BREAKING! Julian Assange Arrested By British Authorities

[Immortal Technique]

YouTube - BREAKING! Julian Assange Arrested By British Authorities (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmL0ZGPTMZE)

Bring The Code !!!!
Lets open these "Insurance" documents

[raiha]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11937110
Hope they don't waterboard you dear Julian....

[tangent4ronpaul]

"Highly unpopular in the united states..."

Unpopular with the elites... not with the population...

-t

[Immortal Technique]

YouTube - "Julian Assange Walked Into Police Station And Turned Himself In" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43Pv4sCRMgc)

[nbruno322]

http://v3.caseyresearch.com/images/101207_2.gif

[tangent4ronpaul]

http://v3.caseyresearch.com/images/101207_2.gif

LOL! - dang! - those cartoonists are fast!

-t

[Kludge]

Assange seems very interested in martyrdom (or patriotic depending on your use of the word). Is this another trap to expose a "free speech deficit"? I hope he's calculated what he's doing correctly... He may be one of the most important figures in coincidentally pushing libertarian ideals into government. Though... Any nation not hopeless would've impeached Clinton by now, so.... maybe not. :/

If nothing else, this is an interesting story -- we the living are likely going to be some of the only people to ever hear of this.

Someone have Assange's reasoning in turning himself in?

[Working Poor]

Someone have Assange's reasoning in turning himself in?

it's all a game don't you know:cool:

[Mini-Me]

Wow, I wasn't expecting this. Is he:

trying to avoid assassination?
just wanting to get the inevitable over with, whatever comes of it?
soaking up as much attention as he can possibly get?
running some kind of gambit?
simply a zealous martyr-to-be?
a cointelpro agent going down in flames on purpose to undermine any future whisteblowing networks?
a brainwashed child of a cultist playing his part of "sacrificial lamb" out to its ultimate conclusion?
...other?

I'd really love to think that Assange is totally legit and that he still has something up his sleeve, but I don't know. This guy makes for great drama...and while that makes this all fun to follow, it's unsettling to me. His prominence in the media is just too surreal and "off" for me to take him at face value. I feel like I'm watching a movie playing out with Assange as the larger-than-life protagonist, but right or wrong, I can't help but anticipate a twist at the end.

[tangent4ronpaul]

If nothing else, this is an interesting story -- we the living are likely going to be some of the only people to ever hear of this.

Don't count on that lasting too much longer... (the living)



Someone have Assange's reasoning in turning himself in?

He's innocent?

-t

[specsaregood]

Someone have Assange's reasoning in turning himself in?

Because it is a bogus charge? And you stand a lot greater chance of ending up dead if you try to run from the police? He is a public figure, they can't really disappear him.

[tangent4ronpaul]

Because it is a bogus charge? And you stand a lot greater chance of ending up dead if you try to run from the police? He is a public figure, they can't really disappear him.

The German police "suicided" some very high profile terrorists after teh Munich attacks... He's not safe yet.

-t

[Kludge]

Because it is a bogus charge? And you stand a lot greater chance of ending up dead if you try to run from the police? He is a public figure, they can't really disappear him.

The rape charges are bogus, but this exposes him to great risk of being extradited to the US where the law is not on his side, doesn't it?

[specsaregood]

The German police "suicided" some very high profile terrorists after teh Munich attacks... He's not safe yet.

-t

Yeah, I didn't mean to give the impression that he was "safe". Just saying that my gut tells me that they wanted him to try to run from this arrest warrant.

[jrskblx125]

I dont see how they could send him to the us. Maybe sweden for his "illegal" activities like condoms breaking

[speciallyblend]

The rape charges are bogus, but this exposes him to great risk of being extradited to the US where the law is not on his side, doesn't it?

what law? There is no longer rule of law in the US thanks to the US GOV!!

[tangent4ronpaul]

Yeah, I didn't mean to give the impression that he was "safe". Just saying that my gut tells me that they wanted him to try to run from this arrest warrant.

He's taken the intellectual high ground and the US gvmt lost!

-t

[Kludge]

what law? There is no longer rule of law in the US thanks to the US GOV!!

The law applies when the USG wants it to, and this is definitely one of those times. Assange could easily be charged under the Espionage Act and be legally executed.

