Media
TIME WOUNDS ALL HEELS: (Some) Australian journos wake up and smell the coffee about Julian Assange
Fads make fools of us all from time to time (he wrote reflecting on a red & black pair of Crocs gathering dust in the cupboard) so it was refreshing to note the columnist known as Penbo man up today and admit his shame over signing a “wanky communique” in support of Julian Assange a couple of years ago. The communique is here.
To be fair to Penbo, a reformed student radical turned insightful and brilliant columnist, a lot has changed since the communique was issued or proclaimed (if you prefer):
■ Wikileaks’ unredacted publication of US diplomatic cables is now seen as responsible for multiple murders by Taliban forces of those who’ve helped the US and allied forces in Afghanistan;
■ Assange – despite sitting on a vast pile of donated cash he had solicited for the legal defence expenses of his apparent source Bradley Manning – had to be publicly pressured by Manning’s desperately worried friends into contributing a small amount to his legal defence. Meanwhile Manning languishes in maximum security US military prison and is expected to receive a lengthy sentence if convicted;
■ Assange has gone to extraordinary lengths to avoid the Swedish justice system which is investigating him in relation to serious and credible accusations of sexual assault. The Swedish criminal justice system is known for its typically Scandinavian lefty compassion for the rights of the accused and for prisoners, usually housed in places that look like an Ikea showroom. When the Swedes thoughtfully arranged for some Israeli drug dealers to be shipped off home to serve the rest of their sentence in Israel, they declined, preferring to serve out the rest of their time in Swedish jail where they get steak, conjugal visits and comfy accommodations. Assange maintains his refusal to answer claims of sexual assault is because he fears imminent extradition from Sweden to the United States, arguing Sweden is some kind of puppet-state of the US. This is all rather odd given Sweden has long maintained its nonalignment with any superpower (even with the Soviet Union breathing down their neck) independence from NATO, has at times a frosty relationship with US-ally Israel, and that Assange has been fighting for his right to stay in Britain, usually breathlessly accused by anti-American types of being a Washington toady. None of Assange’s spin has credibility or makes much sense unless looked through the frame that Assange is behaving like a sex offender with a great deal to hide.
■ Assange has cosied up to the world’s worst dictators – who only like him because he’s anti-US – like musician-imprisoning Vladimir Putin whose “Russia Today” Krelin-backed TV network paid him a small fortune to conduct grovelling “interviews” with terrorist leaders and Ecuador’s El Presidente Correa who was so impressed with the Assange’s obedient form he’s invited him over to replace the far less compliant local scribes who struggle to keep out of jail for speaking truth to Correa’s power. It’s a publicity stunt but is no less ironic for it.
Of course, publishing embarrassing information about the US government was never the issue. Nothing wrong with a good leak. VEXNEWS could hardly think otherwise.
But Assange’s pre-occupation with hating the US has never sat comfortably with us.
Indeed, our read of the Wikileaks cables and most of the subsequent reporting is that it showed that – almost always – the US government has been on the side of the angels. It confirmed our prejudice in favour of democracies and against tyrannies. While far from perfect, the cables mostly revealed that what you see is what you get with US foreign policy. They generally support people who generally support their values. Mostly, they get it right.
While publicly condemning the publication of confidential cables, Assange’s intended damage against the US government has been privately acknowledged by them as inconsequential. Those murdered or tortured as a result of Assange’s unredacted publications were not so lucky.
David Penberthy, an erudite and decent chap, was not the only one willing to lend his name and masthead to the Death to America zealot, Julian Assange.
What got them excited at the time was the assertion by PM Gillard that there was some illegality involved in the process of obtaining and disseminating the Wikileaks cables. The legal trouble that Assange’s apparent source is currently in suggests she was absolutely right. She accused Assange of being irresponsible, also true, indeed a proposition advanced by Assange’s former publication partners at the lefty newspapers New York Times and the Guardian, hardly seen as blindly following Washington policy on anything.
