been transformed into a "useful idiot", though it would still make a lot of powerful people quite happy to see him punished well beyond indefinite imprisonment in an embassy.

      Still seems to me to be an economic problem at heart. Largely based on a couple of books about WikiLeaks, I think it was the lack of a viable economic model that led them (though mostly just Assange) to where they are now. Competing economic models of journalism are equally bad or worse. Consider the eyeballs-for-advertisers model that produces disaster porn like CNN and clickbait websites. Worse than that is the paid propaganda model of FAUX "news", rightwing listen-to-a-nut-talking radio, and Alt-Right websites. The vestiges of mainstream journalism are now engaged in a last-newspaperman-standing strategy, and I think journalism still loses, regardless of whether the last paper standing is the "venerable" NY Times or the Washington Post. (I think the LA Times is already on the ropes and the Boston Globe was never a real contender, though the last paper might be some dark horse like the tainted WSJ.)

      Assange is no longer part of any solution, so he must be part of the precipitate.

      If this is still the first post, it says something about the state of the Slashdot, eh?

      I have been around the block many many times over the last 50 years and what I want to know is this, When the truth comes out what are we going to do about the government putting all the chemicals in the water that is turning the freaking frogs gay?

    3. Re:Victory redefined? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Trying to imagine how Assange can see "victory" in any part of his situation.

      Spin is a terrible thing to waste. And Assange has always been about spin when Assange is the topic.

    4. Re:Victory redefined? by Hentes · · Score: 3, Informative

      Wikileaks had a working "economic model" (it was financed by donations), until their accounts got frozen.

    5. Re:Victory redefined? by shanen · · Score: 2

      While I have direct reservations about charity business models, both for large and small donors, in this case the use of a charity business model in the WikiLeaks case would require consideration of how to make sure the accounts would not get frozen. From the perspective of the powerful people with secrets to hide, what WikiLeaks wanted to do could seem as threatening as a terrorist attack. From what I've read, I think that Assange started with that perspective, but didn't really think it through.

      The fact that the bank accounts of WikiLeaks could be frozen when he knew that he was cultivating enemies who would want to freeze those accounts is one form of a bad economic model.

      --
      Freedom = (Meaningful - Coerced) Choice != (Speech | Beer^2), and sad sock puppets' bad mods avail them naught.
    6. Re: Victory redefined? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I feel older having read that complete gibberish.

    7. Re:Victory redefined? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You're completely wrong. First, your assumption about a "business model" is wrong, Assange is not a "businessman". If he were one, he'd be in the information brokerage business, not into Wikileaks. Second, in terms of mode of operation of his NGO, Assange did a proper choice. His organization is based on the presumption a democratic state with freedom of information and a few corrupt actors, where the free information organizations like his release help. The fact that their accounts got frozen for no good reason but pressure from the US only underscores how right is Assange to push for policies that guard us from the slide into corporate oligarchy the West has been experiencing since, at least, Ike left office.

  6. He should have transitioned... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    If Assange was seriously worried about US prosecution for leaking national security secrets, he should have transitioned genders during the previous administration. That strategy has always (n=1) resulted in a pardon.

    1. Re: He should have transitioned... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      So does that mean Hillary should get a sex change?

    2. Re: He should have transitioned... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      So does that mean Hillary should get a sex change?

      Get another one, you mean?

    3. Re:He should have transitioned... by Imrik · · Score: 1

      That strategy has never (n=1) resulted in a pardon. Chelsea Manning had her sentence commuted, letting her out of jail early, but still guilty of the crime.

  7. Re:Blame it on Trump? Maybe... by rmdingler · · Score: 1
    No matter your political leaning, Wikileaks clearly hindered the Democratic candidate to the benefit of the Republican.

    It seems far more likely a request from President Trump would be for Swedish prosecutors to:

    "Stop the Witch hunt. Leave Assange alone. He's a good man."

    --
    Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know.

    Ernest Hemingway

  8. Re:Slashdot can't be bothered to post the statemen by Beau1080p · · Score: 1

    U should respect Slashdot for all it gives u - so if we didnt post the content & u did & got karma points, whats the big deal ?

  9. Re:If you don't use a condom by Cederic · · Score: 2

    erm. There are a lot of happy parents that would disagree with you on this.

  10. Re:Blame it on Trump? Maybe... by bmo · · Score: 0

    >Wikileaks clearly hindered the Democratic candidate to the benefit of the Republican.

    The DNC and Hillary hindered the Democratic Candidate to the benefit of the Republican.

    1. "I'm with her" instead of "I'm with you" as a campaign slogan - it could not be more fitting a campaign slogan for Hillary.

    2. I'm not Trump - a ham sandwich is not Trump. It's not some great accomplishment.

    3. Castigate and insult Bernie voters *continually* as if they're not needed to win the election.

    4. Not have any real platform. Asked what Hillary stands for, she said "I occupy both the center right and center left" - as if that means anything. And when she won the nomination, she stood on that stage mouthing some of the ideas Bernie had, and then got

    5. Hillary ran a campaign full of rookie mistakes, and didn't learn from them.

    And her campaign and the DNC are /still/ blaming everyone but themselves.

    All the while the DNC has no platform that anyone can discern. Just the other day, Perez was out shaking hands with anti-choice idiots. "My" oarty stand for /nothing/.

    --
    BMO

  11. Re:Blame it on Trump? Maybe... by bmo · · Score: 1

    #4 was incomplete and the last sentence typoed "party"

    I'm slipping.

