Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Assange's Arrest Seen as a Lucky Break

Jack Shafer at Slate.com discusses the possibilities that are opening up to a master manipulator like Julian Assange.

Although a stay in stir [jail] and the prospect of Swedish prosecution might not sound appealing or even advantageous, it's actually a lucky break for Assange. I don't expect him to express his gratitude publicly, but I'll bet he's gamed out how to turn the Swedish arrest warrant, the extradition hearing, and beyond to his benefit.

From his jail cell, Assange becomes something he wasn't yesterday: a martyr. As martyrs go, he's not very appealing. He looks like an alien, talks more insane trash than an NBA point guard (he says he's practicing "scientific journalism"), believes that the ends justify the means, and possesses such an ego-swollen head it's a miracle that he can walk without toppling over....

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