“As far as I can see, he (Mr Assange) hasn’t broken any Australian law,” he told Sky News.
“Nor does it appear he has broken any American laws.”
So, in that climate, some big names in journalism signed up to Assange’s cause before it became fully apparent what he is. Quite a few are still in their jobs, even after two years.
Clinton Maynard, news director, 2UE
David Penberthy, editor-in-chief, news.com.au
Eric Beecher, chairman, Crikey, (note to self, don’t sign anything also signed by Beecher unless it involves him giving you money in a defo settlement)
Gay Alcorn, editor, The Sunday Age
Garry Bailey, editor, The Mercury (Hobart)
Garry Linnell, editor, The Daily Telegraph
Ian Ferguson, director of news and programs, Sky News Australia/New Zealand
Jim Carroll, network director of news and public affairs, Ten Network
Julian Ricci, editor, Northern Territory News
Kate Torney, director of news, ABC
Mark Calvert, director of news and current affairs, Nine Network
Melvin Mansell, editor, The Advertiser (Adelaide)
Megan Lloyd, editor, Sunday Mail (Adelaide)
Michael Crutcher, editor, The Courier Mail,
Mike van Niekerk, editor in chief, Fairfax online
Paul Cutler, news director, SBS
Paul Ramadge, editor-in-chief, The Age
Peter Fray, editor-in-chief, The Sydney Morning Herald
Peter Meakin, director of news and public affairs, Seven Network
Rick Feneley, editor, The Sun-Herald
Rob Curtain, news director, 3AW
Rod Quinn, editor, The Canberra Times
Sam Weir, editor, The Sunday Times
Scott Thompson, The Sunday Mail (Queensland)
Simon Pristel, editor, Herald Sun
Tory Maguire, editor, The Punch
We wonder what they make of Julian Assange now?
UPDATE: Assange is merely a useful idiot for Ecuador’s increasingly dictatorial ruler:
Fabian Loza, 46, was one of Ecuador’s most popular television investigative reporters until he fell foul of the mercurial President, who was elected in 2007.
‘I worked for Gama TV, one of the biggest stations, and I made my name exposing corruption,’ Mr Loza said last night.
‘Once Correa came to power, he began waging war on free speech. If you broadcast or print something he doesn’t like, he shuts you down.
‘He has closed six television stations and dozens of independent newspapers.
‘I lost my job because I broadcast too many critical stories. It is like the old days of the Soviet Union.
‘The news in Ecuador today is run by the state. He has put his cronies in charge of the judiciary, the police and security forces. You have widespread corruption on every level but what you don’t have is a press free to expose it.’
Last August, one of Mr Loza’s journalist colleagues, Emilio Palacio, fled to Miami to claim asylum after he was sentenced to three years in prison for accusing Correa of ordering troops to open fire on civilians during an attempted coup in 2010. Two other journalists who wrote a book criticising the President’s brother were ordered to pay £6.3 million in fines.
Mr Lazo said: ‘It is the ultimate irony that Assange is seeking asylum in Ecuador while journalists here are forced to flee for their own safety. Assange is a pawn in a much bigger game. Correa doesn’t care about free speech – he only cares about sticking it to the Americans.’
UPDATE: Julian Assange’s fans seem oblivious to normal notions of justice when it relates to him. Most impressive of them is a friend of his who has brought him chocolate cake to his Ecuador embassy hide-away. Apparently unburdened by concern about Assange’s accusers who allege he sexually assaulted them, whose claims must rightly be examined in a proper court, she told the Assange-boosting Independent newspaper in Britain:
“I hate the thought of him having prison food, because he has a very sensitive palate.”
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Some of what you have said sits fine with me but much doesn’t. You seem to be crawling. And you seem to havedeveloped some kind of psychosis wherein your role is emporer. Shove it up your harse.
