Russia's Putin raps West over Assange arrest

[Turborama]

Source: Reuters

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that the arrest of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange showed the West was hypocritical in its criticism of Russia's record on democracy.

When asked about leaked U.S. diplomatic cables which cast him as Russia's "alpha-dog" ruler of a corrupt bureaucracy, Putin questioned whether the U.S. Foreign Service was a "crystal clean source of information"

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSLDE6B81WP20101209

[bemildred]

1. I'm telling you, Russia is enjoying this. nt

[Freddie Stubbs]

2. The Russians would have just poisoned him

[Paranoid Pessimist]

3. So is that what "we" should do? n/t

[Raschel]

6. His lawyer said he fears for Assange's life. It's too late to get rid of him

now. Too much notoriety.

[Myrina]

7. ... not to mention what would happen if he was 'got rid of' ...

I'm sure there's a big, electronic-data surprise waiting for the powers that be, were Assange to 'meet an unfortunate end'.

[Raschel]

8. Exactly what I meant

:hi:

[caseymoz]

10. You're assuming that governments always act rationally.

If they're pissed enough at him, they'll kill him, damn the consequences. Or, they'll fabricate an accident, where half the left thinks the government was behind it, the other half thinks the first half is paranoid, so there is no effective protest.

[Raschel]

11. Maybe if there are more who gain than those who may be exposed. In this case it looks like

everyone has too much to lose, from world governments to globle corporations/banks(ok, same thing} EVERYONE'S ass is on the line.

[caseymoz]

12. So, how did we get to the point where the truth is threatening to so many?

I mean, you would think if the press were operating minimally anywhere for any time these 20 years that governments and countries would be transparent.

[TheLastMohican]

14. You failed to understand

what Putin actually meant.

What he is trying to say is "Put your money where your mouth is" or shuddup about commenting "non-democracy" in other countries, because you yourself isn't any better.
The whole US is a fake democracy now.

At least they don't touch your boobs when going on a plane in Russia.

[Uncle Joe]

4. Perhaps Putin is correct on the former and incorrect on the latter.

The U.S. Foreign Service would have little reason not to be "crystal clean" within its' own internal assessments of foreign powers.

Thanks for the thread, Turborama.

[Raschel]

5. He certainly has a point as far as government controlling the media.

[Robb]

9. "Yay, it's not me under the microscope!" -- V. Putin

[goforit]

13. LOL!!!.. In this case The US earned its "anti-americanism!"

[Bragi]

15. I condemn the Obama White House's assault on free speech

I have no doubt that the Obama White House has approved, or is directing, the disgraceful attack by U.S agencies and firms on Wikileaks and on Assange.

I don't understand why people here are pretending that this attack on the free flow of information is of mysterious origins.

[Vidar]

16. Good for Putin!