Julian Assange has become thge very symbol of political freedom and one can say that in this day and age, if there is one individual who has literally created history, then it is he. Having said that we must also admit that having known the wiles of the security sate that he decries so much, he would be percecuted. Today he stands virtually alone. Abandoned even by the country of his birth--Australia. Britain and Sweden both countries that preach to the rest of the world the virtues of a free judiciary have suborned the freedom of the judicial process for petty politcal gain. Afteall, even our Lord and Saviour was tried before an independent judicialry of the then superpower--Roma Etherna.
In an interview with a newspaper whose link I have given, Julian Assange spelled out his political views and they did appear to be sophisticated. He is not an anarchist as the US media made him out to be nor is he bent on sensational journalism. He truly believes in the freedom of expression which this, the Cyber Age promises. He is vehemently opposed to the politics of Great Powers. Standing alongside Private Bradley Manning, Julian Assange has single handedly brought the arcane world of Great Power diplomacy to the doorstep of ordinary people. The demystification of diplomacy will go a long way to redress the imbalance in the world. The discredited politicians of the Third World who stand exposed by WikiLeaks cry out that the cables are "fake". The US State Department itself had warned that the cables contain highly damaging information and in a round anbout fashion only confirmed the authenticity of the expose.
In India, WikiLeaks has created a firestorm that will consume the corrupt and criminal government of ManMohan Singh. Already reeling from a series of scams and scandals, the WikiLeaks has shown that inorder to save his minority Government, ManMohan Singh "bought votes for cash". WikiLeaks has confirmed what many of us knew and in fact it did not come as a surprise that the US diplomats got wind of the scandal much before the rest of the world did. This particular expose is going to cost the Indian Government a great deal.
Apart from abjuring Big Power politics, Julian Assange maintains, like Tom Paine that eternal vigil is the price for freedom. The Western Media draws boundries that delimit the terms of debate in the Free Society. Thus Darfur and Sudan can be attacked and criticised in the name of human Rights but not Saudi Arabia and Bharein. More bolldshed has taken palce after Obama took the Bush route than in the days and weeks leading to the crisis in Libya.
I think, like the famous Somerset case in which Justice Mansfield delivered his judgement, the trial of Julian Assange will result in redifining the limits of freedom within the structure of the security state.