I see reports that Julian Assange has been freed at Stanstead Airport
in the UK and is on the way home.
Has not been reported elsewhere as far as I know.
No doubt there will be some who who think he got off lightly.
The main point however is:
How can someone who was not in the US be charged with a crime and
who did not actually commit the crime be charged with the crime ?
He received information and published it.
So did many newspapers and TV organisations.
Why were they not charged ?
Do not drive an American made car over the limit or you might be
charged by the California Highway Patrol, (Joke) just for the humourless.

There's footage of him boarding a flight. Remember all that footage of him barely able to walk, pushed around in wheel-chairs because he was so beaten down by his imprisonment. Well he just strode onto the flight home looking the picture of health. It seems the previous pictures of an invalid were just part of the charade.

Assange's crime wasn't that he received information and published it. That isn't a crime. What he was charged with was facilitating and participating in the theft of the information. That's the crime that he just got away with. He's out on a plea deal whereby he will plead guilty to at least one charge but be given credit for the time in a British prison to negate any time in a US prison.

Not to mention the couple of rapes in Sweden that he got away with as well.

Effectively he got five years in prison for destroying a lot of lives. At least the time he spent evading justice in the embassy wasn't counted. Personally, I think he will re-offend.

Blessed be God who frees prisoners - thanks be unto Him alone!
May He free all prisoners soon in answer to the prayers of those who love and care for them, especially the Israeli hostages that languish in Gaza.

Thanks Bezza for this news.

The deal has not yet been finalised with the US Department
of Justice . There's a hearing to go through in the
Northern Mariana Islands - a territory of the US in the
Western Pacific - but after that presumably Julian Assange
can fly home to Australia.

The man's been the target of a very negative campaign by
US officials at the highest levels. Assange has spent 5 years
in jail. He's been accused of all sorts of things. From
computer hacking to showing the world the horrors of the
US war in Iraq, to rape charges (withdrawn by Swedish police).

The publication
of disclosed documents as part of his work with Wikileaks
this activity mirrors conduct that
investigative journalists undertake regularly in their
professional capacity. This right should be protected.

In any case - Julian Assange will now be free - at long last.
Something for which his family, friends, and supporters are
extremely grateful.

Yuyutsu,

Let us pray for all the innocent victims - Israeli
and Palestinian and especially for a peace settlement
to be reached sooner than later. The release of hostages
is vital, but so is the cessation of the destructive
bombardment and refusal to give up control of the
occupied territories.

Assange agreed to a guilty plea on one charge of endangering the U.S to get whatever deal he has made. Something about him not having to serve more than the 62 months he did in the UK. I didn't take much notice of what was going to happen to the piece of sh.t.

Further news: the creep has been granted bail by the High Court in London.

The plea deal with the U.S. is not finished.

He will front the Federal Court in the Mariana Islands to enter the plea at a later date.

"rape charges (withdrawn by Swedish police).

Not withdrawn....dropped because Assuage managed to run down the clock. When they were dropped the Swedish prosecutor said the victim continued to say she'd been raped and all the evidence still stood up to scrutiny. They didn't withdraw the charges, just said there was little point in continuing the prosecution.

Still, Foxy, last time you tried to find a way to exonerate Assange on the rape charges you falsely claimed the victim had recanted, so at least you're getting closer to the truth.

And again, his legal problems weren't about the publishing of the files, they were about facilitating and participating in the theft of the files

Dear Foxy,

«Let us pray for all the innocent victims - Israeli
and Palestinian and especially for a peace settlement
to be reached sooner than later. The release of hostages
is vital, but so is the cessation of the destructive
bombardment and refusal to give up control of the
occupied territories.»

Amen.

Some Aussie posters here are so infatuated with the US, they have Uncle Sams balls on their chins.

All I can say is I'm extremely happy for him, his wife and their family that he's on his way back home.

Hi AC,

All I want to know is the identity of the faith healer he consulted before being taken to the airport.

The Assange case will probably continue to raise arguments
for some time depending on how things are viewed.

Critics say that
his actions were irresponsible and Assange to them remains a
villain. The belief that a country's right to keep military
national security information secret - is necessary.

Others see the public's right to know what is being
done by a supposedly accountable government as equally
necessary.

Assange to many as Michelle Grattan says - is a beacon
for the free flow of information
that sheds light on dark places. Many don't agree.

Yet many Australian politicians from all sides have
gone to bat for Assange.

Many have agreed - that enough is enough.

Chelsea Manning had her sentence commuted in 2017 by
Barack Obama after a number of years in jail.
Media outlets which published the documents did not suffer
any penalties.

With an American election just around the corner - this was
a good time for the Assange case to be dealt with. And for
that Assange, his family, friends and supporters should
be grateful. Better now than later. Had they waited longer, the
results may have been very different.

Apparently, the Assange case has been with the Biden
administration for some time. It's finally being dealt with.

.

The release of Julian Assange may or may not be the end of the story.

The prime cause of the case was the revelation by Assange’s Wikileaks non-profit media of war crimes purportedly committed by the US and the UK in Iraq and Afghanistan. Specific details attesting to those operations have been released into the public sphere for all to see – and surely not forgotten by some.

Perhaps, there may be more to the negotiations resulting in Assange’s release than meets the eye.

We shall have to wait and see. See his reaction following his release. See his future attitude and activity.

And see what fate has in store for him.

.

Hi Fester,
I'd tell you its the same Camp David doctors who will perform medical miracles on Joe Biden with cocktails of who knows what drugs to help him stay in the real world for 90 mins in the Trump debate instead of off with the faries..

But Assange didn't make it to the US proper.

I dont even care if he gave up intelligence assets and released 250,000 diplomatic cables, released Poesda emails, and CIA Vault 7 hacking tools.
The US is a nation built on war for profit and the entire Iraq war was built on lies. Afghanistan was about poppy fields and oil pipeline right of way.

Aussies died in these stupid wars for nothing.
Are Australias gutless politicians going to explain why 41 Aussies died in Afghanistan just to give it back to the Taliban.

Stuff America and their wars built on lies.
They cost Aussie lives, Assange didn't get anyone killed.

Assange is a hero.
The US deserved to be exposed.

Hi AC,

You find separating good and evil much easier than I do. I'm sure there were many warning against the futility of sending the military into Iraq and Afghanistan. Everyone loses in such conflicts.

For whatever good he has done I find Assange a highly flawed character who hid in an embassy until a statute of limitations forced Swedish prosecutors to abandon sexual assault charges against him. The fate of the many collaborators he named will never be known, but I'd imagine that the legal processes they faced were far less protracted.

Well St Julian will plead guilty to espionage. That is, he admits he was involved in the theft of classified information.

That's what this was about. That's what it was always about. None of this BS about press freedoms and freedom of speech. That was all a side show to distract the terminally gullible into ignoring the main issue. Just like his alleged health issues which seem to have been miraculously resolved virtually overnight, the truth was very different to the publicity.

It is perfectly possible and even admirable to argue that the Espionage Act is wrong, that its noble to break the law to release secrets that the government would prefer not released. But that's not what the Assange innocence industry did. They instead distracted with freedom of speech claims that had nothing to do with the charges against him and the usual suspects fell for it.

The man's had 15 years of incarceration in one form or
another - from house arrest, jail, and asylum in an
embassy. Now finally the possibility of release.