[Working Poor]

it's all show biz

[speciallyblend]

The law applies when the USG wants it to, and this is definitely one of those times. Assange could easily be charged under the Espionage Act and be legally executed.

maybe we can hope aliens will come and liberate the Unites States of America from tyranny! (Sarcasm)

[tangent4ronpaul]

maybe we can hope aliens will come and liberate the Unites States of America from tyranny! (Sarcasm)

U'm WAIT, WAIT! - I missed NASA's second Astrobiology announcement.... Are the Grey's coming?

-t

[Kludge]

So what could be in the insurance file which makes him feel secure enough to turn himself in (assuming this isn't another self-sacrificial trap as with Amazon)?

What could spark a war, civil or world-wide, with a country with citizens so disconnected from gov't they'd probably shrug off leaks showing Cheney orchestrated 9/11?

[MikeStanart]

These charges are so beyond bullshit.

"Honey, the condom just broke"
(woman dials 911)
(police begin to tazer man)
"But honey, I love Youuuuu Bzzzz uuuuuuuu Bzzzz uuuuuuu Bzzzz uuuuuu"

[tangent4ronpaul]

So what could be in the insurance file which makes him feel secure enough to turn himself in (assuming this isn't another self-sacrificial trap as with Amazon)?

What could spark a war, civil or world-wide, with a country with citizens so disconnected from gov't they'd probably shrug off leaks showing Cheney orchestrated 9/11?

They have never released material labeled "TS" before.... They reportedly have some...

-t

[tangent4ronpaul]

These charges are so beyond bullshit.

"Honey, the condom just broke"
(woman dials 911)
(police begin to tazer man)
"But honey, I love Youuuuu Bzzzz uuuuuuuu Bzzzz uuuuuuu Bzzzz uuuuuu"

Rubbers that break during sex HURT! - Both parties - Been there, done that... Don't want to do it again...

-t

[Slutter McGee]

Assange wont be legally executed in the United States. This isn't the OK City bomber, where everyone agrees the bastard deserves it.

Slutter McGee

[angelatc]

The German police "suicided" some very high profile terrorists after teh Munich attacks... He's not safe yet.

-t

http://www.counterpunch.org/shamir09142010.html


An American Tea Party website the RightwingNews.com suggested that “a CIA agent with a sniper rifle rattle a bullet around [Assange’s] skull the next time he appears in public as a warning”. Rest assured that the CIA is wiser than the Tea Party. They at least have learned the lesson of Che Guevara. Nowadays they ruin a rebel’s reputation instead of wasting a bullet. They won’t raise Assange up to become a martyr, they simply use his own erstwhile allies to reduce him to a laughing stock. They stain him with opprobrium. It is much more certain and final than the marksman’s shot. History is witness to their growing efficiency in using this tactic. In the 70’s, they could only bring themselves to say that Philip Agee was a womanizer and a drunkard. Nowadays they do not stint at charges of pedophilia, for example to humiliate Scott Ritter for failing to go along with George W Bush’s charade of Iraqi WMD. As you might expect, the rape campaign against Assange might be just an initial volley. Perhaps they will decide he is a pedophile too. The unspoken threat is enough to send some faint-hearted supporters of WikiLeaks scurrying for cover.

[pcosmar]

Assange wont be legally executed in the United States. This isn't the OK City bomber, where everyone agrees the bastard deserves it.

Slutter McGee

The OKC Bomber was never arrested. Only the Government employed soldier/patsy.

:(

People are still too focused on "Dancing with the Stars" and Football games to pay attention.
Wikileaks has posted proof of war crimes. They told of secret Hit squads murdering civilians.
They are posting proof of government corruption and lies.

Our government is advocating illegal activities openly. Calling for the murder of a journalist.
They are pressuring,companies and governments to stifle free speech.
The TSA is acting openly as a gestapo. Police are shooting people in the street with impunity.
There are warrant-less check points,
The economy is in the shiter,
And people just don't get it.

:mad:

[CaseyJones]

Judge Nap on the arrest

YouTube - Judge Napolitano - Julian Assange Arrest (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUYHlaMZWf8)

[Slutter McGee]

The OKC Bomber was never arrested. Only the Government employed soldier/patsy.

:(

People are still too focused on "Dancing with the Stars" and Football games to pay attention.
Wikileaks has posted proof of war crimes. They told of secret Hit squads murdering civilians.
They are posting proof of government corruption and lies.

Our government is advocating illegal activities openly. Calling for the murder of a journalist.
They are pressuring,companies and governments to stifle free speech.
The TSA is acting openly as a gestapo. Police are shooting people in the street with impunity.
There are warrant-less check points,
The economy is in the shiter,
And people just don't get it.

