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Assange praises Argentina for facing UK, but criticizes the data-gathering system

Monday, September 24th 2012 - 02:39 UTC
Full article 44 comments

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange currently holed in the Ecuadorean embassy in London said that “Argentina's support is very important, because Argentina has experience with facing the UK”. Read full article

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  • Beef

    Yep and Argentina also as experiece of not getting one jot of recognition from the UK. Looks like the alleged rapist will decide to use Argentina as an example of what not to do.

    Wouldn't it be a shame if the fire alarms went off and he had to stand on the street waiting for the all clear?

    Sep 24th, 2012 - 05:55 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • LEPRecon

    @1- Beef

    Either that or he'll burn to death. A win-win situation.

    However, this is a case of Assange realising that the world media have moved on to more important things like the Duchess of Cambridge, and people have forgotten about him. This is his desperate attempt to get back into the limelight.

    This is especially important now, as Ecuador is obviously fed up of the whole situation and just want shot of him.

    The best thing for the Ecuadorians to do now IS to set off the fire alarms, and abandon the building. The Fire Brigade will have to enter, and will ensure that there are no persons left in the building.

    Once they've thrown him out of the front door, the police arrest him, and he's on his way to face justice.

    The Ecuadorians shrug their shoulders, say it was fate, and get back to normal jogging.

    Problem solved.

    Sep 24th, 2012 - 06:22 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • agent999

    Which of the LATAM countries will be the first bring up Britain's “threat” to storm the Ecuadorian Embassy at the UN as proof that Britain still is a shameless colonial power.

    Sep 24th, 2012 - 06:49 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Idlehands

    The Ecuadorians are clearly trying - but their problem is that they don't really have any leverage or cards to play. They took a short term opportunity to pontificate on the world stage but are now paying a political price that gives them no further benefit.

    Their experience revolves around dealings within South America and they seem to have misjudged global realpolitik. Assange has imprisoned himself so there is no great need for the UK to compromise in any way.

    Sep 24th, 2012 - 06:51 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Xect

    It's interesting because the British position remains the same but Ecuador is now trying to alter the landscape to come out of this and to recoup some lost credibility.

    I mean illegally harboring someone wanted for sex offenses could never end well could it? Especially against a nation infinitely more powerful and cunning.

    I suspect if the UK granted their request (which it clearly will not) then good old Assange would somehow find his way back to Ecuador.

    But what will happen instead is the UK will hold its position and force Ecuador to either hold him in what amounts to a prison or hand him over, either option is a diplomatic victory for the UK.

    Sep 24th, 2012 - 06:58 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • bushpilot

    If Correa starts looking too stupid over this, he'll dump him I think. Maybe they will set off the fire alarms.

    Assange is an egomaniac. If he thinks he is looking too stupid over this, he'll turn the page (give up) & try and look like a hero again on the next turn.

    Is it possible that Sweden would accept the idea of Assange's transfer to the Swedish embassy? And then would the UK accept going along with this idea because Sweden is? What objections would the UK have to this idea if Sweden did not object to it?

    Is the UK going to want him back again for violating his bail, after Sweden is done with him?

    Sep 24th, 2012 - 07:19 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • agent999

    Assange's lawyer Garzon said Assange was in perfect health, but the living conditions in the embassy were not ideal.

    “The treatment is good but a prolonged situation such as that where he has limited space with practically no access to natural light does limit the physical well being of the person and can be deemed a rather concerning humanitarian situation,”

    Sep 24th, 2012 - 07:20 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • bushpilot

    That's a good one.

    Assange walked in there on his own two feet.

    If he doesn't like the light in there, he can walk out again.

    Sep 24th, 2012 - 07:28 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Bryzi

    Lets be clear Julian, Argentina don't give a rats ass about you. However they do care about trying to score political points against the UK. So clearly you are being played. Ask yourself if you would have any support from Argentina had this situation occurred in most other European countries. I very much doubt it.

    Sep 24th, 2012 - 07:29 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Usurping Pirate

    Pagina 12 . the RG equivalent of Pravda . Even govt. supporters think it's a joke .

    Sep 24th, 2012 - 07:46 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Idlehands

    Even Assange couldn't bring himself to praise the Argentine government unequivocally. He managed to praise the Ecuadorians without reserve and yet their government are subject to similar criticism. I guess it’s a literal example of the expression “don’t bite the hand that feeds you”

    Sep 24th, 2012 - 08:41 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • lsolde

    l'm disappointed in you, Julian.
    There was no need to bring Argentina into this...........quite miffed, in fact.
    They couldn't care less about you, its just:-
    “My enemy's enemy is my friend”.

