"Ecuadorian President Says The CIA Is Attempting To Overthrow His Government" Derrick Broze

SOURCE http://www.mintpressnews.com/ecuadorian-president-says-the-cia-is-attempting-to-overthrow-his-government/203701/ For Full Article (with links to further information, go to source) Ecuadorian President Says The CIA Is Attempting To Overthrow His Government The CIA has a history of contributing to coups in Ecuador. Back in 1963, the CIA led a coup which deposed President Carlos Julio Arosemena because he criticized the United States and supported Fidel Castro’s revolution in Cuba. By Derrick Broze | March 25, 2015 (ANTIMEDIA) Over the weekend several outlets reported that Ecuador’s President Rafael Correa made comments alluding to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) “being increasingly involved in the political opposition with the avowed aim of dragging the country into chaos.”  The reports also claim Correa stated the CIA was attempting to weaken the government through “a series of coordinated nationwide protests.” However, Ecuador has released a statement claiming the president was speaking about the role of U.S. intelligence services meddling the county’s affairs and support of opposition groups, but not direct involvement in the recent protests. President Correa tweeted that the AFP incorrectly reported the news and accused the news agency of distorting the truth and misrepresenting his statements. de los “resistentes” hubieran sido organizadas por la CIA, no hubiesen sido tan estruendosos fracasos. AFP mintió. — Rafael Correa (@MashiRafael) March 23, 2015 While it seems in this instance Correa’s word may have been taken out of context, it would not be too surprising if he did make the accusation. For one, there are several reasons relations between the nations have been strained in recent years. In 2013, the Ecuadorian news agency ANDES accused the CIA of plotting to assassinate Correa. Ecuador has not made many political allies in America following the 2009 decision to no longer allow the U.S. to continue to use air bases for surveillance. The country also angered American politicians by granting Wikileaks founder Julian Assange asylum in its London Embassy. Correa may not be ready to point fingers at the CIA, but Chilean journalist Patricio Mery has claimed the CIA is running a drug operation in Chile, trafficking “about 200 kilos of cocaine per month” from Bolivia in order to fund anti-Correa operations. In recent years Italian police discovered 40 kilos of cocaine in Ecuador’s diplomatic mail. Mery believes senior Chilean officials were involved, and claims to have proof implicating the Ecuadorian government. Check out this interview for more on those allegations. The CIA has a history of contributing to coups in Ecuador. Back in 1963, the CIA led a coup which deposed President Carlos Julio Arosemena because he criticized the United States and supported Fidel Castro’s revolution in Cuba. But Ecuador is not the only nation the CIA has had a hand in toppling. In fact, the history of U.S. intervention and subversion is so rich that even mainstream reporters have to laugh in the face of government propaganda. Recently, State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki claimed “As a matter of long standing policy the United States does not support transitions by non-constitutional means. Political transitions must be democratic, constitutional, peaceful, and legal.” [Jen Psaki, US DoS, Spox] That statement drew a laugh and legitimate questioning from Associated Press reporter Matt Lee, who could not believe what he was hearing. [ ...] Iran, 1953 – The independent National Security Archive research institute published declassified documents that prove the CIA was involved in the 1953 overthrow of Iranian Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh. The documents are part of the CIA’s internal history of Iran and clearly indicate the agency’s role in disposing of a sovereign ruler. Guatemala, 1954 – Operation PBSUCCESS was another CIA operation that overthrew an elected leader and created more problems than solutions. President Jacobo Árbenz was removed and replaced with the military regime of Carlos Castillo Armas. Árbenz was a progressive politician who sought to change centuries of feudalism and reduce dependence on foreign nations and companies, including the United States and the American United Fruit Company (UFCO). His policies affected the finances of UFCO and the military intelligence desires of the CIA, leading to a coordinated attack and coup. Operation Condor, 1970’s – The United States’ support of crimes against the peoples of Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, and Brazil are well-established fact. The CIA carried out Operation Condor, a campaign of political repression and terror involving assassination and intelligence operations implemented in 1975 by the dictatorships of South America. The United States government helped fund and support repressive regimes in each of these nations including Pinochet in Chile,  Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger