STANDING UP FOR ASSANGE
Posted on August 31st, 2012

Hameed Abdul Karim

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Joshua E. KeatingƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s piece titled ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”How WikiLeaks Blew ItlineƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ inƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Ceylon TodayƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢(Wednesday 22 August 2012) was a sophisticated assault on Julian Assange and his fearless work in informing the world what really happens behind the scenes when the empire speaks of ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”making the world safe for democracyƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢.. Thanks to Julian Assange virtually the whole world now knows the lies and deceit the US Empire indulges in when it postulates about human rights and human dignity when in reality what it actually wants is to perpetuate its hegemony on the entire world so that it can live off the fat of the land, like all empires that came before. All empires have perished and it is certain that the US Empire will suffer the same fate sooner or later.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ RIGHT WING

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Joshua KeatingƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s right wing views stand exposed when he critiques Assange for interviewing HezbollahƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Hassan Nasrallah in a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”soft ball interviewƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ claiming that the show didnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t help AssangeƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s credibility because it was aired on RT. (Incidentally, RT (Russia Today) is available to Sri Lankan audiences on LBN cable TV as is IranƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Press TV). With whom is his credibility is at stake anyway? Evidently Mr. Keating is talking about the miniscule right wing groups who wouldnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t want to acknowledge Assange the same way the devil wouldnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t want to acknowledge the existence of God, even though he knows He exists. Besides, credibility is not the issue here because Assange has not said anything of his own. What he had done is to expose the disgraceful secrets of the evil empire that existed behind the faƒÆ’†’ƒ”š‚§ade of the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”do-gooderƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ image it had craftily created for itself. WhatƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s more, if they were to acknowledge what Assange had exposed they would stand to lose their enormous wealth, status and power. As far as I am concerned, AssangeƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s credibility with me, along with millions of others in the world, is quite safe and sound. Thank you, Mr. Keating.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Would AssangeƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s credibility be spiked if he had that interview on right wing channels like Fox News or CNN? And then what were the chances that the Western media would have televised Hassan Nasrallah, speaking with such charm and humour, on topics like the Israeli occupation of Palestine and a part of Lebanon that the West considers taboo? Everybody has a right to know both sides of the story and really RT should be lauded for airing the opposite narrative as presented by Hassan Nasrallah via Julian Assange. And narratives are the issues. Up until now we have had a heavy dose of one sided pro Western narratives on world affairs, all biased in favour of the Empire and its client states like Israel and the UK and the EU. Hilary Clinton was flabbergasted when she found out there were other TV networks operated by the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”othersƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ and all she could do was blurt out ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”we (the empire) are losing the information war with (untouchable?) new channels like RT, Al-Jazeera and Press TV entering the field of mass media once dominated by ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”usƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢, or words to that effect.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ALTERNATIVE MEDIA

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ It is true that RT is owned by the Russian government and the fact that Mr. Keating points it out rather ostentatiously, with a view to discredit the channel as ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”government ownedƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢, no doubt, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ exposes his right wing credentials even further. The mainstream media in the US is also ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”government ownedƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ by other means. It is a fact that the US media, the US military, the US banks and the US regime form a single cohesive ruling elite, all depending on one another to perpetuate their interests and their interests alone as is clearly demonstrated in the Occupy Wall Street protests in the US. The PentagonƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s alliance with Hollywood (which is the USƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s no.1 PR industry, as Arundathi Roy points out) was exposed by Marwan Bishara on Al-JazeeraƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”EmpireƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ programme. So there you are. What are the chances that CNN or Fox News will carry a programme like that with such telling effect?

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ If you carefully observe the irrelevant details of Mr. KeatingƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s article, like the one the where Manning is supposed to have referred to Assange as the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”crazy white haired AussieƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ or the one where he says Assange doesnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t flush toilets, you will realise that the idea behind the article is to discredit Assange and prop up the empire and also to trivialise the contribution that Assange has made to world affairs. A clear case of the author trying to shoot the messenger, but only succeeding in shooting himself in the foot! If AssangeƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s exposures are not that serious why then would President Obama say ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”he had broken the lawƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢? WhoƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s law, by the way?

