Today's "are you f*cking kidding me" moment

[http://users.livejournal.com/aviation_/]

Julian Assange has been charged with rape in Sweden and will surrender to police soon. UPDATE:Sweden withdraws warrant.

I don't want to discredit anybody who might be a victim of rape. This might be authentic.
But I do not buy it at this point. Not one little bit. It sounds to me like he is being framed. Either through false allegations arranged by the US government, or though political pressure on Sweden to make false allegations. This is a smear campaign because the US is frightened of what the additional documents contain. They cannot prosecute Assange legally because of Times v. United States, which is very clear on its position. I suspect that the documents we have yet to see contain something much "bigger."

While this is meant to turn people against Assange, it makes me that much more certain that something isn't right here. The timing is too perfect. The fact that TWO women have come forward (who supposedly met him as part of his mission - aka might have been plants from the start) right now is too perfect.

Thoughts? Thoughts free of ad hominem please.

Edit: Sweden withdraws warrant.

Comments

[mahnmut.livejournal.com]

While the whole thing does reek at first reading, I'll say what I've always said: it's wisest to wait a bit for the thing to unfold and get more info in hand before judging. Same like the allegedly downed Polish airplane carrying Kaczynski to Russia, which everyone was convinced was brought down by the Russians, and that, a couple of hours after the news of the crash came out. I mean let's not hurry too much.

[http://users.livejournal.com/aviation_/]

While this is true, it isn't so easy to prove a rape (especially acquaintance rape) as it is that a plane crashed (though this can still be set up). Even proving that these women have sexual relationships (or just the one accusing him of rape, while the other exists with a "molestation" charge as backup) with Assange doesn't prove anything.

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

I wonder what happens if he pulls a leaf out of Roman Polanski's book?

[http://users.livejournal.com/aviation_/]

He is surrendering, so I think no.

[policraticus.livejournal.com]

Such an obvious narcissist accused of rape? That's unpossible!

[http://users.livejournal.com/aviation_/]

"Thoughts free of ad hominem please."

[rogerdr.livejournal.com]

Um, narcissism can be a justification for rape, therefore not an ad hominem.

[sealwhiskers.livejournal.com]

I tend to agree with you, following the Swedish news (Expressen is a tabloid, there are better statements in the real newspapers). Assange is willingly surrendering to the police and the case seems pretty weak (although the Police must follow standard procedure).
What you might not know is that Wikileak's material and web presence is now protected by the Swedish Pirate Party (in spite of the name, this is a real political party in Sweden, created a few years ago to protect internet freedom), so it's not as easy to get to the information in spite of what happens to Assange. (I think he's going to be freed, possibly with a tarnished name)

[http://users.livejournal.com/aviation_/]

But there are still 15,000 documents that have not been released and are thus not a part of his website. Is that material protected?

[sgiffy.livejournal.com]

So I don't know a lot about Swedish government but I thought the Pirate Party only held a few seats. How can they protect the material?

[devil-ad-vocate.livejournal.com]

We don't need no estinking facts... clearly, this is a case for Nancy Grace.

[chessdev.livejournal.com]

Wait and see what happens.

On one hand, the timing is suspicious.
On the other hand, the dude is a douche.

So either outcome is possible. Let's see what happens.

[http://users.livejournal.com/aviation_/]

I mean, rape is the perfect crime to accuse him of: It is difficult to prove, will tarnish his name, and people will be careful to attack the women making the accusations, because victim-blaming is really shitty. Even if you think they are lying, there is always the "what if they aren't?" question. And then you feel super shitty for making accusations like, hey, maybe they intentionally had sex with Assange so they could make these accusations. It isn't too hard to find people who believe what he is doing is wrong and who would be willing to do anything to stop him.

[sealwhiskers.livejournal.com]

You have to remember though, that it is actually pretty hard to get convicted of rape. A famous Swedish comedian was accused by several women a few years ago, but couldn't be proved guilty (there rarely is enough proof in rape cases, even if they are legit). This guy is still going strong today, his name was a bit tarnished for a while, but everything is more or less restored today.

[udoswald.livejournal.com]

I don't see why the US government would need to frame Assange for anything. Dude's already pretty thoroughly discredited. Most people think he's an ass. Even liberal organizations are denouncing his actions because they risk the lives of journalists and other innocent people.