:mad:

You can believe the OK City bomber is whoever the hell you want. The point is simple. There is a large portion of the population that is engaged in this. It isn't some evil act where almost 100% of the population supports killing the guy, like McVeigh. An (legal) execution for speach will start riots.

Slutter McGee

[Feeding the Abscess]

You can believe the OK City bomber is whoever the hell you want. The point is simple. There is a large portion of the population that is engaged in this. It isn't some evil act where almost 100% of the population supports killing the guy, like McVeigh. An (legal) execution for speach will start riots.

Slutter McGee

Assange getting squashed won't start riots.

Beck might charge McDonald's for frenc... freedom fries to celebrate, but that's about it.

[PreDeadMan]

I hope now that he's in custody his counterparts leak some devastating documents that will put the establishment in a lot of governments in shock and awe :)

[pcosmar]

I hope now that he's in custody his counterparts leak some devastating documents that will put the establishment in a lot of governments in shock and awe :)

"The governments" already know what is in these documents.
They Wrote them. They Know exactly what is in them.

They just don't want the public to know what they are doing.
;)

[Freedom 4 all]

Assange getting squashed won't start riots.

Beck might charge McDonald's for frenc... freedom fries to celebrate, but that's about it.

It probably won't start riots, but it WILL release the unlock key for the insurance file. Assange is brave/cocky as hell but he is not a stupid man. They have as much to lose from him getting convicted/killed as he does. This is kind of like a standoff with the cops where they've got all their guns on him, but he's holding a deadman switch that will blow up a major bomb in an unknown location. They can't afford the risks that come with anything short of blanking the charges against him.

[Acala]

As far as I am concerned, Assange is a hero. But he didn't do anything thousands of other people can't do just as well or better. He just did it first, on this scale anyway.

So while the bad news is that he might be on his way to martyrdom, there is no reason to believe he will not be replaced immediately by people just as good or better at what he did.

Until "they" shut down the internet.

[pcosmar]

As far as I am concerned, Assange is a hero. But he didn't do anything thousands of other people can't do just as well or better. He just did it first, on this scale anyway.

So while the bad news is that he might be on his way to martyrdom, there is no reason to believe he will not be replaced immediately by people just as good or better at what he did.

Until "they" shut down the internet.

I keep hearing this "shut down the internet".
How would that be done exactly?

Cut every phone line in the country? Every Cable? Shut down radio transmission?

They shut down a server and now it is hosted on 507 servers worldwide. :D

I have no doubt they they will attempt to stifle it. But how would they put the genie back in the bottle?

[PatriotOne]

Have I mentioned that Julian recieved then 2008 Index on Censorship Award from "The Economist"? 50% owned by none other than the Rothschilds? Think people...think!

[Feeding the Abscess]

It probably won't start riots, but it WILL release the unlock key for the insurance file. Assange is brave/cocky as hell but he is not a stupid man. They have as much to lose from him getting convicted/killed as he does. This is kind of like a standoff with the cops where they've got all their guns on him, but he's holding a deadman switch that will blow up a major bomb in an unknown location. They can't afford the risks that come with anything short of blanking the charges against him.

I understand the unlock key for the master file will be released, but I was referring to the citizens of America in their reaction to the hypothetical of Assange getting assassinated or imprisoned. There won't be an uprising over it.

[Feeding the Abscess]

Have I mentioned that Julian recieved then 2008 Index on Censorship Award from "The Economist"? 50% owned by none other than the Rothschilds? Think people...think!

The structure and basis of the Internet was largely created by US government operations.

You are an agent of the NWO, and you need to be silenced.

That sort of thinking is ridiculous.

[Freedom 4 all]

I understand the unlock key for the master file will be released, but I was referring to the citizens of America in their reaction to the hypothetical of Assange getting assassinated or imprisoned. There won't be an uprising over it.

I agree. Amazingly I'm becoming less and less convinced fear is what stops people from uprisings/rioting. A disturbing amount of people at least give a very convincing impression that they actually believe the government's lies and propaganda.

[specsaregood]

I keep hearing this "shut down the internet".
How would that be done exactly?


They could simple turn off the root DNS servers. That would pretty much do the trick. How many ips do you have memorized?

[puppetmaster]

These charges are so beyond bullshit.