was heavily involved in Operation Condor. Argentina – It has been suspected for years that Kissinger influenced Argentina’s decision to move forward with their repressive campaign. This was finally confirmed since in 2004 when the National Security Archive released a secret memo recounting a conversation between assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights, Patt Derian, and the US ambassador in Buenos Aires, Robert Hill. The two met in April 1977 and discussed a meeting between Henry Kissinger and Argentine Foreign Minister Cesar Augusto Guzzetti. Kissinger gives Guzzetti explicit permission to move forward with whatever they must do to repress “terrorism”. Paraguay – Another document uncovered by the U.S. National Archives shows the CIA’s involvement in Paraguay as well. A formerly secret CIA Directorate of Intelligence’s Office of African and Latin American Analysis research paper details how the agency never planned on allowing any opposition leaders from ever succeeding Paraguayan dictator General Alfredo Stroessner. The dictator ruled from 1954 to 1989 with the full support of the U.S. Stroessner trained at the infamous School of the Americas in Fort Benning, Georgia and supported the U.S. during the invasion of the Dominican Republic in 1965. Bolivia, 1971 – Bolivia’s reign of terror including killings, disappearances, and torture of political opponents and activists during the rule of  General Hugo Banzer. A declassified documents includes official transcripts of conversations between Nixon and his chief foreign policy architect, Henry Kissinger.  The leaders of the U.S. government financed and supported the Banzer coup with no regard for the lives of the Bolivian people. Shortly after the U.S. perfected its support of dictators with the rise of Augusto Pinochet. Chile, 1973 – Nixon, Kissinger, and the CIA helped remove socialist President Salvador Allende, and, following a brief rule by another military junta,  Allende’s army chief, Augusto Pinochet, seized power. Pinochet’s terror and torture has been heavily documented so I won’t go in depth here but it should be another reminder that the United States government once again succeeded in destroying a thriving, sovereign nation and recognized  immoral, violent, and tyrannical dictatorship as a illegitimate form of governance. Haiti, 2004 – A more recent example of a coup comes from the people of Haiti. Former Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide told CNN that he was forced to leave Haiti as part of a coup organized by the United States. George W. Bush denied the accusations and former White House press secretary Scott McClellan said it was “nonsense”. Shortly after Aristide was removed from power, his ex-wife told U.S. Rep. Charles Rangel, and Rep. Maxine Waters that he would be killed “and a lot of Haitians would be killed” if he did not voluntarily leave. The message had apparently been delivered by the chief of staff of the U.S. Embassy in Haiti. Honduras, 2009 – Wikileaks helped confirm that once more the U.S. was influencing foreign nations and overthrowing democratically elected governments. The U.S. embassy in Tegucigalpa sent a cable to D.C. making it clear that they believed the changing of power in Honduras that took place in June 2009, “constituted an illegal and unconstitutional coup.” The Embassy admitted that the military did not have the authority to remove President Zelaya, describing it as a “kidnapping”. The cable was viewed by Tom Shannon, then Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs; Harold Koh, the State Department’s Legal Adviser; and Dan Restrepo, Senior Director for Western Hemisphere Affairs at the National Security Council, and former Secretary of State Hilary Clinton. Despite this knowledge the U.S. continued to support and aid the nation. Clinton would later admit to playing a role. The New York Times even called the US State Department on the coup:     “It’s time to acknowledge the foreign policy disaster that American support for the Porfirio Lobo administration in Honduras has become. Ever since the June 28, 2009, coup that deposed Honduras’s democratically elected president, José Manuel Zelaya, the country has been descending deeper into a human rights and security abyss. That abyss is in good part the State Department’s making.     The headlines have been full of horror stories about Honduras. According to the United Nations, it now has the world’s highest murder rate, and San Pedro Sula, its second city, is more dangerous than Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, a center for drug cartel violence.     