    --
    BMO

  12. Re:If you don't use a condom by Rei · · Score: 2, Interesting

    No, if you start fuck a sleeping girl to work around her previous refusal to consent to your preferred form of sex, that's rape.

    Which was charge #4 on the EAW, the one marked rape. The other three charges were 2x molestation and 1x unlawful sexual coersion.

    --
    You're treating a symptom while the disease rages on. The fish rots from the head. Why not cut off the head?
  13. Assange should hold his promise by Vadim+Makarov · · Score: 5, Interesting

    and surrender to the US. https://www.usnews.com/news/na...
    Manning is free. That was the condition. Please Mr Assange, honor your own words.

    --
    17779 eligible voters in a district, 17779 'vote' as one. This is Russia.
    1. Re:Assange should hold his promise by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      A bit late for that now, isn't it? Obama's already out of office, and the Swedish prosecution has already given up avoiding all opportunities to formally notify him of the criminal suspicions against him and have suspended the investigation. He might decide to turn himself in a third time (yes, he's turned himself in twice already) - who knows at this point - but really, the condition has quite thoroughly lapsed.

    2. Re:Assange should hold his promise by ArchieBunker · · Score: 1

      Assange already gave some bullshit excuse as soon as the pardon was announced months ago.

      --
      Only the State obtains its revenue by coercion. - Murray Rothbard
    3. Re:Assange should hold his promise by Vadim+Makarov · · Score: 2

      Assange already gave some bullshit excuse as soon as the pardon was announced months ago.

      It was reasonable, even prudent, to wait until Manning is actually released from the prison. Who knows, a pardon decision may get reversed and overridden. That wasn't in Assange's bullshit excuse months ago, but anyway. He has had time to think this through in these months. Now Assange must turn himself in to the US authorities, as he promised.

      --
      17779 eligible voters in a district, 17779 'vote' as one. This is Russia.
    4. Re:Assange should hold his promise by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Assange said that he would turn himself in to the USA when Manning was freed, and then he quietly mumbled "and when Trump releases his tax records".
      You must have missed that. Also, his fingers were crossed. Always check the fingers.

    5. Re:Assange should hold his promise by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Assange's adversaries (ie. politicians) do not honor their words. On the contrary, their words are notorious for having little value whatsoever. Why should Assange hold himself to a different standard?

    6. Re:Assange should hold his promise by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Who knows, a pardon decision may get reversed and overridden.

      What pardon decision? Manning's sentence was commuted (shortened). Manning was not pardoned. A pardon is (AFIK) not reversible but Manning didn't get one so it's moot. Assange promised to come out of the embassy if Manning was pardoned. Manning was not pardoned, so Assange is still in good standing re: his promise.

      But don't let facts get in the way of a good dig at Assange.

    7. Re:Assange should hold his promise by Vadim+Makarov · · Score: 1

      Here's the actual quote: If Obama grants Manning clemency Assange will agree to US extradition...

      Besides I don't see a practical difference between pardon, commutaiton of sentence, etc. in this case.

      --
      17779 eligible voters in a district, 17779 'vote' as one. This is Russia.
    8. Re:Assange should hold his promise by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      Manning was not pardoned

      And Assange never made that a requirement. Please go read his statement yourself.

  14. Re:If you don't use a condom by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Funny how neither one of the alleged "victims" in this case wanted Assange charged with anything. They just wanted him to get tested for STDs.

  15. Re:FIRST POST by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    I guess the Ecuadorian embassy got their internet back! Congrats!

  16. Assange deserves the benefit of a doubt by LTIfox · · Score: 0

    because US went off the reservation in pursuit of those guys (him and Snowden). And since that part was very publicly proven, it throws some serious shade on the whole accusation thing.

    1. Re:Assange deserves the benefit of a doubt by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      because US went off the reservation in pursuit of those guys (him and Snowden)

      While everyone deserves a jury of their peers, few people doubt Snowden violated the law as written. While the law may not be just, and a jury could "nullify" that law, civil disobedience has rarely come without some pain (and almost always, jail time). Ghandi, and Mendela both believed, and were willing to put their lives (and comfort) on the line to make their case. Snowden (and Assange) chooses to hide in Russia (or Ecuador) rather than face his accusers and make unsubstantiated claims that he could not get a fair trail. Perhaps they could not, but they would prove their actual belief in the honesty of actions by showing up. Cowards, they are both.

    2. Re:Assange deserves the benefit of a doubt by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Assange sure, the info he blindly releases from anonymous sources... not nearly as much.

    3. Re:Assange deserves the benefit of a doubt by Cmdln+Daco · · Score: 1

      If Assange 'blindy released information', then Wikileaks would just be another Infowars.com or dailykos style operation. The problem for 'the authorities' is that the information on Wikileaks is NOT blindly released. They work for the credibility they have.

    4. Re:Assange deserves the benefit of a doubt by BlueStrat · · Score: 4, Insightful

      because US went off the reservation in pursuit of those guys (him and Snowden). And since that part was very publicly proven [wikipedia.org], it throws some serious shade on the whole accusation thing.

      The US going after Assange is pure, unadulterated, extra-legal revenge for the public political embarrassment WL has caused the US government by exposing their wrongdoing. Assange no more broke US laws than Woodward & Bernstein did in printing the Pentagon Papers, and W & B are US citizens and were on US soil when they printed the PPs, totally unlike Assange.

      But then, if we've learned anything over the past 10 years, it's that those in power believe themselves above the law and think they can do whatever they want and to whomever they want with little consequences.