He's expected to plead guilty to one criminal charge
but will be released soon after, given time already
served in a British prison.

Australian Ambassador to the US, Kevin Rudd, Australian
Ambassador to the UK, Stephen Smith and HUman Rights
Lawyer Jennifer Robinson were all in court in Saipan,
the tiny Pacific Island and US territory where this
court case is being heard.

What effect will this case have on press freedom in
the future? Many publishers and journalists have
expressed their fears that if this case was meant to
chill national security reporting - it's probably
worked. Nor every publisher would take the risk that
Assange did.

Assange may be a free man - but his reputation has been
smeared. I guess it would be a bit of wishful thinking
if a US President could grant a pardon to Assange?
Now that would be an acto of integrity and leadership.

Wishful thinking, I know.

But who was it who said - Miracles do happen?

Assange has pleaded guilty in a “remote court”.

We had to pay for our Ambassador to the U.S, the charming Kevin Rudd to be there.

Assange's family are “overwhelmed”. It is Australians who should be overwhelmed by this pathetic turn of events.

The BBC has an interesting article on how the deal to
free Mr Assange was agreed. The BBC tells us that the
origins of this deal:

"Probably began with the election of a new Australian
government in May 2022 that brought to power an administration
determined to bring home one of its citizens detained overseas."

We're told that "Anthony Albanese, the new Labor Prime
Minister, said he did not support everything Mr Assange had
done, but "enough was enough" and it was time for him to
be released. He made the case a priority, largely behind
closed doors."

"Mr Albanese had cross-party support in Australia's
parliament too."

"A delegation of MPs travelled to Washington to lobby US
Congress directly. The PM then raised the issue himself
with US President Joe Biden at the White House during a
state visit in October. This was followed by a parliamentary
vote where MPs overwhelmingly supported a call to urge the
US and the UK to allow Mr Assange back to Australia."

"They lobbied hard the influential US Ambassador to Australia,
Caroline Kennedy."

"A key player was also UK Ambassador, Stephen Smith who did a
great deal of "heavy lifting."

Hopefully this is just the beginning for a happier life for
the Assange family.

Whatever you think of Assange, he is an Australian citizen
and as our PM stated, " Enough is Enough!"

Many people will agree on all sides of politics that our
PM deserves credit for his judgement and determination in
never giving up and pursuing resolution to this case.

An interesting take on all this is that one of the reasons the US pursued Assange so assiduously is that he had pissed of the Clinton crime family when he released Hilary's emails showing just how corrupt and anti-democratic she and indeed the entire Democrat organisation were.

The take is that the sudden release of Assange is indicative that the Clinton's have lost all influence in the DNC and that the Obama cartel (and Biden is just a figure for Obama's third term) are now fully in control of everything that matters.

One wonders if there's been a secret deal in regards to the unreleased Clinton emails and the real person/group behind the hack of the DNC server back in 2016.

Yeah. Conspiracy theories abound - especially for Trump supporters.

You ain't seen nothing yet!

Foxy,

It is truly said that as regards what the left calls 'conspiracy theories', they are merely truths that the woke have yet to understand.

Remember when saying the WuFlu came from a Chinese lab? Conspiracy theory then - accepted by most now.

Remember Trump saying Obama had bugged his offices. Conspiracy theory then - fact now.

The laptop really did belong to Hunter Biden - conspiracy then, fact now.

I could probably use up a month's allocation of posts just going through all the things people like you used to think were conspiracy theories that are now truths.

OTOH we could also spend just as much time talking about all the things that the left thought were true that actually did turn out to conspiracies - Russian collusion, Russian bounties, J6 insurrection etc etc.

Oh here's another one for you....Biden only released St Julian because Trump had promised to do so if he won.

mhaze,

I don't want to argue with you about the conspiracy theories
of Donald Trump. You're a Trump supporter. I understand that.
The man has been responsible for so many conspiracies.
All have been disproven. ranging from the Chinese lab - COVID
theory, to Obamagate, to bugging his office, not being born in
the US, and so much more.

I'll leave you to continue your support for the man.
I'm sure that there are plenty on this forum who you can find
to be your kindred spirits. I'm not one of them.

Cheers.

Julian Assange is scheduled to arrive in Australia around
7.00 pm.

Assange isn't the only Australian who's led the way in
truthful journalist and paid the price. I've discovered
Australian Wilfred Burchett who was the first Western
journalist to report on the devastation wrought by the
atomic bomb on Hiroshima in August 1945.

Apparently he alerted the world to the "atomic plague"
the radiation sickness which would take countless lives
in the days, weeks, months, and years after the blast
which levelled the city.

He then went on to report on the Vietnam War and was vilified
by the Australian media. His passport was finally restored after
the Whitlam government was elected.

It is important that we don't forget those who went before
Assange - people like Burchett who were not afraid to hold
truth to power and report what he saw.

Of course this makes things difficult in conflicts in which
their country is involved. Not many journalists are prepared
to take the risk - and who can blame them?

How many of us would be game to do it?

Will Assange revive Wikileaks as an Anti-Western Group Again?

While most of the international public are only aware of Wikileaks releasing US helicopter footage [1] in Iraq Wikileaks more significantly released more than 10 million classified documents [2]. The vast majority of the documents were from US traitors, some from the broader West, but tellingly virtually none were from Russia or China. Wikileaks' political links can be assessed in that light.

Scope for Becoming a Repeat Offender?

Now that Assange is free it would be interesting if Wikileaks again becomes a magnet for Western secrets, while not releasing Russian or Chinese secrets. Wikileaks future coverage of Russia's invasion and occupation of Ukraine will be a key test.

Also, how long will Assange remain in Australia? Will he move to a country more sympathetic to Russia?

[1] http://web.archive.org/web/20100815072941/http://en.rsf.org/united-states-open-letter-to-wikileaks-founder-12-08-2010,38130.html

[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WikiLeaks

What the modern day hero Julian Assange was guilty of is bursting the bubble of fackness peddled by the United States, he exposed massive war crimes committed by US mercenaries, thousands murdered by the so called "Good Guys". Assange paid a high price for his courage and determination. Ironically it was the criminal Trump who ordered his persecution. May retribution befall the guilty!

Will Albanese come to regret that his government Freed the front man of Wikileaks?

Is freeing Assange Albo's biggest mistake since Albo pushed the Voice that 60% of Australians didn't want?

I have mixed feelings about what Assange did with the documents.
Re his rape charges I understood that the charges were dropped because
the Swedish law on what is rape is different to the UK.
The Swedish law defined it as rape because he did not wear a condom.
It was otherwise consensual.

Bezza,

Was Trump wearing a condom under his black silk pj's, or in the ladies change room? Since you can be accused of committing phoney crimes in other countries, maybe Sweden should charge Trump with rape. We'll never know!

Maverick,

To answer your 2 questions. NO and NO. Surveys tell us over 70% of Australians support Albo's action re; Julian Assange.

Assange is free thanks to Albanese - i.e according to Albanese.

The increasingly stupid PM is doubling down on stupid, associating with badman Assange, who still remains a disgrace to Australia, and an enemy of the West, particularly to our major ally, America.

