I have mixed feelings about Assange.

The general principle of full transparency and revealing the machinations of governments is to be encouraged with some major provisos, the main one being placing other people in harm's way and or jeopardising national security; a rather amorphous term which can crystallise into dire consequences very quickly.

Did Assange's actions contravene either of those 2 prohibitions; were lives lost as a result of the leaks? The author of this article has not considered this. Perhaps she should have read Tom Coghland's accounts in the Times about how NATO informants in Afghan had been exposed by the Wikileaks.

Assange was made aware of the risk to these informants and responded by saying:

"He claimed that many informers in Afghanistan were “acting in a criminal way” by sharing false information with Nato authorities.

He insisted that any risk to informants’ lives was outweighed by the overall importance of publishing the information."

This is not the response of a responsible journalist; it is the response of a moral snob more concerned with his own ideology then other people.

The Taliban of course said they would hunt down anyone named in the Wikileaks.

In respect of the sexual assault charges in Sweden the Guardian’s account is here:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/dec/17/julian-assange-sweden

The author of the article has not referred to these serious charges. Surely the claims of TWO women cannot be dismissed out of hand?

Assange says the womens' claims are politically motivated; how can that be; they are his supporters and former admirers; the women share his politics.

What does the author have to say about this?

Another inconvenience truth!
How many hackers has Sweden extradited to the US? A: 0
How many hackers has the UK extradited to the US? A: around about 7

If the US does have a sealed indictment, it probably has more to do with Manning, rather than Assange anyway.

I tend agree with the assessments of Cohenite & Rhrosty.

C: “’He insisted that any risk to informants’ lives was outweighed by the overall importance of publishing the information.’
This is not the response of a responsible journalist; it is the response of a moral snob more concerned with his own ideology then other people.”

R:“He is not a hero publisher, exposing at great personal risk, corporate crime and criminals”

Very well put.

It's amazing how many Australians belong to the Imperial America cheer squad. Yes, the spread of American military bases across the world even to the Cocus Islands doesn't cause a murmur of discontent.

Then the American use of torture and rendition and cages, depleted uranium and white phosphorous and cluster bombs and drones, etc, doesn't phase the average Australian at all either. It's like 90% of Australians are still living in a 1945 mindset.

They can't get their minds around the fact that the U.S. has changed, that it is trying to dominate the whole world with its enormous army, that it is trying to push China and Russia to the margins, deprive them of scarce resources, weaken them.

Thus the scene is set for a nuclear war because China and Russia will not stand by and allow the U.S. to run the world for its own benefit and why should they.

Wake up, Australians. The Yanks are on our soil thanks to Julia and they will take over our country as quick as a wink.

The wolf is in our hen house!

"Imperial America cheer squad"

What a load of baloney. The yanks sometimes do bad things, usually for good intentions; but one thing you can be sure of, they'll get found out.

Now, tell me some of the bad things China and Russia have done and are doing, and how we are going to find out about them.

I think people who criticise the US, without ever noting the far greater outrages committed in the despotic and oppressive societies are cowards and hypocrites.

If you think the US is so bad, go over there, run for election and change the place. You can do that you know. But see how far you get if you go to China and Russia and try a similar stunt.

It amazes me how so many morons on this article continue to see the USA as being the land of liberty and democracy.

Bush had the Patriot Act ready to go before 911.This act removed the right for a trial and legal rep if you were deemed to be a terrorist.

Obama then brings in Preventative Dentention,ie if you have no even committed a terrorist act but are suspected of being such,you too can be held indefinetly without trial or legal rep.

Then Obama legalises assassination of suspected terrorists.Obama's latest is the National Defence Authoristion Act which gives the US Military the power to arrest anyone in the West and detain them indefinetly with no trial or legal rep.

Are these not the hallmarks of a fascist state? Google Naomi Wolf's ten steps to fascism.The last is to suspend the rule of law.The USA has now passed the first 9.