I know this is not a popular opinion and that many people out there truly believe that there is this huge American conspiracy to capture Assange and try him for something or other, but this is my blog so here is my take. (Some of this is a bit regurgitated from earlier posts, but this thing really does just irk me)
Julian Assange was granted asylum in Ecuador today and will be making the journey.
As I have written before, I think his legal counsel really managed to get him screwed. Either that, or his goal all along was to escape the crappy British weather for the warmer climes of Ecuador. But really, Assange, there have to be easier ways to go about that.
Here is why I think Assange is an idiot:
I do not think the Swedish government would have turned him over to the US for the following reasons:
1) It violates a basic Swedish belief that Sweden is a democratic state and follows its laws accordingly. Turning over Assange would mean the government would lose an enormous amount of face among both left and right voters. Not only is Assange popular here, but the US is not popular. And it goes against how Swedes view themselves to do something that backhanded.
2) The US has not filed official charges against Assange, and since Swedish policy is pretty strict about not turning over people who are at risk for the death penalty, I cannot imagine they wouldn't err on the side of caution.
I mean if you were going to create a conspiracy to lure Assange to Sweden to deport him to the US, do you think the charge would be for 'He didn't use a condom the second time we had sex' and not 'Date rape'? I mean if you are making crap up, wouldn't you make up something that would at least garner public sympathy?
Another reason Assange has some pretty bad legal aid
1) Getting away with rape in Sweden is remarkably easy. Swedish courts hate she said /he said cases and usually vote to acquit. All Assange would have to say was 'No, that didn't happen that way at all. She never asked me to wear a condom.' or ' I totally wore a condom, I don't know what she's talking about. But I threw it away in a dumpster on the street corner when I went outside for a cigarette, so I cannot prove it.'
2) Not to be totally crass, but since I hate just how damn weak the Swedish rape laws actually are, I would go so far as to say that Assange could say 'Why yes, she did ask me to wear a condom the first time. But she didn't ask me the second time, so I assumed it was OK. If she asked me, I would have worn one.' (Note: I DON'T personally think this is an excuse, but I think some courts around here would!)
3) To be convicted I am pretty sure Assange would have to say 'Yeah I totally did that bitch without a condom even though she told me I had to wear one, because I like it like that, and I started Wikileaks so I can do whatever I want, mwahahahaha'
So now Assange is off to Ecuador. I hope he likes it. I still don't think it needed to end like this. Which makes me think there is even more that is super super fishy about this guy. But whatever.
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I think he wants to believe there's this huge conspiracy. It proves he's as important as he wants to think he is. Some people thrive on being the martyr.
ReplyDeleteAsange is a bit of a prick indeed but I would be as much afraid as him if I had done what he did. I find the sexual allegations very fishy..
ReplyDeleteJag skulle vilja göra poängen att Sverige faktiskt har utlämnat folk till USA tidigare då de utsatts för press (http://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egyptenavvisningarna#cite_note-0) men jag håller med dig om att det är väldigt osannolikt att de skulle agera likadant i detta fall.
ReplyDeleteSom du själv påpekar så går det emot svenskars självbild att utlämna någon till land som utövar dödsstraff och tortyr och jag tror du har helt rätt i att regeringen skulle förlora extremt mycket prestige. Så därför hade Assange nog kunnat känna sig säker på att inte utlämnas av Sverige...
Man kan ju fråga sig hur han tänker ta sig till Ecuador! Lämnar han ambassaden är han ju inte skyddad av deras immunitet. Ska bli intressant att se. :)
Your arguments are overwhelmingly weak. Sweden is known to expose its citizens to US Rendition. Anyway, study carefully the timeline of the days before/after the allegations of rape were declared (not to mention how Wilen wanted then, to have nothing to do with the allegations for she did not agree it was rape). How, Ardin was boasting about her conquest of Assange AFTER the apparent date of the "rape". How convenient, right?
ReplyDeletehttp://youtu.be/yu4WCskniEc
@Thanks for the link Elin, I had forgotten about that. It is true it has happened before, but as you say, I still am super skeptical that Sweden would go through all of this trouble just to catch the US' big fish.
ReplyDelete@anon who calls me weak - Assange has many reasons to be scared, but the smokescreens he has created are just that.
Great post! It really bugs me how so many (on- and offline) seems to think that they know everything that happened between Assange and those two women when in reality all that they've done is read pro-Assange blogs and articles.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous IV.
ReplyDeleteBull, Sweden don't leave out is citizen to US. Sweden don't even extradict US deserters. The many time mentioned story about the two egypitans that was handed over is correct but totally irrelvant. That it could be done is due to the much weaker protection given to assylumseekers and that is only when they are sent back (to their home country), even so it would never have happened if the Swedish govement suspected it would be known.
So if Assanger feard to be handed over to Australia he would have some reason.
Ardin's behavior is completly logical if not very nice, after the act she assumed they had a relationship (or at least something special) and excussed Assagne being a complete ass in the morning. After her friend had a very similar experince a few days later they both felt used since the events was so likey each other it was pretty obvious they had been had (litterally) by the Assange standard lines would hardly even remember them later. So understanding the with over Assange sexual life and that they had both had unprotected sex with him (and not entierly willingly) they demanded he take an HIV test, being a total a-hole he offcourse refused. So they threatened to file charges, Assange still being an A-hole and lacking in knowledge of swedish laws and DA still refused, very bad idea (most DA will lock at the case get the conclussion that they can reasoanbly get a conviction and dimish it. But there are a small minority of activist anti-rape DAs that will drag the weakest case through all instances trying to extend the scope of rape and casuing as much damage as possible to the accussed. One of these got hold of the case concluded that Assange ahd behaved badly and want to punish him. And since she know the liklehood of a conviction in Sweden is very small she refuses to allow the Police to interviw him in England).
So let me get this straight, the US is trying to get Assange to Sweden to get him extradited, instead of extraditing him from the country which is it's closest ally?
ReplyDeleteEwwwwkay...........