WikiLeaks founder on Interpol's most wanted list... for rape?

Given that no one beyond select news agencies has read these documents yet, I think it's a moot point at best. personally, I side with the notion that Wikileaks has been too careful with the vetting process. With everything they've seen and done, they've done nothing as dangerous as, say, Cheney.

I think wikileaks wouldn't be as powerful as they are w/o Mr. Assange.

He's incredibly bright, and much more knowledgeable than most people on computer networking/hacking. Also, he's obviously a persuasive dude, he must've did a number on PFC Bradley Manning's head. And not least of all, he's driven by an insatiable desire to be famous (as powerful people tend to be). Pretty rare combination of traits there.

Both women making the accusations have known, public CIA connections. Don't think they're credible.

Malor wrote:

Both women making the accusations have known, public CIA connections. Don't think they're credible.

Any links, Malor? Not that it matters much but if it`s true, it`d mean that CIA had started digging under him long before Wikileaks had gained such prominence in media.

Yes, while I think Assange is probably an asshole - I think this rape charge is too likely a smear campaign to discredit him/turn the tide of public opinion.

Lord Cuze wrote:

I think wikileaks wouldn't be as powerful as they are w/o Mr. Assange.

He's incredibly bright, and much more knowledgeable than most people on computer networking/hacking. Also, he's obviously a persuasive dude, he must've did a number on PFC Bradley Manning's head. And not least of all, he's driven by an insatiable desire to be famous (as powerful people tend to be). Pretty rare combination of traits there.

Assange said in his last interview in London that they're swamped with new leaks submissions, and they had to stop accepting new material all the way back in October. He does NOT need to persuade people to provide him info -- there are enough disaffected and chagrined people in government and private sector to provide it to him willingly.

Lord Cuze wrote:

I think wikileaks wouldn't be as powerful as they are w/o Mr. Assange.

He's incredibly bright, and much more knowledgeable than most people on computer networking/hacking. Also, he's obviously a persuasive dude, he must've did a number on PFC Bradley Manning's head. And not least of all, he's driven by an insatiable desire to be famous (as powerful people tend to be). Pretty rare combination of traits there.

Are you suggesting that he found PFC Manning and manipulated an otherwise loyal soldier into producing a leak? I never got the impression that Manning was at all an unwilling participant, especially seeing as Manning could have said, "that information is classified and if you keep asking you will be arrested." Or alternatively, "no."

Wait, so you guys are denying the man is charismatic? I'm unsure how anyone can argue that his gift-of-gab is anything less than extraordinary. People go out of their way to accommodate him, do we expect the same level of success from the guys who quit wikileaks to form their own whistle-blowing group?

In fact, why are we focusing so much attention on Mr. Assange and not wikileaks?

I'm pretty sure Manning approached Wikileaks. And Manning seems to be a first class idiot, boasting about stealing the info on hacker message boards.

Lord Cuze wrote:

Wait, so you guys are denying the man is charismatic?

Well, he is Australian, so I think that goes without saying.

According to NPR and Democracy Now last night, the rape charges are actually "sexual misconduct" charges (apparently the condoms broke and the women both asked him to stop mid-coitus or near-coitus, from what I gathered), that the media and everyone else are blowing into rape charges. Arguably still rape the moment a person says "no", but the charges themselves are not for rape-- they're for sexual misconduct. They're also charges that were brought up on Assange previously, and had been dropped by the prosecution then. What I find suspect in this whole debacle is that Interpol is placing Assange on the top of their Most Wanted list for a sexual misconduct charge, shortly after a massive leak. All of it reads smear campaign to me.

Assange also said in his London interview that there are already members of Wikileaks that intend to branch off with similar sites/organizations, so I don't believe in the slightest that Assange himself is the head of the snake, as it were. Charismatic, sure, but some sort of criminal mastermind as people are making him out to be? Pssh.

There are and will be similar groups, also people now know which media organisations to go to directly if necessary.

There's no putting this genie back in the bottle.

WipEout wrote:

Charismatic, sure, but some sort of criminal mastermind as people are making him out to be? Pssh.

Criminal mastermind? If you're referring to my posts, I'd like to point out that I've made no such suggestion. Nor have I criticized Mr. Assange or wikileaks in any of my posts.

Information wants to be free. Assange or no Assange, the genie is out.

And if 3 million people are cleared to have access to 'secret' information, it's going to get out somehow.

The condoms keep bursting on him? It means he's charismatic and very well-hung!

Interpol is just creating extra positive publicity for him.