What benefit would the Swedish government derive from framing him anyway? His leaks aren't in any way revealing secrets of their government or putting their troops at risk.

Regardless, I have no problem believing these charges. The line of work that Assange has chosen, right or wrong, requires a huge ego. He feels he is qualified and justified to overrule the decisions of elected officials and jeopardize the lives of people from other countries. It just so happens that having a huge ego can also cause one to take advantage of others through rape.

[http://users.livejournal.com/aviation_/]

First, it might not be the Swedish government framing him. If they are, it would be because the US pressured them privately into having no choice. More likely the accusers are working with the US government.
The US government wants Assange out of the picture because he has a lot of power that they don't want him to have. He still has 15,000 documents to release. He is being extra careful with these, which leads me to believe that they contain much more serious material. It doesn't matter if people think he is an ass already. These additional 15,000 (and a Garani airstrike video, if this still exists) could be particularly damaging and reverse that thinking in a lot of people. Since Assange requested to work with the government, it can be assumed that they know what is contained in the material.

Assange is not doing anything other press organizations haven't done for years. He has just found himself in possession of things that they haven't. Attempting to draw parallels between his willingness to release government documents and a willingness to rape is really so full of ad hominem that I don't even want to touch it.

[korean-guy-01.livejournal.com]

Guilty until proven innocent!

[http://users.livejournal.com/aviation_/]

Update: Warrant already withdrawn by Sweden. (http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/top/all/7163991.html)

[devil-ad-vocate.livejournal.com]

Thank you. Now we can return to the Taliban Mosque in the middle of Ground Zero...

[meus-ovatio.livejournal.com]

I find these charges of conspiracy to be spurious and full of ad hominem.

[http://users.livejournal.com/aviation_/]

:)

[ygrii-blop.livejournal.com]

Remember Scott Ritter? Yeah, it seems the guy may be a douche, but still...

[policraticus.livejournal.com]

If by "douche" you mean "pedophile," then yes he is a douche.

[meus-ovatio.livejournal.com]

As long as Julian doesn't piss of Putin, he should be fine.

[http://users.livejournal.com/aviation_/]

RT is very excited about Wikileaks. Until Wikileaks gets ahold of something about Russia, that is.

[luvdovz.livejournal.com]

Actually the charges have been dropped.
http://lewrockwell.com/blog/lewrw/archives/64056.html

Also just saying: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/7913758/Julian-Assange-Wikileaks-founder-fears-he-could-be-arrested.html

[http://users.livejournal.com/aviation_/]

Yeah I edited my post to show they have been dropped. Maybe I should place the edit first.

PS is that Peach Girl in your icon

[the-rukh.livejournal.com]

My first thought was also that this is a smear. Now that the charges have been quickly dropped, it makes me wonder even more.

[sealwhiskers.livejournal.com]

The charges aren't dropped, just the warrant for his arrest.

[sealwhiskers.livejournal.com]

eh, also as a Swede, perhaps I should say that it would be very hard for any US government agency to have a "hold on" Swedish government, with all it's fractions, parties and transparency laws keeping a lookout on each other. It's not impossible I suppose, but really hard and unlikely.

It's possible for private individuals to be bought though, although I would be careful to speculate too much until the investigation is completed.
The investigation against Assange is still on, it's just the immediate warrant for his arrest that's dropped, because the (female) Swedish judge thought it was premature in lieu of the evidential factors involved.

Finally: Wikileak's material and the process of it being protected, as well as wikileaks's contract and co-operation with the Swedish Pirate Party isn't necessarily connected to what happens to Assange.

[http://users.livejournal.com/aviation_/]

Yeah, I was merely speculating and wasn't convinced that was the case. I think it is much more likely that the women themselves were working with the CIA, but that too is speculation.

[http://users.livejournal.com/aviation_/]

o rly
are you making fun of me or are you serious

Hopefully the CIA is smarter than this. :P

[reality-hammer.livejournal.com]

Accusing him of being a child molester would have been easier/more effective.

It's trivially easy for someone to plant something on your computer, especially after they have it in custody.

Not that I want the CIA to be doing this; just saying.