How will Assange be punished for attempting to advance democracy?

When somebody who is not a political target fills out their bank forms with false information does the bank freeze the assets? I doubt it.

 

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Well I have a bank account in Cambodia. I am now in NY and will be here for awhile, same with my Mobitel sim card, they need the landlord contract as proof of address, I had moved a few times since then but haven't changed my address on any of those documents including my resident visa. Am I lying about my address details? Does it matter? :shrug:

They claim that all that is necessary for non-residents is a passport. If you were a Swiss resident then you would give them a resident card would you not? Along with a copy of your passport if that is even necessary. So it still begs the question of whether there was any breach of contract.

Its all harassment Niraka, nothing more.

Think of it, anyone who has a bank account wants statements sent either online or via mail. No one who has money in a bank is going to be out of reach. How was he conducting his financial affairs? In person or via the internet or phone? What good is an address in a banking system where most of their clients are non-residents anyway? And if you are like someone like myself, moving around constantly?

 

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Assange is not only a political target from the establishment side. I hope that people supporting public transparency and accountability will increasingly understand that Julian Assange is not their man. WikiLeaks and the entire public accountability movement must get beyond this Assange distraction.

The Telegraph: Now WikiLeaks Suffers Its Own Leaks

 

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What is happening to Assange is not a distraction but more of a symbol. Its a challenge to anyone who attempts to shed a deep light on corporate/government affairs.

 

Bradley Manning's case is much closer to the actual act and issue of institutional repression of whistle-blowing that you raise. Assange is a stupendous distraction; not a symbol or role-model in accountability. Perhaps a symbol of a high ego-to-principles ratio, or character that breaks down in limelight- but we already have plenty of those in pop culture.

 

Bradley Manning is a hero for Democracy. Could public attention or financial support help him? In his case I think the laws are rather clear and not good for Manning.

To destroy Wikileaks or Assange the governments may have to bend, break or change the Laws.

 

Absolutely, and WikiLeaks has scooped up enough money to make a decisive difference in Manning's life. Ellsberg walked in the "Pentagon Papers" case, because his legal team exposed in court nefarious government tactics to repress the truth. The US government has been behaving very recklessly and is ripe for a smack-down on Constitutional protections and public accountability- or at least a mistrial in their clumsy panic. But it takes a lot of money to effectively fight an angry US government in court- much more money than it takes to defend an irresponsible geek from charges of sexual disorderliness in Sweden.

Unfortunately, the WikiLeaks organization has thrown Manning (leading source of the information that has brought WL and Assange so much attention and funding) under the bus. People who sincerely care about accountability in government, and who base their opinions on more than mainstream headlines should be outraged by WikiLeaks/Assange's cowardly abandonment of a key source- a more genuine hero of democracy, and a more humble symbol of resistance that more people (especially in the USA) can potentially identify with. Manning is obviously considered and treated by Assange as less than his equal, and a rival for attention and protection.

It is not merely Assange's arrogance in his personal life that makes him a deeply-flawed symbol of resistance and of solidarity for truth. In his public actions and strategies, Assange's self-centeredness is also much in evidence, and any who would hold him up as a model world citizen should take note that Assange consistently abandons his comrades for his own sake. Assange lacks the quality of character to remain an effective champion for freedom, because his most powerful sense of solidarity (conspicuously on display) is with his own ego. Assange deserves no better treatment in public opinion and at the hands of the powerful than Bradley Manning.

 

Do you think Assange should quit WikiLeaks to make WikiLeaks stronger by getting it out from under Assange's shadow? I don't think Assange is essential to WikiLeaks or in control of WikiLeaks but media always focuses on personalities. Business media has done the same thing with CEOs by focusing on them as if they were the story while ignoring the corporation.

Does WikiLeaks need a spokesperson?

 

Yes.

I think WikiLeaks would do better with several, but none that personalize or purport to personify WikiLeaks or the cause for accountability in government and Corporations/NGOs.

 

Coming Soon! Assange-Free!

http://www.openleaks.org/

 

Why should he quit? It was his creation and he therefore has more right to it than people like Murdoch who simply happen to own some shares currently

 

i never saw wikileaks as been under anyone's shadow.
it looked like a simple repository of documents that speaks to anyone that can read
if assange is not being persecuted he would be just another guy

 

Assange should quit because his personal problems are interfering with a cause far more important than himself. Wikileaks may owe its inception to Assange, but the inevitable phenomenon of internet-augmented whistle-blowing has suddenly outgrown him. As the personal franchise of a self-absorbed reluctant martyr, Wikileaks will face a further brain-drain, loss of mission, and become a target for infiltration. Highly-proprietary personal-capitalist culture just isn't a good fit for this brave new experiment in public accountability.

 

thats just silly
a persecution of openleaks will reveal the people behind it and bring them to the limelight. once they are defending themselves i suppose they can be accused of being media whores too

 

It requires an unusually high quality of character to keep functioning as a civil rights leader. Assange didn't measure up. This is not the same as saying that he should be thrown to the wolves, but that it's time for Assange to get out of the way; he did his part with what he had in him.

Along similar lines, it's time for another flawed leader to get out of the way of something he once encouraged:

-Barack Obama, January 21, 2009​

 

as did manning i suppose

coming soon... assange/manning free!

gustavleaks

 

We haven't really gotten to know Bradley Manning much, but it is likely that those value hard truths owe considerably more to Manning than Assange. As to what becomes of any of us, the Wheel is in spin.


Gustav leaks? We've known that here for years.

/off to take a leak myself, and then :sleep:

 

I can't say for sure whether Assange is inflicted with inflated ego and the selfish behaviors and delusional thinking that tend to be caused by inflated ego. It seems to me that Assange has the feeling/smell of inflated ego but I might be being influenced by others to percieve that Assange has an inflated ego.

