US authorities must alleviate the harsh pre-trial detention conditions of Bradley Manning, the soldier accused of leaking information to Wikileaks.
Amnesty International last week wrote to the US Defence secretary, Robert Gates, calling for the restrictions on Bradley Manning to be reviewed. In the same week, the soldier suffered several days of increased restrictions by being temporarily categorized as a ‘suicide risk’.
We’re concerned that the conditions inflicted on Bradley Manning are unnecessarily severe and amount to inhumane treatment by the US authorities. Manning has not been convicted of any offense, but military authorities appear to be using all available means to punish him while in detention. This undermines the United States’ commitment to the principle of the presumption of innocence.
Last Tuesday, Manning was placed on ‘suicide risk’, which resulted in him being stripped of his clothes apart from underwear, and the confiscation of his prescription glasses for most of the day, which Manning says left him in “essential blindness”.
Following protests from Manning and his lawyers, the ‘suicide risk’ restrictions were lifted on Thursday.
Manning is classed as a “maximum custody” detainee, despite having no history of violence or disciplinary offences in custody. This means he is shackled at the hands and legs during all visits and denied opportunities to work, which would allow him to leave his cell.
Manning is also detained under a Prevention of Injury (POI) assignment, despite a recommendation from his official military psychiatrist that this is not necessary. Detainees with POI status are subjected to extra restrictions such as checks by guards every five minutes and bars on sleeping.
There have been no formal reasons given for Manning’s maximum custody and POI status, yet his lawyers’ attempts to challenge the restrictions have been ignored by the authorities.
The repressive conditions imposed on Manning breach the US’s obligations to treat detainees with humanity and dignity. Further, isolation and prolonged cellular confinement, which evidence shows can cause psychological impairment, may undermine Bradley Manning’s ability to defend himself.
In April 2010, Wikileaks released leaked footage of attacks by US Apache helicopters, which killed two Reuters news staff in Iraq in 2007.
Manning was arrested the following month and then charged with “transferring classified data” and “delivering national defense information to an unauthorized source”.
Wikileaks has also since released large batches of information on the Iraq war, the Afghanistan war, and US diplomatic communications.
Manning could face a maximum sentence of 52 years in jail.
Help us end the punitive detention of Bradley Manning by taking action now.
This entry was posted in Security and Human Rights, USA and tagged bradley manning, Julian Assange, wikileaks by The Editors. Bookmark the permalink.
Thanks for this excellent column, demand and call to action.
Manning’s treatment is horrendous and seems to be worsening as support for him grows. The Marines are getting more extreme in their arbitrary detention of David House and Jane Hamsher on Sunday and putting him on suicide watch last week, even though the psychiatrist at Quantico told them he did not need it. This led to him being denied everything except underwear for two days.
It is also important to re-think Manning’s alleged crime. He is not accused of giving documents to Iran, China or Russia, but to the media. He is not accused of selling documents to the highest bidder to become wealth, he gave them away. According to the chat logs, if they are accurate, Manning wanted to expose crimes and start a debate. He wanted the U.S. to live up to its highest ideals. Isn’t that patriotism rather than being a traitor?
The Bradley Manning Support Network, http://www.BradleyManning.org, put out the statement below this morning.
QUANTICO, VA, 23 January 2011 — Military officials at Marine Corps Base Quantico today increased the isolation of accused WikiLeaks whistle-blower U.S. Army Pfc. Bradley Manning by detaining Manning’s friend and regular visitor David House at the base entrance until visiting hours were over. House was accompanied by Jane Hamsher of Firedoglake.com, a website that has collected 42,000 signatures on a petition calling for improvements to the conditions of Manning’s detention, which constitute extreme and illegal pre-trial punishment.
David House has been making regular trips from his home in the Boston area to visit Manning at the Marine Corps brig since he was transferred there from Kuwait last summer. While detained at the base gate, House posted to Twitter that “one of the many MPs around the car says his orders to stop us come from on high.” House and Hamsher were held on entry to the base for nearly the entire period of visiting hours, repeatedly demanded to provide information and documents the MPs already had, and threatened with arrest. Hamsher’s car was towed away under the pretext that she lacked proof of insurance, despite having presented a digital copy.
“This is a bizarre action by the Marines. I think they see the growing support for Bradley Manning, they see more and more people realizing that he is being treated unfairly, and that as the facts of the case come out more and more people see that he is a patriot and not a traitor,” said Kevin Zeese, Director of Voters for Peace and member of the Bradley Manning Support Network’s steering committee.