Much of the press in the United States has attributed this violence solely to drug trafficking and gangs. But the coup was what threw open the doors to a huge increase in drug trafficking and violence, and it unleashed a continuing wave of state-sponsored repression.” This is a very short list that does not even touch on the recent military aggression in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Yemen, and other Middle East nations that seem to be the next targets of US imperialism. It should be painfully clear that the United States government has a long history of creating, supporting, and funding illegal, unelected, military coups that fit into the current political narrative. For a more detailed list check here. (Yes, I know it is the Alternet. Follow the links, check sources and make up your own mind.) Without a doubt the United States has a history overthrowing sovereign nations that take steps to free their people from US and NATO hegemony. Is it that hard to believe they may working on similar plans in Ecuador? Derrick Broze is an investigative journalist, community activist, gardener and promoter from Houston, Texas. He is the co-founder of The Houston Free Thinkers, and The Conscious Resistance Network. Broze also hosts and produces a weekly podcast under the name the Conscious Resistance Live. His writing can be found on TheConsciousResistance.com , The Liberty Beat, the Anti-Media, Mint Press News, Occupy.com and Ben Swann.com SOURCE http://www.mintpressnews.com/ecuadorian-president-says-the-cia-is-attempting-to-overthrow-his-government/203701/ ---------------------- ꕤ ---------------------- TRANSCRIPT US State Dept False & Ludicrous Denial of Latin American & Ukraine US-Supported Coups | here   ---------------------- ꕤ ---------------------- COMMENT The recent British government aggressive propaganda attack, as well as a follow-up corporate media smear attack on  both Julian Assange and on Ecuador, had me wondering how much of a hand the US government has possibly had, behind the scenes, in maybe directing the recent trans-Atlantic media assault, and wondering what else may be taking place behind the scenes in relation to Ecuador and the Evil Fruit Company Empire (especially, seeing there's an Ecuador opposition figure - 'journalist' and 'activist' - that's been mentioned). While there's not a lot of information on US activities in Ecuador (in this article), I think US history in the region speaks for itself.  Get a load of that list of destruction for US corporate profit.  It looks like US intelligence services are supporting the Ecuador opposition (but there's some kind of denial, as well - which is confusing).  Well, US support for the opposition is standard US practice before installing puppet governments, so it wouldn't be surprising if the US had some kind of input.  Look at the evil empire's handiwork in Ukraine. ꕤ

Julian Assange | Statement 20 December, 2012 | Christmas

Julian Assange December 20th, 2012 Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_Gy3UaHBXo&feature=youtu.be ---------------------- ꕤ ---------------------- Statement https://wikileaks.org/Statement-by-Julian-Assange-after.html Statement by Julian Assange after Six Months in Ecuadorian Embassy Thursday December 20th, 19:00 GMT (updated 21:00 GMT) (Checked to delivery - published at 21:00 GMT) Good evening London. What a sight for sore eyes. People ask what gives me hope. Well, the answer is right here. Six months ago – 185 days ago – I entered this building. It has become my home, my office and my refuge. Thanks to the principled stance of the Ecuadorian government and the support of its people, I am safe in this embassy to speak to you. And every single day outside, for 185 days, people like you have watched over this embassy – come rain, hail and shine. Every single day. I came here in summer. It is winter now. I have been sustained by your solidarity and I’m grateful for the efforts of people all around the world supporting the work of WikiLeaks, supporting freedom of speech, freedom of the press, essential elements in any democracy. While my freedom is limited, at least I am still able to communicate this Christmas, unlike the 232 journalists who are in jail tonight. Unlike Gottfrid Svartholm in Sweden tonight. Unlike Jeremy Hammond in New York tonight. Unlike Nabeel Rajab in Bahrain tonight. And unlike Bradley Manning, who turned 25 this week, a young man who has maintained his dignity after spending more than 10 per cent of his life in jail, without trial, some of that time in a cage, naked and without his glasses. And unlike so many others whose plights are linked to my own. I salute these brave men and women. And I salute journalists and publications that have covered what continues to happen to these people, and to journalists who continue publishing the truth in face of persecution, prosecution and threat – who take journalism and publishing seriously. Because it is from the revelation of truth that all else follows. Our buildings can only be as tall as their bricks are strong. Our civilization is only as strong as its ideas are true. When our buildings are erected by the corrupt, when their cement is cut with dirt, when pristine steel is replaced by scrap – our buildings are not safe to live in. And when our media is corrupt, when our academics are timid, when our history is filled with half- truths and lies – our civilization will never be just. It will never reach to the sky. Our societies are intellectual shanty towns. Our beliefs about the world and each other have been created by the same system that