    Sep 24th, 2012 - 09:01 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • agent999

    What a lot of rubbish “biometric program for printing documents” and “a data transfer from individuals to an organization that is much more powerful than them” is not unique in the world today and hardly a criticism of Argentina.

    It's typical of Assange and his conspiracy theories.

    Sep 24th, 2012 - 09:23 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Teaboy2

    @13 - Hows it a conspiracy theory when its true? Haven't you heard of SIBIOS?

    Heres a link to some information, confirming that CFK herself gave the executive order to it - https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2012/01/biometrics-argentina-mass-surveillance-state-policy

    Sep 24th, 2012 - 10:35 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Idlehands

    I wonder how a facial recognition system would have worked on CFK over the years?

    Sep 24th, 2012 - 10:50 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • War Monkey

    @15 Idlehands (#)
    Sep 24th, 2012 - 10:50 am

    It wouldn't work on KFC. It's BIOmetric, not PLASTOmetric.

    Sep 24th, 2012 - 10:58 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Conqueror

    @14 Don't get side-tracked.

    My best guess is that this idea of being “transferred” to the Ecuadorian “embassy” in Stockholm is Assange's idea. It pays lip service to his return to Swedish jurisdiction, but no more. He tried this in London. Realising that Swedish “investigators” would have no jurisdiction in the UK and he could simply get up and walk away. It would take time for the British authorities/police to be authorised to detain him. It might be a little different in Sweden, but who is to say he would ever get there? I doubt that it would be considered appropriate for him to board a commercial airliner. So, a private jet then. Probably with a range on the order of 2000+ miles. It flies out over the North Sea and then turns south for North Africa. As a matter of interest, the Ecuadorian presidential aircraft is an Embraer Legacy 600 with a range of nearly 4,000 miles! As a thought, the Ecuadorian air force also operates Airbus 320 and Boeing 727 aircraft, although they might be a little expensive for half-a-dozen people.

    Assange can either surrender or stay where he is for the next forty years!

    Sep 24th, 2012 - 11:08 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Englander

    “There’s one thing we at Wikileaks we have received complaints about, and it has to do with the biometric program for printing documents implemented by the Argentine government”, and explained, “Since it represents a data transfer from individuals to an organization that is much more powerful than them, and technology is rarely something neutral”.

    Well I guess he can't be all bad.

    Sep 24th, 2012 - 11:19 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • briton

    What a load of crap,
    You can see he is desperate, trying to cause a row between us and Argentina,

    That has absolutely nothing to do with why he is their,

    Let him rot,
    And stop giving him air time and publicity..

    .

    Sep 24th, 2012 - 12:27 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Englander

    19
    I see your point but to be honest he couldn't make Argentine - UK relations much worse than they are today. What I found interesting was that he was prepared to criticise his erstwhile Argentine supporters for their facist like biometric databases. He must of course face justice in Sweden for the two alleged sex attacks but it is to his credit that he has
    not abandoned all his previously held principles against bad Government, as practiced by National Socialist Argentina.

    Sep 24th, 2012 - 12:43 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • agent999

    @14

    I for one have no problems with national identity cards - EFF campaigns strongly against them. So forgive me if I don't follow their mantra.

    Sep 24th, 2012 - 01:08 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • British_Kirchnerist

    Ecuador have played a blinder here, what possible objection could the return to Sweeden brigade have with him being transferred to the Stockholme embassy? Unless as we've suspected all along they object to any level of protection for him for other reasons...

    #15 “I wonder how a facial recognition system would have worked on CFK over the years?”

    We could measure the level of artificial intelligence by whether it swoons =)

    Sep 24th, 2012 - 03:28 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Idlehands

    ”We could measure the level of artificial intelligence by whether it swoons =)” - congratualtions - you actually made me laugh.

    Sep 24th, 2012 - 03:36 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • GastonBaires

    No “BEEF”, the world will follow the example of a country in decline, without projections and in process of disintegration!

    Sep 24th, 2012 - 04:20 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • agent999

    @24

    ???

    Sep 24th, 2012 - 04:47 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • ProRG_American

    “No “BEEF”, the world will follow the example of a country in decline, without projections and in process of disintegration!”
    I can clarify........UK!

    Sep 24th, 2012 - 05:25 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Conqueror

    @22 You may be right that Ecuador has blinded itself. Your comment is, as usual, fatuous. Assange has to go into Swedish jurisdiction. The Ecuadorian diplomatic mission is not in Swedish jurisdiction. Equally, Sweden does not recognise “diplomatic” asylum. Sweden must be free to treat an alleged offender as an alleged offender. Or does Ecuador not understand that it cannot legitimately interfere in the judicial processes of other countries? And I want to see the Ecuadorian mission expelled from the UK!
    @24 Would that be a country with more than 3 times your GDP, loser?
    UK GDP = $2,308.503 billion Cesspit GDP = $710.7 billion

    Sep 24th, 2012 - 05:28 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Brit Bob

    Personally, I would like to see Assange shipped out to Argentina. That way they can continue on their descent to Banana Republic and Pariah State status.