      Strat

      --
      Progressivism (aka US 'Liberalism'): Ideas so good they need a police/surveillance-state to enforce.
    5. Re:Assange deserves the benefit of a doubt by doom · · Score: 1

      Yes, Snowden shoulda let 'em through him uin solitary for years just like Bradley Manning.

      Call them cowards if you like, the actual question is did they tell us something we deserved to know about what our own government was hiding from us?

      (It's always fun having an "anonymous coward" call someone a coward.)

    6. Re:Assange deserves the benefit of a doubt by thegarbz · · Score: 0

      The US going after Assange

      They are what now? From what I can see the USA has never laid any charges against him nor made any formal requests about him to any government. All you have to go on is that Assange claims he ran from Sweden because of the possibility that someone *may* lay charges against him and *may* extradite him while he's in prison for a crime from which he's currently running away.

    7. Re:Assange deserves the benefit of a doubt by BlueStrat · · Score: 1

      ...the USA has never laid any charges against him nor made any formal requests about him to any government

      That's how you know the US wants someone badly but doesn't have any legal/constitutional basis to do so. If it were me in Assange's place, I'd feel far better if the US did actually pursue a legal path through the courts by filing charges, etc against me. Too many of the extra-legal options are impossible to appeal, especially the ones where the subject dies.

      Strat

      --
      Progressivism (aka US 'Liberalism'): Ideas so good they need a police/surveillance-state to enforce.
  17. Re:If you don't use a condom by Beau1080p · · Score: 1

    Lol, my mom gave me a condom when she saw me looking at girls. Hasnt happened yet but she didnt say anything about rape, I just think she doesnt want grand kids.

    -=Beau=-

  18. Sweden finally did the right thing by DeplorableCodeMonkey · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Let's put this in a less charged context than rape. Suppose a woman did some lines of cocaine with a man and the claims "he forced me to do that last line of cocaine!" In a system that isn't based on presumed guilt, you know what the court and/or jury are going to see?

    1. She was there of her own free will.
    2. She did cocaine with him freely, by her own admission, for most of that time.
    3. She lacks signs of coercion.
    4. Police have found not traces of evidence to plausibly back up her sudden change of mind.
    5. Another line of cocaine made it into her system.

    Now, if you are a judge or jury who is not a psychopath, you are probably going to weigh that evidence and conclude that you have a non-trivial chance of being the implement of someone's revenge. You are a decent person who doesn't want to throw someone in prison on a "maybe" or a "it looks bad, but I don't know." You're going to side with Assange here.

    1. Re:Sweden finally did the right thing by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      So he did cocaine with a woman? I don't recall this detail.

    2. Re:Sweden finally did the right thing by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    3. Re: Sweden finally did the right thing by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Fuck you, rapist. Having consensual protected sex with a women once, is not permission to stick it in her ass bareback while she's drunk or sleeping, along with six of your buddies, in perpetuity. It's assholes like you that condone sports teams and college frat boys having their way with drunk girls and acting surprised when people who aren't misogynistic sociopaths condemn it.

    4. Re:Sweden finally did the right thing by quantaman · · Score: 2

      Let's put this in a less charged context than rape. Suppose a woman did some lines of cocaine with a man and the claims "he forced me to do that last line of cocaine!" In a system that isn't based on presumed guilt, you know what the court and/or jury are going to see?

      1. She was there of her own free will.
      2. She did cocaine with him freely, by her own admission, for most of that time.
      3. She lacks signs of coercion.
      4. Police have found not traces of evidence to plausibly back up her sudden change of mind.
      5. Another line of cocaine made it into her system.

      Now, if you are a judge or jury who is not a psychopath, you are probably going to weigh that evidence and conclude that you have a non-trivial chance of being the implement of someone's revenge. You are a decent person who doesn't want to throw someone in prison on a "maybe" or a "it looks bad, but I don't know." You're going to side with Assange here.

      Lets fix your "change of context"

      1. They did cocaine
      2. He asked if she wanted to do heroin, she refused.
      3. So he waited till she was asleep, and then he gave her heroin.

      Of course my change of context still doesn't perfectly capture the scenario, but at least it doesn't ignore the major features of the complaint!

      --
      I stole this Sig
    5. Re:Sweden finally did the right thing by epine · · Score: 1

      1. She was there of her own free will.
      2. She did cocaine with him freely, by her own admission, for most of that time.
      3. She lacks signs of coercion.
      4. Police have found not traces of evidence to plausibly back up her sudden change of mind.
      5. Another line of cocaine made it into her system.

      Troll bait: own free will, freely, by her own admission, most of, traces of, signs of coercion, plausibly, sudden, change of mind, made it into.

      The thing about trolling, is that it needs to somewhat mimic the structure of actual debate (all but the last of these qualify). This manner of abrupt shift into the passive is always troll food.

      I would call your troll opus a shit sandwich, but that would disrespect shit.

      In fact, that abrupt (and carefully timed) shift into the passive is one of my primary canaries IRL in distinguishing a harmless shit-disturber from an honest-to-god asshole.

      But I don't judge on N=1 and for the most part Slashdot is a memoryless system (as I partake in it), so all I can really do is comment on how I would deal with this kind of thing elsewhere.

  19. Re:Blame it on Trump? Maybe... by sexconker · · Score: 0

    You didn't care to complete #4 the first time, or when you posted again nothing how it was incomplete.

    You're just stating the obvious shit we all know, anyway. Hillary and the DNC are corrupt and incompetent and their actions, when exposed, resulted in America rejecting the fuck out of her. (Someone will come along and talk about the popular vote.)