Lord Cuze wrote:
WipEout wrote:

Charismatic, sure, but some sort of criminal mastermind as people are making him out to be? Pssh.

Criminal mastermind? If you're referring to my posts, I'd like to point out that I've made no such suggestion. Nor have I criticized Mr. Assange or wikileaks in any of my posts.

I wasn't referring to your posts. Other than the agreement that he has a lot of charisma.

Lord Cuze wrote:
WipEout wrote:

Charismatic, sure, but some sort of criminal mastermind as people are making him out to be? Pssh.

Criminal mastermind? If you're referring to my posts, I'd like to point out that I've made no such suggestion. Nor have I criticized Mr. Assange or wikileaks in any of my posts.

You do seem to be placing all responsibility on Assange. I've seen absolutely no reason to suspect Manning didn't know what he was doing, or that he wouldn't have leaked to someone else were Assange not available.

If Wikileaks wasn't such a well known organisation Manning would probably not have known of anywhere to take the info, and may not have even stolen it.

Assange is responsible for the notoriety of Wikileaks, but yeah, I don't see him as a mover in gathering this information. Apparently he doesn't need to, it keeps getting thrown in his lap.

It's worth noting that these are the same charges for which Sweden originally issued, then withdrew, an arrest warrant. It's...a bit fishy.

Most wrote:
Malor wrote:

Both women making the accusations have known, public CIA connections. Don't think they're credible.

Any links, Malor? Not that it matters much but if it`s true, it`d mean that CIA had started digging under him long before Wikileaks had gained such prominence in media.

I, too, would love to see any documentation you have of this. I'd heard it, but only in forum posts.

MrDeVil909 wrote:

If Wikileaks wasn't such a well known organisation Manning would probably not have known of anywhere to take the info, and may not have even stolen it.

Assange is responsible for the notoriety of Wikileaks, but yeah, I don't see him as a mover in gathering this information. Apparently he doesn't need to, it keeps getting thrown in his lap.

I'm sorry, I don't believe that for an instant. I don't believe that an American soldier would base a decision to basically commit treason on whether or not there's someone readily on hand to listen. No one says, "I believe so strongly that what my country is doing is wrong that I'm willing to betray my oath and my nation to prove it but going out of my way to find someone is far too much work." That's an insult to Manning. He easily could have sent the information to a newspaper, or really pretty much anyone. Besides, WikiLeaks wasn't even that famous at the time. It's not like it was plastered on every headline in the country like it is today.

Assange is not a cause, he's a vector.

Minarchist wrote:

It's worth noting that these are the same charges for which Sweden originally issued, then withdrew, an arrest warrant. It's...a bit fishy.

It's been so mishandled that it's not even funny. The latest bit is that the arrest warrant is invalid since it wasn't properly filled out and has to be redone.

So Assange and Wikileaks have begun to release documents from Russia. R.I.P., you crazy bastard.

Lord Cuze wrote:

In fact, why are we focusing so much attention on Mr. Assange and not wikileaks?

Just to clear up one point, this thread is about Mr. Assange. There are other threads about Wikileaks. Thus, the conversation here is about Mr. Assange and the actions that are taking place around him.

AOL wrote:

Russia is a "virtual mafia state" where government officials, oligarchs and organized crime are bound together by corruption, bribery and protection rackets, according to U.S. diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks.

So in other words, it's like a really big Chicago or Atlantic City.

So now it's "stuff everyone knows about Russia" time.

Jolly Bill wrote:
Lord Cuze wrote:

In fact, why are we focusing so much attention on Mr. Assange and not wikileaks?

Just to clear up one point, this thread is about Mr. Assange. There are other threads about Wikileaks. Thus, the conversation here is about Mr. Assange and the actions that are taking place around him. :)

Obviously I meant the world in general is focused on him...smart alec

LouZiffer wrote:

So now it's "stuff everyone knows about Russia" time.

Everything in those Russian cables is a common knowledge in Russia.

Gorilla.800.lbs wrote:
LouZiffer wrote:

So now it's "stuff everyone knows about Russia" time.

Everything in those Russian cables is a common knowledge in Russia.

In Russia, cable leaks YOU!

"Everybody knows" a lot of things. Those things aren't always actually true.

Rat Boy wrote:
AOL wrote:

Russia is a "virtual mafia state" where government officials, oligarchs and organized crime are bound together by corruption, bribery and protection rackets, according to U.S. diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks.

So in other words, it's like a really big Chicago or Atlantic City.

Yeah, but Chicago and Atlantic City don't have nuclear weapons yet.