Quote: “Assange has gone to extraordinary lengths to avoid the Swedish justice system which is investigating him in relation to serious and credible accusations of sexual assault”
Please highlight these allegations of “serious and credible sexual assault”. There is none. Assange is wanted for questioning. Why has Sweden refused to question Assange in London? Assange has not been charged of any crime?
Why has these allegations no been brought before a judicial authority?
Why gas the Australan government not requested Sweden interview Julian Assange in London? Assange has offered o be interviewed in London, yet the Swedish government as refused.
This is a clear case of political persecution by the political diplomatic elite.
Assange must face justice for his many crimes.
Can Ecuador give asylum to all unwanted Julians?
Assange, being a techno-geek could explain to me difference between Twitter and SMS when I want to keep my defamatory comments to a limited audience.
In reciprocation I could explain to Assange that in some jurisdictions (including Sweden, sadly) “Nej DOES mean nej”
Vexnews can try and smear Julian Assange all it wants, but this type of propoganda won’t work with the majority of Australians. To the great bulk of people, the man is a hero. Try and be logical, Vexnews – what is Julian Assange’s crime? Is it the fact that he exposed atrocities and murders carried out by different regimes, including the USA, that upsets you? Do you think it would be preferable for all these crimes to be hushed up? I can’t see how digital rags like Vexnews are ever going to be a threat to the mainstream papers with childish articles like this.
Assange has not been charged with a single thing. If Britain or any other nation can deport people to other countries , Sweden helped the US render people for torture, just to answer questions then the rule of law goes out the door.
The US is behaving like a bully and Gillard is sucking up to help them.
Anyone who seriously thinks Assange has done something wrong when even US cables show the rape charges are bogus then go right ahead.
It is a disgrace that Australian media think they can persecute anyone they think they don’t like and use them as sport.
While the criminals in AWB all walk free.
Penbo, whose associates include dozens of alleged criminals in the UK currently facing serious charges of perjury and phone hacking doesn’t do his research but what can you expect from a man who works for an organisation that is involved with a criminal conspiracy and pretends it’s nothing to with them , say similar to the Chicago Man proclaiming the Gambino Mob in NY is nought to with them.
News Ltd as much as anyone has published Wikileak’s released cables but for an even murkier reason : pure profit. If anyone has died ( not proven ) Pembo is as guilty as sin for:
1. promoting the illegal invasion of 2 countries on a slew of lies.
2. Profiteering
3. working for a man who British MPs say is ‘not fit to run newspapers’.
I also expect VexNews to at the very least be accurate:
Fabian Loza, is a right wing journalist from a right wing newspaper owned by a handful of wealthy landowners who backed the military.
Loza accused Correa of being a “murderer” and “dictator” despite Correa being the first popularly elected PM of Ecuador under elections run with UN watchers.
Loza was sued by Correa for libel under laws put in place by former Ecuadoran military dictators praised by Loza in the past.
despite Loza being convicted and sentenced Correa used his Presidential powers to pardon Loza.
Vexnews: please point to a country where politicians do not make appointments to courts.
Quote: “Assange has gone to extraordinary lengths to avoid the Swedish justice system which is investigating him in relation to serious and credible accusations of sexual assault”
Could VexNews & Pembo please indicate in which countries investigators of serious crimes invite suspects to travel to them for interviews?
I can; think of any and it’s part of detective’s job description to travel all over the country, nay to other countries to interview suspects, usually using the element of surprise so that suspect cannot flee.
Do some research and track down Naomi Wolff’s excellent research on the 8 reasons the Assange case flies against all proper procedure including Sweden’s manner of investigating alleged sex assaults.
That includes a prosecutor, a prime minister, the alleged victims having the same corporate lawyer all from the same right wing law firm that has aided the USA in rendition.
By all means have your own view of Assange but we do not deserve Today Tonight style reporting.
I should add the 2 journalists AND Fabian Loza were ALL pardoned by Correa despite being convicted of libel in a civilian court.
It was to be expected that Ecuador would come under attack in the most racist manner and the lies continue about Ecuador’s media: it has a host of newspapers and media owned by rich families and a government outlet financed by Correa : ie News Ltd, Fairfax, the ABC.
