Bradley Manning should be free

[cali]

Editor's note: Jesselyn Radack is the national security and human rights director for the Government Acccountability Project, a nonprofit organization founded in 1977 to promote corporate and government accountability. She is the author of "Traitor: The Whistleblower and the American Taliban." Kathleen McClellan is the GAP national security and human rights counsel.

(CNN) -- Pfc. Bradley Manning is one of the biggest whistle-blowers in U.S. history, and his case is one of the Obama administration's unprecedented seven prosecutions against national security and intelligence whistleblowers. His disclosures to WikiLeaks revealed war crimes and torture -- topics that are surely in the public's interest to know.

The fact that the mainstream media around the world reprinted the bulk of his disclosures is evidence of the clear value in knowing what our government is doing.

Manning was sentenced to 35 years, but should have been sentenced to time served already: 3½ years, 112 days of which was improper pretrial detention, also known as torture. He suffered prolonged solitary confinement and was forced to be naked.

Manning's trial was sparsely covered by the mainsteam media. The alternative media outlets who did cover the story comprehensively were faced with unprecedented secrecy, so much so that for months of pretrial proceedings, none of the court pleadings was publicly available. America should be better than secret courts and the criminalization of whistleblowing.

<snip>

http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/21/opinion/radack-manning-sentence/

[uponit7771]

1. Bradley Manning and Snowden put peoples lives in danger by being thoughtless and not

...even trying a route that could've rendered safer results and a more fruitful conversation about the AMOUNT and VARIETY of data the agencies can now collect.

The 1976 USSC ruling might not have taken into account ALL the data that could be collected now and the potential for it's misuse in their ruling. There does seem to be SOME oversight today but the reflexive gov = bad folk wouldn't believe it if FDR said it was accurate himself.

Also, the "my gov justice system isn't 110% perfect" bullshit ass'd defense isn't extended to all males of color in the US like defenders have done with Snowden and Manning either. Using their same defense any person of color who commits a crime should be able to run to whatever country and not go through our legal system seeing people of color have even a stronger justification for doing so; the US justice system is LESS than adequate with that segment of US population.


I'm all for oversight and voting for people who shade towards more than less oversight but I'm don't reflexively distrust the government. That's the prominent attitude I see with people who do support Mannings and Snowdens actions...I think that's what the root of what I'm seeing and it's .... wingerish sounding bullcrap


We should not do evil that good may come

Regards

[cali]

2. Bradley Manning and Edward Snowden exposed war crimes and serious abuses

of domestic surveillance.

There's ample evidence in the form of people like Drake, Tamm and others that those other avenues you so cavalierly refer to are ineffective.


As far as bringing people of color into this, there are thousands of posts here about the injustices that people of color, particularly young black men, suffer under our justice system. It's utterly false to claim anything else. In any case, it's not germane to this particular discussion.


I have seen nothing in all your posts that indicates for one nanosecond that you do anything but support the admin no matter what.

A healthy suspicion of government and power is vital to a democracy, and history is replete with examples of why it's so important.

[Swagman]

4. where can I get me some of those rose tinted specs?

[RC]

13. We have too many wearing rose tinted specs already.

For a supposed Liberal/Progressive, Democratic, Center and Left of Center web site, there sure are a lot of talking points worthy of Fox News being posted.

[CRH]

14. Trust is hard for some of us, ...

who have watched and experienced decades of deception from the government. The assassinations in the sixties complete with coverups, Watergate, false flag operation used as a reason for escalation of the undeclared Viet Nam war, the Church committee hearings of CIA abuse from its inception through the seventies, Iran/Contra arms for hostages and the coverup, the cocaine back hauls from said operation, the Supreme Court decision granting the wrong candidate the presidency in 2000, the 911 farce and coverup that was allowed to be the basis of two wars abroad and one at home against the civil liberties of the citizens, the illegal use of torture and rendition and subsequent coverup then failure to prosecute, Obama standing before the people lying about the NSA surveillance. These are just the highlights in my lifetime, so yeah, trust does come hard for some of us.

