Bradley Manning

[ElanJo]

He's a hero and Obama is a fucking **** beyond comprehension. Manning is only paying such a heavy price in order to scare off any other potential whistleblowers.

 

[I'm With Stupid]

I'm no expert on the case, but it seems to me that both of his portrayals (hero and massive traitor) are as ridiculous as each other. It's not like he had evidence of specific war crimes and worked hard to reveal them. All he did was simply steal everything he had access to and hand it to Wikileaks, who went on to sift through it looking for war crimes.

Having said that, the sentence he's likely to get will tell you everything you need to know about America, when you consider that this woman got just 3 years:

8 years (served 3):

10 years (served 6.5):

Faces 136 years:

If he gets more than any of these, it'll be a joke. But my guess is that he'll get more than all of them put together.

 

[JMCFC]

Regardless of whether he individually picked out the videos, for example, (although I thought he did?) the information he leaked contained evidence of war crimes and yet it is not those responsible for those crimes that are being prosecuted, it's him.

He already spent 11 months in a Marine prison, about which a UN inspector said in his report:
"I conclude that the 11 months under conditions of solitary confinement (regardless of the name given to his regime by the prison authorities) constitutes at a minimum cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment in violation of article 16 of the convention against torture. If the effects in regards to pain and suffering inflicted on Manning were more severe, they could constitute torture."

The actions of the government are a blatant attempt to intimidate anyone else thinking of revealing anything else. It's a refusal to accept they have done anything wrong and to remind everyone in no uncertain terms that if anybody else tries to do it they'll be squashed like a bug.

See their tantrum today about Russia granting asylum to Snowden:
"Russia has stabbed us in the back, and each day that Mr Snowden is allowed to roam free is another twist of the knife" - Senator Charles Schumer
"Russia’s action today is a disgrace and a deliberate effort to embarrass the United States,” he said. “It is a slap in the face of all Americans. Now is the time to fundamentally rethink our relationship with Putin’s Russia. We need to deal with the Russia that is, not the Russia we might wish for" - Senator John McCain

They are the world's bully, and I'm glad there are people like Manning and Snowden prepared to show people what they really are up to.

 

[hilts]

Regardless of whether he individually picked out the videos, for example, (although I thought he did?) the information he leaked contained evidence of war crimes and yet it is not those responsible for those crimes that are being prosecuted, it's him.

He already spent 11 months in a Marine prison, about which a UN inspector said in his report:
"I conclude that the 11 months under conditions of solitary confinement (regardless of the name given to his regime by the prison authorities) constitutes at a minimum cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment in violation of article 16 of the convention against torture. If the effects in regards to pain and suffering inflicted on Manning were more severe, they could constitute torture."

The actions of the government are a blatant attempt to intimidate anyone else thinking of revealing anything else. It's a refusal to accept they have done anything wrong and to remind everyone in no uncertain terms that if anybody else tries to do it they'll be squashed like a bug.

See their tantrum today about Russia granting asylum to Snowden:
"Russia has stabbed us in the back, and each day that Mr Snowden is allowed to roam free is another twist of the knife" - Senator Charles Schumer
"Russia’s action today is a disgrace and a deliberate effort to embarrass the United States,” he said. “It is a slap in the face of all Americans. Now is the time to fundamentally rethink our relationship with Putin’s Russia. We need to deal with the Russia that is, not the Russia we might wish for" - Senator John McCain

They are the world's bully, and I'm glad there are people like Manning and Snowden prepared to show people what they really are up to.

Does anybody know how this is going down with the american public? these guys must have some support over there? Russia are playing games for their own purposes but good on them, land of the free my arse

 

[JMCFC]

Hopefully one of our American BMers can shed some light on it but from the limited US coverage I've seen it seems pretty hotly divided. A CNN poll yesterday was basically 50/50 split, over whether or not he should serve time.

 

[MCFC-alan88]

I'm quite disappointed with most of the American responses I've seen so far. Most are deeming them "Traitors" for harming the American Government, when in reality, their primary goal is to inform the American People and the world about heinous things that the the US Government is doing in their name. It's unfortunate their "Patriotism" blinds them to the reality of their situation.

 

[Skashion]

This case highlights to just what extent the US is in decline as a nation. Obviously it plummeted under Dubya, but it's continued at an arrested pace under Obama. Although, fortunately, US foreign policy has been far less belligerent. If Mitt had won we'd probably be in a massive quagmire in Iran as well. If McCain had gotten elected, we'd probably be in a world war.

 

[Chancy Termites]

Don't think it's homophobia. Assange and Snowden aren't gay after all. The USA's government and ours want us, the little people, to stay in our place while they, they elite, do whatever the feck they like to enrich themselves and their mates.

I'm really pleased when anybody leaks just about anything. Countries and their information don't belong to governments; they belong to those countries' people.

 

[NipHolmes]

What does everyone think of him/this case. Peter Thatchell presented a very eloquent argument against his conviction today. Basically, the perpetrators of the war crimes he exposed are still walking free (footage was on wikileaks and this forum) while he is facing spending his life in prison for telling the truth. By contrast Thatchell stated the 'whistle blowers' that made public the truth about US war crimes in Vietnam were free, and the perpetrators prosecuted.
At first I thought this was just a case of the US becoming more heavy handed over the last 40 years, but after learning that Manning has been an active LGBT campaigner it's starting to look like state sponsored homophobia? I'm no lover of Thatchell and thought his campaign to lower the age of consent was well dodgy, but I think he's right on the money with this one.

Nixon was impeached for wiretapping.

Manning gets more time than Jerry Sandusky, a guy found guilty of 45 counts of sexual abuse, the victims primary being children. I think that tells you everything, Manning hurt the war machine, and politicians, which is of course much much worse than molesting kids.

This.

Manning is a hero. He has sacrificed his freedom for us to all have knowledge. America is in the wrong, they have blood on their hands and Manning merely showed us that. He is guilty of one thing, telling the truth. Whistle blowers would be immune to punishment like this. It is a sad state of affairs when Obama gets a nobel peace prize yet presides over crimes like killing innocent people with a chopper gunner and then overseeing a harsh penalty for someone who exposes this murder.

 

[Blue Til Death]

Traitor.

Deserves the long stretch he's about to get.

Hope he enjoys the love he will recieve in jail, treacherous dog!!!