Correa has not “waged war on free speech” but he has used libel courts just as Bob Hawke and numerous Aussie politicians have both from left and right.
@loony. Penbo is also as guilty as sin for:
4. Becoming yet another government propagandist since he started felching Kate Ellis
If Assange’s supporters wanted a political angle they should get someone to ask Obama to rule out any chance of extradition to USA. If he will not categorically do this then it is on. Public opinion would then turn on Obama. Not the distraction he needs as November gets closer.
My Assange spend decades in the Ecuadorian Embassy.
Who has killed more innocents, Assange by acting as conduit for the truth (I am glad I saw the video of Americans killing reporters in Iraq as it finally convinced me of the USA’s ugliness) or Bush and his Neocons with their lies as to WMDs? how about 50 plus civilians dead from drone attacks in countries america is not even at war with – Obama’s legacy! ) I know who I would vote for. In April 2012, White House Senior Counterterrorism Adviser John Brennan vaguely stated: “Unfortunately, in war, there are casualties, including among the civilian population,” and “sometimes you have to take life to save lives.” what, even in places like Pakistan and Yemen? Estimated Total Deaths from U.S. Drone Strikes in Pakistan, 2004 – 2012, is 2884. America is out of control and all the little remora fish like Sweden, Australia and the UK are scared shitless of upsetting the amateur megalomaniacs who hold the power. Do you really think the swedes want to discuss a brokem condom – if so, use Skype. No this is about America ignoring state boundaries to get what they want politically. Sweden allows rendition. This is all the yanks care about. I say no to taking an Australian citizen into rendition. Australia and Australians first you dumb-arse politicians or get out and let someone who cares do the job. Will this be a twisted repeat of Wilfred Graham Burchett? I bet Gillard and the henchmen wouldn’t even know who that was.
Vex, you are really pumping out the right wing crap with this one. Would you have published the leaks alongside the Guardian and the NYT? Perhaps some sour grapes here? If it takes pissant dictators to protect an Australian who has broken no laws what does that say about the Australian government? I say, well done to those journos who are brave enough to speak their mind then and now.
“The best way to control the opposition is to lead it ourselves.”
― Vladimir Ilyich Lenin
I find Assange a bit odd and i am no great fan. However ” serious and credible accusations of sexual assault”. WTF? Get your hand off it Andrew. That was a far more credible assertion of self sexual assault.
Ecuador has over 50 newspapers, TV stations and popular magazines which are owned privately and an ABC type outlet.
70% of the privately owned outlets are avowed government critics and regularly criticise the government ministers and leader.
Their media is freer than Australia’s.
oops vexnews stumbles again. pathetic article full of low grade smear. Truly embarrassing…faux worry about so-called deaths related to wikileaks? lol. what about those deaths caused by the US forces and exposed by wikileaks?!?!? lololol, what a joke you are.
Like all trash bloggers, Vexnews fails to ask the most obvious questions outlined by ‘Free Assange’ | August 19, 2012, 12:47.
pathetic…
and Penbo?!?! That grubby news ltd hack? so he’s been finally pulled into line, along with the rest of the groupthinking drones…oooooooooo…big freaken deal. Those sore losing bullies at News Ltd are just pissed because Assange threatened to release info about their criminal enterprise. Whats your excuse? Angling for a job at a trash tabloid are you? You’d be perfect.
They want him in Sweden because under their law he can be held incommunicado for up to two years before trial during which time he can be mind reamed with scapolomine and they psychologically rebuilt before he is released as a stiff or a zombie depending on a risk matrix somewhat unimaginable to good hearted men the world over. Sweden is where they can drug ream him and we can all look forward to being assured by some blue eyed creep all is fine with Julian as he disappears for months incommunicado. Vex you are wrong headed on this.