"Honey, the condom just broke"
(woman dials 911)
(police begin to tazer man)
"But honey, I love Youuuuu Bzzzz uuuuuuuu Bzzzz uuuuuuu Bzzzz uuuuuu"


How does the woman not get charged in this so called sex crime.....she was at the very least, an accomplice.:confused:

[Austrian Econ Disciple]

They could simple turn off the root DNS servers. That would pretty much do the trick. How many ips do you have memorized?

If they do that, unemployment immediately shoots to 50% :D If they want a revolution overnight they'll do that.

[HOLLYWOOD]

The Borg has control...

Master Card, PayPal, and VISA have frozen all payments to Assange.

Now that's illegal has hell... the man hasn't been charged with anything in this country US is a full blown FASCIST country

PS: You can vote on this WaPo Poll on Assange: Should the US government prosecute Julian Assange?

hXXp://views.washingtonpost.com/post-user-polls/2010/11/should-the-us-government-prosecute-julian-assange.html?hpid=topnews

[specsaregood]

If they do that, unemployment immediately shoots to 50% :D If they want a revolution overnight they'll do that.

Im not saying it wouldn't have consequences, just saying it would be rather easy to do. They could alternately just stop drop domains they don't like at will.

[pcosmar]

They could simple turn off the root DNS servers. That would pretty much do the trick. How many ips do you have memorized?

That would have some interesting repercussions, across the spectrum.

It still would not stop Hellschreiber or other Hams and Pirate Radio. Nor would it stop direct Dial up connections.

Information would spread.

YouTube - John has a long mustache (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePzwg0LyYL0)

;)

[specsaregood]

It still would not stop Hellschreiber or other Hams and Pirate Radio. Nor would it stop direct Dial up connections.
Information would spread.


No doubt, but my response in reply to:


keep hearing this "shut down the internet".
How would that be done exactly?


None of those are "the internet".

[mczerone]

Have I mentioned that Julian recieved then 2008 Index on Censorship Award from "The Economist"? 50% owned by none other than the Rothschilds? Think people...think!

I think that getting a singular award from some organization that is funded with Rothschild money doesn't demonstrate any type of control.

RP got a $500 donation from a racist - does that mean to you that he is a pawn of the KKK? That's the same degree and scale of the award Assange received.

Think PatriotOne...think!

[pcosmar]

The Borg has control...



A futile attempt.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/166/379597714_7e44c8c557_z.jpg?zz=1

[YumYum]

I think that getting a singular award from some organization that is funded with Rothschild money doesn't demonstrate any type of control.

RP got a $500 donation from a racist - does that mean to you that he is a pawn of the KKK? That's the same degree and scale of the award Assange received.

Think PatriotOne...think!

No, but I find it interesting that in all these documents there is nothing that is scandalous regarding Israel. This looks like a hoax for the purpose of controlling the internet to finally put an end to all and any antisemitism/anti-Israel info on the net in this country, and, if possible Europe. Do you see how cable TV and all the MSM outlets practice a "Zero Tolerance" regarding real/supposed antisemitic comments? The only place antisemitism runs rampant is on the net, and it must be stopped. Lieberman, who is an Orthodox Jew, is the one who is pushing for a new bill for the government to control the net. So far, with all the hysteria, it looks as though this hoax is succeeding. From people I have talked to that are Jewish, they net is their biggest fear. It was mine too, but I think Israel's actions by far is bringing on more antisemitism than anything that is put on the net. I must agree though, the net has tons of web sites with hatred for Jews, and if you were Jewish, you would be very alarmed, if not outright paranoid.

[Jordan]

The Borg has control...

Master Card, PayPal, and VISA have frozen all payments to Assange.

Now that's illegal has hell... the man hasn't been charged with anything in this country US is a full blown FASCIST country

I think that is actually the free market at work.

[PatriotOne]

I think that getting a singular award from some organization that is funded with Rothschild money doesn't demonstrate any type of control.

RP got a $500 donation from a racist - does that mean to you that he is a pawn of the KKK? That's the same degree and scale of the award Assange received.

Think PatriotOne...think!

"Some organization"? A $500.00 donation is the same thing as an award from The Economist? You make it sound like some internet blog site. The Rothschilds don't give out awards to their enemies.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Economist

[pcosmar]

No, but I find it interesting that in all these documents there is nothing that is scandalous regarding Israel.
Nothing?
Israeli Mob connections to the Government has been disclosed.

