If Assange’s conflict is purely with Sweden, then why is his asylum application of such concern in Washington?

There are indications that the Obama administration will seek to strong-arm the Ecuador government to stop it granting asylum to Assange. A June 21 editorial in the Washington Post pointed to the sort of discussion underway behind the scenes in the White House and US military and intelligence circles.

The newspaper denounced Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa as a “small-time South American autocrat” who had “wallowed” with Assange in “anti-American slanders and paranoia.” It proposed that extreme economic pressure—via the termination of special trade preferences—be applied to convince Correa to reject Assange’s application.

“A full third of Ecuadoran foreign sales ($10 billion in 2011) go to the United States, supporting some 400,000 jobs in a country of 14 million people,” the editorial stated. “Those preferences come up for renewal by Congress early next year. If Mr. Correa seeks to appoint himself America’s chief Latin American enemy and Julian Assange’s protector between now and then it’s not hard to imagine the outcome.”

An obvious question arises. If Assange’s conflict is purely with the Swedish government, then why is his asylum application of such concern in Washington? In its own way, the editorial confirms that behind the mask of the Swedish allegations, Assange faces the real prospect of being shipped off to the US, where he could spend the rest of his life behind bars.

If this US-led operation were to succeed it would strike a deep blow against the most basic democratic rights, including to document and lay bare the criminal actions and machinations of Washington and its allies.

www.wsws.org/articles/2012/jun2012/jass-...

(1) At present, Julian Assange is of Concern to Swedish Authorities for an alleged Sexual Assault on a Swedish Citizen ... Thus far, Assange has been COMPLETELY uncooperative with those Authorities in addressing their LEGITIMATE Concerns ...

(2) NO  DOUBT  The U. S. Government ALSO would like to have a frank Discussion with Julian "Cyber-Burglar" Assange ...

***I think that is a FAIR Characterization ...

Jun 28, 2012 -- 1:13PM, Karma_yeshe_dorje wrote:

If Assange’s conflict is purely with Sweden, then why is his asylum application of such concern in Washington?

There are indications that the Obama administration will seek to strong-arm the Ecuador government to stop it granting asylum to Assange. A June 21 editorial in the Washington Post pointed to the sort of discussion underway behind the scenes in the White House and US military and intelligence circles.

The newspaper denounced ***Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa as a “small-time South American autocrat” who had “wallowed” with Assange in “anti-American slanders and paranoia.” It proposed that extreme economic pressure—via the termination of special trade preferences—be applied to convince Correa to reject Assange’s application.

“A full third of Ecuadoran foreign sales ($10 billion in 2011) go to the United States, supporting some 400,000 jobs in a country of 14 million people,” the editorial stated. “Those preferences come up for renewal by Congress early next year. If Mr. Correa seeks to appoint himself America’s chief Latin American enemy and Julian Assange’s protector between now and then it’s not hard to imagine the outcome.”

An obvious question arises. If Assange’s conflict is purely with the Swedish government, then why is his asylum application of such concern in Washington? In its own way, the editorial confirms that behind the mask of the Swedish allegations, Assange faces the real prospect of being shipped off to the US, where he could spend the rest of his life behind bars.

If this US-led operation were to succeed it would strike a deep blow against the most basic democratic rights, including to document and lay bare the criminal actions and machinations of Washington and its allies.

www.wsws.org/articles/2012/jun2012/jass-...

"The School of The Americas" was Reformed long ago ...

(hint: The Reagan Years are LONG gone) ...

(Get Over It ...)

Jun 28, 2012 -- 2:48PM, Karma_yeshe_dorje wrote:

Ecuador no longer requires US training on how to be abusive!

Ecuador’s defense minister says the Andean nation will stop sending military and police officers for training at the U.S. Defense Department-run school formerly known as School of the Americas.

Opponents of the school, currently located at Fort Benning, Georgia, blame it for human rights abuses in Latin America by foreign military officers trained there.

Defense Minister Miguel Carvajal’s announcement came after President Rafael Correa met Wednesday with a delegation from School of the Americas Watch.

www.washingtonpost.com/world/the_america...

Yes ...

I'm a HUGE Fan of "Telling The Truth" -- INCLUDING the Truth about "Julian 'Cyber-Burglar' Assange" and "WikiLeaks" and "Anarchy" ...

I'm ALSO an EQUALLY Big Fan of recognizing that "The Truth"  DOESN'T  BELONG  EXCLUSIVELY   to just any ONE single Individual or Organization or Ideology or Religion or Philosophy or World-View or Government or Agency or Movement ...

The Role and Actions of The United States of America, e.g., are  NOT  about "The City Shining on a Hill" (a la President "Gipper") OR "The Great Satan" (as per The Iranian Mullahs) OR "The Capitalist Running Dogs" (as per The OLD Communist China) OR "The Big Brother Police State" (as per Julian "Narcissist-Anarchist" Assange") ...

Jun 28, 2012 -- 3:19PM, catboxer wrote:

Jun 28, 2012 -- 8:59AM, teilhard wrote:

Yes ... I consistently stand for "Justice" ...

"Justice" is not furthered by Criminality ...

The Fact that I DEPLORE Julian Assange's Illegal Activities  DOES  NOT  mean that I ENDORSE everything done by Government or Industry -- or by private Individuals and their Organizations  ...

"In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act."

--George Orwell

Thank you for the frank Admission that "WikiLeaks" is a CRIMINAL Enterprise (though I had already figured that out for myself ...)

Jun 28, 2012 -- 11:37PM, Karma_yeshe_dorje wrote:

Yes, catboxer:

In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.