has lied us into repeated wars that have killed millions. You can’t build a skyscraper out of plasticine. And you can’t build a just civilization out of ignorance and lies. We have to educate each other. We have to celebrate those who reveal the truth and denounce those who poison our ability to comprehend the world that we live in. The quality of our discourse is the limit of our civilization. But this generation has come to its feet and is revolutionizing the way we see the world. For the first time in history the people who are affected by history are its creators. And for other journalists and publications – your work speaks for itself, and so do your war crimes. I salute those who recognize the freedom of the press and the public’s right to know – recognized in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, recognized in the First Amendment of the United States – we must recognize that these are in danger and need protection like never before. WikiLeaks is under a continuing Department of Justice investigation, and this fact has been recognized rightly by Ecuador and the governments of Latin America as one that materially endangers my life and my work. Asylum is not granted on a whim, but granted on facts. The U.S. investigation is referred to in testimony – under oath – in the U.S. courts, is admitted by the Department of Justice, and in the Washington Post just four days ago by the District Attorney of Virginia, as a fact. Its subpoenas are being litigated by our people in the U.S. courts. The Pentagon reissued its threats against me in September and claimed the very existence of WikiLeaks is an ongoing crime. My work will not be cowed. But while this immoral investigation continues, and while the Australian government will not defend the journalism and publishing of WikiLeaks, I must remain here. However, the door is open – and the door has always been open – for anyone who wishes to speak to me. Like you, I have not been charged with a crime. If you ever see spin that suggests otherwise, note this corruption of journalism and then go to justice4assange.com for the full facts. Tell the world the truth, and tell the world who lied to you. Despite the limitations, despite the extra-judicial banking blockade, which circles WikiLeaks like the Cuban embargo, despite an unprecedented criminal investigation and a campaign to damage and destroy my organization, 2012 has been a huge year. We have released nearly one million documents: Documents relating to the unfolding war in Syria. We have exposed the mass surveillance state in hundreds of documents from private intelligence companies. We have released information about the treatment of detainees at Guantanamo Bay and elsewhere – the symbol of the corruption of the rule of law in the West, and beyond. We’ve won against the immoral blockade in the courts and in the European Parliament. After a two-year fight, contributions to WikiLeaks have gone from being blockaded and tax-deductible nowhere to being tax-deductible across the entirety of the European Union and the United States. And last week information revealed by WikiLeaks was vital – and cited in the judgment – in determining what really happened to El-Masri, an innocent European kidnapped and tortured by the CIA. Next year will be equally busy. WikiLeaks has already over a million documents being prepared to be released, documents that affect every country in the world. Every country in this world. And in Australia an unelected Senator will be replaced by one that is elected.  [Bob Carr, Labor Party Foreign Minister & Senate fill-in for Senator Mark Arbib (2008-2012), US Embassy secret informant - see below.  Note also:  "2007 bureaucrat spin doctors in Canberra were "outed" for editing Wikipedia entries critical of their bosses." lol] In 2013, we continue to stand up to bullies. The Ecuadorian government and the governments of Latin America have shown how co-operating through shared values can embolden governments to stand up to coercion and support self-determination. Their governments threaten no one, attack no one, send drones at no one. But together they stand strong and independent. The tired calls of Washington powerbrokers for economic sanctions against Ecuador, simply for defending my rights, are misguided and wrong. President Correa rightly said, "Ecuador’s principles are not for sale." We must unite together to defend the courageous people of Ecuador, to defend them against intervention in their economy and interference in their elections next year. The power of people speaking up and resisting together terrifies corrupt and undemocratic power. So much so that ordinary people here in the West are now the enemy of governments, an enemy to be watched, an enemy to be controlled and to be impoverished. True democracy is not the White House. True democracy is not Canberra. True democracy is the resistance of people, armed with the truth, against lies, from Tahrir to right here in London. Every day, ordinary people teach us that democracy is free speech and dissent. For once we, the people, stop speaking out and stop