[dmosh42]

3. I agree with this post.....

The time served would have been enough. He did break the law, but then our gov't has been running rampant in doing illegal activities in the last two administrations especially. The fact that we're being governed by a bunch of crooks and wackos is only setting up these conditions where other people feel the need to do something to expose them. It will happen again, or maybe be in the process now.

[1awake]

5. I hate to say this but I don't think he'll make it another 2-3 years. n/t

[michigandem58]

6. How does a weak minded person like Manning get the access he had?

That concerns me as much as anything. As for the OP's point, he should spend most or all of his remaining life in prison. I suspect he will.

[cali]

8. and you know that he's weak minded, just how?

you don't. you just spew weak thoughtless gruel.

Oh, and you did not address the OP's point. not even a little bit.

Ugh. To every word you've posted here on DU.

[michigandem58]

15. I appreciate your reading every word I've posted on DU

As for the OP, Manning belongs in prison. He leaked a half million battlefield reports.

[cali]

16. so what do you think about the war crimes revealed by Manning?

doesn't bother the likes of YOU at all, so don't bother. How do I know? Because of your sad little posting history here.

I wish right wingers wouldn't post on DU.

[michigandem58]

17. War crimes is such a misused term it's almost useless

If you're referring to things like the infamous shooting video, I have no problem with it.

[SHRED]

11. "weak minded"?

As if you'd have the courage to release what he did.

[JoeyT]

27. It means "transgender".

That poster has only ever fooled people that wanted to be fooled.

[another_liberal]

7. Yes, free Manning . . .

While we're at it, let's put Dick Cheney in prison. He started a ten-year-long war for no justifiable reason and outed an active CIA agent. His actions did real harm

[LeftishBrit]

9. I am sadly reminded of the verse in E.Y. Harburg's 'Rhymes for the Irreverent' (1965)

The truth is so top secret
It only stands to reason
That anyone exposing it
Is culpable of treason!


Not much has changed in nearly 50 years.

[truebluegreen]

10. I keep wondering how much worse it can get

and our government, at various levels, keeps showing me.

This is so inappropriate, vindictive, repressive and tyrannical I can't even believe it. "Time served" is what I hoped for, the thanks of a grateful nation is what Bradley Manning deserves.

[annabanana]

12. Glad to see this at CNN . . .n/t

[NM_Birder]

18. He was not tourtured.....

he captured and distributed classified military documentation to unauthorized recipient's. He is not a hero, he does not deserve the peace prize, and I'm glad he was not rewarded with a light sentence.

My only hope is that whomever he was involved with burns as well. I doubt he was able to procure 700,000 classified files without some sort of assistance in some capacity. Those people need to live in the next cell over.

[cali]

19. yeah, you're an expert, I'm sure. NOT.

Any number of experts have indeed concluded that the mistreatment of Bradley Manning amounted to torture. YOU don't even know how to spell the word; I doubt you grasp the definition either.

My hope is that war criminals get brought to justice and that the apologists and authoritarians get burned.

[NM_Birder]

20. wow.

My typing skills are deficient, I'm not even sorry for MiSPeeeelinng a word, pretty insignificant mistake but it's all you've got. LOVE the "NOT" joke, it removes all doubt as to the substance of your debate skills.

Being kept in solitary confinement, and having clothing removed for suicide prevention is standard procedure, not torture.
The criminal HAS been brought to justice, the criminal who captured and released classified military documentation to unauthorized personnel, now has 35 years behind bars, I think it should have been life but I'm satisfied with 35 years.

[cali]

21. I'm sorry, but you are just flat fucking wrong.

[NM_Birder]

23. No I'm not. Everything I said is true.

I don't care if I misspelled a word.
Manning is in prison.
He was not tortured
He did commit a crime.
And I'm glad he is punished for it.

Those are all true, and that's why you are so frustrated with me. Want proof ? Stop with the foul language, it's not impressing me.

[Nye Bevan]

22. She has requested to be referred to as "Chelsea".

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023512331

[Dreamer Tatum]

24. And I'm personally denying that request. nt

[NM_Birder]

25. meh...Chelsea/Bradley his/her identification doesn't matter..........

Manning...inmate #******** LOCK DOWN is all that matters to me.

[cali]

26. I hadn't read that at the time I posted this.

and no, I'm not going to change the article or delete it.