4 ms·

I suspect it's because Trump is so staggeringly unpopular outside the USA. American soft power has taken a massive hit with this presidency, and there's domesti

I suspect it's because Trump is so staggeringly unpopular outside the USA. American soft power has taken a massive hit with this presidency, and there's domestic political upside to being seen to publicly rebuke the Trump administration - and since he's leaving, there's no foreign policy downside.

hjanssen 6y ago
Why would there be no foreign policy downside? The mutual relationship does not "reset" after Trump leaves office. Most of the time, diplomats stay the same and even if they change, surely the new ones will remember such occurrences.
- microtherion 6y ago
  Some ambassadors are career diplomats. The current ambassador to the UK is not one, and he's not going to stay in his job. Let's just say that his ownership of the NY Jets is one of the less embarrassing points on his resume: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woody_Johnson https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woody_Johnson
- michaelt 6y ago
  > The mutual relationship does not "reset" after Trump leaves office. Well, it does and it doesn't. After all, why should today's politicians feel they owe you a favour just because you helped their predecessors? George W Bush may have warm feelings about the UK after Blair helped him with the war in Iraq, but would you expect to cash that favour in with Obama, Trump or Biden? Of course not - A new president comes in, they decide to impose new tariffs on imports from the UK, of course something that happened 17 years and two presidents ago doesn't give him much pause. Obviously there are longstanding structures of cooperation like NATO and suchlike, which don't get reset. But an awful lot does. Besides, Assange is old news now. America's message to other would-be whistleblowers has been delivered. If the UK releases him, no American politicians will have to face scrutiny or look weak over the decision. And British politicians won't face any domestic blowback, post Harry Dunn.
jopsen 6y ago
While Trump definitely impaired US soft power, I doubt that's the reason a judge decided to rule this way. You are essentially implying that "District Judge Vanessa Baraitser" is making a political calculation -- under pressure from who? At her own discretion? Do you have ANY evidence to suggest the judge is corrupt? Because isn't that is exactly what you're implying, isn't it? Given that this is the UK, with a fairly reputable court system, let's assume the judge made a ruling on the basis of the reasoning she gave, quote: "Faced with the conditions of near total isolation without the protective factors which limited his risk at HMP Belmarsh, I am satisfied the procedures described by the US will not prevent Mr Assange from finding a way to commit suicide and for this reason I have decided extradition would be oppressive by reason of mental harm and I order his discharge."
- h_anna_h 6y ago
  I would say that anyone who followed the story can easily deduce that the judge is indeed corrupt.
  - kwhitefoot 6y ago
    Perhaps you could summarize your reasoning?
  - jopsen 6y ago
    Given that US prosecutors are part of the administration, I'm inclined to think that they may have political motivation here. But why would british politicians get involved. Regardless of how they got involved it would be political suicide if they were caught doing so. British politicians have very little to win by getting their hands dirty here. For them it would be preferable to tell the Americans that they can't interfere. Seriously, UK politicians have a perfect excuse for not having to make a choice and take a political risk -- they are not allowed to! Give a politician the option of passing a hot potato to someone else, and you can be sure they'll pass the potato :)
    - h_anna_h 6y ago
      British politicians would want to secure the support of the USA, whether for themselves or for their country. Especially so after brexit.

hjanssen 6y ago

Why would there be no foreign policy downside? The mutual relationship does not "reset" after Trump leaves office. Most of the time, diplomats stay the same and even if they change, surely the new ones will remember such occurrences.

microtherion 6y ago
Some ambassadors are career diplomats. The current ambassador to the UK is not one, and he's not going to stay in his job. Let's just say that his ownership of the NY Jets is one of the less embarrassing points on his resume: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woody_Johnson https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woody_Johnson
michaelt 6y ago
> The mutual relationship does not "reset" after Trump leaves office. Well, it does and it doesn't. After all, why should today's politicians feel they owe you a favour just because you helped their predecessors? George W Bush may have warm feelings about the UK after Blair helped him with the war in Iraq, but would you expect to cash that favour in with Obama, Trump or Biden? Of course not - A new president comes in, they decide to impose new tariffs on imports from the UK, of course something that happened 17 years and two presidents ago doesn't give him much pause. Obviously there are longstanding structures of cooperation like NATO and suchlike, which don't get reset. But an awful lot does. Besides, Assange is old news now. America's message to other would-be whistleblowers has been delivered. If the UK releases him, no American politicians will have to face scrutiny or look weak over the decision. And British politicians won't face any domestic blowback, post Harry Dunn.

jopsen 6y ago

While Trump definitely impaired US soft power, I doubt that's the reason a judge decided to rule this way. You are essentially implying that "District Judge Vanessa Baraitser" is making a political calculation -- under pressure from who? At her own discretion? Do you have ANY evidence to suggest the judge is corrupt? Because isn't that is exactly what you're implying, isn't it? Given that this is the UK, with a fairly reputable court system, let's assume the judge made a ruling on the basis of the reasoning she gave, quote: "Faced with the conditions of near total isolation without the protective factors which limited his risk at HMP Belmarsh, I am satisfied the procedures described by the US will not prevent Mr Assange from finding a way to commit suicide and for this reason I have decided extradition would be oppressive by reason of mental harm and I order his discharge."

h_anna_h 6y ago
I would say that anyone who followed the story can easily deduce that the judge is indeed corrupt.
- kwhitefoot 6y ago
  Perhaps you could summarize your reasoning?
- jopsen 6y ago
  Given that US prosecutors are part of the administration, I'm inclined to think that they may have political motivation here. But why would british politicians get involved. Regardless of how they got involved it would be political suicide if they were caught doing so. British politicians have very little to win by getting their hands dirty here. For them it would be preferable to tell the Americans that they can't interfere. Seriously, UK politicians have a perfect excuse for not having to make a choice and take a political risk -- they are not allowed to! Give a politician the option of passing a hot potato to someone else, and you can be sure they'll pass the potato :)
  - h_anna_h 6y ago
    British politicians would want to secure the support of the USA, whether for themselves or for their country. Especially so after brexit.