  20. Correction by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    *Bradley Manning

  21. Re:Wikileaks / Russia gave us Trump by nobuddy · · Score: 1, Offtopic

    Perhaps. I see Trump and all the crap that is happening as a good and necessary thing. The timing is perfect- the GOP has a solid and incontestable hold on the House, Senate, and Presidency.

    There has been rot and corruption deep in American politics for a while, and that rot has abscessed in a huge way the last couple of decades. If Hillary had won, it would just continue to grow and infect. Trump winning, and the resulting criminal behavior- coupled with the implicit AND active efforts of the rest of the GOP to cover it up or sweep it under the rug has brought it all out in the open. When the Trump abscess is lanced, all this rot will be cleaned out and they all go to prison. And I predict a few Democrats will go sliding down that tunnel with them.

    There will always be corruption, but there should never be THIS much corruption. The 2018 and 2020 election cycles are going to be absolutely brutal to the GOP. Its time to fix some of the worst of the laws that the corruption uses to spread. And all politicians, for a while, will be very conscious of ethics and law.

  22. Re:Blame it on Trump? Maybe... by haruchai · · Score: 0

    And for all that she still got nearly as many votes as Obama did against Romney.
    I agree Clinton's campaign was far from stellar and not inspiring but aside from well-targeted strategy by the Trump campaign, there was also some heavy voter suppression going on and Comey's thumb on the scale.
    And the photos from Trump tower showing his face at the moment of victory was clearly a "oh-shit-what-do-I-do-now" expression

    --
    Pain is merely failure leaving the body
  23. Re:Blame it on Trump? Maybe... by bmo · · Score: 0

    You do realize that any other candidate would have nuked Trump by double digits? Yes? Bernie would have annihilated him.

    Chuck Schumer was bitching some time before Nov 8 that Hillary was only single digits ahead of Trump. Her lead was literally 5 percent. Yet comments like that did not lead the Hillary campaign to change their strategy (what they called a strategy, anyway).

    He was ringing the bell on the Establishment side long enough before the election that someone should have noticed. Nobody did. The odds for Hillary winning the general election were .25 to 1 *for* winning.

    On the night of the election, starting at 9pm Eastern, my wife and I were at a restaurant and started watching the returns roll in. After the first hour, we turned off our phones. We knew, to our horror, that we were getting a grifter douchebag for a president.

    And it was entirely preventable.

    Stop excusing Hillary's god-awful campaign.

    --
    BMO

  24. Re: Obama To London To Twerk Ecuadorian Embassy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Go away.

  25. Re:Slashdot can't be bothered to post the statemen by PopeRatzo · · Score: 1

    U should respect Slashdot for all it gives u

    "You should respect BeauHD's authoritah!"

    --
    You are welcome on my lawn.
  26. "pursuing their own charges against him" link by HalAtWork · · Score: 1

    *alleged* charges. There is nothing formal, only rumors at this point. There is nothing they could actually charge him of other than anything any other journalist has done in publishing same information.

    1. Re:"pursuing their own charges against him" link by AHuxley · · Score: 1

      "remains in the investigative state" (6 March 2015)
      https://www.theguardian.com/me...

      --
      Domestic spying is now "Benign Information Gathering"
  27. Detention? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Assange said, "[...] it by no means erases seven years of detention without charge under house arrest and almost five years here in this embassy without sunlight.[...]"

    He was never under detention or house arrest. He chose to hole up in a foreign embassy. He could have walked out at any time he wished.

    1. Re:Detention? by Rei · · Score: 5, Informative

      He was actually under house arrest at one point in the UK, while the UK court cases were playing out - although said "house" was a luxurious country mansion. He had to cut his tracking bracelet before fleeing to the embassy.

      --
      You're treating a symptom while the disease rages on. The fish rots from the head. Why not cut off the head?
  28. Re:If you don't use a condom by PopeRatzo · · Score: 2

    Lol, my mom gave me a condom when she saw me looking at girls. Hasnt happened yet but she didnt say anything about rape

    Your mom didn't say anything about rape when she gave me a condom too.

    Does that mean we're eskimo brothers?

    --
    You are welcome on my lawn.
  29. Re:Blame it on Trump? Maybe... by Cmdln+Daco · · Score: 1

    The thing I regret most of all is that Rand Paul ran as a Republican.

    If he had been the Libertarian Candidate he might be sleeping in the White House tonight.

  30. Re:Slashdot can't be bothered to post the statemen by Cmdln+Daco · · Score: 1

    You should respect Slashdot by not posting chatspeak comments.

    This isn't twitter. The character limit is huge.

  31. Re:Blame it on Trump? Maybe... by bmo · · Score: 1

    Nah, you'd be blamed as one of the people who took votes away from Hillary.

    Trust me on this.

    --
    BMO

  32. Re:If you don't use a condom by bongey · · Score: 1

    Except both of them were groupies and only claimed rape, after each other found out about the other.

  33. Re:If you don't use a condom by Rei · · Score: 2, Informative

    SW (the only person there was a rape charge concerning - there were only lesser charges concerning AA, and the statute of limitations has expired on them) did indeed only seek to force Assange to get an STD test - but she was telling people (including before going to the police, including before she met AA) that she had been raped. According to the witness statements, she didn't want to become embroiled in some big public mess with the public heaping negative attention on her (like, by the way, the vast majority of rape victims - the reason that rape reporting rates are so low), and so only tried to force the STD test issue. Yeah, that didn't quite work out.

