Assange: has Gillard got the guts?

What would the US position have been if the leaks were from another powerful nation with which America vies? You can bet that "the land of the free" would be offering safe haven to Assange and secure hosting for Wikileaks, and that we'd follow right behind and do the same.

Internationally the goodies and baddies are created for us by propaganda fed to a complicit and compliant media. But what if the United States is no better than anyone else, and maybe even worse? The only response we ever seem to see from the US is patronising condescension, with wanton aggression and the diplomacy of bullies in the face of threat, defiance and solid criticism. We saw that after September 11. As the only (then) remaining superpower, by their own description, they didn't have to build networks or create consensus in order to secure international support before acting: they did what they wanted, relying on their own power, saying arrogantly, "You're either with us or against us". And so far that’s worked.

But has Wikileaks challenged this power, and America's influence? Certainly it seems that only a few self-interested powerbrokers are jumping to defend US integrity, or even expressing sympathy for its situation.

The more common world view is demonstrated by the popular protests in cities around the world, including the odd Guy Fawkes mask; by the global petitions and open letters; by supporters of free information uniting to attack Mastercard, Visa and Paypal, the financial vassals of the political elite; by the exponential growth of WikiLeaks mirror sites around the world; by high profile world leaders and celebrities adding their support, including, quaintly, Vladimir Putin who slammed Assanges' detention as "undemocratic" and Brazil's president who voiced "solidarity" with the jailed WikiLeaks founder.

The problem with the "official" line is people just don't buy that this persecution of Assange is not politically motivated. Perversely, it's a bit like Dubya's simplistic logic: to the person on the street: if you are anti-Assange then you are anti-freedom of speech, anti-democratic and anti- transparency. The citizens of the world see WikiLeaks as a beacon of hope for truth and freedom to flourish and for people empowerment; Assange's guilt or innocence is entirely irrelevant to that perception. Whatever happens to him won't affect public support for the organisation or divert attention from the content of the leaks or the questions they raise.

People sniff the prospect of positive change, and they like it. They understand it’s not Assange purporting to act with impunity, it’s their governments.