Joni Askola Profile picture
Jun 25 19 tweets 7 min read Read on X
1/19 The fact that Julian Assange is alive and free underscores the stark contrast between the democratic west and the authoritarian regimes he supports. Image
2/19 Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, is an immensely controversial figure. He is regarded as a traitor to the West, working in the interests of our adversaries, possibly due to being driven by a profound antipathy towards the West. Image
3/19 Following the resolution of his 12-year fight against extradition to the United States through a plea deal, he was released from a British prison and on Monday, he was journeying back to his home country of Australia. Image
4/19 The release of Julian Assange was met with cheers from both adversaries of the west and western traitors, shedding light on the interests he aligns himself with. Image
5/19 He is poised to admit guilt to an Espionage Act charge related to obtaining and disclosing nationally significant information, thus officially acknowledging his status as a traitor. Image
6/19 While WikiLeaks may have initially served a positive role by uncovering corruption and military misconduct, its reputation took a turn in 2010 when it published a video from a US military helicopter depicting the killing of civilians in the Iraqi capital Baghdad. Image
7/19 Assange released the leaks without redacting any names, exposing hundreds of dissidents in Afghanistan and Iraq to "serious harm, torture, and even death." Following the publication of the unredacted documents, some sources reportedly "disappeared." Image
8/19 The release of the leaks endangered hundreds of Afghans who were fighting against the Taliban. In response, Assange remarked, "Well, they're informants," and went on to say, "So, if they get killed, they've got it coming to them. They deserve it." Image
9/19 In 2010, it was reported that Assange's associate, Israel Shamir, purportedly provided a list of "organisers, instigators, and rioters, including foreign ones" to Lukashenko. In 2012, there were reports that RT would offer Assange his own talk show. Image
10/19 Assange is an agent of russian disinformation. A genuine journalist would never host a talk show on RT. In the same year his show premiered, Assange chose not to publish a leak concerning a 2 billion euro transaction between Assad and a russian government bank. Image
11/19 In the 2016 US presidential election, the release of hacked emails and documents from the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and John Podesta, the chairman of the Clinton campaign, by WikiLeaks, favored the Trump campaign, consequently benefiting russia in return. Image
12/19 In 2016, WikiLeaks obtained a substantial collection of documents related to the russian government, with over 50% of them never having been previously published. However, "Assange provided a series of excuses" for not releasing them. Image
13/19 In 2017, WikiLeaks sought to quiet its critics by releasing a "Spy Files russia" dump, which included details about the russian online surveillance system SORM. This system had been previously disclosed, and the leak did not reveal significant new information. Image
14/19 When questioned about WikiLeaks' role as a whistleblower in russia, Assange remarked that russia already has Kremlin critics like Navalny and publications such as Novaya Gazeta. Image
15/19 The question of whether Assange became a disinformation agent and traitor due to being an opportunistic pawn driven by his antipathy towards the West or if he was a legitimate operative for russia or another authoritarian regime remains unresolved. Image
16/19 If we in the West behaved like his beloved russia, syria, or china, the current arrangement would not be taking place. He would not be free, or even alive. This is what sets us apart from them. Image
17/19 The fact that all the adversaries of the West, including numerous traitors within the West, are exceedingly pleased to see him released speaks volumes about whom he was valuable to. Image
18/19 It will be intriguing to observe Assange's future actions now that he is at liberty. It is quite possible that he will persist in his efforts against the West and in favor of authoritarian regimes. It is fortunate that we didn't turn him into a martyr. Image

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More from @joni_askola

Jun 27
1/10 russian forces are persisting with their ineffective diversionary offensive in the north of Kharkiv by initiating attacks in new areas. Image
2/10 russian forces have initiated assaults and reconnaissance in another part of the northern border, this time near Sotnyts'kyi Kozachok in the Kharkiv region. Fighting is currently underway. Image
3/10 Anticipate limited impact as these offensives are primarily intended as diversions, and russia is not expected to deploy a substantial number of units. Image
Read 10 tweets
Jun 26
1/10 The dispatch of north korean troops to support russia in its genocide in Ukraine exposes the grim truth about russia's faltering invasion and also highlights the inadequacy of Western escalation management. Image
2/10 There are rumors that north korea plans to deploy an engineering unit to Donetsk to aid russia in its unsuccessful invasion and genocide of Ukraine. Image
3/10 If verified, this demonstrates yet another dismal symbolic setback for russia, as it appears incapable of invading Ukraine without direct military intervention from its allies. Even with such support, its prospects for success seem bleak. Image
Read 10 tweets
Jun 26
1/25 Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has been appointed as the new secretary general of NATO. What changes will this bring, and what challenges will he encounter in this new role? Image
2/25 On Wednesday, June 26, NATO's 32 member nations appointed the outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte as the next head of the alliance. Image
3/25 Symbolically, it would have been more significant to have an Eastern European leader for NATO, particularly considering the Netherlands' track record of underperforming in military spending during Rutte's leadership. Image
Read 25 tweets
Jun 26
1/7 Ukraine has found the satellite provided by the Finnish company Iceye to be incredibly valuable. Image
2/7 For nearly two years, Ukrainian intelligence has utilized the ICEYE satellite, which was funded by the Serhiy Prytula Charitable Foundation and donations from Ukrainians, to identify enemy targets and safeguard the country. Image
3/7 The satellite has recorded 4,173 images of enemy targets, such as airfields, air defense positions, fuel depots, and military bases. This capability has enabled Ukraine to track enemy movements and intentions, resulting in substantial damage to russian assets. Image
Read 7 tweets
Jun 25
1/14 Trump is reconsidering his plan for Ukraine, but it is important to manage expectations because, despite some progress, his new plan still disproportionately favors and rewards russia. Image
2/14 Two advisers to Donald Trump have proposed a plan to halt russia's war in Ukraine, conditional on Ukraine engaging in peace talks and a stern warning to Moscow regarding escalated U.S. support for Ukraine if negotiations are declined. Image
3/14 The encouraging development is that the plan involves supplying Ukraine with extra U.S. weapons to promote participation in peace talks, while also warning russia that a failure to negotiate will result in increased U.S. support for Ukraine. Image
Read 14 tweets
Jun 23
1/7 russia's perpetual instability is evident once more, as tonight's terrorist attacks in Dagestan underscore the limited control Putin exerts over his country. Image
2/7 russia faces challenges with islamist terrorism, and shifting blame to Ukraine will not resolve this issue. Similarly, in the case of the Crocus City Hall terrorist attack, Putin chose to attribute it to Ukraine instead of addressing the underlying problem. Image
3/7 russia, given its imperial size and behavior, proves exceedingly difficult to control. Putin has thus far maintained control through instilling fear and projecting an image of everything being under control, despite the reality suggesting otherwise. Image
Read 7 tweets

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