I think it says a lot that as Assange is freed by a legal process in nations he is so critical of, real journalist Evan Gershkovich goes on trial in Moscow for alleged espionage in a nation that Assange never says a word against. As for the rape charges, it was the statute of limitations that stopped proceedings, not the strength of the case nor peculiarities of Swedish law.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd116x340eno

"Julian Assange is a criminal, a fabulist and an undisciplined, arrogant work-shy fraud who lacks an education while remaining a mannerless vulgarian". (Alan Howe, editor and journalist, The Australian).

ttbn,

Howe, an acolyte of the Murdoch Gutter Press, the slob should win bronwie points big time with that comment from his lord and master the Trump backer and lecherous old goat Rupert. Nothing to say about the thousands murdered by American mercenaries, and exposed by Assange through WikiLeaks, that's the real crime.

Fester, glad you are a legal expert on Swedish rape laws.

"Surveys tell us over 70% of Australians support Albo's action re; Julian Assange."

True, but like the Voice I suspect that if people were interested enough to look more closely the result would be different, perhaps inverted.

Good Morning Gentlemen,

What a night it was.

I watched the arrival of WikiLeaks founder, Julian
Assange back home to Australia last night. I watched
the emotional, safe arrival as his plane touched down
in Canberra. I saw his joy at seeing his wife and
father again and knowing that he was home.

I listened to the Prime Minister speak. I later watched
the Press Conference from his hotel at which Assange's lawyers
and wife spoke. It was an emotional evening for them all.
Including for Assange's brother Gabriel Shipton who was
interviewed via a video link.

I learned that the Prime Minister spoke to Assange
and welcomed him back to Australia. That Assange thanked him
and told him "You saved my life!" words that will undoubtedly
go down in history.

The PM once again stated that they had pursued this case for
quite some time. That they did so because Assange was an
Australian citizen - and that "Enough was enough." He also
stressed - That this
case received a great deal of support from all sides of
politics.

Hopefully, Assange and
his family will now be allowed to enjoy and recover from their
ordeal without much further fuss.

One thing that was made clear by Assange's lawyers was that
despite all the criticisms of what Assange did - the judge
who accepted Assange's guilty plea stated that no victims
had been identified and no one was harmed by the WikiLeaks
disclosures. That the US could not identify any personal victim
from what WikiLeaks published. The lawyers felt this was
important to note.

The Assange case will undoubtedly continue to be discussed
from various points of view for quite some time yet.

I guess it depends on how one feels about accountability
and whether those in power and making decisions should
have to account for those decisions - to their peers, their
electorates, and, if crimes or violations of laws have
occurred, to the courts.

Given the huge consequences for soldiers, their families,
as well as civilians of the countries involved in conflicts
should decisions made during a conflict be subject to
scrutiny and review?

Should investigative journalism be allowed to publish
information received and let the public know what is
being done on their behalf and in their name? Or should
it be kept secret?

How important is accountability in a democracy?

Foxy wrote she didn't want to discuss how conspiracy theories became facts but then wrote "All have been disproven. ranging from the Chinese lab - COVID theory,"

The lab theory has been disproven?? Wow Foxy, do you just write this gumph in the hope it'll sail through or are you truly this ill-informed. I'm going with all the above. There are many reasons to be anti-Trump, one of which is to be utterly ignorant of all the issues. That's our Foxy.

Lab-leak theory disproven...wow what a dill!!

___________________________________________________________________

Just on the rape charges that St Julian avoided...
There were two separate incidents. One was a women who said she consented to sex only after she'd convinced him to wear a condom but that he'd taken it off without her knowledge thus forcing her to have unprotected sex. The other women said while Assange was staying with her, he'd wanted sex but she'd refused because he wouldn't wear a condom. Then she awoke in the morning with him inside her without a condom.

Now if was a Catholic priest who did this, the usual crowd would be demanding the death sentence(!) but they want to excuse it here. MeToo is truly dead.

The cases weren't dropped because of incompatibility in British and Swedish law but because the Swedes determined that there was no reasonable prospect of ever getting him back to Sweden.

A Swedish woman's group said yesterday that it remains lamentable that he never stood trial for what he did.

So the lessons are obvious. Lock up your daughters - or your mothers

The person Foxy laughingly calls 'our' PM is all over this. Its becoming increasingly clear that Albo has become the fair-weather leader of Australia. When there's good news to be told or something that might scrounge up a few extra votes, Albo's all over the news.

And thus it was with Assange...Albo's all over the place beaming with the thought of a few extra media points.

But if there's bad new around, Albo's suddenly out to lunch. In all the hoopla about St Julian yesterday, new disastrous inflation figures were released. And where was Albo following that announcement? Nowhere to be seen. Instead his underlings had to face the music.

We saw the same over the Lakemba stabbing video. Where the bureaucrats decided that they had to power to stop the whole world from seeing the attack, Albo was all in, all over the news telling anyone who'd listen what a swine Elon Musk was for not following the censorious dictates from Canberra.

But when Musk won the argument and the censors in Canberra realised they had neither the legal power nor moral authority to stop the world from seeing the video, Albo was again out to lunch. Again the underlings had to take the heat.

After all there are no votes in admitting that you'd illegally tried to suppress information.

Our better PM's, like Hawke and Howard, were well known for NOT leaving others to take the heat when things went askew and for that they generated significant loyalty. Others, like Albo, who happily hang colleges out to dry, often find a knife in their back when things turn sour.

mhaze

Don't argue with idiots. They will reduce you to their level and beat you with experience. 

Hi mhaze

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

Cheers Mavs

Talking about stupidity?

"A stupid man's report of what a clever man says can never
be accurate because he unconsciously translates what he hears
into something he can understand."
(Bertrand Russell).

The following is a highly recommended read:

http://amazon.com.au/Trial-Julian-Assange-Story-Persecution/dp/1839766220

It's available from your local public libraries and at
all good bookshops.

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

Despite all the rubbish about freedom of speech and freedom of the press that's been written about Assange over the years here's what he finally pled guilty to...

" guilty to a single criminal count of conspiring to obtain and disclose classified U.S. national defense documents".

Not publishing the documents but conspiring to obtain them ie working with Bradley Manning (who now likes to parade around as a women) to steal classified information. (NB: whether the documents should have been classified is a different issue as to exactly what his crime was).

Had the case gone to court the US government claimed they had evidence that Assange encouraged, advised and helped Manning nick the data.
So again, nothing to do with the publication of the data which many others did without penalty.

But the beatification of Assange requires that he be treated like a freedom of the press martyr so the disinformation will continue

The following may be of interest:

http://theguardian.com/law/2023/mar/28/more-than-800-secrecy-laws-keeping-australian-government-information-from-the-public-paper-shows

Many novices see the release of Assange as a victory for journalistic freedom.

But its also a continuation of the old British policy of transporting convicted felons and other undesirables to Australia.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange returned home to
Australia as a free man!

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange returned home to Australia as a convicted felon!

"continuation of the old British policy of transporting convicted felons and other undesirables to Australia."

A big thumbs up on that...LOL

Julian Assange in the eyes of many:

"Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
It must have been cold there in my shadow
To never have sunlight on your face
You were content to let me shine, that's your way
You always walked a step behind

So I was the one with all the glory
While you were the one with all the strength
A beautiful face without a name for so long
A beautiful smile to hide the pain

Did you ever know that you're my hero
And everything I would like to be?
I can fly higher than an eagle
For you are the wind beneath my wings

It might have appeared to go unnoticed
But I've got it all here in my heart
I want you to know I know the truth, of course I know it
I would be nothing without you
Did you ever know that you're my hero?