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ PERMISSIBLE THOUGHTS

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The clever aspect of the article was that it was confined within the parameters of what Prof. Noam Chomsky describes as ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”permissible discourseƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢. Such articles are devised to ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”incarcerateƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ your thoughts so that you will be restricted to a set thought pattern crafted by the empire. But we have to break the chains that enslave our minds. And there is a way to do that. Think differently. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Imagine, for example, if Julian Assange was a Russian or Iranian and if he had spilled the beans on his country, donƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t you think he will be given a warm and an open arm heroƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s welcome into the United States as a politically hounded activist? Why he would be hailed for his ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”unwaveringƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ commitment to ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”truth, world peace and humanityƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ and possibly the empire would have arranged for a Nobel Peace Prize just to show it appreciates their heroƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s commitment to ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”human valuesƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢. WeƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ve all heard of Chinese dissident Chen Guancheng and how he was given political asylum in the US in next to no time. Apparently, the same morals or rules donƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t apply to Julian Assange.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ItƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s true, of course, that RT and Al-Jazeera and Press TV have their own agendas, but which media doesnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t. And itƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s also true that RT and Press TV are rather too overt when it comes to the Western powers especially the US. But then so are CNN and Fox News and CBC when it comes to Russia and Iran.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ So here we are, news consumers around the world, getting both sides of the stories that make world headlines, much to the chagrin of that grumpy US Secretary of State Ms. Hilary Clinton. By the way, she looks rather perplexed these days, poor thing.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Here we have Julian AssangeƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s mother trotting from Australia to London to Quito to ensure that her son is safe and sound from the tentacles of the empire. Instead of compassion for her, what we have is vengeance. Why, there was this top guy on AmericaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s CBC News Networks, answering to the name of Prof. Tom Flanagan of the University of Calgary, no less mind you, calling on the CIA to assassinate the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”S.O.BƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ by drone or by any other ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”convenientƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ means. And this from an US educationist or intellectual! ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Hey, anyone out there looking for a terrorist state?

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ All the while Christine Assange, JulianƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s mother, was watching. Did Prof. Flanagan expect her to jump up and cheer? No sheƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s fighting to keep her son alive. May God bless her and give her success in saving her son. Let me hear you sayƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ AMEN!ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

3 Responses to “STANDING UP FOR ASSANGE”

  1. Lorenzo Says:

    Didn’t I say so?

    If Ass-nage escapes by running into an embassy, Tamil terrorists will use that trick too.

    Australian Court denies US extradition request

    [TamilNet, Saturday, 01 September 2012, 02:36 GMT]

    Melbourne Federal Court Judge, Justice Tony North, in a precedent setting verdict delivered Friday, denied extradition of an Eezham Tamil, Thulasitharan Santhirarajah, to the U.S., ruling that the US charges against Santhirarajah, were “political”. The Court also ruled that Australia’s Attorney General (AG) Nicola Roxon’s decision to authorize extradition “denied Santhirarajah procedural fairness,” and that the AG “erred in the way she accepted extradition would not result in Mr Santhirarajah’s torture.” Justice North appeared to have also heeded the warning of Mr Santhirarajah’s wife, Priya, who is an Australian citizen and who said previously that “to consent to Thulasi’s extradition will amount to the signing of his death warrant.”

  2. Dham Says:

    “Didn’t I say so?” Zionist brain cannot understand logic.

    JA exposed inuman killing by USA, published in the web – against Zionists
    Australia did not support its own citizen – Julia Gillard is a Zionist that is why.

    Tamil tiger extradition fo USA ? no way. JG is a Zionist that is why.
    Zionist support Tamil Tigers to encourage killings anywhere in the world- even Al-queda.

    LorenZion, you better remain a Zionist and remain a smart king. Otherwise you are a bloody fool who cannot understand simple logic.
    Just because we have kifrs does not mean Zionist support unitary Sri lanka.

  3. Dham Says:

    Hameed,
    What is this “Ceylon Today” ? There is no Ceylon now. If this Tamil Tiger/Zionist combined news paper ?

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