When I heard about this rape story, I also immediately noticed the smell of fish in the air. This smell of fish still remains.

>No, Sweden does not come to my mind, either. It still seems awfully fishy.
>
>>The timing and methods of notification of the charges are certainly suspect. Some of the questions are:
>>1) when did the claimants come forward?
>>2) when did the supposed incidents occur?
>>3) why was it publicized but nothing officially presented to his attorney (according to his attorney)?
>>...
>>
>>Interesting to me mostly because while everyone (myself included) is quick to suspect conspiracy with the U.S. government, the Swedish government doesn't come to mind first when it comes to conspiracy theories...
>>
>>
>>>No, that is not OK. And I am going to admit I got a little carried away when the discussion moved from the specific news story I posted about (Assuage accused of rape) to whether he is a good guy or a bad guy. My point, and what I said, is the timing of these charges and the way they were made (publicly with much fanfare rather than privately first, as required by Swedish law) was mighty fishy. No one seems to have commented on that. It doesn't seem a little The Empire Strikes Back to anyone?
>>>
>>>My sense has been that he is a good guy. I admire anyone with the courage to stand up to power. (And apparently I am not alone. I read that he is leading Time magazine's poll for person of the year, and let's hear someone call Time magazine a liberal haven). If he outed informants and anything happened to them, that will certainly change my opinion. That goes from courage to recklessness.
>>>
>>>>You're kidding me, right? Your position is that it is ok to risk the lives of informants as long as none of them actually get killed because of it? That is so utterly ridiculous that I'm not even going to continue this conversation after this.
>>>>
>>>>Several WikiLeaks colleagues say he alone decided to release the Afghan documents without removing the names of Afghan intelligence sources for NATO troops. “We were very, very upset with that, and with the way he spoke about it afterwards,” said Birgitta Jonsdottir, a core WikiLeaks volunteer and a member of Iceland’s Parliament. “If he could just focus on the important things he does, it would be better.”
>>>>
>>>>http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/24/world/24assange.html
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>Many people and publications have said publication of the war documents could put informants at risk. Do we know that anything happened to any of them? That would be news, not speculation. (I know Fox News Bill does not distinguish between the two).
>>>>>
>>>>>>SNIP
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>I never said that at all. If he published national secrets or put people in danger I would be right there with you throwing the book at him. I think you know as well as I do, though, that documents are classified for many reasons. My guess is it is done far more often to avoid embarrassment than to safeguard national security.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Where did the book land exactly? Did it hit him yet? :o)
>>>>>>
>>>>>>http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503543_162-20011886-503543.html
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Don't forget his own statement:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Any U.S. and allied casualties that result from the publication of classified Afghan war documents would be an acceptable risk,
>>>>>>
>>>>>>and: (That's one year after Amnesty International gave him that award - talk about a quick about-face...)
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Wikileaks founder Julian Assange was under fire from two quite separate quarters today - human rights groups who claim he has put Afghan lives at risk, and the Obama administration who believe his actions threaten US national security.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Amnesty International and the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) are among five human rights groups who believe that by posting leaked US military files on Wikileaks without removing the names of Afghan informants, Assange has set them up for reprisal by the Taliban.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>"We fear the names could create new targets," AIHRC president Nader Nadery said. "We have noticed a sharp rise of assassinations by the Taliban against tribal leaders, religious leaders (in recent months)."
>>>>>>
>>>>>>In late July, Wikileaks released some 76,900 military files relating to the war in Afghanistan. So far the site has held back another 15,000 more documents which it says contain information that might endanger innocent people.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>But Taliban representatives have said publicly that they are already searching the published documents and plan to punish those who have helped US and Nato forces.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>In a letter to Assange, seen by the Wall Street Journal, the rights groups ask Wikileaks to "strongly urge your volunteers and staff to analyse all documents to ensure that those containing identifying information are taken down or redacted.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>"We have seen the negative, sometimes deadly ramifications for those Afghans identified as working for or sympathising with international forces."
>>>>>>
>>>>>>In response, Assange reportedly asked the groups what they were doing to examine the classified documents, and whether they would be willing to help with the redaction process.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>According to the Wall Street Journal, Assange told the human rights groups in a conference call that he was "very busy. [I] have no time to deal with people who prefer to do nothing but cover their _sses"
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>http://www.thefirstpost.co.uk/67033,news-comment,news-politics,stop-julian-assange-us-and-amnesty-pile-pressure-on-wikileaks
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Oh, I found this article you should really enjoy:
>>>>>>http://www.aljazeerah.info/Opinion%20Editorials/2010/June/14%20o/Targeting%20Whistleblowers%20Truth%20Telling%20Julian%20Assange%20Endangered%20By%20Stephen%20Lendman.htm