You're everything I wish I could be
I could fly higher than an eagle
For you are the wind beneath my wings
Did I ever tell you you're my hero?

You're everything, everything I wish I could be
Oh, and I, I could fly higher than an eagle
For you are the wind beneath my wings
'Cause you are the wind beneath my wings

Oh, the wind beneath my wings
You, you, you, you are the wind beneath my wings
Fly, fly, fly away, you let me fly so high
Oh, you, you, you, the wind beneath my wings
Oh, you, you, you, the wind beneath my wings

Fly, fly, fly high against the sky
So high I almost touch the sky
Thank you, thank you
Thank God for you, the wind beneath my wings".

Hi Maverick,

Julian Assange returned home to Australia. He wasn't
sent to a penal colony in chains to be kept in prison.
He flew back home to his own country, an Australian Citizen,
not a British prisoner. He flew home a free man. Big
difference between Australia in colonial days and Australia
today.

This difference should be noted. It might help us to understand
why the PM and our MPs - went to bat for Assange - an Australian
Citizen.

My hope now is for Assange and his family to
now settle down in this country and live happily as a
family out of the spotlight. To get back to normality.
Surely, they should do that for all their sakes, especially
for their children.

I hope that we won't hear any more political speeches
especially from Stella Assange -
who should simply stay in the
background for her husband's and family's sake. She needs to stop
stirring the pot - and making speeches at press conferences at
Parliament House. Be grateful for the release of your husband -
and let sleeping dogs lie.

The Australian newspaper writes that Foreign Minister
Penny Wong has said "the government will not tolerate
the leaking of top secret information like
that published by Julian Assange."

This is a warning to Mr Assange regarding his future
activities in Australia.

Lets hope that this will be noted and that everyone will
now move on. The government did its job in bringing an
Australian Citizen home. The Australian Citizen and his
family should now move on - as the government is doing.

Hopefully this story has now ended.

Hi Foxy,

"the government will not tolerate
the leaking of top secret information like
that published by Julian Assange."

So the exposure of war crimes, the murder of innocent people by Australian military criminals, will not be tolerated, that's the exposure not the murders. Of course the Australian government and/or the military are going to freely fess up to those criminal acts. We can see how that has happened in the past. General Brassbottom rushing out into the street to tell all and sundry about the acts of his murderous men, okay, I can't wait for that day.

Hi Paul,

I think that Penny Wong's statement is meant to discourage
any future Julian Assange's actions in Australia.
It's a warning to hackers in general - not to delve into government
security documents.

Some things do need to remain confidential. I think we
can all agree on that.

Hi Foxy

It'll be interesting if Assange's love of fame, achieved through publishing stolen Western secrets, finally trumps the deal Assange made with Albo's government - that Assange should now follow the legal straight and narrow.

Working against that is Trump, no doubt boosting Assange's ego by Trump saying he would consider pardoning Assange if/when Trump again becomes president.

Cheers Mavs

All the US have done is taken an impediment to working with Australia off the table.

"Working against that is Trump, no doubt boosting Assange's ego by Trump saying he would consider pardoning Assange if/when Trump again becomes president."

Trump had his chance to pardon Assange.
Indeed he should've because Assange had published the Podesta emails prior to the 2016 elections and helped put Trump in the Whitehouse, but maybe that conflict of interest was why he didn't.
Trump chose people like Mike Pompeo and John Bolton.

I saw about 10 minutes of the Trump /Biden debate, it was so exciting I decided to go clean the fridge instead.

Tucker Carlson scorches ‘stupid’ Australian journalist during Canberra visit
http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/tucker-carlson-scorches-stupid-australian-journalist-during-canberra-visit/news-story/406191900b528d0f0607256a44dd791a
- She was stupid alright.

"Some things do need to remain confidential. I think we
can all agree on that."

- If the Australian government is committing wrongdoing in my name Foxy I'd rather it be exposed than it continue.

.

Dear Foxy & Paul,

.

I agree with Foxy that “some things do need to remain confidential”.

They “need to remain confidential” in the interest of the Australian people – not just in the interest of the political clique or some other coterie that has a vested interest in something remaining confidential.

Australia's Right to Know (ARK) alliance, a coalition of leading Australian media outlets and organisations, nicely sums it up :

« There are three core principles that should govern whether secrecy provisions are implemented or otherwise preserved in Australia:

1. All non-disclosure/secrecy offences must protect the paramount importance of the Australian people's right to know about the conduct of its own government and its administrative actions. This requires robust journalist protections.

2. Any criminal sanction must require an intention to cause harm to a recognisable public interest.

3. There must be clear, meaningful and serious harm to a recognisable public interest, and any criminal sanction must be proportional to address that harm.

Without these principles in place, Australia is left in a position where there is a severe chilling effect on journalism, as journalists cannot report for fear they have unknowingly breached one of the many secrecy provisions and will face criminal consequences ».

It seems to me that the case of Julian Assange should be considered in the light of these principles.

.

Hi Forum Friends,

I'm sorry but I can't agree with the broad statement; "Some things do need to remain confidential." yes certain legal things clearly in the national interest should remain confidential, out of the public view, BUT acts of criminality MUST always be exposed, otherwise the government of the day could, and most likely would, use the claim of "national security" to cover up all sorts of wrong doing. I totally agree with 'Parliamentary Privilege', 'Freedom Of The Press' and 'Free Speech' all of witch can have dire consequences for anyone who abuses those freedoms.

Should we go with the official number what is it almost 40 thousand Palestinians, or the unofficial number which is likely in the 150,000 to 200,000 range?

US bombs work great on civilians, but not so good against a peer adversary.
Ukraine lost 13,000 killed and injured last week.
The US likes weapons sales but can't win wars for that exact same reason.
- Its military industrial complex is built around profit not substance.

Overpriced junk
Before you think about fighting any war first prepare to go bankrupt.

Recently, after announcing that Australia had had a spy in its political class, ASIO covered up for him or her. We will never know who it was.

Now, we have a real life, convicted spy who will be splashed all over the media, and hailed as some sort of hero. Warped! And Albanese is grinning like an ape about it. Really warped! He is “very proud” of whatever he thinks he did to get Assange back with us.

And, best of all, Albanese got the opportunity to spend more of our money for our Ambassador Rudd and High Commissioner to the OK, Smith, to travel and stick their oars, for no purpose whatsoever.

The whole thing is revolting. There are not enough words to describe the appalling, criminal Assange. He is an embarrassment to Australia. And we are stuck with him.

I am all for government accountability in every day
life. However, we have secret service agencies for
a reason. And I'm not sure that security information
should be published putting our men and women's lives
at risk.

I feel uneasy about doing that.

Dear Banjo,

Thanks for the 3 principles you listed.

I think they are fair.

We do have safeguards in place to protect us all.
We should abide by them. They're there for a reason.

While the anti-U.S ranters babble about what Assange did to America, they need reminding that he, who could be described as a traitor, leaked information about Australian military operations, defence strategies, and communications with US officials.

See sec. 80.1 of the Criminal Code Act on assisting those engaged in armed hostilities against the ADF.

Just because the U.S looks to be satisfied (two Leftist governments doing a deal) does not wipe out Assange's offences against his own country.

The pathetic and gutless manoeuvring by Australian and American governments has set a dangerous precedent for some other crackpot to hand out information to the enemy.

