[ggm]

All his trouble began after he leaked US butchery in Iraq

Yes, except for the troubles he brought on his own head, which don't relate to Iraq but do relate to his extremely asocial narcissistic behaviours.

His original hacking was done because he believed NASA was hiding war work (he hacked the Australian academic network seeking a path into NASA via DECnet) and predates the war in Iraq by a decade or more.

[raxxorrax]

The first thing is request from someone leaking information for public interest, is perfect social behavior. Makes sense.

edit: Any yes, Iraq was a crime.

[ggm]

The perfect is the enemy of the good enough, or J PowerPoint Morgan's epithet: i dont want it perfect I want it by Thursday.

Assange didn't have to be perfect but the trail of wreckage behind him of past collaborators and friends speaks volumes.

[raxxorrax]

Ah, the figurative wreckage. Almost as real as the wreckage in the middle east.

I don't like Assanges personality and I think it has many, many flaws. But that isn't of interest. The documents are actually public now, I would suggest to give them a read.