Ouch, this makes my brain hurt

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Ritter
was the chief United Nations weapons inspector in Iraq from 1991 to 1998, and later became known for his criticism of United States foreign policy in the Middle East. Prior to the U.S. invasion of Iraq in March 2003, Ritter publicly argued that Iraq possessed no significant weapons of mass destruction (WMDs). He became a popular anti-war figure and talk show commentator as a result of his stance.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julian_Assange
He has published material about extrajudicial killings in Kenya, toxic waste dumping in Côte d’Ivoire, Church of Scientology manuals, Guantanamo Bay procedures, and banks such as Kaupthing and Julius Baer.[12] In 2010, he published Iraq War documents and Afghan War documents about American involvement in the wars, some of which was classified material. On 28 November 2010, WikiLeaks and its five international print media partners (Der Spiegel, The New York Times, Le Monde, The Guardian and El País) began publishing U.S. diplomatic cables.[13]

Assange has appealed a February 2011 decision by English courts to extradite him to
Sweden for questioning in relation to a sexual assault investigation.[15][16][17][18] He has said the allegations of wrongdoing are “without basis”.[19] A two-day High Court hearing is scheduled to start on 12 July; he remains on bail.[20]

That extradition – which was denied by the Swedish prosecutors’ office…,so he was replaced…would give an opportunity for the U.S. to snatch him and place him in detention in the style of Bradley Manning.

I recall when Saddam Hussein ‘had WMD.’ Just now the ruler of Libya is demonized as the country is attacked without provocation – protecting civilians by bombing them as Qadaffi’s forces have retreated to the cities to be safer from identified as targets for strafing.

The ‘drug war’ is another example of systemic abuse of ‘due process”…just like Gitmo and Abu Ghraib. http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/library/studies/canadasenate/vol2/chapter14_entrapment_and_illegal_activity.htm

It really might be time to brush up on the idea of ‘innocent until proven guilty’…especially in societies where Habeas Corpus is blatantly bypassed so that even the formality of a Kangaroo Court is not followed.