Reporters without borders (RSF) examines 12 misconceptions
about the Julian Assange case:

http://rsf.org/en/rsf-dispels-common-misconceptions-case-against-julian-assange

Another nasty piece of work, Labor senator Fatima Payman, looks like getting away with using her Australia taxpayer election, payment and responsibility to Australia to make demands for foreigners - Palestinians. Nothing whatsoever to do with her duty to Australia. It seems that being a Muslim in Australia gives you special privileges - or at least allows you to step out of line as other ALP politicians are not permitted to.

This Senator barracks for a Palestinian state (none of her business as an Australian politician) and doesn't believe that Israel has a right to exist. She won't even condemn the Hamas and Gazan barbarity that started the current conflict.

And the idiot, Richard Marles, says that this type of person makes “a real contribution in the Senate on behalf of the Australian Labor Party”; blowing up himself, the Senator and the Labor Party with a few silly words.

Payman, Marles and, by their words and action, the Labor party, are contemptible.

200 current and former politicians have signed a letter
demanding Australia recognise Palestine as a state and
re-examine its relationship with Israel.

Israeli military official says Hamas cannot be destroyed, as rift with Netanyahu widens
http://edition.cnn.com/2024/06/20/middleeast/hagari-netanyahu-destroy-hamas-israel-intl/index.html

Did I not say it back in October?
I told you what was going to happen that it would be a recruitment drive for Hamas and Israel would be hated in the eyes of the world.

Hasn't Israel picked a fight with Hezbollah in Lebanon yet?
It will be the real beginning of the end for them if they do.
They will have Islamic fighters coming for the holy war from all across the region, and who will come to Israels aid, when they are accused of genocide and have warrants against them in the ICC, and are accused of war crimes, torture, executions, deliberate killing of women kids and journalists in order to terrorise the populace into not supporting their leadership.

Maybe it's time the Israeli leadership reaped what they've sowed.
They need to be locked up for the rest of their natural lives for what they've done.

"While the anti-U.S ranters babble about what Assange did to America, they need reminding that he, who could be described as a traitor, leaked information about Australian military operations, defence strategies, and communications with US officials."

I think our government should cut all military ties with the US immediately, and take a position of neutrality and not involve ourselves in the internal affairs of other nations, or take part in sanctions on the United States behalf.

.

There is an interesting editorial by Katherine Viner, editor-in-chief, in this morning’s edition of the Guardian.

Viner writes, inter alia :


• « The act under which Assange was charged allows no defence in the public interest »

• « Journalists are in physical and legal peril across the world … deaths of more than 100 journalists in Gaza since the war began. »

• « … closed-door trial of the Wall Street Journal’s Evan Gershkovich, who is accused by Russia of spying, charges that he, his employer and the US government have described as politically motivated. And, in India, the novelist Arundhati Roy, an outspoken critic of the prime minister, Narendra Modi, is being prosecuted under anti-terrorism legislation for comments made about Kashmir in 2010. »

• « With the far right on the rise, and the spectre of a Trump presidency on the horizon after the alarming TV debate with Joe Biden on Thursday night, things could get worse for the free press. It’s vital we stand up for it. »
.

So, let’s not focus on Julian Assange. He is not the problem. He is the finger that points to the problem.

The problem is disinformation, misinformation, hate speech and deadly attacks against journalists and the media that are threatening the freedom of the press worldwide :

Here is what a seasoned journalist has to say about the prospects of his profession :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13VJyqgZqGk

.

Hi BP,

I didn't agree with “some things do need to remain confidential” as a broad principle. I assume you believe government with its law making authority should be the final arbitrator of what is "confidential", allowing for legal interpretation of the law. Your last post seems to be in opposition to that notion of government as the final arbitrator, wanting an allowance for "freedom of the press" with its public interest and a right to know provisions. If you apply the principal of confidentiality then Assange and others are guilty, but if its freedom of press with a right to know, then Assange and others are not guilty. It can't be both, how do you strike a balance between the two?

Hi Banjo Patterson,

"The problem is disinformation, misinformation, hate speech and deadly attacks against journalists and the media that are threatening the freedom of the press worldwide:"

Well the ones in Gaza were assassinations.
I watched your video, and I'm not sure I liked what he said about 'remaking journalism'.
I just want the facts, I don't really care about the person writing its personal opinion.
And to be honest with you, I'm not sure what the 'journalism' teachers are teaching these young people.

Watch this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Xf4MBJmy_E

I've got to tell you, I'm sick and tired of this kind of rubbish journalism.
It's a journalists job to research things properly to present to the public to make their own opinion on, not the journalists job to 'sell you their opinion'.

Attacking the people they interview is like the absolute lowest form of human behavior to me.
She only went there to write a 'gotcha hit piece'
I'm sick of these people, they deserve to be smacked quiet, and I'm glad Tucker put her in her place.

They act like children not adults and they expect to be respected.
I hate this kind of behaviour, and I would ban all these people from journalism.

It's not journalism, it's teenage school yard bitch fests dragged into the adult world.

So yep, I'm all for attacking journalists myself when they act this way.
If we set the bar so low it's no wonder they feed us a diet of sub-par rubbish.

http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/article/2024/jun/29/the-week-in-parliament-the-theoretical-impossibility-of-tucker-carlson-and-nuclear-tensions-simmer-in-coalition-ranks

"Far-right provocateur ducks cocktail party, Climate 200 takes aim at fresh electoral targets and Labor MP stumbles into a nest of Nats"

It's the leftwing woke journalists that are causing the divisiveness as much as anyone.

It's just like Hilary Clinton calling Americans 'deplorables'.

These people are happy to insult Australians who hold different views to them, and I'm sick of all the diviseness and looking down there noses at others...

It's ok if I do it, I'm just a reader, commenter, citizen, but these people are supposed to present facts and be impartial, and I'm sick of their divisiveness BS. I've haddit with them and their teachers.

Why is he 'Far-right provocateur'.
He was a more highly regarded journalist than any of them writing about him.
Is it just automatic seething hatred from university indoctrinated children, or do we actually not have any adult non-woke non-retarded journalists in the country?

Only 8 posters interested in this.

It is said that St Julian will make millions by selling his story as a book and movie and that he'll be able to charge 6-figure sums to give talks to the usual fools who fall for this type of charade.

There are laws in Australia about criminals making money by selling the story about their crimes. And Assange has already admitted he's a criminal.

Hands up all those who think this milquetoast excuse for a government will doing anything to enforce that law.

"It will be the real beginning of the end for them [Israel[ if they do [go to war with Hezbollah] ."

This is from the man who confidently told us that Odessa would fall within weeks. He told us that two years ago!!

This is from the man who confidently told us that the fall of Bakhmut would result in a massive break-out of Russian forces throughout Ukraine. Somehow that didn't happen.

So let's all treat his latest predictions about Israel with the respect his previous predictions warrant.

BTW things are going so well for Putin in his Donbass meat-grinder that he's had to beg North Korea to send some of their forces over to act as more cannon-fodder.

ttbn,

How many posters do you get interested in your discussions?

With ABC, at one point, calling Assange's return a "MOMENTOUS" occasion this has since turned out to be a fart in fan factory fizzer.

Oh we've suffered sacred talk from Assange's Wikileaks retinue eg. from Jules current Wiki-Wife.