Once a person has great accomplishments, or gets power, or gets fans, groupies and sycophants it becomes relatively common to get an inflated ego.

Assange has computer skills. They could be useful for either producing hacking created leaks or for defending from opposing hackers. Either way Assange could use his talants for WikiLeaks without being part of WikiLeaks. WikiLeaks is stronger legally if their people never produce leaks, and only receive, verify, redact and distribute leaks.

In my limited exposure to Assange as a spokes person, he seems like a good and interesting speaker, but not an exceptional speaker. I think he is replaceable.

 

I am thinking about doing something for Bradley Manning. A donation. Maybe I might write him some fan mail. If he is going to be in prison for a long time surrounded by people who think he is traitor scum, then letting him know that people consider him a Hero and the finest sort of American patriot and the upholder of the spirit of the American revolution might help his mood.

I don't think Manning is in a good legal situation. I don't expect the majority of Americans to support Manning. They just don't understand.

http://www.bradleymanning.org/
Below from: http://www.bradleymanning.org/15585...s-to-defend-accused-wikileaks-whistle-blower/
Bradley Manning Support Network accepts responsibility for all expenses to defend accused Wikileaks whistle-blower

Oakland, CA, December 8, 2010 – Since July 2010, the Bradley Manning Support Network, in collaboration with Oakland, CA based Courage to Resist, has solicited and distributed funds in support of accused Wikileaks whistle-blower Bradley Manning. Over 1,200 individuals and organizations have responded with contributions totaling over $90,000, either to the defense fund or to Bradley’s legal trust account. Thus far $50,000 has been transferred to Bradley’s lead civilian attorney, David Coombs, half of the total expected legal expense of $100,000.

Letters and postcards to:

Bradley Manning
c/o Courage to Resist
484 Lake Park Ave #41
Oakland CA 94610
USA

Letters will be opened, "contraband" discarded and then mailed weekly to Bradley via someone on his approved correspondence list.

Below from: http://www.couragetoresist.org/x/content/view/850/1/
Who is his civilian defense lawyer?

Quick answer: Manning is represented by civilian defense attorney David Coombs.

After receiving a wide range of opinions from our Support Network, his military defense JAGs, and a family member, Manning selected attorney David Coombs of Providence, Rhode Island, in August 2010 to lead his legal defense. Mr. Coombs has over a decade of experience as a military trial lawyer and is a former law professor at the Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School in Charlottesville, Virginia.

From our first communications with Bradley, back when he was still jailed in Kuwait, we pledged to support and fund his choice of civilian legal representation. Our December 7, 2010, statement “The Bradley Manning Support Network accepts responsibility for all expenses to defend accused WikiLeaks whistle-blower Army PFC Bradley Manning,” outlines our ongoing commitment to Bradley.

Should I donate to Bradley's defense at bradleymanning.org, or at wikileaks.org?

Quick answer: bradleymanning.org (donation page direct link)

Donations to Bradley’s defense fund hosted by Courage to Resist / AfGJ, in collaboration with the Bradley Manning Support Network, are tax-deductible. Contributions are urgently needed to both cover legal defense expenses and to support the growing movement to defend Bradley.

In July, WikiLeaks announced that donations towards Manning’s defense could be made via the WikiLeaks website. Since then WikiLeaks has expressed appreciation to the Bradley Manning Support Network for the formation of this grassroots effort dedicated to Manning’s defense, as WikiLeaks has been busy carrying out its primary mission.

Mr. Assange of WikiLeaks has pledged a "significant amount" towards Manning’s legal expenses. I do not know how much WikiLeaks has collected for Manning’s defense; however, it is my assumption that WikiLeaks’ contribution will be significantly more than the donations they received. I expect that WikiLeaks will soon make a contribution towards Bradley’s legal defense via the Germany-based Wau Holland Foundation.

How much will be needed for legal expenses?

Quick answer: About $100,000.

Bradley’s attorney David Coombs has taken the case for a flat-rate fee. Taking into account travel expenses, additional expenses, and expert witnesses, we know that the total will be about $100,000. Based on our efforts so far, $50,000 has been transfer to Mr. Coombs, and we’re preparing to transfer additional funds in the coming days.

Besides legal expenses, what else have funds been spent on?

The Support Network has distributed funds on: Printing and international distribution of leaflets, posters, and information cards; Staging of public forums, events, and demonstrations; Production of banners, t-shirts, stickers, and whistles for organizers; Travel expenses for Bradley’s visitors at the Quantico brig; Communication expenses, including phone and Internet hosting; Processing the “Stand with Brad” public declaration and petition (www.standwithbrad.org); Accounting; Fiscal fees; Credit card company fees.

Can I donate only to legal expenses?

Quick answer: Yes.

The Bradley Manning IOLTA legal trust account is managed by attorney David Coombs under regulation of the Massachusetts IOLTA (Interest on Lawyers Trust Accounts) Program, and the American Bar Association. All proceeds, after online credit card transaction fees of approximately 4.5%, will offset Bradley's legal expenses. Any funds remaining in the trust account at resolution of the legal case will become Bradley's with interest. Note that contributions to Bradley’s legal trust account are not tax-deductible.

For more information, see "How to donate to Bradley Manning's defense"

Does Manning know the Bradley Manning Support Network is raising money on his behalf?

Quick answer: Yes.

The Support Network subsidizes regular visits by a friend of Bradley’s to visit him at the Marine Corps brig at Quantico, Virginia. The efforts of the Support Network are shared with Bradley, and his deep appreciation for the support and concern of so many are consistently expressed. As these visits are openly recorded by the brig, discussion of Bradley’s legal situation is avoided. Note that Bradley has made no statements to prosecutors regarding the charges against him.

 

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