There is also the possibility that they have written very little in open diplomatic communications. In which case there would be very little available to be released.

Or are you suggesting that Wikileaks should make up what they don't have to satisfy the anti-Zionist folks?

Or perhaps it has just not been released YET.

[pcosmar]

I think that is actually the free market at work.

:confused:

How so?

[Feeding the Abscess]

I'd agree, that under normal circumstances, companies choosing to or not to do business with an individual or group is a basic tenet of the free market. But those institutions are getting serious heat from the feds.

[PreDeadMan]

"The governments" already know what is in these documents.
They Wrote them. They Know exactly what is in them.

They just don't want the public to know what they are doing.
;)


yeah that's what I meant that they would be in shock and awe that the public is now aware of their criminal activity =p

[Jordan]

:confused:

How so?

Does Assange have a right to the services of Paypal, Mastercard, or Visa?

[YumYum]

Nothing?
Israeli Mob connections to the Government has been disclosed.

There is also the possibility that they have written very little in open diplomatic communications. In which case there would be very little available to be released.

Or are you suggesting that Wikileaks should make up what they don't have to satisfy the anti-Zionist folks?

Or perhaps it has just not been released YET.

I don't see that Israeli members of organized crime being able to enter this country at will is a bad reflection on the Israeli government. As eugenekop pointed out, Israel is having to put up a major fight against the mob in Israel. If anything, it reflects badly on the U.S., who allows members of OC to enter this country.

We need to wait and see, but I noticed that Israel isn't very alarmed about the wikileaks info. In either case, this will work to their benefit, in which hate directed at Israel on the net, could in the future, be a crime or viewed as an act of terrorism.

[tangent4ronpaul]

So what could be in the insurance file which makes him feel secure enough to turn himself in (assuming this isn't another self-sacrificial trap as with Amazon)?

What could spark a war, civil or world-wide, with a country with citizens so disconnected from gov't they'd probably shrug off leaks showing Cheney orchestrated 9/11?

We are sorry, but Dancing with the stars and American Idol have been cancled due to technical problems ... :rolleyes:

-t

[Feeding the Abscess]

Does Assange have a right to the services of Paypal, Mastercard, or Visa?

If he entered into a contract with them, yes.

They're cutting him off because the feds are putting heat on them to do so. To act like that is the function of a free market is a little off-point.

[specsaregood]

If he entered into a contract with them, yes.


You seem to be assuming the conditions of the contract. no doubt it includes a clause that lets them drop him at will. In which case, he doesn't.

[tangent4ronpaul]

The Borg has control...

Master Card, PayPal, and VISA have frozen all payments to Assange.

Now that's illegal has hell... the man hasn't been charged with anything in this country US is a full blown FASCIST country

PS: You can vote on this WaPo Poll on Assange: Should the US government prosecute Julian Assange?

hXXp://views.washingtonpost.com/post-user-polls/2010/11/should-the-us-government-prosecute-julian-assange.html?hpid=topnews

46% no to
41% yes

fucking sheep!

-t

[mczerone]

You seem to be assuming the conditions of the contract. no doubt it includes a clause that lets them drop him at will. In which case, he doesn't.

It was reported that, for the Amazon hosting contract anyway, there was a reciprocal 30 day notice provision binding both Amazon and Wikileaks. Amazon unilaterally breached this provision because they got a phone call from Lieberman. They weren't threatened with suit or anything - they just got a phone call from someone nominally acting in his private capacity (even though it was clear that he had monumental 'Public' power backing his boycott threat).

I'm not joining the boycott of Amazon, but I can understand how free-market advocates are disgusted by their capitulating. I do hope that Wikileaks takes Amazon to arbitration for the breach though (and I'm sure that the contract has mandatory arbitration prior to any public legal action).

[Feeding the Abscess]

You seem to be assuming the conditions of the contract. no doubt it includes a clause that lets them drop him at will. In which case, he doesn't.

In addition to what zone added:

We're not arguing on a black and white board. A company denying service to an individual because of government pressure isn't exactly a great example of the free market in action.

[Jordan]

If he entered into a contract with them, yes.

They're cutting him off because the feds are putting heat on them to do so. To act like that is the function of a free market is a little off-point.

I'm sure the contract allows for termination for any reason.

[FSP-Rebel]

46% no to
41% yes

fucking sheep!

-t
I don't know, that's not too bad coming from WaPo readers.

[mczerone]

46% no to
41% yes

fucking sheep!

