[CRConrad]

To me it feels more likely that he just wanted to avoid a few years in Swedish prison for rape and thought it would blow over soon (much faster than in the end it did), so he could slither out from the embassy in a month or three. The whole "afraid Sweden would extradite him to the USA" line felt phony then and still does now.

[pelasaco]

which is understandable.. I think people accused from rape have an universal welcome treatment everywhere in the world...

[CRConrad]

Sure, but still nobody's fault but his own. All the people going "But the evil U[S|K] has already kept him inprisoned at the embassy for ten years!" are totally off their heads. Nobody but he himself did that.