In a letter to Defense Secretary Robert Gates last week, Amnesty International stated that “the restrictions imposed in PFC Manning’s case appear to be unnecessarily harsh and punitive.” The letter also suggests that Manning’s confinement is in contravention of international law, and calls upon the military to conduct a review.
House intends to return to Quantico next weekend to once again attempt to visit Manning and to deliver the petition.
In addition to petitions and public protests across the nation, the Bradley Manning Support Network has asked supporters to speak out against Manning’s inhumane treatment by contacting officials at Quantico. The Support Network encourages concerned individuals to phone Quantico public affairs at +1-703-432-0289, to write to base commander Colonel Choike at 3250 Catlin Avenue, Quantico, VA 22134, and to write to brig commander CWO4 Averhart at 3247 Elrod Avenue, Quantico, VA 22134. We are asking that Bradley Manning’s human rights be respected while he remains in custody; specifically, that he be allowed social interaction with other inmates, that he be allowed meaningful physical exercise, that approved visitors be allowed to see him without interrogation and harassment, and that the “Prevention of Injury” order (the military’s basis for the extreme pre-trial punishment regime) be lifted.
A plan to ruin someone's psychological health so that they cannot withstand trial is despicable. The consequences of such a policy extend far beyond the time in jail or the trial date, through the rest of his life.
The actions this man took seem to have been an attempt to make the world a more fair, just place. To treat him so blatantly unjustly is to prove yourselves worse than the crime you accuse him of committing.
I had never in my LIFE been afraid to speak my mind in my own country until this past year. The US's behavior is unbeLIEVEable to me right now. I'm in shock.
Who would have thought that Dubya would be better on Human Rights then Obama. What a sad day for America. Truly headed towards the socialism/communism that Hitler/Stalin/Pol Pot believed in.
While I'm reading this, I wonder what progress we are making.
Most of these soldiers are just kids, between 18 and 25 years, without any kind of ethical or spiritual formation. They only have one virtue, to serve the country or to any corporation, in which one must have an empty brain, as the ideas they fill their heads with building bigger and better idiots, so far EU is winning.
It is impossible trust anyone that can not think for itself. For this reason, I am fully convinced that Soldier Bradley Manning is not only an exception if not a hero.
The states use false training standards as the false development of the race or love of country by underestimating what is of true value in life.
It saddens me deeply that these children going to war believe that this is a game, and that humans are just toys.
An intelligent and mature man would never go to war or kill anyone. Wars are human blood factories. and unfortunately, our hero Bradley discovered it too late.
Good luck getting the US to respect human rights. If they can justify kidnappings, torture, illegal executions, secret prisons, illegally spying on civilians, illegal wars, recklessly sabotaging nuclear installations, assisting in Israel's land grabs and using predator drones to monitor civilians, they can find a way to justify torturing a soldier so he can psychologically no longer defend himself. Apparently it's the new American way.
Well of course Iran, the country Bradley Manning hoped and intended would be the main beneficiary of his treason does not bother to keep its prisoners in such "terrible conditions" as poor little traitor Bradley suffers in.
Nope, Iran just tortures and executes them.
50 executions in Iran in the last week, many of them political prisoners or activists for oppressed ethnic groups. I am sure all you people who wrote in outraged apparently because Bradley Manning is not being kept in a 5 start hotel with room service, are equally upset at the 50 executions in the last week in Iran.
Very simply put, a man named Obama has learned to manipulate liberals by imitating MLK, among others in everything but deed, so he can do anything he ultimately wants. He has gotten liberals to forsake every principal they once claimed to stand for, from the indiscriminate and horrifically cruel killing of families via the sterile but apparently to Obama humorous Predator drones, to the obvious torture of Bradley Manning in order to get him to turn on Wikileaks and indict Assange. Frank Rich and the other liberals are silent on this and their silence is a condonation of the Nazi-like cruelty. They are mesmerized by their own image of themselves as liberal crusaders behind the reincarnation of MLK even though, as it turns out, Obama is a vicious right wing narcissist who has but one goal and that's the extension of his power. He is utterly immoral. On New Year's eve of this year, his drones killed five people in Pakistan who were carrying their dead from an earlier drone strike. Apparently, Mr. Obama either likes the idea of bloodshed or he believes he's doing this to gain yet more power. No doubt Hitler would be capable of this horrific behavior but few leaders, other than Obama himself, have been willing to go this far.
