The US Army has brought an additional 22 charges against Pfc. Bradley Manning related to the WikiLeaks releases, including allegations of transmitting classified documents for release to “the enemy.”
The charge of “aiding the enemy,” which interestingly enough provides no indication of who “the enemy” actually is, could theoretically net Manning the death penalty, satisfying a number of Congressmen demanding his execution. Army prosecutors, however, say they don’t intend to seek the death penalty in this case.
Manning is the presumptive source of the vast numbers of classified documents released to the general public by WikiLeaks, and the new charges are the result of seven additional months of investigating. The army says the new charges “more accurately reflect the broad scope of the crimes.”
Of course, whether they can successfully convict Manning is another matter entirely, particularly after months of abuse in military detention. Last month his lawyer suggested that that they were going to push for a full dismissal of charges because of the extent of the abuses.
Bradley Manning, being a patriotic and brave American, obeyed the Military Code of the U.S. and made public one of a very large
number of american war crimes. Manning supplied a video of americans for the fun of it alone murdering civilians and newsmen.
For obeying the law, Manning was arrested and has been held in illegal conditions for 7 or 8 months, conditions designed to
deprive him of his mental facilities and to make him willing to make false charges against others in exchange for better treatment
or reduced fabricated charges against himself.
When the U.S. government can behave totally illegally in full view of Congress, the judiciary, the population, and the rest of the world,
you know for an absolute fact that you live in a police state in which no one has any protection of law.
The fact that members of congress and low IQ super patriots think Manning should be executed for revealing an American war crime
shows a nation so utterly stupid that it has no chances of escaping a total police state
Is there any hope for us, Mr. Roberts? I don't think so. We're faith-based Crusaders now.
Will there be hope for our grandchildren? If we are lucky they will learn valuable lessons from their brothers and sisters that came before them, but not by looking inward at the recent history of a bankrupt west. If they are wise they will learn from the ashes of a currently burning fire that a fruit cart boy started when he immolated himself in Tunisia.
Once again Mr. Roberts has truthfully and accurately assessed the actions of an American government that speaks of freedom and decency but steadfastly practices enslavement and torture. All those who truly love the United States should denounce the star chamber treatment of PFC Manning for their turn will come as surely as the earth turns on its axis.
It is perfectly clear who the 'enemy' named in this indictment are. The are the citizens of the US.
Pogo said it best: "We have met the enemy and he is us."
This young man is being crucified in front of our very eyes, and yet the vast majority of Americans still buy into the argument that Manning is a traitor. The pathology that exposing crimes committed in one's name against innocent civilians must be met with scorn and punishment is sickening.
Alas, that's what patriotism means to the majority of Americans, automatons brainwashed into supporting Dear Leader and the Establishment.
The difference between North Korans and Americans is window dressing. N. Koreans are controlled through fear, whereas Americans are controlled through ignorance.
America needs a "Day of Rage". We need to surround our government with about 3 million people in Washington D.C. and take the criminals into custory and extradite them to the Hague and let them answer for charges. If they did nothing wrong they have nothing to worry about.
The problem is the rich are spoiled and pathetic and are willing to have millions die to get what they want. They are rotten little children that cannot accept no for an answer.
Day of Rage – July 4th – Surround Bush and take him into custody! We want war crimes trials for Bush and Obama!
Agreed. The ICC will be rightfully investigating Gaddafi and his sons. How soon before they begin investigating Bush, Cheney and the rest?
"the enemy" is us, the people
and if he had instead tortured innocent people to death he would have been a free man today
and promoted
There will be no days of rage in America quite yet… As long as an I-phone is affordable..
Manning and Assange deserve a joint Nobel Peace Prize, I wonder what America would say if they were granted it,
Would they be like the Chinese Government and refuse Manning the ability to receive it in Person?
Would the US Administration make the exact same comments that the Chinese did?
Damn straight they would, they are Hypocrites of Supreme magnitude!
Apparently the Nazis should have never been tried at Nuremberg….