US not out to get Assange, ambassador says

[struggle4progress]

By Anna Hipsley
Updated February 11, 2011 08:37:00

The US ambassador to Australia .. Jeffrey Bleich told a business dinner in Melbourne .. that .. "Absolutely no such legal action has been taken by the US government against anyone and no action will be taken unless the facts and the law support it ...

"There have been individual Americans who have said reckless and irresponsible things about <Mr Assange> in the wake of the first tranche of releases, but these statements are completely at odds with the actions and the policy of the United States and we repudiate them," he said.

"The US government is absolutely responsible for protecting its classified information and so we bear full responsibility for this enormous security breach."

But he also said the activities of the whistleblower website are actually having a negative effect on diplomacy and damaging freedom of expression ...

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/02/11/3135975.htm?section=justin

[BeFree]

1. Even on DU

"There have been individual Americans who have said reckless and irresponsible things about <Mr Assange> in the wake of the first tranche of releases, but these statements are completely at odds with the actions and the policy of the United States and we repudiate them,"

[pnwmom]

2. This does not mean a free pass for Manning, the service member

who allegedly did the leaking. He was supposed to be part of the system protecting the information, not breaching it.

[boppers]

4. True that.

I think Manning did the right thing, but there is a price to be paid for that under our laws.

Of course, that also helps us be aware of what our laws have become.

[pnwmom]

5. Civil disobedience entails facing legal consequences.

If Manning did this with the full intent of facing those consequences, then he can be regarded as a hero -- even though I think he went too far in releasing the diplomatic cables (as opposed to the war documents).

[tekisui]

6. How do you distinguish the two (war docs and diplomatic cables)?

[vaberella]

8. Assange is somewhat free...

One is outside of the United States and can be said to be "given" the files without actually hacking and directly searching out the files through nefarious ways. While the other...he intentionally broke the law. Basically he committed treason against the United States.

[Very_Boring_Name]

11. My favorite MLK jr quote comes to mind in this instance

One who breaks an unjust law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for law.

[stevenleser]

15. Unfortunately, like many beautiful pronouncements, that can be twisted to support anything.

When the information regarding the helicopter firing on civilians was released, I would say that MLK Jr.'s quote applied.

The everyday diplomatic cables being released? Not even close.

[OnyxCollie]

7. Great.

Maybe one day Manning will actually get a trial.

Yay. Freedom.

[vaberella]

9. Exactly. I see no excuse to protect him. n/t

[backscatter712]

13. It would be nice if he wasn't being Supermaxed for his crimes.

Let the punishment fit the crime. Manning's not the Unabomber, so why is he being subjected to supermax torture?

[jeanpalmer]

10. And the torturers and war criminals

get a free pass. That's how the corrupt system works. By all means, support the system.

[Kalun D]

3. Makes sense

""US not out to get Assange, ambassador says""

makes sense considering he is a CIA front

[treestar]

12. Oh, what a shame!

Now Julian can't play victim!!!

You should not have given him the attention, Mr. Ambassador!

[polichick]

14. I was happy to see a big handwritten sign on a car window today...

...that read "Assange = Freedom, Don't be afraid of the truth."

[stevenleser]

16. I have said from the beginning that the US is the least of Assange's problems.

If/when the Saudi's or the Chinese or Russians get their hands on him, he will wish he was in a safe US Federal Prison.