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Because Snowden is a patriot, while Assange is a Russian asset who convinced people to ignore a woman’s story of sexual assault. If pardoned, Snowden would go b

Because Snowden is a patriot, while Assange is a Russian asset who convinced people to ignore a woman’s story of sexual assault. If pardoned, Snowden would go back to the US and be a productive member of society, while Assange would go back to publishing whatever information his Russian handlers give him.

roenxi 6y ago
These shadowy Russians appear to be on a tireless quest to expose (literal, largely unchallenged) truths to the American public. Why should they be opposed?
- pfranz 6y ago
  This comes up every time secret information is dropped and applies equally when it's more covertly released. The obvious reason is they get to choose what information, when, and how its disclosed. For example, hack both sides, release one at a damaging time and blackmail the other into compliance. Indiscriminate releasing of information can put people in immediate danger (like embedded spies). You can also drop misinformation into a dump of legitimate information. Or a similar technique where you exaggerate true information because admitting to the truth is embarrassing; like claiming 1,000 civilians were killed when the actual number is closer to 600.
  - roenxi 6y ago
    > Indiscriminate releasing of information can put people in immediate danger (like embedded spies). I cannot resist. So the aforementioned shadowy Russians might be leaking information to themselves via the American press? What dastardly yet disorganised fiends. They could literally just publish the info on the web. If it is largely true, people will believe it. The Russians aren't behind Wikileaks.
h0l0cube 6y ago
> Assange is a Russian asset Do you have anything concrete to back that up? Wikileaks has been foolhardedly devoted to exposing uncomfortable truths about institutions across the political spectrum. Some people are maybe upset that this probably lead to Trump's election. > who convinced people to ignore a woman’s story of sexual assault The preliminary investigation into that case has been dropped. As far as I'm aware, he made no effort to convince people to ignore the story, but he did strongly deny the allegations. This says nothing either way of his innocence or criminality. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assange_v_Swedish_Prosecution_Authority https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assange_v_Swedish_Prosecution_... Edit: RE: Anyone questioning Assange's ties to Russia, there's the following article. Assange was purportedly contacted about a pardon in 2017 in exchange for denying Russian involvement into leaking Clinton's emails (which Julian declined) > Lawyers representing the United States at Julian Assange’s extradition trial in Britain have accepted the claim that the WikiLeaks founder was offered a presidential pardon by a congressman on the condition that he would help cover up Russia’s involvement in hacking emails from the Democratic National Committee. Coverage about that here: https://www.thedailybeast.com/us-admits-that-putins-favorite-congressman-offered-pardon-to-assange-if-he-covered-up-russia-links https://www.thedailybeast.com/us-admits-that-putins-favorite...
- coffeecat 6y ago
  > Do you have anything concrete to back that up? No evidence is needed, as it's not a concrete claim. In modern US political parlance, the term "Russian asset" is a spooky-sounding but otherwise meaningless term. It's a cheap-but-effective rhetorical trick for discrediting someone.
  - h0l0cube 6y ago
    I like the idea that someone can't just say a thing on HN that has no known basis and make it a justification for their argument. Instead, here, any counter claim that Assange is decent, or was guided by good intentions, attracts instant downvotes without any counter argument or reflection whatsoever, but the notion that he's some deep state operative is perfectly reasonable. I agree though with the implication that he isn't an American patriot. Clearly he's Australian/Swedish
    - 93po 6y ago
      There's a massive anti-Assange PR campaign everywhere on the internet and even people on HN are susceptible to it. I mean the guy didn't scoop his cat's litter box, what an awful man
LockAndLol 6y ago
Got proof? What are your sources?
tsimionescu 6y ago
While you're absolutely right the Snowden is a wonderful man, your accusations for Assange have no basis. The Swedish investigation had no intention of uncovering the truth about this this woman's possible assault. They endlessly refused any kind of telephonic interview with Assange, even though it is normal practice in Sweden. They were not passionately pursuing justice for a wronged woman - they were idly forcing a man into confinement to help their American allies. This is exactly the finding of the UN special investigator for torture.
RavingGoat 6y ago
Snowden is tough. The China stuff he released wasn't very patriotic.
- chordalkeyboard 6y ago
  What are you referring to?
efortune 6y ago
There are some murky details about how the Swedish authorities have handled the case of sexual assault Assange have been accused of. Here is an article with some details: https://www.republik.ch/2020/01/31/nils-melzer-about-wikileaks-founder-julian-assange https://www.republik.ch/2020/01/31/nils-melzer-about-wikilea...
9HZZRfNlpR 6y ago
In that case BLM is a Russian asset too since Mueller report revealed us how they ran their biggest social media pages and used the cause as a tool pre election.

