The Arrest of Julian Assange and The Possibility of Extradition to The US

After years taking refuge in the Ecuadorian embassy in London, Assange was arrested. Now there is discussion of possible extradition to the United States. This would certainly mean that Assange would not be given a fair trial for the crimes he allegedly committed with Wikileaks.  Assange has been targeted mainly because he has exposed war crimes committed in Iraq and Afghanistan by the United States. These arguments of endangering national security or enabling terrorist organizations lacks cogency. The United States government does not want to be exposed for its roles in atrocities and corruption, which could generate massive public outrage. Whistle blowers have been persecuted under both the Obama and Trump administrations. Julian Assange has not sold any of the information from Wikileaks to foreign entities or other nations for personal gain. Wikileaks mostly contains diplomatic cables, which are not classified information. The reason why Assange has become a target is due to the fact many nations have been revealed to be engaged in ethically questionable activities. The attack on Assange really is a means of stopping investigative journalism informing the public about abuses around the world. Governments may also use Wikileaks as an excuse to reduce or eliminate completely internet freedom. Free speech and press freedom are coming under attack by not just authoritarian states, but liberal democracies. The mainstream corporate media has demonized Assange as either a national threat or working on behalf of America's global competitors. If Julian Assange is given a prison term in the United States, it symbolizes a movement attempting to stifle independent press that voices dissent or opposing views. Wikileaks founded in 2006, may be permanently shut down or new measures would be employed to control what the public sees or reads on the internet. The mainstream media's inability or refusal the question American foreign policy demonstrates it is more interested in profit motives, rather than telling the truth. Julian Assange's extradition will be unfortunate news for supporters of transparency and media that does not follow one narrative in relation to world politics.