ATAR Notes: Forum

VCE Stuff => VCE English Studies => VCE Subjects + Help => VCE English & EAL => Topic started by: 99.90 pls on March 03, 2015, 08:28:41 pm

Title: @Knowledgeable people
Post by: 99.90 pls on March 03, 2015, 08:28:41 pm

Edit: solved by the literary prodigy Lauren in her Q&A thread

Hi AN,

I need help understanding this article about Julian Assange. I'm currently trying to write a practice piece on this article, but I'm not a very cultured person, so the second half of the article beginning with "Arab governments are as concerned as any other..." doesn't make much sense to me. The first half of the article is fine though.

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-opinion/julian-assange-is-the-ned-kelly-of-the-digital-age-20101207-18ob0.html

Thanks in advance :)

Title: Re: @Knowledgeable people
Post by: areusurem8? on March 12, 2015, 09:36:36 pm

"So, Arab governments are as concerned as any other about a nuclear armed Iran, Russia is a mafia-like state, China hacked Google and annoyed Kevin Rudd at Copenhagen but agrees that North Korea is a basket case, and Britain is desperate to keep relations with the US as ''special'' as possible, while its forces have been less than effective in Afghanistan. Hardly revelations."

Ok, its stating that Assange's leaks have revealed the obvious, hence the term "hardly revelations."
Although this was 5 years ago, it basically refers to the following:
Iran has nukes, everyone in the region is rightly concerned.
Russia: see the recent murder of Putin's opponent
China hacking Google - well they hack everything
China annoying Rudd - see the footage of Rudd swearing
North Korea - Kim Jong Un. Enough said.
Britain US relations have not been very swell recently, with that phone hacking scandal and the NSA scandal (2012)
Afghanistan - a perpetual warzone.

The rest of the article is talking about US reaction to the leaks - played down by the writer - and their response, wanting to execute assange for them. The writer also talks about how Assange is facing injustice. He hasn't broken any Australian Law, but the country has extradited him due to the US having a strong influence in our local politics.

Also, I'm well aware the SAC was yesterday, Mr L. ;)