    Regardless of the initial goal of trying to stay out of the public spotlight, now that they're being trolled, doxxed, and receiving rape and death threats from Assange fans (one actually fled Sweden for a few years; both have to keep very low profiles due to all of the hostility), that option no longer exists. After the case got out into the open, both women secured legal representation which has consistently sought Assange's prosecution. Upon hearing the news of Sweden giving up hope of ever getting Ecuador to give up Assange and dropping the case, SW's lawyer was shocked:

    Elizabeth Massi Fritz, the lawyer for Assange's accuser, criticized the Swedish authorities' decision in a statement to CNN. "It is a scandal that a suspected rapist is able to evade the judicial system and thus avoid trial," Fritz said. "Evidence in the case is available and that evidence should have been tested in court."

    Fritz said the process had dragged on for too long and that her client was "shocked" by the decision to drop it now. "To conduct a preliminary investigation for so many years and today make a decision to close the investigation is something I am very critical of," she said.

    Fritz also called for a review of parts of the judicial process, including how Sweden tries suspects who deliberately avoid court for years.

    "He has acted like this consciously and his fear must be that he is afraid of being sentenced for rape. Nobody wants to be sentenced for rape because it's a terrible and humiliating crime,"

    Elizabeth Massi Fritz is the second legal representative that SW has retained; she switched from the first one, Claes Borgström, because she felt that he was more focused on self promotion than bringing Assange to justice.

    In short, trying to pretend that SW and AA don't really want Assange prosecuted is pure nonsense.

    --
    You're treating a symptom while the disease rages on. The fish rots from the head. Why not cut off the head?
  34. Re:If you don't use a condom by bongey · · Score: 2

    Oh and one is suspected to be CIA operative or payed by the CIA. Wikileaks came months before the consensual sex and false rape charges, that even the women said they weren't raped.

  35. Re:Slashdot can't be bothered to post the statemen by rmdingler · · Score: 1

    U should respect Slashdot for all it gives u - so if we didn't post the content & u did & got karma points, whats the big deal ?

    Water's wet. Sky's blue. Women have secrets. When you're cliff-diving, the judges award you extra points for degree of difficulty.

    When you're posting on Slashdot, bonus points are awarded for deserved condemnation of the editor, and occasionally the OP.

    --
    Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know.

    Ernest Hemingway

  36. Re:If you don't use a condom by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    did indeed only seek to force Assange to get an STD test

    then

    trying to pretend that SW and AA don't really want Assange prosecuted is pure nonsense.

    So which is it? First you admit they only wanted him tested, not charged, then [BLAH BLAH BLAH] they really wanted him prosecuted. It can't be both.

    BTW, both of these "victims" claim it was the police who wanted to make a big deal out of this, not them.

  37. Re:Wikileaks / Russia gave us Trump by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "House, Senate, and Presidency"
    In this group the President comes in a distant 3rd place in the corruption sweepstakes. Today all the focus is on the office of the President. Meanwhile the Senate and House have been giving a free pass on their actions. Instead of chasing the President all of the professional protesters should focus their attention on the people most responsible for ruining this country. Term limits and strict campaign finance laws would be a big step towards cleaning up the government. And the Legislative branch spends more time and money on their never ending "investigations" that rarely find the wrongs they are looking for but they do serve as a powerful propaganda campaign to support one side or the other. When all the investigations of the current President do not uncover any wrong doing the press will ensure they are marginalized even more than they already are. The press threw away their neutrality and objectivity when they came out of the shadows and joined the Clinton campaign. When she lost they have stepped up their efforts to attack the person who made them look like a bunch of idiots. The press is also really pissed off because they also lost their access to the President and the WH staff through back channels. They are really pissed off because they have to arrange their own travel plans instead getting a ride on Air Force One when the President travels.

  38. Re:If you don't use a condom by Imrik · · Score: 0

    They didn't want to press rape charges because of the harassment they would receive from people supporting Assanage. They were unable to avoid that harassment, so now they no longer have a reason to hold back.

  39. Re:If you don't use a condom by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Isn't the STD testing thing pretty much a moot point by now?! The worst possible STD, HIV, would show in test results at the latest within 6 months after sexual contact, unwanted pregancies within (less than) 9 months - assuming that either of them can get a free bill of health for themselves, it Assange's personal state doesn't really matter at all anymore, considering that sexual contact itself was consensual.

  40. Completely false by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    September 8, 1974

    By the President of the United States of America a Proclamation

    Richard Nixon became the thirty-seventh President of the United States on January 20, 1969 and was reelected in 1972 for a second term by the electors of forty-nine of the fifty states. His term in office continued until his resignation on August 9, 1974.

    Pursuant to resolutions of the House of Representatives, its Committee on the Judiciary conducted an inquiry and investigation on the impeachment of the President extending over more than eight months. The hearings of the Committee and its deliberations, which received wide national publicity over television, radio, and in printed media, resulted in votes adverse to Richard Nixon on recommended Articles of Impeachment.

    As a result of certain acts or omissions occurring before his resignation from the Office of President, Richard Nixon has become liable to possible indictment and trial for offenses against the United States. Whether or not he shall be so prosecuted depends on findings of the appropriate grand jury and on the discretion of the authorized prosecutor. Should an indictment ensue, the accused shall then be entitled to a fair trial by an impartial jury, as guaranteed to every individual by the Constitution.

    It is believed that a trial of Richard Nixon, if it became necessary, could not fairly begin until a year or more has elapsed. In the meantime, the tranquility to which this nation has been restored by the events of recent weeks could be irreparably lost by the prospects of bringing to trial a former President of the United States. The prospects of such trial will cause prolonged and divisive debate over the propriety of exposing to further punishment and degradation a man who has already paid the unprecedented penalty of relinquishing the highest elective office of the United States.

