If he's innocent then he should go to Sweden and face the charges against him. What evidence is there that Sweden will be more likey to extradite Assange to the US than Britain? Sweden is a relatively neutral country. Britain is the US strongest ally, bar none.

How can we know that Assange isn't hiding behind these claims of fear of extradition to the US, to avoid facing justice in Sweden?

None of us can know whether he did this or not. Assange should fight his case in court. Ortherwise he is doing exactly what he claims of the conspirators in the west. Using his power to break the rules.

Its deeply ironic that those who complain that Assange charcter is being maligned, in an attempt to subvert his message, are willing to do exactly the same thing to the women making these complaints.

*was a rush to judgment in an attempt to display solidarity with her U.S counterparts - as is her deafening silence in her failure to publicly defend Assange's right to the presumption of innocence.*

Poirot, that is nothing more then your assumption. Personally I see
no reason why our Govt should be fighting with other Govts, just to
satisfy the extremists in our midst.

Philosophically we are indeed reasonably closely aligned with what
the US stands for. Not everything, but quite a bit. Personally
I don't think that Barack Obama is too bad a prez either.

And yes, we are a minion. A mere 20 million out of 6 billion.
Hardly a superpower.

Jewely,

"The Americans protect us? Who are they protecting us from?"

-China mainly, even Indonesia. Without the Americans they would have already invaded us and made us their slaves, in the best case.

"We have to learn from Israel? Bugger that."

-Learn to please the Americans verbally, lick their ego, then go behind their back and do whatever we want.

"Besides, I have no reason to take the Palestinian lands and livelihoods off them."

-No indeed, this is one area where we need no lessons from anybody: we already did so to the native Australians, and much more efficiently.

Squeers: As much as I don't like the Americans, it is better to fall in their hands than the yellows'. Remember Tibet! Remember Tiananmen Square, Remember what they want to do to Taiwan, had the Americans not stopped them. Remember also the conditions in the American quarter of conquered Berlin, compared with the conditions in the soviet quarter.

The Australian army is about the size of the defeated Tibetan army: what could we possibly do if 1,000,000 Chinese soldiers marched in? Do you really believe that if we befriend them they will have any sentiments for us once our ores will become too expensive on the free market?

Am I missing something here? 'Poirot' makes a fair statement about the Australian leadership, then comes these snide remarks about Israel and the US by cowardly people who hide behind quite bizarre 'names'. It's comforting to know that your doctors and therapists allow you into the computer room to try and express yourselves.

Maybe one day, with proper care and treatment, you'll again be allowed to re-enter society at large and put away your deep-seated resentments and you'll know that no-one is jealous or out to get you just because the little voices are talking to you alone. And you'll learn to keep to the subject matter of the discussion.

ahh richard
from your first posting...
http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?article=11378#193457

you have done your job well
you israelies...are far too clever to debait with
we see how you run your outpost...usa

and how you have organised blogging to a fine art
[just note the deletions..following the targeting of your first victim]..right from your first answer..

you guys are just too clever by half
well done

lest we forget..phyciatry..is led by you lot

anyone...not condoning the invasion/genocide of palistein..must be crazey...right?

two states is your solution..
because the invaded..still outnumber the invaders

god gave...and god took away
man writing a letter...[belfore]..isnt god saying all is forgiven

you treat usa like a minion
usa treats us like a minion
but dont be sasaying this is by gods will
or everytghing is gods will...[god dont judge..so i wont either]

but soon..yoyu suck the last drop of blood..last dollar..from usa
soon you suck the last drop of water from the dead sea
soon the world will see the fruits of the mossad
soon we reap the harvest..

and minions grow up..out of faulse idiologies

those thinking they own god..
realise god is owner..not ever owned
and there comes a time./.to pay the rent

northern jews arnt semites..[yiddish-bolchovics]
its the true-semites..[palistinians]..that are dying

you defend the indefensable
even 400 nukes...wont make peace..only ever more pieces
[in gods beloved city]...perpetual invasion has turned into dust

So if China or Indonesia decided to take over Aussie… we believe the Americans would interfere for any other reason than their own homeland security that they use for interfering with everyone else all over the world?

And if someone like Israel attacked they’d do nothing? If China attacked would they even want to get into it with them?

What do we have here that USA considers worth defending?