After the release of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, I was interviewed by The Washington Post about the toxic, client state relationship that usually exists between Australia and the US:
That was affecting sentiment about Assange, said Antony Loewenstein, an Australian journalist who has known Assange since WikiLeaks was founded and has campaigned for his release.
“In Australia, it’s not just about whether he’s a journalist who’s been wrongfully imprisoned,” he said. “It’s also about this weird unresolved issue of this unhealthy relationship between Australia and the United States.”
The longer Assange has languished in prison, the more his case has stirred those anxieties, he added.
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Despite the broad political backing for Assange’s return, it’s unlikely that he’ll be the toast of Canberra, said Loewenstein. WikiLeaks’ release of diplomatic cables in 2010 embarrassed politicians in the United States and Australia.
But Loewenstein, who covers Israel and the Palestinian territories, said he planned to quietly celebrate Assange’s return to Australia.
“This is a very rare bright spot in many people’s lives, including my own, at a time when there is so much crisis and trauma in the world,” he said. “I might have a drink tonight, or two.”
Read the whole story: Julian Assange arrives home in Australia amid warnings about press freedom – The Washington Post