Jim, you're an idiot. A zealot. But an idiot just the same.
Iran has criticized the WikiLeaks documents. They do not like what they say either.
If Manning wanted to benefit Iran he would have leaked or sold the documents to Iran! He didn't and is not accused of doing so. He is accused of giving the documents to the media.
The main beneficiary of the leaks Manning is accused of making would be the United States. The American people are lied to about U.S. foreign policy. Now that the truth is known we can work to change U.S. foreign policy so we operate within the law and not as a rogue state.
There should be a way to protect human beings who put their citizenship to the world, above any citizenship. Bi-nationals feel sometimes sort of teared up with conflicting loyalties, but in fact, if one did think, profundly think, there is no possibility of being disloyal to nothing if one follows simple basic human rights and ideals.
I'm sure the US Constitution is not contradictory with the basic principles of humanity this soldier tried to follow. He should be decorated as a man of honour who tried to protect the honour and Ideals of his Country.
Freedom of speech and of the press are among the fundamental personal rights and liberties. He had a duty, as a soldier. He did his duty, toward his people, his Nation. If the people in charge were twisted, they should be questionned. Not this man who went to fight for Liberty, Rights, Ideals … and refused to see them trashed. Save this young guy, and the Spirit some try to forget.
The reason why Manning is going to get a well deserved sentence of life in prison without parole under full military discipline till the day he dies in the Leavenworth Maximum Security Federal Military penitentiary.
The wordings of the current oath of enlistment for the United States Army, and oath Manning swore to only 3 years ago.
I, Bradley Manning, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.
A plan to ruin someone’s psychological health so that they cannot withstand trial is despicable. The consequences of such a policy extend far beyond the time in jail or the trial date, through the rest of his life.
I had never in my LIFE been afraid to speak my mind in my own country until this past year. The US’s behavior is unbeLIEVEable to me right now. I’m in shock.
Finally, some sort of action from Amnesty. But why has AI refused to declare Manning as a Prisoner of Conscience?
The President of the United States certainly didn't ask his army to act shamefully. To follow international law, and international Humanitarian Law is an obligation for all States and their armies.
No State can't be above these basic principles of Human Rights and Laws of War… The law is mandatory for nations bound by this panel of laws, treaties, and basic simple customary unwritten rules of war. So this soldier remained true to President(s) who, whatever the President, didn't declare war on Human Rights, Justice and international Community (which has the duty to ensure compliance to these rules). I'm sure the President(s) of the United STates love freedom, democracy too much to ask the army to be outlaws.
Sorry you don't use your name. It would be good to see where you are coming from.
So, with that oath, what is a soldier supposed to when s/he sees crimes being committed by his military? Under the Nuremberg Principles hiding the crimes makes him complicit. Just following orders is no excuse. So, what should he or she to do?
And is it defending the Constitution when we allow a citizen that has not been found guilty of anything (who is innocent until proven guilty) to be tortured by solitary confinement pre-trial. What should those Marines guarding him do? Should they remain silent and complicit to violations of the 8th Amendment?
It is not as simple as you make it out to be. It the U.S. were a law abiding foreign policy player, not fighting illegal wars, not torturing people, not killing civilians wantonly etc. — you'd be right. But that is not the case. The U.S. is in illegal wars and committing war crimes regularly then lying to the people about it.
We are a representative Democracy that is a republic (i.e. laws matter). How are civilians supposed to take responsibility for the actions of their elected representatives when we are lied to? Isn't getting the truth to the American people consistent with a government of, by and for the people.
While I’m reading this, I wonder what progress we are making.
"I, Bradley Manning, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, -foreign and domestic-; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God."
Sorry, not in the mood to experiment with html in this, but notice the portion in dashes, the words, 'foreign AND domestic'. Notice also that this is preceding the section about following orders. It is phrased this way -very- carefully because it is possible that a domestic enemy could, quite possibly, be the enemy.
Would you also support a soldier who, under orders, massacred 300 US citizens because his commanding officer turned terrorist without warning his soldiers? Or would you expect that soldier to turn on his commander? Be careful how you answer…if you bother to do so.
Good luck getting the US to respect human rights. If they can justify kidnappings, torture, illegal executions, secret prisons, illegally spying on civilians, illegal wars, recklessly sabotaging nuclear installations, assisting in Israel’s land grabs and using predator drones to monitor civilians, they can find a way to justify torturing a soldier so he can psychologically no longer defend himself. Apparently it’s the new American way.