    Sep 24th, 2012 - 07:13 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • KretinaK

    Here in Argentina we are heavily protesting the Kirchner administration, their endless corruption in every corner of the government, stealing of public funds, outright lies to the public about everything from security to the economy to official inflation figures.
    Today we start a new protest in Argentina - it's called the “ANTI-KK campaña”. In our language “KK” is pronounced KaKa, and that is what we think of the Kirchner administration.
    We ask all citizens against the Kirchner “KK” regime to leave a bag of excrement or bring your dog to defecate on the steps of Congress, on the steps of the Casa Rosada, or in front of the door of any office of “La Cámpora” or another militant organization of this joke of a president called “Kolina”.
    Leave bags of excrement, or garbage or any other repulsive, non-dangerous item that stinks on the steps of or in front of any of these government related places. This is a peaceful protest, non-violent, and will send a strong message to the “KaKa” government that is destroying lives in Argentina.
    KK para todos en el gobierno!.......
    http://forum.iop.harvard.edu/content/public-address-her-excellency-cristina-fern%C3%A1ndez-de-kirchner-president-argentina
    This is how much her own people HATE her.......
    www.facebook.com/RepudioACFKEnNuevaYork#!
    And how turkey scrotum neck stays in power.......
    www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyPC0SD0PGw

    Sep 24th, 2012 - 07:29 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • ProRG_American

    Solidarity with a beseiged whistleblower, that's all.

    Sep 24th, 2012 - 08:45 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Pete Bog

    Caption for the photo anyone?

    Sep 25th, 2012 - 12:27 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Captain Poppy

    assange: It really smells in here. Is there anything with more rooms?

    Castro: si but it is you that smells senor assange

    Sep 25th, 2012 - 01:29 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Troy Tempest

    Castro: Are you next?

    Assange: Yes, but I wish they'd hurry, I can barely hold it in...

    Sep 25th, 2012 - 02:29 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • LEPRecon

    @30

    Surely that should read:

    Solidarity with a beseiged (alleged) rapist, that's all.

    Sep 25th, 2012 - 05:32 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Simon68

    31 Pete Bog (#)
    Sep 25th, 2012 - 12:27 am

    Castro: Now Mr. Assange, can you show me what it is you did to those girls in Sweden?

    Sep 25th, 2012 - 02:50 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • stick up your junta

    If he is banged up in there much longer Castro is going to look mighty attractive to him

    Sep 25th, 2012 - 05:52 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • reality check

    n

    Sep 25th, 2012 - 06:24 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • mastershakejb

    @ 11 TTT
    I traveled from Missiones to Ushuaia, every inch of Argentina. And I'm from USA.
    A “poor” American comes across more money via US welfare system, social security, begging, foodstamps, etc in any given day than an upper middle class Argentine.
    “Poor” people in USA = upper middle class Argies.

    Sep 25th, 2012 - 06:46 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • reality check

    @30
    Manning was the whistle blower, Assange was was the exploiter, he's very good at that.

    Your confusing besieged with self imposed exile.

    Sep 25th, 2012 - 07:14 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • TipsyThink

    38
    You tràvèlled Argéntina iñ interñet..

    Sep 25th, 2012 - 07:43 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • mastershakejb

    nope, traveled it by bus, and might i say that your buse fares are the most expensive in the world, and you have the worst inflation, you're more expensive than USA, not even jokin, and yet you make SO much less money

    Sep 25th, 2012 - 11:46 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Troy Tempest

    @41 master

    “and might i say that your buse fares are the most expensive in the world,”

    Not that it will matter much, soon.

    With their inflation, reduced purchasing power, strict currency controls and travel taxes, nobody will be going far. Especially when the biometric “Nationality Cards” are issued. Will those need to be displayed at bus stations, train depots and airports?
    Many totalitarian , one-party, societies have used those to restrict travel and keep tabs on 'citizens'.
    Hmmm

    Sep 26th, 2012 - 12:37 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • reality check

    Assange addresses the UN by video link. Does the man have no shame, he really is a narcacist. Syria, Iran, China, Mali all this going on and he thinks the UN has time to deal with his piffling situation. He really is a legend in his own mind!!!!!

    Sep 27th, 2012 - 07:25 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Troy Tempest

    43.
    Desperate to stay relevant.

    His hosts are a little impatient, I'll bet

    Sep 27th, 2012 - 10:52 am - Link - Report abuse 0

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