I don't think that any of us can really predict what
Julian Assange will do in the future. Personally, I
can't imagine him retiring completely. But, I do think
that it will take time for him to get over what he's
been through. I can't even begin to imagine what being
locked up in solitary confinement for 23 hours would
be like.

There's a lot to get over before he can even think of
the future. It will be taking one day at a time for w
while.

I wish him and his family a happy, and successful
transition to relative normality. Slowly does it.

One wonders about Wiki-Wife, Stella Assange.

Will she be happy being non-confrontational and an EX-Wikileaker [1] far from home in the Convict Colony? [2]

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stella_Assange#Work_for_Julian_Assange

[2] http://youtu.be/ssxffJHO4HE?si=vlHlSUA0EL65mXDT&t=24s

"So let's all treat his latest predictions about Israel with the respect his previous predictions warrant."

Israel can go right ahead and attack Hezbollah and see what happens for all I care.
If Israel hasn't yet learned there's a price for the things it does then it deserves whatever happens to it.

America is trying to remove Israels missile defense.
I'm sure that's a first, Israel being told it's not the first priority.

US and Israel in talks to send Patriot systems to Ukraine — report
http://www.timesofisrael.com/us-and-israel-in-talks-to-send-patriot-systems-to-ukraine-report/
'White House working to convince Netanyahu that Russia’s closeness with Iran justifies risk of fallout, FT reports, as Western countries make push for Ukrainian air defense'

If you think America's adversaries aren't watching on while Joe Biden pulls faces like he's crapped his depends during the debate, and taking note of the Wests poor state of military inventory, they most certainly are.

America and NATO have been demilitarised.

"BTW things are going so well for Putin in his Donbass meat-grinder that he's had to beg North Korea to send some of their forces over to act as more cannon-fodder."

Yes, not too badly, Putin has the initiative.
The West and it's vassals are running around in panic mode.
It's the Ukrainians who are cannon-fodder, 13 thousand lost just last week - killed or critically injured, not coming back.
These young poorly trained 18 year olds dragged from their homes or off the street, they just don't want to fight. They're not even mentally prepared for the hell and carnage they are sent into. TOS heavy flamethrower and FAB3000 bombs make an awful mess, not to mention being hunted by drones, they're like lambs to the slaughter.
True story, happening right now.

"It is said", by whom, YOU. Mr Mhaze Trumpster, you and your cronies have a lot to say at party meetings down there in that Far Right Bunker of yours, you emerge, and then post party rants on this forum. If Assange sells his story, good luck to him, you're only jello because no one would give two bob for your story. Chill out old salt, and have a couple more coffin nails and relax while you still can.

.

Dear Paul,

.

You wrote :

1. « If you apply the principal of confidentiality then Assange and others are guilty, but if its freedom of press with a right to know, then Assange and others are not guilty. It can't be both, how do you strike a balance between the two? »
.

Life is full of contradictions, Paul, and it’s difficult to find our way out of the maze. The best bet, in my opinion, is to follow the path that best respects the public interest as described by Australia's Right to Know (ARTK) alliance (cf., my post on top of page 11 of this thread).

The public has a right to know if there is evidence of war crimes having been committed. It is not in their best interests for this to be ignored.

As Katherine Viner, editor-in-chief of the Guardian, pointed out: the act under which Assange was charged allows no defence in the public interest.
.

2. « I assume you believe government with its law-making authority should be the final arbitrator of what is "confidential", allowing for legal interpretation of the law. »

Dictatorships such as in Russia, China, North Korea, Iran, etc. exercise full control over the media and brainwash their populations with whatever propaganda suits their purpose.

Democracies depend not only on government-controlled media but also on so-called “free media”, including, increasingly, social media, for information.

The US Pentagon blamed the media for the loss of the Vietnam War in 1954–1975. Since then, the US military and many nations in the “free world” only allow strictly limited access and only by certified war correspondents to their military operations.

.

(Continued …)

.

.

(Continued …)

.

That being the case, it is difficult to imagine how any covert operations could possibly become known to the public – if it were not for a few, very rare individuals such as the two vigilantes, Chelsea Manning and Julian Assange.

Do I “believe government with its law-making authority should be the final arbitrator of what is "confidential" ?

Theoretically, it should. But I am not foolish enough to “believe” it would (I try to limit my beliefs to a strict minimum). I find it difficult to imagine any government having committed or condoned war crimes – or any other crimes, for that matter – arbitrating in favour of the revelation of their crimes or cover-ups to the public.

Unless someone comes up with a better idea, I guess we’ll just have to hope that someone might have the courage to blow the whistle when something like that occurs.

.

Thanks Banjo for your response,

Starting from the end first; "I guess we’ll just have to hope that someone might have the courage to blow the whistle when something like that occurs." AND THANK YOU JULIAN ASSANGE.

It's absurd to think crimes committed by government and its functionaries would be freely admitted and fairly prosecuted by government. It ain't gonar happen in our lifetime! Unless of course you have the above, or some independent commission to investigate and prosecute the guilty.

The public interest, and the public's right to know, some might see that as "the busybody rule" Why, it don't concern the public, why do they need to know, if a couple of the lads shoot some goat farmer in Afghanistan, that's war, tough sh!t, its all for the greater good, gotta break a few eggs to make an omelette! Of course I don't agree with that, but its often the attitude peddled by some on this very forum. Assange was sticking his nose in where it did't belong. Should have minded his own business, therefore he got what he deserved.

.

Dear Armchair Critic,

.

You wrote :

« I just want the facts, I don't really care about the person writing its personal opinion … I've got to tell you, I'm sick and tired of this kind of rubbish journalism.

It's a journalist's job to research things properly to present to the public to make their own opinion on, not the journalist's job to 'sell you their opinion »
.

I think it is necessary to examine what we mean by journalism, Armchair Critic.

Journalism is a generic term that, like most professions, is composed of various specialised tasks that require different technical, artistic, communicational, and managerial competencies.

The OED defines it as “the occupation of reporting, writing, editing, photographing, or broadcasting news or of conducting any news organization as a business”.

As for writing, which you find so distasteful, there are basically three different types of articles written by three different types of journalists : reporters, editorialists and editors.

Reporters report the news and stick to the facts and nothing but the facts as objectively as possible. Editorialists express their personal opinions as clearly and comprehensively as possible. Editors express the opinion of the newspaper or magazine on some current topic considered to be of major importance.

As for Tucker Carlson whom you mentioned and for whom you posted a video, this is what the Britannica has to say about his promotion of the replacement theory as a legitimate political viewpoint :

« … the claim that national governments or unspecified elites are secretly directing the replacement and eventual elimination of whites has circulated among fringe groups of white supremacists, anti-Semites, and other right-wing extremists since at least the late 19th century.

The replacement fantasy received much wider attention in the early 21st century with the publication of Le Grand Remplacement (2011), by the French writer and activist Renaud Camus.

.

(Continued …)

.

.

(Continued …)

.

Right-wing media personalities, including Fox News commentators Tucker Carlson and Laura Ingraham, also attested to the conspiracy, though in ostensibly milder language that did not directly refer to race or explicitly invoke anti-Semitism. Thus, Carlson claimed that liberal Democrats were attempting to replace “you” (the viewer)—implicitly understood to be white—with immigrants from “Third World” (developing) countries—implicitly understood to be non-white—in order to create a permanent electoral majority loyal to the Democratic Party. Carlson in particular was intent on promoting replacement theory as a legitimate political viewpoint, and it was a major theme of his talk show, Tucker Carlson Tonight, since the program’s launch in 2016. »

.

