[kombucha11]

I know no one wants to hear this but Assange wouldn't be in the mess if he had conducted his operation more intelligently. Others have done similar actions and faced no repercussion. This is the fault of Assange's hubris and lack of attention. I used to be a huge Assange and Wikileaks supporter but I haven't been for quite some time. He/they made serious but entirely avoidable mistakes.

Edit: Fwiw I support whistleblowers and government transparency and the end to rampant unconstitutional surveillance overreach but I simply couldn't support Assange after finding that he crossed a known ethical line with the inducement and material support. And Chelsea Manning should've never went to jail. Shes the true whistleblower in all of this. And Adrian Lamo and Assange are the ones that made serious yet avoidable mistakes. He simply should've acted as a carrier/news organization but he/they didn't do that. That and the support from Russia and eagerness to influence the election at all costs while maintaining impartiality is laughable. Maybe Assange could've been a force for good if he hadn't taken sides.