Very simply put, a man named Obama has learned to manipulate liberals by imitating MLK, among others in everything but deed, so he can do anything he ultimately wants. He has gotten liberals to forsake every principal they once claimed to stand for, from the indiscriminate and horrifically cruel killing of families via the sterile but apparently to Obama humorous Predator drones, to the obvious torture of Bradley Manning in order to get him to turn on Wikileaks and indict Assange. Frank Rich and the other liberals are silent on this and their silence is a condonation of the Nazi-like cruelty. They are mesmerized by their own image of themselves as liberal crusaders behind the reincarnation of MLK even though, as it turns out, Obama is a vicious right wing narcissist who has but one goal and that’s the extension of his power. He is utterly immoral. On New Year’s eve of this year, his drones killed five people in Pakistan who were carrying their dead from an earlier drone strike. Apparently, Mr. Obama either likes the idea of bloodshed or he believes he’s doing this to gain yet more power. No doubt Hitler would be capable of this horrific behavior but few leaders, other than Obama himself, have been willing to go this far.
"Would you also support a soldier who, under orders, massacred 300 US citizens because his commanding officer turned terrorist without warning his soldiers?"
One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter!
Jim, you’re an idiot. A zealot. But an idiot just the same.
Well of course Iran, the country Bradley Manning hoped and intended would be the main beneficiary of his treason does not bother to keep its prisoners in such “terrible conditions” as poor little traitor Bradley suffers in.
If Manning wanted to benefit Iran he would have leaked or sold the documents to Iran! He didn’t and is not accused of doing so. He is accused of giving the documents to the media.
I’m sure the US Constitution is not contradictory with the basic principles of humanity this soldier tried to follow. He should be decorated as a man of honour who tried to protect the honour and Ideals of his Country.
Til now i tink whe life in a free world and i was never in my LIFE afraid to speak my mind in my own country until this past year. The US’s behavior is unbeLIEVEable to me right now.
The President of the United States certainly didn’t ask his army to act shamefully. To follow international law, and international Humanitarian Law is an obligation for all States and their armies.
No State can’t be above these basic principles of Human Rights and Laws of War… The law is mandatory for nations bound by this panel of laws, treaties, and basic simple customary unwritten rules of war. So this soldier remained true to President(s) who, whatever the President, didn’t declare war on Human Rights, Justice and international Community (which has the duty to ensure compliance to these rules). I’m sure the President(s) of the United STates love freedom, democracy too much to ask the army to be outlaws.
Sorry you don’t use your name. It would be good to see where you are coming from.
It is not as simple as you make it out to be. It the U.S. were a law abiding foreign policy player, not fighting illegal wars, not torturing people, not killing civilians wantonly etc. — you’d be right. But that is not the case. The U.S. is in illegal wars and committing war crimes regularly then lying to the people about it.
We are a representative Democracy that is a republic (i.e. laws matter). How are civilians supposed to take responsibility for the actions of their elected representatives when we are lied to? Isn’t getting the truth to the American people consistent with a government of, by and for the people.
Sorry, not in the mood to experiment with html in this, but notice the portion in dashes, the words, ‘foreign AND domestic’. Notice also that this is preceding the section about following orders. It is phrased this way -very- carefully because it is possible that a domestic enemy could, quite possibly, be the enemy.
If you truly want to make a difference here's how.
The link below is to a new website that I am involved with. It allows people to share opinions about concepts within news stories and do so anonymously, but in measurable ways. It's like a consumer reports for the news with an American Idol style voting process. The idea is that when enough people rise up and voice their opinions measurably other people, corporations, and politicians take notice. There aren't a lot of users on the site and you still need to be approved to join, but I think this is going to benefit society as it grows!
In the closing weeks of 2010 I wrote a number of letters asking why, after more than 7 MONTHS Amnesty International had said and done nothing. 7 months of an unlawful, unjust and inhumane incarceration of Bradly Manning. Well at last, they have decided that public opinion must have swung against them enough for them to be seen to be doing something. Let us hope that they ACTUALLY do more than just be seen to advocate his release. All I can say now. IS IT'S ABOUT BLOODY TIME.
If I was Bradley I would have prepared myself better to kill anyone trying to arrest me after Risking my Life for the Common People.
