He is not a citizen nor has he been in the employ of the US Government in any fashion, nor has he signed an oath as the ones in the article have. The lawyers appear to grasping at anything to put Julian in the same class as Manning. I don't think they will. But anything get this resolved would be good.

lawyers appear to grasping at anything to put Julian in the same class as Manning? The US prosecutors or Assange's lawyers. I think Assange's lawyers are trying to find out whether their client faces prosecution in the US or not. That is a legitimate concern.

Assange is peripheral to this case and the media focus, and his lawyers are attempting to portray him as the martyr to the cause with all the dramatic flourishes they can paint it with, designed to tear at the heartstrings and sense of injustice of millions.

It is said that the myth of Robin Hood must be maintained in order to give the poor false hope, when there is none. It is a fable the masses embrace, thinking it will change the power structure of the world, when all it does is provide an emotionally satisfying diversion.

There is another side that goes the personal route to discredit Assange, and their language is likewise full of flourishes of sarcasm and disdain that I can do without. I remain unmoved by claims of his moral failings as a reason to give up transparency.

But it has all been too slick, like the WikiLeaks documentary and the theatrical themes of Anonymous. These are 'get back at the man' emotional memes that don't change the battle on the ground of Planet Earth. While we dally about with the idea that we are defending Assange or other actors in these plays, the ground is literally being taken out from under our feet.

I have come to feel the same about religion and spirituality. Such as, let's all meditate and transcend. That is part of the culture of this and leads to the belief that there is going to be some mass awakening from transparency and then: 'oppressors be gone.'

May be another diversion as the same forces, the boogeymen of the day, take over every foot of land on this globe. We will be removed like hopeful new saplings on the side of hill by clear cutting. The material world is not so easy to control, we go into these flights of fancy at our peril, ceding the ground to the oppressors. While we disparage the good that is being done by those who still believe that government is the force between us and the oligarchs and give up on the system and think that Assange is some mythical savior, the oppressors win.

Before the flaming begins, as I know it will, Assange is not the victim here. The martyr to the cause is in solitary confinement with his life hanging in the balance, not globetrotting for years after the release of the information. It was the young man who thought he was saving the world by violating his oath for a higher cause who is doing the real suffering and at risk here in the real world, not the online world.

Sadly, the release of the information he made has not changed anything in the material global power structure. But that is what WikiLeaks became famous for. Assange produced nothing, he only financed WikiLeaks and became the spokesperson for an online movement.

As far as I am concerned, Assange should go free and at this time, the person who will not see the light of day, will not have the chances Assange has had, is Bradley Manning. Assange will be protected because he is a celebrity, and in the eyes of the world, Manning doesn't matter much because he is truly confined in every sense of the word. Assange does not speak for Manning, but himself now.

So, I have answered your question, but I doubt I have answered it to your satisfaction. I do not find myself on either side of this crusade. I'm only looking at results and that's what I see. When I cut the emotion out of it, nothing has changed despite all the hype. Peace Out. EOM.

noise about how Sweden was plotting to hand him over to GITMO so the US could torture him to death? Now, after four months in the embassy? Now, after all his buddies have forfeited hundreds of thousands of pounds in bail and sureties?

right before Manning's trial. Prosecutors could be plea bargaining with Manning's team if he turns against Assange and provides testimony that could be used against Assange.

Also, this isn't the first time Assange's team has asked the US government for clarification on whether prosecution will move forward.