I don’t enough about the case, but I do find it at least a little interesting that a man the US are desperate to make an example of for exposing the extent of their war crimes, suddenly has a rape charge materialise against him.
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Yes it was, a timely coincidence, given the US had finally got their hands on him.
The Swedish prosecution will be fraught, if they seek to revive it, since they publicly stated the reason for the discontinuance was a dilution of the evidence (weird). But if they sought to revive it they would need new evidence, which is hard in cases of sexual abuse. In the least, the existing evidence alone cannot get stronger or mature, we’re not talking wine here.
It really does, with hindsight, look like a ruse by the US.
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The sex was consensual but would not have been (it is claimed) had the women (there were two separate allegations) knew he was not wearing a condom. I can’t remember whether it was suggested that the condom broke or whether he claimed that there was no insistence that one be used.
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What, a condom broke twice or did he have them both at once 
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I can’t remember the precise details. He may have alleged that it broke in one of the incidents and wasn’t insisted upon in the other. Will try and dig out the article I read on it!
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In the case of two separate incidents, it is weird that these would arise contemporaneously, just around the time the US begin to sabre rattle against him. Very convenient. My overthinking predisposition, makes me think he was being tailed (pun intended) by the CIA and the women were later approached to raise allegations. The allegations as well, are at the wide end of rape allegations, almost the lowest degree of culpability and with that the hardest to disprove/prove. Ideal for abuse by false allegations.
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I don’t know if this was the article I read but it’s pretty detailed
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They weren’t rape charges, somewhat less dramatic sexual interference charges, and frankly they don’t seem remotely inconsistent with much of his other behaviour. Quite possibly used as a stalking horse, but there is no reason to believe that the charges were not themselves legitimate.
I am actually somewhat disappointed in the outcome, the mental health basis is not particularly satisfying for anyone except Assange and his partisans. The same abusive conduct by the Americans could presumably be waved through the next time.
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Thanks, very thorough. Seems to suggest a maelstrom of infamy, condoms, jealousy and Swedish neofeminism are to blame; still the timing is absolutely impeccable.
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Yes, and the UK US extradition agreement uses ‘probable cause’ as a basis for the extradition. I cannot see how a mental health issue can abate that; looks to me it will be overturned on appeal to the high court, to later be referred to the Supreme Court. Very disappointing that the dicta, at present, supports the US case.
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Interestingly, it appears the incoming (we hope) Biden administration is not displeased to at least have this punted onward a few months.
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What, you mean whilst the USS Nimitz cruises about the Straits of Hormuz…
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Is that the same Nimitz Reagan is bashing Mondale about here or is it a new one?
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Same one. In service since somewhere around 1970. Apropos of nothing, I have been on a sister ship, the Eisenhower. Incredible ships, the hangar decks have basketball nets that drop down from the ceiling and the floors are painted with the court lines. They can play full size across the width of the ship, must have been 8 courts going at once.
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Yet another gaping hole in US governance previously covered by norms. Past precedent of lame duck Presidents making no major policy moves and consulting/briefing the incoming on any crises is now completely inoperative - the US is manufacturing this crisis, simply relying on the Iranian conservatives as a dance partner.
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Substantially, yes, along with its proxy partner, Israel.
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I spent a couple of nights on HMS Invincible in the 90s. A much smaller carrier by comparison but still an awesome sight to me at the time. Was also lucky enough to be shown around one of the trident submarines.
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Wow - they want every shipper to register for UK VAT, including paying a fee. Who the hell thought of that?
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Is that gif the UK or the seller. It’s hard to tell.
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