Trump won and I hope he can be pardoned. "Edward Snowden: speaks about Hillary Clinton Emails".

a reply to: Southern Guardian

Assange is a different case than Snowden. Assange isn't even a US citizen and as far as I know hasn't been charged with anything here yet. The only charges i'm currently aware of against Assange are the rape ones from Sweden that Trump would have no power to pardon him for. On top of that if the US wanted to bring charges against Assange it would be nigh impossible since he was only given the information and did not actually hack to obtain it himself.

a reply to: Thoren

At the end of the day, whether or not Assange is the US citizen, he, like Snowden, released classified material to the public with regards to the US government. They are the same.. Much of Wikileaks dump focused on the workings of American interests and covert actions, email, classified material spying etc. They are one in the same.

I understand there are alot of people here may favour Assange more than Snowden, but at the end of the day they are both whistleblowers, both one in the same.

You could argue that Snowdens materials focused more heavily of classified material but they both released sensitive information about the US government.

Better to be thought a traitor and expose your nation's illegal and murderous ways than to let the evil stand unchallenged when you could have done something to shine light on the darkness.

originally posted by: Southern Guardian
a reply to: Thoren

At the end of the day, whether or not Assange is the US citizen, he, like Snowden, released classified material to the public with regards to the US government. They are the same.. Much of Wikileaks dump focused on the workings of American interests and covert actions, email, classified material spying etc. They are one in the same.

I understand there are alot of people here may favour Assange more than Snowden, but at the end of the day they are both whistleblowers, both one in the same.

You could argue that Snowdens materials focused more heavily of classified material but they both released sensitive information about the US government.

I think I'm just Old School on this.

a reply to: Southern Guardian

I agree both are in the same category in a way. I guess my main point was that Trump can't even pardon Assange at the moment since there are no charges against him by the U.S. yet that i'm aware of. Well I guess he could pardon him for anything he could be charged with in the future. He still has the rape charges to deal with that Trump can't pardon him for though.

a reply to: Thoren

Yep those rape charges. I'm unsure anything will come of them. It doesn't appear that the Swedish government has made much progress with regards to it.

It's going to be interesting to see what the next step of the Trump government will be.

Do they pardon Assange only? Or announce they won't be pursuing him? This then sets a precedent.
Does he pardon both? Still sets a precedent for future whistleblowers.
Does he turn his back and pursue them for charges? As he stated of Snowden during his campaign run? In this instance I think Wikileaks will then focus on the Trump government.
Does Trump go radio silence? They don't make any mention or intention to pursue but deny that they have forgiven their actions?

I'd say the last two points are likely. After all I don't think I ever heard Trump actually say he believed Assange should be pardoned or his past actions are justified. Just because Trump was vocal about more DNC releases and praised the hackers, doesn't necessarily mean he supports either of them.

a reply to: Southern Guardian

I would have to agree with your assessment. Assange holds loyalty to none. Trump and the republicans have probably already given thought to Assange being a problem for them later if he were to catch any of their shenanigans. Trump is also very much for the continued surveillance state we have as far as I can tell but like I said earlier has flip flopped on it. I fear his lack of predictability is going to come back and bite his supporters in the butt.

Trump called for execution of Snowden he doesent like him.

a reply to: Southern Guardian

Not really.

Assange is not a US citizen, nor had he signed any NDA unlike snowden.

a reply to: MysteryTime1970

Snowden gave critical information about spying programs to the most dangerous enemy of the United States government that has ever existed.

He gave the information to the people of that nation, the one group of whom the US government, no matter who is running it, is deathly afraid, and should be. Given how clear it has become that the people of the United States would be prepared to burn down their own house to kill non-existent threats, can you imagine what it would be like if the vast majority woke up to the fact that their government sees anyone not working directly for it as a potential threat, rather than as citizens they are sworn to operate on behalf of, to up hold the safety and honour of at all times?

People seem to be under a misapprehension about all this, they believe, falsely, that their security services are there to defend THEM against threats both foreign and domestic, that their security services are on thier side. They simply are not. They are there, in truth, to keep the machinery running, at any and every cost, even the liberty they falsely claim to uphold and protect by their illegal actions.

Just causes do not require actions which reduce the privacy, liberty and freedom of innocent people. Think about that.