Hi Fester

Yeah I agree. Wikileaks and its sympathisers, selectively anti-American (rarely anti-Russian) campaigns are likely to resurface.

Albo will be in a bind if/when Assange and his mob start breaking Australian law by publicising Australian secrets.

Cheers Mavs

The world is in a better place for knowing the 'secrets' divulged by the Assange team.
All this cloak and dagger stuff is abhorrent.
Would you behave like that other government did?
Threatening those who dared to tell the truth?
The other thing that worries me is where another country's law can apply.
Surely only within its own boundaries.
When you drive your car here, only australian law applies when you do that, not the law of another country?
If I make genuine truthful but adverse comment about another country, am I breaking the laws of that country?
I don't think so, because I am not there.
Only my local law applies to me, whatever that is?
When there is serious unresolvable disagreement with another country, only war can lead to a (temporary) solution?
And war should be as rare as the proverbial hens' teeth?
And I wonder if I have offended them by using one of their colloquialisms?
But I am pleased that finally common sense and truth prevailed, and they moved in the right direction.
They deserve a 'tick' for that.

Penny Wong to her credit

"told the ABC that while freedom of the press was "a key principle of our democracy", so too was the protection of national security information, "and we have very clear laws in Australia to protect that information"."

More at http://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/8677115/julian-assanges-quiet-return-to-canberra-amid-pardon-hopes/?cs=14329

Hi Maverick,

What upset the Americans more than anything was the fact Assange exposed American hypocrisy, that phoney image of the "good guys in the white hats" nonsense. American mercenaries are as murderous as anyone else, Israeli, Palestinian, Russian, Ukrainian...Australian, they're all the same.

I recall the words of Australia's number one Communist at the time John Halfpenny as conveyed to me back in the 70's when I enquired; "John, whats the difference between Russia and America?.... "Well the difference is, the Russians are full of BS, but they know it...The Americans are full of BS, but they don't know it." He might have been jocular in saying that, but there is a semblance of truth in it to this day.

The Prime Minister has negotiated a deal with the
United States to bring home an Australian Citizen.

That has been achieved. Julian Assange has flown home
a free man because as the PM said - "Enough is Enough."
Many MPs from all sides of politics supported this decision.

Penny Wong has said the government will not tolerate
the leaking of top secret information like that published
by Julian Assange. That has been made quite clear.

That should come as a warning to Assange and his family.

Stella Assange should stop
making any further political statements to the press like she
did at a press conference outside Parliament House in Canberra
recently.

The family should simply disappear from the spotlight and now
enjoy life as a family. They have been given a second chance.
They should take it - not misuse it.

It's time for all to move on. The government already has.

Has Britain resumed its old fix-it - transportation of convicted felons to Australia?

Yet another convicted felon, who didn't get a private jet, sings http://youtu.be/rUOdTn8Wcnc?si=8J5axa0PLA0T84Xt