First, does anyone dispute that Wikileaks has done irreparable damage to our national security with the release of the Manning documents and now the CIA data on how they hack various targets? Forget the hacking of the DNC and Podesta (probably an inside job by a Bernie supporter), there has been significant damage done to our national security by Assange. As someone who has worked for federal government for 36 years, both in the military and as a civilian, and held some of the highest security clearances, I am disappointed by the reactions of many of the posters on this thread who see Assange as some kind of hero. He is not.
From the NYT:
"But the official said prosecutors were skeptical that they could pursue the most serious charges, of espionage, with regard to the documents Mr. Assange disclosed years ago with the help of an Army intelligence analyst, Chelsea Manning. Ms. Manning was convicted and sent to prison, but President Barack Obama commuted her sentence in January."
"A lesser charge could be theft of government documents, but the official said prosecutors wanted, ideally, to pursue more serious counts against Mr. Assange, who has sought refuge in the Ecuadorean Embassy in London since 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden on accusations of rape."
I agree with you!
But foreign nationals are not subject to our laws.
I have said from Day 1 regarding Assange that Assange is fundamentally an anarchist. The WikiLeaks release of the DNC, Podesta , etc documents during the election is or was a temporary alignment of our “interests” with Assange’s “interests”. It will not continue.
Manning was “acquitted of aiding the enemy”. Assange is like the Slimes and WaPo but more truthful.