Posted on 12/04/2010 7:07:52 AM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) is defending WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange's release of thousands of classified diplomatic cables.
In an interview with Fox Business Thursday, Paul went against the opinions of many of his Republican colleagues, asserting that Assange should be given the same protections as the media.
"In a free society we're supposed to know the truth," Paul said. "In a society where truth becomes treason, then we're in big trouble. And now, people who are revealing the truth are getting into trouble for it."
“This whole notion that Assange, who's an Australian, that we want to prosecute him for treason. I mean, aren't they jumping to a wild conclusion?” he added. “This is media, isn't it? I mean, why don't we prosecute The New York Times or anybody that releases this?"
Earlier this week, Attorney General Eric Holder said that the Justice Department is investigating Assange's case to determine whether he can be charged with a crime for leaking the secret documents.
Arkansas Goveror Mike Huckabee went so far as to say Tuesday that Assange should be tried for treason and face the death penalty if proven guilty.
Most U.S. politicians claim that the leaked cables will damage relations with U.S. allies.
*Ahem* I resent your accusation.....:-).....: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2637348/posts
We need to go after the US leaker who was the source of the info and the gov’t officials who designed and maintained the lame info security system. The aussie is a scapegoat.
Who knows. This certainly won’t win him a lot of supporters.
The uber-libertarians (those who have come to the mole’s defense) seem to believe that there should be zero restraint on freedom of speech, including national intelligence that is garnered in the course of duty (the original source, allegedly, of this information) while under agreement to maintain secrecy.
In such a world, there can be no espionage and no treason. It is all just speech.
“This is media, isn’t it? I mean, why don’t we prosecute The New York Times or anybody that releases this?”
The above is “defending Assange”? Maybe the healine should be changed - eh? I think Paul is pointing out the inconsistancy with the way the government has handled the NYT as an example.
Looks like Lew Rockwell still does all his foreign/ national security policy for him; can you imagine the French dealing with Benjamin Franklin and John Adams during the Revolution under these conditions (yes, I know the English spy in Franklin’s camp).
Heck -- just this morning there were several items posted here on FreeRepublic about WikiLeaks material that exposes the U.S. role in pushing global warming bullsh!t. Who can possible argue with someone who exposes that?
It’s odd that people focus only on Assange - Who gave him the documents?
Ron Paul is a nut. Anyone who would publish the invasion plans of Europe is not “telling the truth,” they are putting American lives at risk. Even in a free society, there are situations where government should expect to keep their communications private.
Drudge lost all credibility with me when he started using Alex Jones’ Prison Planet as a source.
Moreover, these hang em high yahoos are asking for an internet police force. The WWW should be free and uncensored. The little fagot who gave the info should be shot.
Just when you start to think maybe just maybe that Ron Paul knows what he’s talking about . . . . .
finally?
been doing it for a while
his Large L Libertarianism does not make exceptions for National Security....which is why I am a small l (sometimes)libertarian/(sometimes) conservative.
This is the same Arkansas governor who granted clemency to a violent criminal who later went on to kill four police officers in the state of Washington. You can do an internet search on the terms "Mike Huckabee" and "Maurice Clemmons" for all the details.
And now this guy is suggesting that an Australian citizen should somehow be prosecuted for treason in the U.S. and subject to execution if found guilty?
Go back to Arkansas, you jack@ss. Hmm . . . I seem to remember hearing myself say that a lot back in the 1990s.
>> Has he finally jumped the shark?
Ron Paul jumps the shark like fourth-grade girls jump rope.
Every day. Over and over. To cadence.
When it comes to politicians I have to agree with Ron. Politicians have to learn that you never put in words or print anything you wouldn’t want to hear quoted in a courtroom with your mother or whoever you were talking about present. When politicians think they have a right to keep secrets from the rest of us [mere peons] they’ve become our rulers instead of our servants.
Agreed, but... isn't it the Government's responsibility to protect their own communications? And, not make them available to a Private, First Class??
As a wise man once said “This guy is ready for a padded cell and a strait jacket........ “
Not one person had anything negative to say about Wikileaks until he said that he also has thousand of documents pertaining to a VERY LARGE BANK and their activities. Seems to me that where theres smoke theres fire. Even threatening to expose the Slave Masters and their illegal activities brings out the daggers from the entire Political Establishment. RELEASE ALL DOCUMENTS NOW and let the chips fall. Either way things are bound to get a lot worse before they get better.
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