You're a Soldier of Fortune and you do what you've been trained to Do and that is Fight 'till your last Breath.
Bradley have Served All who Love Justice, including God.
Bradley Manning almost 2 years ago, before the release of the diplomatic cables, released to wikileaks the horrific video of the massacre of the Iraqi civilians, women, children from a US Blackhawk helicopter firing missiles and machine guns.
Manning could have stopped right there and never released another thing in his life and most people even in the US military and government would have privately respected his actions. Sure, he may have gone to prison for a few months but that is about it. The Blackwawk massacre was a cover up of a terrible killing of civilians, and even though the pilot and crewman who pulled the trigger were under an honestly mistaken belief that they were killing armed soldiers, they in fact killed women and children.
But Manning did not stop this the Blackhawk video . He continued to also release hundreds of thousands of other documents, 99% of which had absolutely no relevance what so ever to US war crimes or illegal acts, and did not help expose any wrongdoings. Many of these secret documents include the names of people who had confidential contact with the US, like for example human rights activists under oppressive regimes secretly asking the US for help.
The thousands of innocent people named in the documents Manning released had the right to have their names be kept secret but now many of them, exactly the kinds of people Amnesty International would otherwise support, face serious risk of arrest, torture and execution all thanks to Manning.
In the closing weeks of 2010 I wrote a number of letters asking why, after more than 7 MONTHS Amnesty International had said and done nothing. 7 months of an unlawful, unjust and inhumane incarceration of Bradly Manning. Well at last, they have decided that public opinion must have swung against them enough for them to be seen to be doing something. Let us hope that they ACTUALLY do more than just be seen to advocate his release. All I can say now. IS IT’S ABOUT BLOODY TIME.
If you truly want to make a difference here’s how.
The link below is to a new website that I am involved with. It allows people to share opinions about concepts within news stories and do so anonymously, but in measurable ways. It’s like a consumer reports for the news with an American Idol style voting process. The idea is that when enough people rise up and voice their opinions measurably other people, corporations, and politicians take notice. There aren’t a lot of users on the site and you still need to be approved to join, but I think this is going to benefit society as it grows!
You’re a Soldier of Fortune and you do what you’ve been trained to Do and that is Fight ’till your last Breath.
For Kevin Zeese – and 'ANONYMOUS' – I kinda agree to both those posts. I used to see in aviator's circles a magazine I don't remember the name of offhand; but there was a column or article in it called 'ANYMOUSE'. The gist of it was that any pilot, engineer, or passenger could point out flaws in aviation – under the pseudonym 'ANYMOUSE', with no fear of reprisal or discovery.
This is the Land of the 'Free' which goes about criticizing others, like China and Russia about treating their citizens inhumanely, even as recent as Hu Jin Tau's visit. The US Administration attracts derision, talking about human rights having kidnapped, tortured and killed innocents in their so-called war on terror, not to mention illegal invasions that cause hundreds of thousands of civilians! The US is a laughable terror state that preaches a war on terror; the nation that created this terror in the first place!
Amnesty International should show the same relentlessness to the US about human rights as it does with China and others. Otherwise it is just another hypocritical Western organization!
Every 5 minutes during the waking hours, Brad has to verbally respond to a call from his jailors.
A tactic aimed to break him.
Over 7 months in prison … & still no charges!
Mr Zeese, go to a blog on this same page of Amnesty's, the one on the Palestinian prisoner of conscience, Abu Rahma.
There you'll see blogs by the Zionist, "Judonimh", who defends israel on every issue, from the Mavi Marmara to the latest demolitions of Palestinian homes.
He changes his name all the time… Judo, Judo Nimh, Juddooo, Jewdo… why ?
Why not name a single solid name that can be verified ?
The diplomatic cables Wikileaked reveal illegal US activities against the UN … against elected Governments throughout the world … against people struggling for justice….
Wikileaks' revelations continue to uncover a global picture of US criminality in the environmental ( oh, yes ! ), diplomatic, intelligence & every other sphere involving the sovereignties of nations, peoples, & life forms.
Those exposed are among the criminals in these spheres… the very ones who OUGHT TO BE exposed.
Why would an innocent person be harmed, if he wasn't implicated in a criminal enterprise whose revelation would affect his name alone ?
Or how exactly would harm come to those exposed ? We are never told !
& the Zionist blogger Judonimh plays his usual games of smearing the actual innocents… & protecting the guilty.