roenxi 6y ago

These shadowy Russians appear to be on a tireless quest to expose (literal, largely unchallenged) truths to the American public. Why should they be opposed?

pfranz 6y ago
This comes up every time secret information is dropped and applies equally when it's more covertly released. The obvious reason is they get to choose what information, when, and how its disclosed. For example, hack both sides, release one at a damaging time and blackmail the other into compliance. Indiscriminate releasing of information can put people in immediate danger (like embedded spies). You can also drop misinformation into a dump of legitimate information. Or a similar technique where you exaggerate true information because admitting to the truth is embarrassing; like claiming 1,000 civilians were killed when the actual number is closer to 600.
- roenxi 6y ago
  > Indiscriminate releasing of information can put people in immediate danger (like embedded spies). I cannot resist. So the aforementioned shadowy Russians might be leaking information to themselves via the American press? What dastardly yet disorganised fiends. They could literally just publish the info on the web. If it is largely true, people will believe it. The Russians aren't behind Wikileaks.

h0l0cube 6y ago

> Assange is a Russian asset Do you have anything concrete to back that up? Wikileaks has been foolhardedly devoted to exposing uncomfortable truths about institutions across the political spectrum. Some people are maybe upset that this probably lead to Trump's election. > who convinced people to ignore a woman’s story of sexual assault The preliminary investigation into that case has been dropped. As far as I'm aware, he made no effort to convince people to ignore the story, but he did strongly deny the allegations. This says nothing either way of his innocence or criminality. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assange_v_Swedish_Prosecution_Authority https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assange_v_Swedish_Prosecution_... Edit: RE: Anyone questioning Assange's ties to Russia, there's the following article. Assange was purportedly contacted about a pardon in 2017 in exchange for denying Russian involvement into leaking Clinton's emails (which Julian declined) > Lawyers representing the United States at Julian Assange’s extradition trial in Britain have accepted the claim that the WikiLeaks founder was offered a presidential pardon by a congressman on the condition that he would help cover up Russia’s involvement in hacking emails from the Democratic National Committee. Coverage about that here: https://www.thedailybeast.com/us-admits-that-putins-favorite-congressman-offered-pardon-to-assange-if-he-covered-up-russia-links https://www.thedailybeast.com/us-admits-that-putins-favorite...

coffeecat 6y ago
> Do you have anything concrete to back that up? No evidence is needed, as it's not a concrete claim. In modern US political parlance, the term "Russian asset" is a spooky-sounding but otherwise meaningless term. It's a cheap-but-effective rhetorical trick for discrediting someone.
- h0l0cube 6y ago
  I like the idea that someone can't just say a thing on HN that has no known basis and make it a justification for their argument. Instead, here, any counter claim that Assange is decent, or was guided by good intentions, attracts instant downvotes without any counter argument or reflection whatsoever, but the notion that he's some deep state operative is perfectly reasonable. I agree though with the implication that he isn't an American patriot. Clearly he's Australian/Swedish
  - 93po 6y ago
    There's a massive anti-Assange PR campaign everywhere on the internet and even people on HN are susceptible to it. I mean the guy didn't scoop his cat's litter box, what an awful man

LockAndLol 6y ago

Got proof? What are your sources?

tsimionescu 6y ago

While you're absolutely right the Snowden is a wonderful man, your accusations for Assange have no basis. The Swedish investigation had no intention of uncovering the truth about this this woman's possible assault. They endlessly refused any kind of telephonic interview with Assange, even though it is normal practice in Sweden. They were not passionately pursuing justice for a wronged woman - they were idly forcing a man into confinement to help their American allies. This is exactly the finding of the UN special investigator for torture.

RavingGoat 6y ago

Snowden is tough. The China stuff he released wasn't very patriotic.

chordalkeyboard 6y ago
What are you referring to?

efortune 6y ago

There are some murky details about how the Swedish authorities have handled the case of sexual assault Assange have been accused of. Here is an article with some details: https://www.republik.ch/2020/01/31/nils-melzer-about-wikileaks-founder-julian-assange https://www.republik.ch/2020/01/31/nils-melzer-about-wikilea...

9HZZRfNlpR 6y ago

In that case BLM is a Russian asset too since Mueller report revealed us how they ran their biggest social media pages and used the cause as a tool pre election.