I think the right hand did not know what the left was doing and they both washed their hands of Julian Assange, as what did he do that was so bad? A topic to reflect upon in retrospect, especially in light of the BIGGER scheme of things, and knowing how secret intelligence agencies work, especially how they operate between and against one another—and in the face of changing times and political expediencies.
More recently, we have had the case of Assange and Wikileaks to reflect upon, and have to ask just how much of what was leaked was intentional, on the part of US intelligence agencies, and on what level was the decision made and those in its aftermath. US Federal Prosecutors under the rarely used 1917 Espionage Act had accused Assange of damaging national security by publishing documents that harmed the U.S. and its allies and aided its enemies.
Plea Deal or Damage Control in US Election Year
We are now expected to believe that Julian Assange, WikiLeaks founder, reached a plea deal to avoid prison in the US after already having spent five years in a British prison fighting extradition to the United States, following seven years of being holed up in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London after Swedish authorities sought his arrest on bogus rape allegations.
“WikiLeaks published groundbreaking stories of government corruption and human rights abuses, holding the powerful accountable for their actions,” WikiLeaks said in its statement announcing the plea deal.
His greatest crimes in life may have been jumping bail and not being a very good journalist. Now he is free, thanks in part to a long-overdue plea deal, notwithstanding that the case should never have been a case to start with.
Many questions remain as to why he was so singled out, blamed for rape, and practically branded a terrorist by the US administration. Shockingly, it was even openly suggested by US politicians that he be murdered, especially among some of America’s top mouthpieces.
It will be most revealing what happens now, and how much will be revealed in interviews and articles about his case, how the movie will be scripted and if his ordeal will be a bestseller on the NYTs bestsellers list.
Justice and Common Sense Prevails
At least at first impression, always having been the devil’s advocate, all these stories have too much of a happy ending for my liking. Justice prevails, and common sense wins, just like in the movies! This is all too good to be true, and that is why it likely is not what it is being presented as. People are missing the fact that Assange will have to plead guilty to an espionage charge.
This is a bad business that criminalizes journalism and sets a precedent for other journalists not to reveal the truth, as they only have to look back on the Assange case to remind them of what can happen to them for “daring and dying to tell the truth.”
Even Human Rights Watch took notice of what it would mean to have prosecuted Assange years ago, “Prosecuting WikiLeaks for publishing leaked documents would set a terrible precedent that will be eagerly grasped by other governments, particularly those with a record of trying to muzzle legitimate political reporting.”
Wikileaks said Assange was granted bail by the High Court in London and was released at London Stansted Airport, where he boarded a plane to return to Australia.
Court papers filed by the US Justice Department show Assange is scheduled to appear in federal court in a US territory to plead guilty to an Espionage Act charge of conspiring to unlawfully obtain and disseminate classified national defence information.
“Limited Hangout” Operation
The concept of a “limited hangout” operation, which is a strategy that has been used by intelligence agencies for a long time, this strategy involves releasing a controlled amount of information to the public, often through an insider or leaker, so to manipulate the public opinion.
Such a leader is more commonly referred to as a “whistleblower” or useful idiot. Some of the better known cases, including but not limited to acts of defiance (like those of Edward Snowden, Daniel Ellsberg (of the Pentagon Papers) and most recently Julian Assange). However, we should be actually asking ourselves if instead these revelations were “sophisticated manipulations” by intelligence agencies, aiming to control and direct public opinion while achieving broader strategic goals:
The concept of the limited hangout operation serves as a looking glass through which these actions can be reinterpreted, thus, challenging the conventional narratives surrounding high-profile leaks and whistleblowers. As for Assange, he rejects any further clarification of 9/11. In July 2010, Assange told Matthew Bell of the Belfast Telegraph:
“I’m constantly annoyed that people are distracted by false conspiracies such as 9/11, when all around us is evidence of real conspiracies, for war or mass financial fraud”
There are many old unanswered questions over the years as to where WikiLeaks funding comes from, or how money was spent over the years. How is Assange living? They are the total negation of transparency themselves; they are highly secretive and that is why we will never know—as transparency only goes so far if there is intelligence agency involvement.
It is also interesting to look back, and see that the previous Democratic Obama administration, of which Biden was a part, decided not to prosecute Assange for what he was alleged of doing. Only when Trump took charge did the heat get turned up, and we can see how he soon weaponized the US Department of Justice and US State to get Assange, at least to destroy his professional reputation and means of earning a living.
Media False Flag in Flying Colors
Now the shoe is on the other foot, with elections coming, and for Biden and team to find a face-saving way to distance themselves from what may have been one of the greatest media false flags of history, and what makes it stink to high heaven, is that both parties now want to distance themselves from the sordid story going into a presidential election.
So what is the real deal? Nobody walks free on such terms, in spite of the fact of all the media hype and public outcry, as too much is riding now on what comes next, and perhaps, that is the rest of the story, with events in Ukraine, Palestine and the world at large, as the house of cards is collapsing and for that – perhaps this is good news.
But being the cynic I am, having been on the receiving side of the results of having written unspoken truths, and to a very large audience, I have my doubts as to what is transpiring and why now – step-by-step. The best is yet to come, as Julian Assange is no Daniel Ellsberg, a deep and highly educated insider, and a close runner-up would be the Eduard Snowden case, as both of these cases seems a bit too scripted.
The nexus between Assange and WikiLeaks is still an open question, as it has far too many unanswered questions as to why the US governments, the powers that be, in collaboration with close allies, were only too willing to let him rot in prison without ever having been convicted of a crime.
Obviously, there are many unseen forces and complicated dynamics at play, and we may never to privy to that all has transpired. In addition, it may soon be more apparent such operations are not merely about revealing secrets but about controlling the narrative, manufacturing consent, conducting damage control, and guiding public perceptions, no matter how naïve they may, be towards specific goals and outcomes.
It is necessary to be mindful, for those who wish to remain vigilant, not to accept anything nowadays at face value, especially CNN and White House or State Department Briefings, or to fall into the trap of being “useful idiots” in the face of orchestrated whistleblowing and limited hangout strategies.
We must look closely at the simplistic narrative of Assange as a lone whistleblower, as he is now being portrayed in the media. His case might be part of a deliberate and controlled strategy by intelligence agencies. It highlights the potential for manipulation of public opinion and the dangerous precedent set for journalism.
Although it might be wishful thinking for readers to remain vigilant and skeptical of surface-level narratives, this has been the intention of this article with a greater call for critical thinking and awareness of the complex dynamics at play in high-profile whistleblower cases.
I just hope that the Assange story will be better than Snowden, the movie.
Henry Kamens, columnist, expert on Central Asia and Caucasus, exclusively for the online magazine “New Eastern Outlook”.