You'll notice he'll rarely point at the real criminals .. those who trashing all the laws, who keep a man without charges in conditions that will wear him down & destroy him.
Sometimes Judonimh will talk of a past crime … like he mentions the Iraq massacre video !
But he mentions it to only to CAST DOUBT ON Brad … to say he should have stopped his disclosures with that video.
The Zionist Judonimh has his sights on stopping the support welling up for Brad, .. by confusing the people speaking up for him.
Judonimh's aim here is to stop the broad movement toward the revelation of the truth today.
The movement towards making secretive governments & government practices transparent & ACCOUNTABLE.
Judonimh will divert your attention from this real issue with shadow accusations about "thousands", & even throw in one real issue ( about the Iraq video ) … to monkeywrench the people's movement toward their broad goals.
Be warned about the real & actual USraeli psyops operations aimed at confusing the people today.
& let's move onward to free Brad, free ourselves.
For Kevin Zeese – and ‘ANONYMOUS’ – I kinda agree to both those posts. I used to see in aviator’s circles a magazine I don’t remember the name of offhand; but there was a column or article in it called ‘ANYMOUSE’. The gist of it was that any pilot, engineer, or passenger could point out flaws in aviation – under the pseudonym ‘ANYMOUSE’, with no fear of reprisal or discovery.
This is the Land of the ‘Free’ which goes about criticizing others, like China and Russia about treating their citizens inhumanely, even as recent as Hu Jin Tau’s visit. The US Administration attracts derision, talking about human rights having kidnapped, tortured and killed innocents in their so-called war on terror, not to mention illegal invasions that cause hundreds of thousands of civilians! The US is a laughable terror state that preaches a war on terror; the nation that created this terror in the first place!
Mr Zeese, go to a blog on this same page of Amnesty’s, the one on the Palestinian prisoner of conscience, Abu Rahma.
There you’ll see blogs by the Zionist, “Judonimh”, who defends israel on every issue, from the Mavi Marmara to the latest demolitions of Palestinian homes.
Wikileaks’ revelations continue to uncover a global picture of US criminality in the environmental ( oh, yes ! ), diplomatic, intelligence & every other sphere involving the sovereignties of nations, peoples, & life forms.
Why would an innocent person be harmed, if he wasn’t implicated in a criminal enterprise whose revelation would affect his name alone ?
You’ll notice he’ll rarely point at the real criminals .. those who trashing all the laws, who keep a man without charges in conditions that will wear him down & destroy him.
Judonimh’s aim here is to stop the broad movement toward the revelation of the truth today.
Judonimh will divert your attention from this real issue with shadow accusations about “thousands”, & even throw in one real issue ( about the Iraq video ) … to monkeywrench the people’s movement toward their broad goals.
& let’s move onward to free Brad, free ourselves.
BRADLEY MANNING is a hero! FREE NOW!
What happened to the rights of US citizens stating innocent until proven guilty. This young man won’t even have a chance to prove his innocent.
And isn’t the first motto of America freedom of press, speech and off course now that all sounds like lots of BLA BLA BLA coming from our government. This all does not feel even like a democracy we brag about in our country any more.
Manning is a soldier, a freedom fighter and a defender of his country, he witnessed low , illegal ethical standards of his military and wanted the truth out there because it went against his belief of what America stands by. To me, he is a hero and deserves nothing but respect, after all ,soldiers like him risk their lives for democracy and freedom. I think that people forget that the government serves the people, not the other way around! This legalised unjust treatment of Manning just shows what the government really think of their soldiers, sheep, to follow through orders, keep their mouths shut and be sacrificial lambs for what ever political agenda. The government are traitors to their own people if they don't allow the truth to be known, it goes against every moral and human instinct. Its the 21st century! this is not supposed to happen, I feel like people have "dumbed" down and because of that our rights are being taken away bit by bit.
Selina : This is the larger truth that has been said so far:The government are traitors to their own people. Those who "really move the interests of this world are the big corporations (electricity, gas, oil and nuclear energy) And goverments are serving them and their interests by participating in wars. For this reason governments and especially the large corporations are brain-dead sheep makers,in the name of the country or any false ideal; to follow through orders.
This policy is currently being implemented in all supposedly democratic countries, both the military and citizens, to the point of annulling the freedom and peoples rights and force individuals to obey, through the fear of unemployment, hunger and misery.
This is what is currently happening around the world.Despit all people are not blind and people through virtual media, and social movements are calling for a historic changes. The big lie of the modern world is sinking.
