Sorry to be negative, but no, Julian is not free until this plea bargain deal is concluded in the Marianas (a US territory) and he sets foot in Australia and this bail condition is lifted also.
I see too many opportunities for various authorities to renege on or abruptly change the terms and conditions so that Julian goes back into detention. Australia is currently doing an Assange on Daniel Duggan, a man whom the USA wants to extradite because apparently he trained some Chinese commercial pilots 12 years ago, beyond the statute of limitations, and not a crime in Australia. The USA reckons they were military pilots, really. One reliable commentator here reckons the whole thing is a politcally-motivated show trial.
In 2007 an Australian, David Hicks, ill-advisedly involved himself in the al Qaeda mess, and found himself in Guantanamo Bay. He was freed but only after what in the media looked like the Australian government agreeing to a list of US terms and conditions bordering on the hysterical. Hicks was among the most dangerous men in the universe apparently, not to be trusted alone for a millisecond, etc etc.
Another ,man here, David McBride, blew the whistle on war crimes committed by Australian soldiers in Afghanistan. Who was punished – the military or the whistleblower? One guess.
As we all know well, The System will not accept criticism. I won’t rest easy until Julian is back home with his wife and children. A long period of healing will ensue.
