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    Thanks sashimi and Ken Archived Message

    Posted by scab on July 7, 2023, 9:04 pm, in reply to "I think what annoys me the most ..."

    You've cleared up the 90-minute puzzle. I probably misread or forgot which court Nils Melzer was talking about.

    Ken -- as Melzer mentions a number of times, the US is not really interested in Assange as an individual, or even in punishing his "crimes", he is being used as a white-hot warning to anyone else -- journalists, whistleblowers, activists -- who might be tempted to reveal US classified material, in particular relating to US war crimes: the "Collateral Damage" video, etc.

    This is what will happen to you, sunshine, so be warned!

    As to Baraitser's decision not to extradite Assange on health grounds, Melzer posits the notion that this was all worked out between the UK and US before her decision was made. It seemed like a "victory" for Assange at the time but the speed with which the US responded within a day or so
    (they were "disappointed" at the decision) means they were by no means surprised or alarmed. Melzer points out that had the judge allowed the extradition, Assange's lawyers could then have made an appeal directly to the US Supreme Court -- an entirely different kettle of fish -- and matters might have been raised in open court and reported in the press that the US wanted to keep under wraps. This way, with Assange banged up in Belmarsh, in 23-hour a day solitary confinement, the US had achieved its objective of destroying Assange mentally and physically, to a husk of a human being, thus scaring the holy shite out of the media, while also avoiding unwelcome legal and public scrutiny. A win-win-win situation. And knowing the UK would keep him there, under any pretext, as long as their masters instructed.





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