Manning is a soldier, a freedom fighter and a defender of his country, he witnessed low , illegal ethical standards of his military and wanted the truth out there because it went against his belief of what America stands by. To me, he is a hero and deserves nothing but respect, after all ,soldiers like him risk their lives for democracy and freedom. I think that people forget that the government serves the people, not the other way around! This legalised unjust treatment of Manning just shows what the government really think of their soldiers, sheep, to follow through orders, keep their mouths shut and be sacrificial lambs for what ever political agenda. The government are traitors to their own people if they don’t allow the truth to be known, it goes against every moral and human instinct. Its the 21st century! this is not supposed to happen, I feel like people have “dumbed” down and because of that our rights are being taken away bit by bit.
Selina : This is the larger truth that has been said so far:The government are traitors to their own people. Those who “really move the interests of this world are the big corporations (electricity, gas, oil and nuclear energy) And goverments are serving them and their interests by participating in wars. For this reason governments and especially the large corporations are brain-dead sheep makers,in the name of the country or any false ideal; to follow through orders.
There is only one crime and punishment actually spelled out in The Constitution. Treason. This slimebag went out of his way to betray the trust and position he had been given. He put many peoples lives at risk, and you are mad he does not have a pillow?
He deserves a fair trail, a rope, and a short drop with a sudden stop. Nothing more.
He committed treason. He loses his rights. Too many of you are living in fantasy land.
zeezero: He was accused, not proven. So far, there is NO trial to set up. The military said they will set it up — whatever happened to the speedy trial? The truth is: They have NO proof. Treason or not, one must be proven guilty.
THAT IS THE LAW. The same idea that serves us all in this country for the last 300 years. You, sir, are living in fantasy land if you chose to imprison a US citizen based on lack of evidence & lack of speedy trial.
I for one am horrified by the gov't's inhumane treatment of Bradley Manning and I echo the sentiments of the previous commentator who expressed a first-time fear of speaking-out now in the USA. Were things this out-of-order in the US in the immediate post-Nuremberg era of the late-1940s?
I for one am horrified by the gov’t’s inhumane treatment of Bradley Manning and I echo the sentiments of the previous commentator who expressed a first-time fear of speaking-out now in the USA. Were things this out-of-order in the US in the immediate post-Nuremberg era of the late-1940s?
Unfortunately, the truth will neither set you free, nor make you feel safe.
There are some things the government has to lie about, because you, as a citizen, can not be trusted to do what is right for your fellow citizens, and that is the unfortunate truth.
Sure, if everyone in the United States of America could be trusted, diplomats wouldn't lie and keep secrets.
But, it turns out, some of the citizens in this country (most, even) will eventually leak that information to foreign enemies (yes, we do have them, and yes, some of them are way more evil and disgusting than we are), most liekly with harmless, lofty, or good motives, and the first manipulative foreigner who has their eye on an immoral prize will abuse that weakness and attempt to bring this country to its knees..
This is the painful reality of an international country, the citizens are security risks.
I'd like to hear your thoughts on the topic, but please address my points directly if you do, because I would really like to know if I am wrong.
Manning is military personnel, and that changes his rights.
Just thought that should be discussed in more detail, as most of you seem to be intentionally brushing past or over that point without any discussion on the topic.
Sure, if everyone in the United States of America could be trusted, diplomats wouldn’t lie and keep secrets.
I’d like to hear your thoughts on the topic, but please address my points directly if you do, because I would really like to know if I am wrong.
They are mesmerized by their own image of themselves as liberal crusaders behind the reincarnation of MLK even though, as it turns out, Obama is a vicious right wing narcissist who has but one goal and that's the extension of his power. He is utterly immoral. On New Year's eve of this year, his drones killed five people in Pakistan who were carrying their dead from an earlier drone strike. Apparently, Mr. Obama either likes the idea of bloodshed or he believes he's doing this to gain yet more power. No doubt Hitler would be capable of this horrific behavior but few leaders, other than Obama himself, have been willing to go this far.
If they can justify kidnappings, torture, illegal executions, secret prisons, illegally spying on civilians, illegal wars, recklessly sabotaging nuclear installations, assisting in Israel's land grabs and using predator drones to monitor civilians, they can find a way to justify torturing a soldier so he can psychologically no longer defend himself. Apparently it's the new American way.
In April 2010, Wikileaks released leaked footage of attacks by US Apache helicopt.