dissenting, once we are distracted or pacified, once we turn away from each other, we are no longer free. For true democracy is the sum – is the sum – of our resistance. If you don’t speak up – if you give up what is uniquely yours as a human being: if you surrender your consciousness, your independence, your sense of what is right and what is wrong, in other words – perhaps without knowing it, you become passive and controlled, unable to defend yourselves and those you love. People often ask, "What can I do?" The answer is not so difficult. Learn how the world works. Challenge the statements and intentions of those who seek to control us behind a facade of democracy and monarchy. Unite in common purpose and common principle to design, build, document, finance and defend. Learn. Challenge. Act. Now. SOURCE https://wikileaks.org/Statement-by-Julian-Assange-after.html ---------------------- ꕤ ---------------------- Bob Carr Labor Party Australia Govt Minister for Foreign Affairs 2012 (Mar) - 2013 (Sep) Also Australian Senate Senator NSW (unelected) "In April 2013, Fairfax journalist Philip Dorling identified Carr from a searchable database of declassified US State Department diplomatic cables as having criticised the Whitlam Government and provided information on internal Labor Party politics during discussions with the American consul-general in Sydney during the early 1970s."  [Wikipedia] Bob Carr: Washington's man in Australia April 8, 2013 Philip Dorling http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/bob-carr-washingtons-man-in-australia-20130408-2hgut.html Mark Arbib, aka CIA Agent 007 December 9, 2010    http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/mark-arbib-aka-cia-agent-007-20101208-18q50.html Arbib revealed as secret US source December 9, 2010 Philip Dorling http://www.smh.com.au/national/arbib-revealed-as-secret-us-source-20101208-18prg.html

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Assange - The Stain of Blood Is Upon Their Hands

SCROLL down for blog comment & further information LINK to transcript of VIDEO - here COPYRIGHT DISCLAIMER Copyright Disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news report Julian Assange to RT: WikiLeaks gives 'most accurate picture of war' Uploaded on 24 Oct 2010 SOURCE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBsMK1eQ7A8 ⟴   We Expect A Counter-Attack RT News Reporter Last question.  The Pentagon have put their PR machine into operation after you released the Afghan War Diaries.  What are you expecting from them this time around? Julian Assange, WikiLeaks Well, we expect a similar sort of counter-attack.  Every time you release something like this, we expect a counter-attack.  You're never quite sure what it is.  It tends to be a different thing, [that] each time is seized upon and then amplified [cough].  here ⟴ Sex Allegations Sweden ⟴ " ... Assange has previously suggested that the allegations are part of a smear campaign following his website's release of thousands of secret US Army documents relating to Afghanistan."  here ⟴ Stain of Blood On Their Hands ⟴ Well, it looks like America eventually found a less predictable and waaaaaay more creative solution, than mere propaganda as the follow-up, counter-response to WikiLeaks releases  ... ... or Sweden just happened to fortuitously and coincidentally oblige with: (a) a pretext to legally assault and decommission, WikiLeaks editor, Julian Assange (via Sweden police 'allegations', minus proper procedures, minus proper recording of prosecution witnesses, minus a key sworn statement, obtained as result of 'informal' interview between friends and police associates, police database tampering, dismissed by  Stockholm's chief prosecutor Eva Finne for lack of sufficient evidence, etc);  (b) arrest Julian Assange. Oddly, by proxy (UK authorities, on behalf of Sweden, on behalf of USA, rather than direct arrest by Sweden, on behalf of their acknowledged US masters - see links below), when Sweden had ample opportunity to interview and arrest, while Assange remained in Sweden, before asking Swedish authorities for permission to travel from Sweden). Allegations against Julian Assange, the founder of Wikileaks, took an unexpected turn yesterday when Sweden's top prosecutor announced she was reopening a rape investigation. It is the second time the country's authorities have made a U-turn over whether the Australian-born journalist should face charges. The warrant was abruptly rescinded within 24 hours and last week Stockholm's chief prosecutor Eva Finne said all charges against the 39-year-old would be dropped. But Ms Finne's boss, Marianne Ny, Sweden's chief prosecutor, has overruled that decision after new information reportedly came to light on Tuesday.  [above, source - here] ⟴ It looks like the Stockholm prosecutor Finne has most likely been overruled from the top. And I'm not talking overruled merely by Ms Marianne Ny. Overruled by whoever Marianne Ny answers to in government, which has stake (and is lawfully entitled to intervene) in matters concerning the state and foreign diplomacy. ⟴ Perhaps arrest by proxy was chosen, in an attempt to mask this farce and to create an appearance of the assault on Julian Assange as a 'genuine' article, in a way that a direct Swedish arrest may not have conveyed. Delayed, proxy arrest (which included the spectacle of a EAW, Interpol Red Notice, Swedish leak to press, and a London arrest), was also possibly effected to get maximum PR mileage (propaganda, manufacture of consent, smear) out of staging a performance for all that fenzied (and expected) media coverage.  (c) de facto imprisonment of Julian Assange for almost 5 years in total now without charge, trapping WikiLeaks editor in the Ecuador embassy in London for 3 years now (where he has been granted political asylum), at the threat of arrest and extradition to Sweden (which would pave the way to subsequent extradition to USA). The arrest of Assange was executed to decommission Assange, while no doubt allowing the US time to build its 120-man taskforce case in America. Note:  Assange has committed no crime, so the US has to work towards creating such 'crime' - and that's heading in the direction of redefining journalism as 'terrorism').  I find it very hard to believe Assange has been detained for 5 years and is in grave danger of extradition to the US,  simply because of mere 'accident,' 'misunderstanding,' 'bad luck', or merely the result of jealousies which arose from obliging those Swedish women ... who were keen to bed Assange. I'm more inclined to believe  the events in Sweden were a set-up. ⟴ Breathtaking Hypocrisy & Flagrant Political Persecution British Foreign Office minister, Hugo Swire, hypocritically spoke of a 'stain' on Ecuador's reputation for (rightfully and lawfully) granting politically persecuted journalist, Julian Assange, political asylum:  British Foreign Office minister Hugo Swire said in a statement Thursday that it would make a formal protest to Ecuador over its decision to provide asylum to Assange. "Ecuador must recognize that its decision to harbor Mr Assange more than three years ago has prevented the proper course of justice," said Swire in a statement. British police have guarded Ecuador's London Embassy around the clock at an estimated cost of more than US$15.6 million, which has placed pressure on the British government to resolve the long-standing issue. Swire alleged that the harboring of Assange constituted an abuse of diplomatic relations and was a “growing stain on the country’s reputation." This content was originally published by teleSUR at the following address: http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/Ecuador-Says-UK-Criticism-Over-Julian-Assange-Unacceptable-20150817-0021.html ⟴ As witnessed by the British Foreign Office propaganda attack on Educator, instead of censure of Sweden's refusal to progress this matter and to interview Julian Assange in London, it's plain to see that Britain and Sweden have obviously colluded (and continue to collude) with US authorities to deprive Julian Assange of liberty, with a view to eventually handing up Julian Assange to USA.  ⟴ From where I stand, Sweden's politicians and public servants - along with their British and US counterparts - collectively have the stain of Julian Assange's blood on their corrupt hands. By that I mean, theirs is the guilt of taking life - the life of Julian Assange, presently detained 5 years without charge, at the threat of arrest and extradition to a country in which he will be entombed alive, for daring to expose American war crimes. ⟴ The footsoldiers of the powerful have stolen 5 years of Julian Assange's life by imposing a corruptly engineered, and politically motivated, de facto captivity that is in flagrant breach of international law, aimed at only one thing:  extradition of Julian Assange to the United States to face life imprisonment or a death sentence, on trumped up 'espionage' charges or the like, that the US Dept of Justice team is probably banging out in some form or other, right now. (Hey, this contempt for international law and conventions, and the fondness for trumped up accusations, seems to be a recurring theme ... lol). The players also happen to be same footsoldiers of the powerful, who, in turn, are stained with the blood of tens of thousands of civilians killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Upon them is the stain of actual blood of war crimes (exposed by Assange), and they and their public representatives are grimly determined in their aim to put Assange away. So, behind the recent public propaganda statement attack on Ecuador, behind the pending official complaint/attack on Assange,  and behind the 5 year de facto without-charge imprisonment of Julian Assange,  are the same powers that are responsible for the war crimes in Iraq & Aghanistan exposed by WikiLeaks.  In the case of Iraq:  from war waged following US manufacture of false pretext for invasion  (ie 'weapons of mass destruction'). How psychopathic does this get? Rightfully, British Foreign Office ought to be condemning Sweden for its inaction and failure to progress this undemocratic and baseless legal assault on journalist-publisher, Julian Assange. Despite ample opportunity, it is Sweden that has failed to act - over the space of 5 years.  