    Now, THEREFORE, I, GERALD R. FORD, President of the United States, pursuant to the pardon power conferred upon me by Article II, Section 2, of the Constitution, have granted and by these presents do grant a full, free, and absolute pardon unto Richard Nixon for all offenses against the United States which he, Richard Nixon, has committed or may have committed or taken part in during the period from January 20, 1969 through August 9,1974.

    IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this eighth day of September, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and seventy-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the one hundred and ninety-ninth.

    GERALD R. FORD

    1. Re:Completely false by ArchieBunker · · Score: 1

      I was quoting Obama's response when he was asked about pardoning Snowden.

      --
      Only the State obtains its revenue by coercion. - Murray Rothbard
    2. Re:Completely false by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      But, Obama's a certified Constitutional SCHOLAR!

      Lady Liberty must be rolling in her grave!

    3. Re:Completely false by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Because she was raped without a condom in her sleep.

  41. Funny how the story changes over time by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The allegations are that women that agreed to have sex with a condom were being fucked - while sleeping - without a condom.

    The last time I read the story it was one without consent while sleeping after consensual intercourse. The other said the condom broke during consensual intercourse, but he would not stop. Those stories didn't have a ring of truth to them in my mind because they would leave no credible physical evidence. It read like Assange was being framed by a honeypot.

    Add to that the fact that Assange was interviewed and released by another prosecutor, and the whole of events starts to smack of conspiracy.

  42. Re:If you don't use a condom by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Lol, my mom gave me a condom when she saw me looking at girls. Hasnt happened yet but she didnt say anything about rape

    Your mom didn't say anything about rape when she gave me a condom too.

    Does that mean we're eskimo brothers?

    lol @ eskimo brothers
    She told me that Beau1080p is indeed your brother, and as well as, also your son.
    "saw me looking at girls" was the clue

  43. Re: Blame it on Trump? Maybe... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Until Assange leaks something that's anti-Trump. See James Comey for a perfect example of what happens if you don't swear a loyalty oath and submit to being Trumo's bitch. He'll toss in a Tic Tac and give it the old college try.

  44. The US isn't after him by Sycraft-fu · · Score: 1

    At least not at this point. It's an empty pledge, which is why he made it. The UK is who wants him. Regardless of the status or validity of the original rape charge, he fled bail (and is still fleeing) in the UK so they have a criminal case against him. Skipping bail is illegal, even if the court later determines the charge that lead to the arrest and subsequent bail is complete BS.

    Given that he's been flaunting it for quite some time, they are very likely to pursue it as well.

  45. Was Assange manipulated or set up? by shanen · · Score: 2

    erm. There are a lot of happy parents that would disagree with you on this.

    Eh? Where did that come from?

    Oh. Found it. Per my settings, I mostly don't see the ACs. Not all of them are trolls, but even when they aren't, they tend to be wasting my time. Having dug up the actual parent of your reply, I'll just say I think you [Cederic] are just wasting your time by feeding an obvious troll. No detectable interest in a rational discussion there.

    Quite serendipitously and tangentially, there is an actual issue touched there. After all these years, I'm still wondering if Assange was set up. It is possible that his real crime was the invention of stealthing, and in that case the critical legal issue is how the Swedish legal system addresses undefined crimes. One version of the nationalistic joke is "In America [but you can swap countries in accord with fashion trends or your actual prejudices], everything is permitted unless it is explicitly forbidden, while in Germany everything is forbidden unless it is explicitly permitted." A typical punchline might be "And in France, everything is required [or expected?] as long as it is explicitly forbidden." What do the laws of Sweden say?

    Depending on when Assange got on their radar, it is quite possible he was targeted years ago. By whom? I'd say by any powerful person or nation with secrets to hide, which seems to provide plenty of suspects. Depends on someone's prediction that the very idea of WikiLeaks was a sufficient threat to worry about.

    If targeted, then they would have accumulated targeting data about Assange. For example, they could have found out about his philosophy related to eugenics and his belief in his own superior genes and duty to reproduce. Combine that with some data about the kind of women he's interested in and details of his schedule and the schedules of suitable women, and something could be arranged. Add in a bit of patience and there's no need to expose anything to any of the actual participants in the "crime", especially when none of them knew there was a crime involved.

    No, I'm not actually ready to say that Assange was set up, but it's like my sig says, coercion counts. I really like that freedom thing.

    --
    Freedom = (Meaningful - Coerced) Choice != (Speech | Beer^2), and sad sock puppets' bad mods avail them naught.
  46. Re: Public masturbation of 974911 by shanen · · Score: 1, Troll

    You [974911] are a flaming troll and must be using a herd of sock puppets to self-moderate your own incoherent tripe.

    --
    Freedom = (Meaningful - Coerced) Choice != (Speech | Beer^2), and sad sock puppets' bad mods avail them naught.
  47. Re:Wikileaks / Russia gave us Trump by dbIII · · Score: 1

    When the Trump abscess is lanced, all this rot will be cleaned out and they all go to prison

    That's how it would go in a movie.
    Sadly writing that way about reality just comes across as naive.
    Just because you can't see it getting worse (and it's going to get a LOT worse before Trump is dragged out, probably in eight years) doesn't mean that deeply entrenched systemic corruption is going to be almost completely cleaned up after a few ringleaders are jailed.