-t

Note that the question isn't even correct. I'm sure most people read it as "Do you support prosecuting Assange", when in reality the question being posed is "Do you support forcing your neighbors to fund the prosecution of Assange".

If 41% of people really wanted to take him to court, I hope that they're willing to put their money where their mouths are. But they aren't; they expect this cost to be socialized. I would think, if the collection hat was passed around to try to raise money to prosecute Assange, a lot less than 41% of people would chip in. And that is the only truly objective poll that can measure any type of real support.

[Feeding the Abscess]

I'm sure the contract allows for termination for any reason.

Government intervention is free market?

[tangent4ronpaul]

Note that the question isn't even correct. I'm sure most people read it as "Do you support prosecuting Assange", when in reality the question being posed is "Do you support forcing your neighbors to fund the prosecution of Assange".

If 41% of people really wanted to take him to court, I hope that they're willing to put their money where their mouths are. But they aren't; they expect this cost to be socialized. I would think, if the collection hat was passed around to try to raise money to prosecute Assange, a lot less than 41% of people would chip in. And that is the only truly objective poll that can measure any type of real support.

yes, but 75% of ppl in 2 other polls supported the release of documents....

-t

[KCIndy]

46% no to
41% yes

fucking sheep!

-t


Frankly, given the incredibly intense spin being put on this issue by the media and the Obama administration (if there's actually a difference) I'm pleasantly surprised that the numbers are nearly equal. I would have guessed that the poll would show 90 - 10 in favor of the lynch mob.

[specsaregood]

In addition to what zone added:

We're not arguing on a black and white board. A company denying service to an individual because of government pressure isn't exactly a great example of the free market in action.

Well what mczerone posted was in regards to Amazon. The comment I was speaking of was in regards to a right to use "Paypal, Mastercard, or Visa?"

It is a free market response. Assange doesn't have a right to those services, the government didn't "force" them did they? Did they pass a law making them drop him as a customer? And i'm pretty sure the contract with those payment companies allows them to drop him at will.

[Feeding the Abscess]

Liebermann, in calling for Amazon to drop ties with him, made threats to any company that does business with anything to do with Wikileaks. And that was public.

I can't imagine that was it, that there was nothing else said by government officials or apparatus.

PayPal, Mastercard, and Visa dropping Assange isn't the function of a free market. I'm not arguing that Assange has the inalienable right to use their services forever, but to say that these companies dropping him, under the current circumstances, is a function of a free market isn't exactly accurate.

[awake]

Liebermann, in calling for Amazon to drop ties with him, made threats to any company that does business with anything to do with Wikileaks. And that was public.

I can't imagine that was it, that there was nothing else said by government officials or apparatus.

PayPal, Mastercard, and Visa dropping Assange isn't the function of a free market. I'm not arguing that Assange has the inalienable right to use their services forever, but to say that these companies dropping him, under the current circumstances, is a function of a free market isn't exactly accurate.

This is the question: absent government threats and coercion, would these companies have stopped providing services?

[Jordan]

Government intervention is free market?

WTF?

Most service agreements are written so that any contract can be terminated for any reason. That's a very free market idea.

If you and I were to sign a contract with such clause, I could decide not to do business with you for any reason whatsoever, or no reason at all. I could decide that I don't like your hair color, or that you wear silly ties. Or I might just not feel like associating my brand to you any more.

PayPal, Visa, and Mastercard have terminated their agreements with Wikileaks under such clause, I suspect. That is their free market choice, but you have options too. You can decide not to support PayPal, Visa, or Mastercard because what they have done to Wikileaks, or speak out against their business.

Your dollar and your voice is one vote of the free market, use it or don't, but don't go looking for excuses when the cost of freedom becomes too large to handle.

[Andrew-Austin]

Even if Amazon is at fault for something.. What is the point of this discussion, that a free market institution did something wrong? Which makes the free market in this case look bad, but look bad relative to what? The public sector, which wants to shut wikileaks down, and either slander or assassinate its spokesman?

Alright alright.. Point taken, a free market world would not be a perfect world. But this sort of thing probably wouldn't happen to begin with because it seems it only occurred due to government pressure.

Hopefully this thread gets back on topic, to his arrest and how that will turn out..

