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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whowasthatmaskedman · 70-79, M

I think it is worth noting that it was in fact Chelsea Manning who stole the files and passed them to Assange. I am no fan of Assange. But one conclusion that the prosecutors reached was that no actually harm to American lives or assets had been done As a now convicted felon I doubt Mr Assange will be visiting Disneyland any time soon. And America could use a reminder that America is part of a larger planet, so maybe playing nice would be a good idia..😷

sree251 · 41-45, M

@whowasthatmaskedman

As a now convicted felon I doubt My Assange will be visiting Disneyland any time soon.

As you have said, America is part of a larger planet. Also, Assange's distaste for the US mainland ,by making his plea in the Pacific, is now shared by a rapidly growing part of the human race.

But one conclusion that the prosecutors reached was that no actually harm to American lives or assets had been done

Those prosecutors are dead wrong. Manning's video files showing the merciless gunning down of non-combatants by US helicopter gunners are damning. It put in perspective the wanton killing of Osama bin Laden, Gaddafi, Solemeini, and others, ordered by US Presidents. We. as a nation, have no conscience and feel empowered to take out anyone in the world.

whowasthatmaskedman · 70-79, M

@sree251 In the second quote, I meant that no harm to US interests was done. Its been a long standing policy that America does not recognise the authority of the International community when it comes to war crimes committed by its people on others..😷

sree251 · 41-45, M

@whowasthatmaskedman

In the second quote, I meant that no harm to US interests was done.

It depends on what we mean by "US interests". The interests of the US ruling elites controlling the government are not the same as the interests of we, the American people. Americans who travel abroad to other countries for business or pleasure, and come into contact with their citizens regard them as fellow human beings. We have no enemies. The US ruling elites, however, regard aliens with suspicion and see all other nations, including so-called allies and partners, as potential threats to and enemies of the homeland. They conduct US foreign policy not through diplomacy but dictate it through the barrel of the gun. Wikileaks pulled the covers off and revealed US hypocrisy and shredded the American facade as the defender of human rights and freedom. The US has now lost its authority to imposed its rules-based order on any country in the world. We are done as a nation.

Its been a long standing policy that America does not recognise the authority of the International community when it comes to war crimes committed by its people on others..😷

The international community has been eating out of the hand of the US government, the biggest provider of funds to feed the corrupt regimes installed by the CIA to run the various member countries of the UN. They all toe the line of US foreign policy and form military coalitions as US allies to take down nations that would not yield to American hegemony backed by the EU.

Russia and China have shown defiance. Can they face down the US and its allies?