Ardyns uncle is high up in euro NATO command. She wrote a booklet entitled something like: 7 ways to getvrevenge on a man. Go looking for it and get a surprise….its true. So that is one of his accusers…the other lives in a Israeli kibbutz and refuses to cooperate withh the Swedes despite what their state paid fir lawyer claims.have a look at info you can find on Borgstrom the lawyer/politition who has appointed himself the winema lawyer. And as for a fair trial are you crazy Vex? In cases of this nature in Sweden there are twelve jurists….six of whom are polititions chosen from the national legislature whilst the other six are selected from the legal fraturnity. Yeah Vex…..Julian will sure get a fair trial in Sweden dude.
I loooooooove Joooolian Assange
Calm down girls. Great article, loved it. Hey Leftards, lets all make excuses for dictators and blame America as per usual.
Australia, lower your collective heads in shame. In a well governed state, citizens like members of the same body should feel and resent each others injuries. Inc. Politicsl injury. (Solon)
Bradley Manning is a stalking horse phantom. They want Julian. They want to break him incommunicado in Sweden. They are stalling Manning case till after they have extracted by whatever means nescessary what Julian knows. Julian is responsible for developing coding systems for ngo’s to protect their workers lives carrying sensitive material out of conflict zones and oppressive states ie north Korea.the coding software he wrote is call “rubber hose encryption” and it was designed to give people like red cross workers a chance to survive torture. Vex…your work re Jackson was very good BUT thus article is not just ill informed….it has diminished you.
Why does Vexnews love Julia but hate Julian? It defies logic that you have nothing positive to say about a true hero who exposes war crimes and corruption, but will defend to the death the reputation of our machiavellian PM.
@loony. Penbo is also as guilty as sin for:
4. Becoming yet another government propagandist since he started felching Kate Ellis
Posted by ALP – Arrogant Lying Parasites | August 19, 2012, 19:21
ALP: you talking about the same Penbo? . This ‘brilliant’ hack has no credibility after he ran the phony front page pics of a ‘nude’ Hanson. That’s why he languishes in the pages of the ridiculous and lightweight Punch.
Penberthy left the Daily Telegraph several months before the Hanson pics fiasco (which was in the Sunday Telegraph besides).
Murdoch owns 176 newspapers throughout the world.
All 176 newspapers supported the war in Iraq in which hundreds and thousands have died.
Penbo never left anything. Was moved sideways to light weight Punch after Hanson fiasco. Read up on it:it was his deal.
Aplogies for mistaking Daily Telegraph for Sunday Telegraph. How could you tell the difference?
Aussie journo’s inow the truth….they know their job prospects are beyond limited if they stick either collectively or individually their neck out tell the publib the truth about Assange. The real truth about the set up charged…the fact Carl rove is great mates with swedish pm…that if he gets to Sweden they will have got him in their Hans in such a way and under such type of authority that they can and will hold him absolutely incommunicado…no lawyer visits…no friend or family….just somebody maybe from ausgov…oh yea ! Lucky Julian !! Austrialian journalist are gutless…cowardly…dogs…in the mail….and those brave souls including penbo signed the open letter you Vex now mock deserve commendation.
Sweden is one Country that cannot be trusted. I remember reading a story, where, after the War they send Germans who fleet the Barberians to Sweden where handed back to be killed.
Brimbank you are right about one thing the Swedes can’t be trusted after all the SWedes were the official suppliers of Steel to the Nazi War machine .
Having said that hopefully if the Poms don’t get cold feet { which they probably will] and hand the Aussie Traitor over to the swedes hopefully the Americans will put in an order for him .
After all we [ the West] are at war with the Muslims { only the bad ones of course ] and the Aussie traitor has been exposing the Wests soldiers [ inc Aussie soldiers ] and spies to danger .
If this was done during ww2 wouldn’t the bastard if caught be hung ?
Rubbish Michael Burd.
the only person who has put Aussie soldiers at risk is John Howard who sent them to attack Afghanis & Iraqis who have never harmed us.
Unless both countries invaded us and I didn’t notice.