[pcosmar]

I do not understand what Bizzaro world this would be considered a "Free" market.
Wikileaks under attack: the definitive timeline
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/dec/07/wikileaks-under-attack-definitive-timeline

Since Wikileaks released the US embassy cables on 28 November it has come under pressure on several fronts, from DDoS attacks to frozen bank accounts. We list the companies, politicians and organisations making life difficult for Wikileaks and Julian Assange

[Feeding the Abscess]

WTF?

Most service agreements are written so that any contract can be terminated for any reason. That's a very free market idea.

If you and I were to sign a contract with such clause, I could decide not to do business with you for any reason whatsoever, or no reason at all. I could decide that I don't like your hair color, or that you wear silly ties. Or I might just not feel like associating my brand to you any more.

PayPal, Visa, and Mastercard have terminated their agreements with Wikileaks under such clause, I suspect. That is their free market choice, but you have options too. You can decide not to support PayPal, Visa, or Mastercard because what they have done to Wikileaks, or speak out against their business.

Your dollar and your voice is one vote of the free market, use it or don't, but don't go looking for excuses when the cost of freedom becomes too large to handle.

I'm not arguing against the free market.

I'm arguing that threat and coercion, by way of government, is not the working of a free market. It wasn't until Liebermann started huffing and puffing that these companies started walking away from Assange.

[specsaregood]

I'm not arguing against the free market.

I'm arguing that threat and coercion, by way of government, is not the working of a free market. It wasn't until Liebermann started huffing and puffing that these companies started walking away from Assange.

Did they use any guns or pass any laws forbidding it?

[Philhelm]

WTF?

Most service agreements are written so that any contract can be terminated for any reason. That's a very free market idea.

If you and I were to sign a contract with such clause, I could decide not to do business with you for any reason whatsoever, or no reason at all. I could decide that I don't like your hair color, or that you wear silly ties. Or I might just not feel like associating my brand to you any more.

PayPal, Visa, and Mastercard have terminated their agreements with Wikileaks under such clause, I suspect. That is their free market choice, but you have options too. You can decide not to support PayPal, Visa, or Mastercard because what they have done to Wikileaks, or speak out against their business.

Your dollar and your voice is one vote of the free market, use it or don't, but don't go looking for excuses when the cost of freedom becomes too large to handle.

I don't think most people here disagree with you in principle. The difference here, however, is that the "any reason whatsoever" seems to have been at the behest of the government. That's quite a different story from denying him services for not liking the color of his hair. That's not the free market (where is this mythological free market, anyway?) at work. This is pure government intervention.

[Philhelm]

Did they use any guns or pass any laws forbidding it?

The guns and laws are usually implied, as with most things in the U.S.

[pcosmar]

Did they use any guns or pass any laws forbidding it?

Likely threats of such. Very real threats.
it is becoming clear that they do NOT need laws.
They are calling for Assange's murder though he has broken NO LAW.
He is being held without bond in England though he has committed no Crime there.
He was placed on the Interpol Red list as MOST WANTED, for a "crime" that would be at best a misdemeanor.

Has anyone ever been charged for the War Crimes that have been proven by Video tape?
Was anyone charged for the crimes of COINTELPRO? MK_Ultra? The Tuskegee experiments?

They may pass some law after the fact. Does that justify the actions being taken?
:(

[specsaregood]

it is becoming clear that they do NOT need laws.


Fair enough.

[crazyfacedjenkins]

Did they use any guns or pass any laws forbidding it?

Are you that fucking naive?? They froze his god damn assets, how is that free market?

[FunkBuddha]

Likely threats of such. Very real threats.
it is becoming clear that they do NOT need laws.
They are calling for Assange's murder though he has broken NO LAW.

:(

There is no denying it now.

totalitarianism - A system of government in which the people have virtually no authority and the state wields absolute control, for example, a dictatorship.

[Jordan]

Are you that fucking naive?? They froze his god damn assets, how is that free market?

Who froze them?

By the definition of free market I get here, when a company oversteps its bounds (freezes assets) that company would go bankrupt because no one would want to do business with them. Doesn't look like that is the case. :o

[pcosmar]

By the definition of free market I get here,

please,
Separate Fantasy from Reality.
Free Market. It does not exist outside of philosophic discussion and fantasy.

Reality is a largely controlled and heavily manipulated market.

please keep both in the proper perspective.
;)

[prmd142]

Did they use any guns or pass any laws forbidding it?

Are you really that naive!!! The whole point of the wikileaks was to show how governments work... in spite of having sampled how open and moral are govts in achieving their objectives, you still want to give the benefit of doubt to them just because they didn't pass a law!!!

wake up dude.. free market means free market! not coerced market.