  48. Re:Slashdot can't be bothered to post the statemen by doom · · Score: 4, Insightful

    If he, at a later date, makes himself available,

    He's always been available-- they could come to talk to him at the embassy, interview him on the phone, or whatever. He just won't go where it's easy for the US to grab him, which is not at all an unrealistic fear at this point.

    A modest proposal: if we're the good guys, we shouldn't go around acting like the bad guys in a cold war spy novel.

  49. Re:Blame it on Trump? Maybe... by dbIII · · Score: 1

    You'd be better off blaming the hopeless Republicans at the primaries if you want to blame someone other than Trump.
    It was so pathetic that even tollbooth guy - unfit for trust in any office - was a leading contender for a while.

  50. Re:Blame it on Trump? Maybe... by haruchai · · Score: 1

    You do realize that any other candidate would have nuked Trump by double digits? Yes? Bernie would have annihilated him.

    --
    BMO

    I'm not so sure about that. Trump annihilated the entire GOP slate without saying 2 coherent sentences in a row and there were some heavyweights - and I'm not making a sly remark about Chris Christie. Hillary's campaign has a great many problems including carrying Bill's baggage and 30 years of being smeared by rightwing media but this election was all about angry people who thought everyone but them is getting ahead.

    "I can't get a job or afford medication but all my elected reps are doing is finding a safe place for chicks with dicks to piss?"

    I don't think Bernie's message would resonate with *enough* of them to have prevented what happened in Michigan, Pennsylvania & Wisconcin.
    Rick Scott has tossed so many off Florida's voter rolls that I can't say if Sanders could have prevailed there either

    --
    Pain is merely failure leaving the body
  51. Re: Public masturbation of 974911 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You [974911] are a flaming troll

    Is that what you masturbate to? You would know all about flaming trolls

  52. Re:Blame it on Trump? Maybe... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It seems far more likely a request from President Trump would be for Swedish prosecutors to:

    "Stop the Witch hunt. Leave Assange alone. He's a good man."

    That seems highly unlikely.

    To 'guarantee' that the law is applied equally to all citizens it is illegal for Swedish politicians to make requests to the judicial branch so Trump would have to go directly to the prosecutor rather than going to whoever he perceives being in charge. That is not Trumps style, he thinks all countries are set up like Russia or North Korea where there is a supreme leader with absolute power.
    If he made a request to the Swedish prime minister, the Swedish king (Who have no political power.) or the prosecutor I don't see why they would respond.
    Most of the world is pretty much in a standby mode regarding the US president right now.

    Old trade agreements, military co-operations and deals with the intelligence community keeps going as usual. They were in place before Trump and will keep going after Trump.
    New deals with Trump at this point is pretty pointless. He is not in a position to get deals ratified.
    If you want something you will talk with everyone else involved to make sure that the deal can go through without Trump doing more than signing a paper, or if things drag out, everything is set up so the next president won't face much trouble getting the deal through.

    Typically you can still respond to a president to get some goodwill going but in Trumps case it is unlikely he will honor it down the road and it is questionable if he will be in a position to do so.
    Best case scenario for anyone helping out Trump is that he calls you a 'smart guy' which lumps you in with Putin, Erdogan and Kim Jong Un and other people Trump have praised.

  53. For news about democracy by MrKaos · · Score: 1

    Watch RT: Where we tell you what your state run news won't.

    --
    My ism, it's full of beliefs.
  54. Corporate Shill by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    If you want to see the outcome of term limits, just look at the House of Representatives vs the Senate. The Senate average term is 12 years. The House average term is 10 years. That 2 year difference shows up in a lot more corruption.

    The only people who benefit from term limits are corporations with lobbyists who can afford the access and tell their side of the story. By the time the congressman gets enough perspective, understands the tendencies of the organizations he is trying to regulate, he's already out of there.

  55. Re: Slashdot can't be bothered to post the stateme by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    He was formally notified of the charges while he was still in Sweden, then the case was dropped and he left. When the case was restarted, why do they need to formally re-notify him? Or does formally notify have a different meaning, more like "charge"?

  56. Re:Blame it on Trump? Maybe... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    To 'guarantee' that the law is applied equally to all citizens it is illegal for Swedish politicians to make requests to the judicial branch so Trump would have to go directly to the prosecutor rather than going to whoever he perceives being in charge.

    As a Swede - riiiiiiiiiiiiight. That's one of those fine, noble, theories that however aren't too closely tied to reality. The prosecutor in the TPB case said not too long before a delegation of Swedish politicians visit the US that he didn't see what TPB was doing as anything illegal. And shortly after the delegation returns home , well you know what happened...

  57. i blame her by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    why was she hanging around he creepy albino anyway. gross. hmm maybe this albino will get himself into a position where i can get some money by calling him a rapist. he looks the type.

  58. Poor Assange by quantaman · · Score: 1

    Assange said, "[...] it by no means erases seven years of detention without charge under house arrest and almost five years here in this embassy without sunlight. Seven years without charge while my children grow up without me. That is not something I can forgive. It is not something I can forget."

    I wonder why he was detained for seven year years?

    Oh yeah, because he was dodging an arrest warrant for a crime (he allegedly) committed.

    If he was concerned about being extradited to the US over wikileaks this doesn't change anything, the UK is just as likely (if not moreso) than to carry out an extradition request from the US.

    --
    I stole this Sig
  59. Re:If you don't use a condom by quantaman · · Score: 1

    Funny how neither one of the alleged "victims" in this case wanted Assange charged with anything. They just wanted him to get tested for STDs.

