Assange to Obama: Stop the witch-hunt

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Assange to Obama: Stop the witch-hunt

Published: 20 Aug 2012 at 01.20
Online news: World

LONDON : WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange urged President Barack Obama to end the US "witch-hunt" against his whistleblowing website, in a speech Sunday from the balcony of Ecuador's London embassy.

"I ask President Obama to do the right thing, the United States must renounce its witch-hunt against WikiLeaks," said Assange, making his first public statement since being granted political asylum by Ecuador on Thursday.

Assange praised the "courage" shown by the Latin American nation's President Rafael Correa in giving him asylum, a move which has angered Britain which has said it will continue to seek his extradition to Sweden.

Mr Assange addressed media from a second-floor balcony of the Ecuador embassy, safe from police waiting to arrest him. (Reuters photo)

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jck
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Discussion 11 : 20 Aug 2012 at 13.5111
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What a pity the British police have nothing better to do than station officers outside the Ecuador embassy.
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vctr_chrls
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Discussion 10 : 20 Aug 2012 at 13.3110
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d1 wikileaks is an international conspirator & was attacked by circling B-2's
ecuador did not paid the rent on their flat in london and was served eviction notice ...Hugo ChAvez and Rafael Correa now bus tables at La Fonda De Los Lobos Cantina
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onlyasking
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Discussion 9 : 20 Aug 2012 at 13.139
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D6 I agree what happened to the private/corporal as he is a US citizen and fall under the US law. Assange is however an Australian citizen and it's said that the US wants to put him on trail as a terrorist/spy. It has also been reported on Yahoo that the US have cleared his extradition from Sweden to the US. All of this adds up to one thing the US didn't like what he did and now he must pay.
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bikeme
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Discussion 8 : 20 Aug 2012 at 13.048
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Interesting double standard he has ... his quest to reveal the truth about government is a righteous crusade ... but attempts to reveal the truth about him is a witch hunt. Does it remind anyone of someone?
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samut
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Discussion 7 : 20 Aug 2012 at 11.017
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We need whistleblowers otherwise Governments can do what they want without being exposed.
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jacksprat
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Discussion 6 : 20 Aug 2012 at 10.436
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"Just look at that poor corporal Manning who will probably spend the rest of his life in jail for releasing a bunch of documents and emails which thousands of people had access to." That "poor corporal" (who was actually a private first class) had a very high security clearance, which gave him access to CLASSIFIED material. He missused his position to illegally copy it and make it public. Try doing that to your own government and see what happens to you.
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dao
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Discussion 5 : 20 Aug 2012 at 10.165
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I think if all that was at stake was the silly charge he would have faced it already but I think he all know that isnt the case which is why you are reading about it and why he is hiding in an embassy as we speak .If governments don't like what was exposed they should behave better
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bkk-farang
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Discussion 4 : 20 Aug 2012 at 09.564
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@somchai #1: Maybe you are right that asylum in Ecuador is a joke. But if you would face extradition to the USA to be detained for the rest of your live or maybe right away to the infamous Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba, would you prefer asylum form Ecuador? I don’t say the USA will put him forever behind bars but I also would not say this could never happen.
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tomb
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Discussion 3 : 20 Aug 2012 at 08.033
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Assamese is right in calling the Americans witch hunters. They just don't like the ugly truth to be known and will try to muzzle all whistleblowers. Just look at that poor corporal Manning who will probably spend the rest of his life in jail for releasing a bunch of documents and emails which thousands of people had access to.

The UK should be ashamed if they want to kowtow to their US masters. The rape allegations are nothing but a ploy, this should be clear to anyone.
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blob123
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Discussion 2 : 20 Aug 2012 at 07.082
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ref disc 1
Maybe you don't know but this guy was in Sweden for several weeks when and after this happen with the women, the Swedes had for weeks every day the possibility to ask him anything, they didn't do it, they even let him officially exiting the country without any problems. Miraculous after some of the confidential documents of the US where published they started to ask Britain to hand him over, what is this for? The women said something, he said this is not true what she said, there is no evidence on all the accusations but in Sweden women are automatically right and guys wrong etc. What about a video conference, that's common practice this days, this whole stuff smells very fishy. Just remember what the US did with the Bout from Russia the other day here in Bangkok.
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