Changes

As of November 18, 2010, there is a warrant out for his arrest in [[Sweden]]. Assange was previously investigated for rape, but the charges were ultimately dropped. However, there is an international warrant for Assange, as he is wanted for questioning in Sweden in relation to a rape investigation. On June 19, 2012, [[Ricardo Patiño]], the [[Ecuador]]ian foreign minister, announced that Assange had applied for [[political asylum]] and that the Ecuadorian government was analyzing his request. At that time, Assange was in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London.<ref name="Ecuador">{{cite news| url=http://www.elcomercio.com/politica/Julian-Assange-embajada-Ecuador-Londres_0_721727907.html|title=Julian Assange pide asilo político en embajada de Ecuador en Londres | work=El Comercio | language=es|accessdate=September 17, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/wikileaks/9342856/Julian-Assange-WikiLeaks-founder-seeks-political-asylum-from-Ecuador.html | work=Daily Telegraph | first=Andrew | last=Hough | title=Julian Assange: WikiLeaks founder seeks political asylum from Ecuador | location=London | date=19 June 2012}}</ref> On August 16, Patiño announced that the Ecuadorian government was granting Assange political asylum.<ref name="asylumgranted">[http://www.mmrree.gob.ec/2012/com042.asp Declaración del Gobierno de la República del Ecuador sobre la solicitud de asilo de Julian Assange] (Spanish)</ref> It is not clear how, if ever, Assange will be able to leave the Ecuadorian Embassy grounds.

As of November 18, 2010, there is a warrant out for his arrest in [[Sweden]]. Assange was previously investigated for rape, but the charges were ultimately dropped. However, there is an international warrant for Assange, as he is wanted for questioning in Sweden in relation to a rape investigation. On June 19, 2012, [[Ricardo Patiño]], the [[Ecuador]]ian foreign minister, announced that Assange had applied for [[political asylum]] and that the Ecuadorian government was analyzing his request. At that time, Assange was in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London.<ref name="Ecuador">{{cite news| url=http://www.elcomercio.com/politica/Julian-Assange-embajada-Ecuador-Londres_0_721727907.html|title=Julian Assange pide asilo político en embajada de Ecuador en Londres | work=El Comercio | language=es|accessdate=September 17, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/wikileaks/9342856/Julian-Assange-WikiLeaks-founder-seeks-political-asylum-from-Ecuador.html | work=Daily Telegraph | first=Andrew | last=Hough | title=Julian Assange: WikiLeaks founder seeks political asylum from Ecuador | location=London | date=19 June 2012}}</ref> On August 16, Patiño announced that the Ecuadorian government was granting Assange political asylum.<ref name="asylumgranted">[http://www.mmrree.gob.ec/2012/com042.asp Declaración del Gobierno de la República del Ecuador sobre la solicitud de asilo de Julian Assange] (Spanish)</ref> It is not clear how, if ever, Assange will be able to leave the Ecuadorian Embassy grounds.

His [[anarchy|anarchistic]] hope is that faith in government will decline and individuals will take on more personal responsibilities for their lives.<ref>http://pubrecord.org/world/8634/thoughts-about-julian-assange-wikileaks/</ref> It is not clear how exposing classified documents of democratic countries will encourage people to become more responsible for their lives. He also implied in a piece for ''The Guardian'' newspaper that his sympathies lay towards Latin American liberation struggles, and that he grew up believing in [[Marxism]]-[[Leninism]].<ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/jul/09/cryptography-weapon-fight-empire-states-julian-assange%23start-of-comments</ref><ref>https://www.breitbart.com/Big-Peace/2013/07/10/Assange-Snowden-Greenwald-Strangely-Silent-On-Ecuador-s-Sweeping-New-Media-Laws</ref> Assange is an admirer of [[Rand Paul]].<ref>http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/08/19/julian-assange-loves-rand-paul-and-his-very-principled-positions.html</ref> He also makes clear he does his leaking specifically to denounce America as a world power, adhering to more [[anti-American]] views and explicitly desiring to humiliate America in front of its allies, contrary to Obama's claims that the world hated Bush instead of America itself. Ironically, several of the documents Assange leaked actually confirmed what most American war hawks stated regarding the War on Terror, such as the Taliban beheading prisoners.<ref>https://www.nationalreview.com/2010/11/assange-anti-american-rich-lowry/</ref>

His [[anarchy|anarchistic]] hope is that faith in government will decline and individuals will take on more personal responsibilities for their lives.<ref>http://pubrecord.org/world/8634/thoughts-about-julian-assange-wikileaks/</ref> It is not clear how exposing classified documents of democratic countries will encourage people to become more responsible for their lives. He also implied in a piece for ''The Guardian'' newspaper that his sympathies lay towards Latin American liberation struggles, and that he grew up believing in [[Marxism]]-[[Leninism]].<ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/jul/09/cryptography-weapon-fight-empire-states-julian-assange%23start-of-comments</ref><ref>https://www.breitbart.com/Big-Peace/2013/07/10/Assange-Snowden-Greenwald-Strangely-Silent-On-Ecuador-s-Sweeping-New-Media-Laws</ref> Assange is an admirer of [[Rand Paul]].<ref>http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/08/19/julian-assange-loves-rand-paul-and-his-very-principled-positions.html</ref> He also makes clear he does his leaking specifically to denounce America as a world power, adhering to more [[anti-American]] views and explicitly desiring to humiliate America in front of its allies, contrary to Obama's claims that the world hated Bush instead of America itself. Ironically, several of the documents Assange leaked actually confirmed what most American war hawks stated regarding the War on Terror, such as the Taliban beheading prisoners as well as foreign allies appreciating American involvement.<ref>https://www.nationalreview.com/2010/11/assange-anti-american-rich-lowry/</ref>

== Political reaction==

== Political reaction==