    I don't find that funny at all. Going through a sexual assault trial against a major public figure (full of extremely personal questions and constant character assassination), wanting justice but not necessarily prison time, etc, etc. There is a lot of stuff between fully consensual sex and forcible rape, and the legal system does not handle it well.

    I think there's a couple things most people can agree on here:
    1) Assange was in the wrong.
    2) As sexual offences go there are far worse ones, and not everyone is agreed that Assange should have spent time in prison (or even face official legal penalties) for them.

    I think there are a lot of people living in that grey area, some are leaving a steam of victims in their wake and others just made a mistake and need a reminder. I think there needs to be some sort of confidential parallel legal system, a combination of mandatory counselling and tab keeping, that can step in and intervene when someone has committed an act that is wrong, but the victim doesn't want to go through a whole trial process.

    The victims could have gotten a feeling of validation and justice, and Assange could have gotten the message that he was acting way out of line.

    --
    I stole this Sig
  60. Genuine question... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Pushing aside his slightly revisionist outlook claiming he was "detained.. no charges" as I'm sure had he not hid in the embassy (as he was free to do) then he might have been charged, why was going to Sweden more risky than normal international travel?

    I'm aware of the suggestion that custody in Sweden apparently improve the chance of ending up in the US but wouldn't that be a real risk passing through customs in most countries anyway (or at least those not antagonistic to the US). Wouldn't there be a risk of hearing "Would you like to come with us, sir" when entering Australia (or wherever).

  61. You didn't fix a damn thing by DeplorableCodeMonkey · · Score: 1

    Of course my change of context still doesn't perfectly capture the scenario, but at least it doesn't ignore the major features of the complaint!

    First off, let me say that you have won the Internet for the next hour for this spectacular display of intellectual posturing while managing to be utterly clueless that you have said absolutely nothing of legal relevance to my points.

    Now then, I have shocking news for you. Her complaint isn't worth a bucket of warm piss in an honest court room. Do you want to know why? Let's go over it, in blunt and sober detail:

    1. She admits she had sex with him with informed consent of what she was doing.
    2. She admits she invited him to spend the night with her, in her bed.
    3. Fornication is legal, rape is not. Chant that a 1000 times before proceeding if you have to, to understand why we're about to run into problems.
    4. She claims she was asleep, but we have no proof she was asleep.
    5. She claims she did not consent to this act, but consented to having sex with him hours earlier.
    6. She has no evidence that can concretely back up another claim of coercion.

    If you are not a psychopath like many modern feminists, you are not going to vote to convict on that evidence because there is literally nothing that passes muster on "guilty beyond a reasonable doubt" that she was raped. In American courts in particular, if you gave the state a conviction on a case this flimsy, you might as well wipe your ass with the bill of rights and set it on fire when you're done.

    1. Re:You didn't fix a damn thing by quantaman · · Score: 1

      1. She admits she had sex with him with informed consent of what she was doing.
      2. She admits she invited him to spend the night with her, in her bed.

      Agreed.

      3. Fornication is legal, rape is not. Chant that a 1000 times before proceeding if you have to, to understand why we're about to run into problems.

      Also agreed, though I'm not sure why you think I don't understand or agree with this.

      4. She claims she was asleep, but we have no proof she was asleep.
      5. She claims she did not consent to this act, but consented to having sex with him hours earlier.
      6. She has no evidence that can concretely back up another claim of coercion.

      4-6 Is just a simple way of saying it was a case of he said/she said, and you wouldn't expect to find concrete evidence of coercion in a case like that, though an investigation can sometimes come up with real evidence. Such as Assange having bragged to a friend, or Assange forgetting his fabricated story during questioning and admitting guilt, or Assange simply admitting under questioning because he's a human who in some circumstances has trouble lying in person.

      I didn't talk about the he said/she said aspect because I was talking about the crime as alleged, not evaluating the strength of the evidence or likelyhood of conviction.

      If you are not a psychopath like many modern feminists

      Wow, you just couldn't wait to take a weird gratuitous shot at feminists couldn't you?

      you are not going to vote to convict on that evidence because there is literally nothing that passes muster on "guilty beyond a reasonable doubt" that she was raped. In American courts in particular, if you gave the state a conviction on a case this flimsy, you might as well wipe your ass with the bill of rights and set it on fire when you're done.

      Who said convict? The he was being extradited for questioning and a possible trial. An accusation of rape alone is not enough to convict, but it's sure as hell enough to question and investigate.

      --
      I stole this Sig
    2. Re:You didn't fix a damn thing by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      As a modern feminist it warms my heart to know that you think that many of us are not psychopaths.

  62. Really? "Most people can agree on"? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Is there any physical or tangible evidence whatsoever the Assange did what was claimed?

    Or are you basing your "Assange was in the wrong" on a psychic vibe?

  63. Re: Public masturbation of 974911 by shanen · · Score: 2

    As additional evidence, I note the sudden horde of negative mods on the branch. Just par for the brokenness of Slashdot, unfortunately.

    --
    Freedom = (Meaningful - Coerced) Choice != (Speech | Beer^2), and sad sock puppets' bad mods avail them naught.
  64. Re:Slashdot can't be bothered to post the statemen by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You're one of the fucking CIA shills here that's been spitting out lies about Assange for years. The investigation is closing down, because it's been a long farce, supported only by the vitriolic hatred of Hitlery "it's her turn" Clinton. Now that she's finally out of any influence over government, this (and hopefully scumbag personas like yourself) will disintegrate and disappear.

  65. Re:If you don't use a condom by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    So sad your mom was raped by your father, plain and simple.