Julian Assange plea deal: Government vs the people.

In the plea deal, Assange admitted that he obtained information, related to national defense, that is injurious to the United States. This constituted a violation of the Espionage Act.

Federal prosecutors accepted the admission of guilt. The judge pronounced Assange guilty as charged, and sentenced him to 5 years already serve in a UK prison where he was held - without trial - at the behest of the US Government.

What is the crime? Was camera footage showing criminal acts of the US military killing non-combatants deemed injurious to the United States? What else? Wikileaks did not pick and choose what was either injurious to the United States or detrimental to its national defense. The whole bag of shit was indiscriminately unloaded into the public space for all the people to see.

The people are the government, and we were alarmed and disgusted by what the caretakers (i.e. politicians) of our government have been doing as revealed by whistle blowers to Wikileaks.

And here we are, sitting on our asses like donkeys giving our tacit approval to the plea deal instead of sacking the entire US Government.

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HoraceGreenley · 61-69, M

He should have received a blindfold and a cigarette

sree251 · 41-45, M

@HoraceGreenley What is your argument against Assange? Let's hear it.

HoraceGreenley · 61-69, M

@sree251
Espionage

sree251 · 41-45, M

@HoraceGreenley This is not an argument, Horace.It is an accusation. Wikileaks functioned as a post office delivering dirty linens of the US Government, dumped into its mailboxes, to the world. Is the Postmaster General guilty of espionage for delivering classified information you slipped into the mailbox?

HoraceGreenley · 61-69, M

@sree251
Complicit in espionage, and just because you don't understand the law does make you right.

sree251 · 41-45, M

@HoraceGreenley

Complicit in espionage, and just because you don't understand the law does make you right.

Complicity in espionage? Are you insinuating that Assange conspired with Chelsea Manning to get classified information with intent to harm Americans? Chelsea Manning was the whistle blower who passed evidence of war crimes - killing of children and non-combatants - committed by US helicopter gunners to Wikileaks.
1. How is the publishing of such information detrimental to the national defense of America?
2.Do you have evidence that proves Assange recruited Manning to get classified information?

HoraceGreenley · 61-69, M

@sree251
1. It's classified information. Publishing it is espionage.
2. Irrelevant. It doesn't matter if Assange recruited any.

sree251 · 41-45, M

@HoraceGreenley

1. It's classified information. Publishing it is espionage.

The classified information published by Wikileaks contain evidence of war crimes. Misprision, which is concealment of felony is a federal crime in the US. The US Government, being guilty of violating its own law of misprision, has "unclean hands". The clean-hand doctrine requires that a party act fairly in the matter for which they seek a remedy. Therefore, the Espionage Act cannot be invoked in a court of law. Assange must either appeal to the US Supreme Court or the International Criminal Court to seek redress and set right an unfair situation. We all know the law is an ass; especially, in the US where guys like you have your own version of justice: might is right.

2. Irrelevant. It doesn't matter if Assange recruited any.

Of course, it doesn't matter. This is the way we roll the dice as the most powerful nation the world has ever known. We call the shots in enforcing our rules-based order on the rest of the world till we get a punch in the mouth.

HoraceGreenley · 61-69, M

@sree251
It's espionage no matter if you believe Assange was justified.

That's the law and your personal feelings don't matter.

HoraceGreenley · 61-69, M

@sree251
The US is not part of that clown show, the International Criminal Court.

HoraceGreenley · 61-69, M

@sree251
Countries commit crimes. So what?

sree251 · 41-45, M

@HoraceGreenley

It's espionage no matter if you believe Assange was justified.

Assange was not justified according to the Espionage Act. This is why he pleaded guilty. However, the US Government committed a war crime and had no standing in invoking the Espionage Act to seek justice even in a US Court of law.

That's the law and your personal feelings don't matter.

I have been discussing the law with you while you have been voicing your personal opinion.

sree251 · 41-45, M

@HoraceGreenley

The US is not part of that clown show, the International Criminal Court.

It could be a clown show because the Netherlands is part of NATO. And NATO is a dependent of the US. Is there a court of law in the US that is not a clown show? What does that tell you? Watch your step, Horace. Get out of line and it is not going to be good for you under the law.

sree251 · 41-45, M

@HoraceGreenley

Countries commit crimes. So what?

Countries do not commit crimes, governments do.

HoraceGreenley · 61-69, M

@sree251
Fine