And the world knows it. ⟴ Perhaps unsurprisingly, given the British role in the political persecution of  journalist, Julian Assange (who was excluded in 2014 from changes in British law to prevent exactly this kind of without-charge unjust detention), the British Foreign Office has slunk as low as to resort to publicly smearing and condemning Ecuador. Perverse conduct, in the form of attack on Ecuador by the British, is a 'tell' that patently shows the British hand in this injustice and ongoing political persecution. With straight faces, British officials call for 'justice' as a leverage and as media smear, in an attempt to impose injustice upon Julian Assange, based on the falsehood of Sweden police allegations and the farce of Sweden government's and Sweden prosecution's failure to take appropriate action (carefully sidestepping even interviewing Assange during the 5 years he has been a political prisoner in England). The same British authorities that assault the sovereignty of Ecuador insult the intelligence of the watching world. But the world knows that these same colluding authorities are behind the Sweden set-up, the politician persecution, and denial of justice - and denial of rightful, internationally recognised, protections - to whistleblower journalist Julian Assange. Naturally, Ecuador rejects this outrageous political smear ⟴  ⟴ Bring the Sick Bucket ⟴ USA Threatens Sovereign Nations ⟴ USA Seeks to Influence Foreign Court Cases ⟴ USA Even Targets United Nations ⟴ Sweden Could Not Say 'No' To USA (Even If It Wanted To) ⟴ source | slate | here ⟴ ⟴ Sweden's US-Anglo Alliance Ties Sweden US Subservience & Collaboration A troubling History  ⟴ Sweden Secret Mass Spying Agreement With USA & UK After 50 years of secret cooperation, in 2004, Sweden established formal and even closer ties between the Swedish FRA (National Defence Radio Establishment - more info here) and the Authority's signal scout colleagues in the US:  namely, NSA (world famous for mass surveillance of entire countries, allied heads of government and corporate spying), and the British GCHQ - in direct cooperation. [here] ⟴ ⟴ LINK  |  Sweden's secret mass spying agreement with the US & UK http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.svt.se%2Fnyheter%2Fsverige%2Fdokument-avslojar-fra-s-hemliga-avtal-med-usa Sweden | More http://wikileaks.org/IMG/html/Affidavit_of_Julian_Assange.html [source:  here] ⟴ Sweden Joins 'Five Eyes' US, UK & Allied Intelligence Cooperative British investigative journalist Duncan Campbell gave an indication of the scale of collaboration between Sweden, the US and Britain at a European Parliament hearing on state surveillance in early September. “A new organization has joined the “Five Eyes” and is seen as the largest cooperating partner to [the UK’s Government Communications Headquarters] GCHQ outside the English-speaking countries—and that is Sweden,” he said. [here]  ⟴ Interesting that, journalist, Duncan Campbell makes an 'appearance'. Cambell revealed the existence of the ECHELON surveillance program in 1988 (US-Anglo 'Five Eye' alliance satellite trunk communications sweeping intercepts). Campbell knows all about intelligence, security, and British political persecution from up close and personal - here. ⟴ Sweden Bows to US Pressure Copyright Infringement According to an unreleased US Embassy cable in possession of Swedish Television, the US pressure on Sweden to deal with file-sharing issues continued in the years that followed. In the cable, which dates back to 2008, the US Embassy presented a list of six items that they wanted to see addressed, all related to online copyright infringement. A year later, five of these six items were indeed turned into action, including the appointment of more copyright police and prosecutors, backed up by educational anti-piracy campaigns. Of course, the Pirate Bay wasn’t left unmentioned in this cable either. The cable writer mentions that it was hard for the Embassy to get openly involved in piracy related issues, because most of the press coverage was unfavorable towards the copyright industry. “The Pirate Bay raid was portrayed as the Government of Sweden caving in to United States Government pressure. This delicate situation made it difficult, if not counter-productive, for the Embassy to play a public role in IPR issues,” it adds.  [here] Bear in mind, that the above Sweden-US (& allies) collaboration history is not  an exhaustive study in Swedish-US collaboration.  Even so, the above is sufficient as an indication of where Sweden likely stands with regard to USA and its 'problem,' WikiLeaks and journalist-publisher, Julian Assange. If Sweden bends to American pressure and will do so on relatively insignificant matters (ie not designated as 'national security' issues) such as copyright, imagine the pressure the US would bring down to bear.  