Hi Banjo Patterson,

My issue isn't about the topic Tucker Carlson was discussing.
Many topics are difficult and contentious, and some people always like to frame a topic in a way that suits their own biases.

My issue is the attitude of the interviewer;
They act as though they are personally more relevant and important than the person being interviewed.
I don't like the open disrespect.

It's like they put their hand up to ask a question, and then act like a verbal hitman just waiting to ambush the person they are talking 'at', as opposed to 'with'.

I'm not specifically defending the Tucker Carlson content.
- Though I do think he makes a reasonable argument - people aren't wanting to have kids as much and the government and big business is making up its growth and profit targets by importing people.
We even import people to work at a rate we wouldn't even pay our own citizens to keep certain industries viable.
- But that's going into the topic itself, and my real issue here was the attitude and demeaner of disrespectful journalists, and their hitsquad interview techniques.

I can laugh at toilet humour.
But I can't laugh at the way these 'journalists' handle themselves.
It's disrespectful, sad and pathetic.

I don't even like that Alison Langdon from A Current Affair.
These type of people come across snarky and snippy and it's just cringeworthy and horrible to watch.

AC wrote: "Israel can go right ahead and attack Hezbollah and see what happens for all I care.'

As I pointed out earlier, his predictions are almost universally shown to be astray. But not only does he get the future wrong, he also gets the present wrong as well. You see, its actually Hezbullah attacking Israel at the instructions of their Iranian sponsors, but he won't understand that.

"13 thousand lost just last week - killed or critically injured"

AC just makes these things up and then convinces himself they are true. There is simply no way that this number is true, even if anyone actually knew how many are dying on each side. But the fact that Putin needs to sell out his country to get a few North Koreans as cannon-fodder, suggests things aren't going all that well for the Russians. As are things like the fact that they've likely abandoned Sevastopol as a haven for their vastly depleted Black Sea fleet, and that Ukraine's drones are now hitting ammo dumps well inside Russia.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JR3dX7GuHDE

_____________________________________________________________________

For information deprived Paul who refuses to believe anything that doesn't fall in line with his daffy ideas...
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13574163/Julian-Assange-profit-jail-book-movie.html

Talking about books and profits?

Many politicians, journalists, and others, have made attempts
to tell their stories via book publishing. Some have
been successful, others not so much. It's inevitable that people
want to tell their side of the story. And if profit can be
made - I guess that's a plus, as well as being good for one's
ego. On the other hand it the attempt bombs - as with "Lazarus
Rising," - not so good.

Trump's the "Art of the Deal," is very revealing. As is "The Trial
and Persecution of Julian Assange." Most of the books are
available from local libraries - so they are accessible.

The more we research, the better informed we can be.

My apologies - I got the book's title about Assange
wrong. Here it is:

"The Trial of Julian Assange: A Story of Persecution,"
by Nils Metzer.

Google Books tells us that :

"Nils Metzer is the UN Special Rapporteur on torture.
He uncovers a systematic campaign to persecute Assange.
Metzer reveals that Assange has faced grave and
systematic due process violations, judicial bias,
collusion, and manipulated evidence."

"Assange has been the victim of constant surveillance
and threats. Mitzer has also gathered together consolidated
medical evidence that proves that Assange in prison has
suffered prolonged psychological torture." Like spending
23 hours daily in solitary confinement.

"Mitzer's compelling investigation puts both the UK and the
US states into the dock showing how through secrecy, impunity,
and crucially public indifference to unchecked power reveals
a deeply undemocratic system."

We're told that _ "furthermore the Assange case sets a
dangerous precedent once telling the truth becomes a crime,
censorship, and tyranny will inevitably follow."

The book should give us all food for thought.

Russia Unleashes Mayhem On Ukrainian Forces, NATO Weapons; '13000 Dead In 14 Group Strikes'
Jun 22, 2024, 02:36PM ISTSource: TOI.in
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/videos/international/russia-unleashes-mayhem-on-ukrainian-forces-nato-weapons-13000-dead-in-14-group-strikes/videoshow/111187511.cms

"The Russian Defence Forces, in its weekly report, claimed that Ukraine suffered heavy men and machinery loss during the last week. Russian military claimed that over 13000 Ukrainian soldiers have been eliminated across the frontline while 37 others have surrendered. Defence ministry said that Russian forces also destroyed several tanks, vehicles including - U.S.-made Himars, German-made Leopard Tanks, French-made Hammer Guided Bombs - to name a few."

The FABs are having significant impact on hostilities.
So much so, the Ukrainians are moving Patriot systems close to the front to try and intercept them, and the Russians are shooting down the Patriot missiles.
A normal 155mm artilery shell has a 7kg charge.
These FAB3000's are satellite guided 3 ton bombs with wing kits that allow them to glide 40 miles to their target.
http://x.com/squatsons/status/1807492451210236158
The Ukrainians are being killed and critically injured at around 2000 men a day.

I think there are a few battalions who are refusing to obey combat orders.
The fighting ranks are increasingly made up of 60+ year old men and 18 year old kids.

If you all want to watch a really thought provoking discussion about the state of things, I recommend this.

I watch a lot of good videos, but this one is really good and it's for everyone.
It'll make you stop and think about where we are really headed right now.
It's about our ideology, we need to be conscious of what we're actually doing.

Liberal Hegemony and War - Prof Glenn Diesen at FOR
http://youtu.be/vNJ6Fn-nGj4

" Russian military claimed that over 13000 Ukrainian soldiers have been eliminated"
Oh well, if the Russian said it, it must be true!

What won't AC fall for?

mhaze,
I listen to western military and political analysts.
You obviously listen to western newspapers.

You should probably watch that last video.
It could be very informative to someone like you.
Try to unscramble your brain.

Find out what's really wrong with the west and our stupid ideology in regards to 'liberal rules based order'.

Then do yourself a favour and learn something about Russia.

Scott Ritter: Russia is DESTROYING Ukraine’s Army and NATO Won’t Survive Putin’s Next Move
http://youtu.be/CwiyIRm0DX8

.

Dear Armchair Critic,

.

You wrote :

« My issue is the attitude of the interviewer;

They act as though they are personally more relevant and important than the person being interviewed.

I don't like the open disrespect »
.

Yes, some are pretentious, some are politically biased and some just want to blow their own horn and hold the centre stage as long as possible. Others don’t do much else apart from holding a microphone in front of the person supposedly being “interviewed”.

Like just about every other profession, I guess, it’s a mixed bag of some of the best and a lot of the worst.

Here is an article on how the written press in my home territory has evolved over the years :

http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/article/2024/jun/30/we-dont-know-whats-going-on-any-more-how-australia-lost-its-rural-newspapers?utm_term=66820da25c89882dc90d86d3d35ccd47&utm_campaign=GuardianTodayAUS&utm_source=esp&utm_medium=Email&CMP=GTAU_email

.

AC

"I listen to western military and political analysts."

Yes, you might listen to all sorts of stuff. But you only believe the stuff that supports the views you've already set. Only accepting views that are supportive of what you already decided you want to be true isn't a search for truth - its a search for confirmation.