[Matt Collins]

The law applies when the USG wants it to, and this is definitely one of those times. Assange could easily be charged under the Espionage Act and be legally executed.
According to The Judge he has broken no law, but the person who gave him the classified data was the one who broke the law.

[heavenlyboy34]

please,
Separate Fantasy from Reality.
Free Market. It does not exist outside of philosophic discussion and fantasy.

Reality is a largely controlled and heavily manipulated market.

please keep both in the proper perspective.
;)

The free market exists whenever 2 or more people engage in commerce. The garage sale down the street is a free market. Yes, it does exist, but not as a part of the "formal" culture. In the formal culture it has been regulated and legislated out of existence.

[tpreitzel]

Mr. Mashai's interview with Der Spiegel at 10:55pm is interesting ...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/blog/2010/dec/07/wikileaks-us-embassy-cables-live-updates


Spiegel Online: But the diplomatic reports were published against Washington's will and are damaging to the United States. The WikiLeaks disclosures are not a State Department PR campaign.
Esfandiar Rahim Mashai: Are you sure about that? How, then, did WikiLeaks gain access to the documents?
Spiegel: Presumably through a US Army private who had access to a central government database and has since been arrested.
Mashai: Do you believe that? Then you must be very naïve indeed. No, the United States is behind this deliberate leak. The Americans are trying to paint the world in black and white. They underscore the differences among nations and want to show everyone that peace is only possible in cooperation with them.
Spiegel: Do you question the authenticity of the more than 250,000 documents?
Mashai: I don't want to get into individual documents and their authenticity. But I have no doubt that a US government plan is behind this disclosure. When someone wants to suggest something, they include fake information with real information so as to create a certain impression. That's why each country has to analyze the documents that relate to it, which is what our experts in Tehran are doing now.
Spiegel: In other words, you do take the embassy reports very seriously.
Mashai: We are only examining them to figure out the Americans' tricks.

[specsaregood]

Esfandiar Rahim Mashai: Are you sure about that? How, then, did WikiLeaks gain access to the documents?
Spiegel: Presumably through a US Army private who had access to a central government database and has since been arrested.
Mashai: Do you believe that? Then you must be very naïve indeed.

thanks for that. that has been on my mind a lot. "who would have access to all this?" i doubt it was just some private.

[tpreitzel]

thanks for that. that has been on my mind a lot. "who would have access to all this?" i doubt it was just some private.

At this point, none of us common folk know the real facts. As Mr. Mashai suggests, only the various nations can determine whether the cables are real or partly manufactured to portray some nefarious agenda. After all, the various nations KNOW the facts relating to their individual nations ...

[Mini-Me]

Who froze them?

By the definition of free market I get here, when a company oversteps its bounds (freezes assets) that company would go bankrupt because no one would want to do business with them. Doesn't look like that is the case. :o

When people make that argument, they are speaking in the context of a free market, but we don't live under a free market, do we? The argument is valid, just not under our circumstances, and for that matter, I don't think anyone ever suggested that things actually work that way in our world today. When the government artificially restricts competition by imposing onerous regulatory burdens, it should be no surprise that people have few alternative companies to do business with. The financial world is run by an oligopoly, which is only rarely penetrated by relative newcomers like Paypal...and that oligopoly did not emerge for especially strong market reasons, either. You cannot reasonably look at today's market, which has been steeped in a heavily interventionist regulatory ecosystem for at LEAST a century, and expect events to play out the same as they would in an actual free market.

[Feeding the Abscess]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11945875

Confirmed, PayPal was directed by the government to drop Assange.

Guess that debate is now settled.

[HOLLYWOOD]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11945875

Confirmed, PayPal was directed by the government to drop Assange.

Guess that debate is now settled.

So, we might as well presume the other Credit banks, Master Card & VISA, (since they were made banks and bailed out by THE FED)... directed to shut down WIKILEAKS. Let's not forget the Foreign Banks too! This proven who and what runs the global empire.

Truth IS Treason in an Empire of Lies.

The Federal Government Tentacles run far and debt into this corporatist-fasco country both here domestically and foreign

[Mach]

What is he going to be charged with, the women supposedly weren't even looking to have him arrested, they just wanted to make sure he didn't have any heebie-jeebies.

http://www.nationalpost.com/Swedish+women+want+Assange+charged/3943008/story.html