And imagine the Swedish (& other government) inclination to bend to such US pressure ... if we pretend for one moment that Sweden (or UK) were an 'unwilling' accomplices in the persecution and de facto imprisonment of Julian Assange, publisher-journalist who exposed US and allied war crimes.  Defence Secretary Robert Gates on the arrest of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange 7 December 2010 "Gates said it sounded good to him." 91,000 Afghans killed (incl. civilians, soldiers & militants) Number who have died through indirect causes related to the war est. additional 360,000 people [here] coalition forces have killed hundreds of civilians in unreported incidents (ie concealment of civilian casualties) ⟴ 6 US soldiers killed [ Sec Def Robert Gates Video 7/12/2010 ]  while Gates refers to 'serious losses' before telling us how he's revived by visiting the scene of mass scale death visited upon Afghanistan by USA US War Casualties - Afghanistan Total US Dead:  2,316 as at June 2015 [here] For some perspective on what may count as 'serious losses,' maybe Gates ought to take a look at the Afghan dead figures (*) 2010     30     31     24     19     34     60     65     55     42     50     53     33     2010 TOTAL:  496 Considering this is an invasion of another country, just shy of 500 dead in 2010 isn't exactly big numbers, when you compare this to losses on the other side. The grand total of US dead for the entire Afghanistan operation is: 2,316 But the US figures don't look so good when it comes to injuries sustained:  massive number of US injured, which comes at an immediate & long-term cost to the taxpayer. Military US War Casualties - Iraq 'Operation Iraqi Freedom'  - page 22 Total US Dead:  4,412 mostly Army then abt. 1/4 Marines as at Dec 2014 MASSIVE number of wounded US Wounded Total:  31,949 as at Dec 2014 [here] US War Casualties - Afghanistan Total US Dead:  2,316 as at June 2015 (ie During 14 Years of US Occupation) [here] Further Confirmation US Deaths -  here ⟴ [Note:  Above Nations Complicit] ⟴ WikiLeaks Exposes War Crimes IRAQ & AFGHANISTAN [ Slate  |  here ] ⟴ Arrest of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange 7 December 2010 "Gates said it sounded good to him." ⟴  WikiLeaks Collateral Murder IRAQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rXPrfnU3G0 Uploaded on 7 Dec 2010 Defence Secretary Robert Gates Afghanistan COPYRIGHT DISCLAIMER Copyright Disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education and research. Robert Gates airforce |  recruited CIA 1966 Strategic Air Command as an intelligence officer intelligence briefings rejoined the CIA as an intelligence analyst left the CIA in 1974 > staff of National Security Council returned to the CIA in late 1979 [ Gates nominated as Director of CIA  1987 Withdrew his name after it became clear the Senate would reject the nomination due to controversy about his role in the Iran-Contra affair. ]  1991 -  nominated 2nd time by Pres George H. W. Bush confirmed & sworn Director of CIA (under President George H. W. Bush) "...former division chief Melvin Goodman testified that the agency was the most corrupt and slanted during the tenure of William Casey with Gates serving as Deputy. According to Goodman, Gates was part of an agency leadership that proliferated false information and ignored 'reality'. National Intelligence Council chairman Harold P. Ford testified that during his tenure, Gates had transgressed professional boundaries" close to many figures who played significant roles in the Iran-Contra Affair and was in a position to have known of their activities. served for 26 years in CIA and the National Security Council MA history Indiana Uni 1966 PhD in Russian & Soviet history | Georgetown Uni in 1974 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Gates I'm going to hazard a guess and say that US Secretary of Defence & CIA man Robert Gates knew exactly what kind of predicament Julian Assange was in when he was arrested on those rather handy Sweden police 'sexual misconduct' allegations  on 7 Dec. 2010. Mood Music   COPYRIGHT DISCLAIMER Copyright Disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education and research. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds Red Right Hand source:  https://youtu.be/RrxePKps87k ⟴  (I like the drama of this song & it fits in with vision I have of the entire across-borders psychopathic government alliance and political persecution of Assange. Mute Robert Gates & watch him while also listening to Nick Cave.)  ---------------------- ꕤ  ---------------------- Other PLEASE SUPPORT Journalist, Julian Assange Under Siege Ecuador embassy, London (3 Years) Detained 5 Years No Charge FAQ & Support https://justice4assange.com/ Collateral Murder WikiLeaks Iraq https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rXPrfnU3G0 ⟴ While I may have encountered Afghanistan war death figures in the media before, I don't have a recall of what little I may have read.  So this is probably the first time I've given the figures any real thought. I'm yet to read articles relating to WikiLeaks and the Afghanistan War Logs (although by now I must have encountered some, since forgotten, mentions in the press).  ꕤ