This is how you end up with daft notions like the eminent fall of Odessa, the massive breakout following the fall of Bakhmut or the straight up lies about the Russian language bans. These are all things you asserted with the same certainty you show today based on what the people you choose to believe have told you. And they were all wrong. To my way of thinking, if you get led down the garden path once, you don't follow that person any longer. But not only do you not learn from you past errors, you double down on them.

As to my knowledge of Russia, I've told you before that I spent 30 years of my career visiting Russia at least twice a year and I maintain a group of Russian friends who are happy to keep me informed about the on-the-ground views in Moscow, St Petersburg and the provinces. Some are pro-Putin, some aren't. I don't rely on anything I read in western or Russian press but do put a degree of credence on actual video evidence - eg the partial abandonment of Sevasterpol.

And I always remain cognisant of the 'fog of war' and the fact that truth is the first casualty of war. That's why I'd never ever fall for claims from one side about the other side's casualties. 13000 deaths!! how naive can you be?

"Yes, you might listen to all sorts of stuff. But you only believe the stuff that supports the views you've already set. Only accepting views that are supportive of what you already decided you want to be true isn't a search for truth - its a search for confirmation."

Well, those people opinions have been confirmed many many times over.

And that may be how you see it, but at the same time that's exactly what you'd say if you were listening to the crap that was coming out of the West.

Go here - they will tell you everything you want to hear to confirm your own biases and keep banging the drums of war.
http://www.youtube.com/@ListenToTimesRadio

Don't bother listening to anyone sensible.

Everything you need to believe to remain invested in a losing war for the sake of the US empire.
Hope you've got your rifle and pack ready, coz that's where we're all headed if the 'majority' of dumb schmucks don't wake up.

The claims you all make will be proven false in time, just as all the claims I make will probably come to pass.

"13000 deaths!! how naive can you be?"
You are the one who's being naive, because you can't comprehend the scale of death and carnage that untrained Ukrainians are being sent into. Even Zelensky can't hide it, they've come out saying they're mobilising 5000 a day, but that's a lie. And they are also talking about the fact that Ukraine can't maintain this forever and will have to negotiate.

But you won't hear that, because it might damage Bidens election chances and in case you haven't heard that means the end of the free world, with Donald Trump being elected.

"eg the partial abandonment of Sevasterpol."

Well they are in range of drones and missiles from Odessa.
Keep deliberately killing civilians and Putin will just keep increasing his buffer zone. It will just harden Russian resolve to end up taking Odessa instead of leaving it on the table for negotiations.

Russia has several entire armies not even committed to the fight yet, he's holding them back in case of full NATO intervention, but right now he's happy to chew the Ukrainians up slowly, that's what winning a war of attrition means, he could go faster but would take more losses, meanwhile the West is losing the economic battle, Europes becoming fractured, and in recession, all those leaders will be gone soon as predicted.

And considering Russia has taken out a large amount of energy infrastructure and winters coming, what are the Ukrainians going to do?
They don't have weapons, they don't have ammunition.
They're not getting any more aid till after November, if they get any.
Wat are they going to do - Freeze?

Putin is slowly denazifying and demilitarising, as planned.
And they have BRICS, they have all the resources and countries are lining up the give the US the boot.

The West is destroying itself clinging onto the past.
Thinking it could rule the whole world with a payment system.
Thats naive.

Hi AC,

Why don't you start your own discussion on the evil
West and the glories of Putin? instead of deflecting
and trying to divert this discussion?

There's a good chap.

We're all aware that to Putin the Ukraine is merely
a stepping stone to his dream of restoring the Soviet
Empire. And your saying people should stop living in
the past? Putin wants to bring the past back. Saying
he's de-nazifying is absurd - considering the Soviet's
history.

AC,

I keep bringing up your predictions and claims from the past which have been comprehensively shown to be utter bunkum. Yet you simply ignore all that and then proclaim that your predictions from here on are completely valid. I don't expect that you'll understand how unconvincing that it, but just ignoring all the ways you were previously led down the garden path is a recipe for more trips down there.

You've been predicting the imminent demise of Ukraine now for two years and yet the bloodbath continues. But you'll keep telling yourself the Ukrainians are on the brink because you just want it to be so.

"Russia has several entire armies not even committed"

And yet they had to go cap in hand to North Korea to beg for more cannon-fodder. Logically that doesn't make sense so forgive me if I treat your claim as rubbish.

"Well they are in range of drones and missiles from Odessa."

Oh well that's OK then because haven't you assured us from all your sources that Odessa's on the brink of being taken!!

"Everything you need to believe to remain invested in a losing war for the sake of the US empire."

I've told you this several times, but as we've seen you don't take in anything that doesn't conform to your prejudices. So I'll repeat... I'm not invested in this war. I don't support Ukraine. I said from day one I took the Kissinger stance of hoping both sides lose. But I do follow the war closely as a student of history and warfare and I can see that most of the gumph you spout is a case of merely falling for war propaganda. I've previously pointed out the same things to the few pro-Ukrainian propagandists we have here.

So the only side I'm on is the truth

Ukraine thwarts plot to overthrow government in failed coup attempt
http://www.foxnews.com/world/ukraine-thwarts-plot-to-overthrow-government-in-failed-coup-attempt

Japan Rejects US Punishments On China, Japan Giant Toyota Desperate For Shanghai EV Factory
http://youtu.be/9O-NRYPniDY

The west is a leaky boat
They can keep trying to scoop the water out
But its going to keep coming in and the boat is eventually going to be swamped, and its going to sink.

Russia has become so economically isolated that China could order the end of war in Ukraine

http://theconversation.com/russia-has-become-so-economically-isolated-that-china-could-order-the-end-of-war-in-ukraine-232951

The people who write this kind of thing are demented.
They're not in touch with reality.

Pathetic fools who haven't even got the message that the British Empire no longer exists.
They're still singing 'Brittania rules the waves'.

Why would China work with the West against it's strategic partner Russia when the West is provoking and threatening China with war themselves.
I'm not sure what parallel universe these morons who write this claptrap live in.

Note to the West.
China and Russia see you as the bad guy and the greatest threat to peace and stability in the world, and why wouldn't they?
- And you will not succeed in driving a wedge between them
They know what you're up to and they don't trust you at all.

There's is no China dictates to Russia, or Russia dictates to China
They are one against their common adversary and they both need each other equally.

Hi AC,

"Why would China work with the West against it's strategic partner Russia when the West is provoking and threatening China with war themselves.
I'm not sure what parallel universe these morons who write this claptrap live in.

They are in Cloud Cuckoo Land.

Mr Mhaze Trumpster,

"I (mhaze) took the Kissinger stance.... as a student of history and warfare" What a crack up, some old bloke in his bed-sit in Moonee Ponds or some such place, wants to paint himself as a Henry Kissinger! ...Ahhhhhhhh!

Paul,

FYG, when Kissinger was asked about which side he supported in the 1980 Iran-Iraq war he said that he supported neither side and hoped they would both lose. That's how I feel about the current war on the Russian steeps. As a student of history, I remember that. Paul. as a student of precisely nowt, hasn't got the foggiest what I'm referring to.

Now of course Paul will need a ten year to explain to him what the Iran-Iraq was and what, for that matter, 1980 was, because I can't be bothered.

But I do find it rather interesting that Paul is the only one here who is constantly going on about people in nursing home, people with dementia, old farts etc. I assume there's a large measure of self-projection in those inane comments.