Show Trial of Bradley Manning

[The Intransigent Faction]

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So...it has begun.
What's the best possible scenario for Bradley Manning at this point? :(

[Martin Blank]

What's the best possible scenario for Bradley Manning at this point? :(

Dishonorable discharge from the Army and a very long prison term (25-35 years), but not life. Also, he is not facing the death penalty, so there is that.

[blake 3:17]

^^probably right

[RedSonRising]

I sympathize for Manning, but I learned that his information dump actually put many Afghani civilians and their innocent families in danger. Previously anyonymous suppliers of information, something as simple as a tip off, on domestic terrorist/insurgent activity were now out in the open. I wish he would have looked carefully at what he was reading instead of simply dumping report after report. Although maybe that's a failure on Wikileaks' part as well.

Exposing the corruption and lies of the machinery of war that is the state is vital, but not at the expense of the state's victims.

[The Intransigent Faction]

I sympathize for Manning, but I learned that his information dump actually put many Afghani civilians and their innocent families in danger. Previously anyonymous suppliers of information, something as simple as a tip off, on domestic terrorist/insurgent activity were now out in the open. I wish he would have looked carefully at what he was reading instead of simply dumping report after report. Although maybe that's a failure on Wikileaks' part as well.

Exposing the corruption and lies of the machinery of war that is the state is vital, but not at the expense of the state's victims.

Okay if nobody else will, I'll tackle this.
"Learned" from where? Fox News? Do you honestly believe that Bradley Manning should have refrained from leaking the "Collateral Murder" video of U.S. troops murdering journalists and civilians in Iraq in order to...protect Afghans? Do you honestly believe that Afghans would be any safer had the leak not taken place, to an extent that justifies supporting draconian state secrecy? Do you honestly believe Bradley Manning has deserved the treatment he has received, from solitary confinement to military prosecution?
If so, I have a hard time taking you seriously. It was said clearly in the video that no evidence has been given of the leak actually leading to the deaths of more innocent civilians. Unless you have such evidence, secrecy over evidence of murder is not justified.

[RedSonRising]

Okay if nobody else will, I'll tackle this.
"Learned" from where? Fox News? Do you honestly believe that Bradley Manning should have refrained from leaking the "Collateral Murder" video of U.S. troops murdering journalists and civilians in Iraq in order to...protect Afghans? Do you honestly believe that Afghans would be any safer had the leak not taken place, to an extent that justifies supporting draconian state secrecy? Do you honestly believe Bradley Manning has deserved the treatment he has received, from solitary confinement to military prosecution?
If so, I have a hard time taking you seriously. It was said clearly in the video that no evidence has been given of the leak actually leading to the deaths of more innocent civilians. Unless you have such evidence, secrecy over evidence of murder is not justified.

I "learned" from a former marine who told me in person that he saw his reports in the dump, and that there were many situations in which naming a person in such a document directly endangered the families of resident Afghani civilians who had come into contact with US forces.

I never mentioned that this justifies supporting draconian state secrecy, or that Manning deserved the treatment he got, or that that specific video was an inappropriate leak, don't put words in my fucking mouth. This entire war is an imperialist slaughter with little to no real concern for the safety of the western population or any population. Wikileaks has done a great service. But I was told by a reliable source that releasing that kind of information endangered civilian lives, so while that video may claim otherwise and it may be true that no deaths resulted, such things need to be considered when leaking information.

[Ethics Gradient, Traitor For All Ages]

Some random fucking troop is not a reliable source. Every asshole who deploys as a computer tech or maintenance person comes home and tells their friends a bunch of call of duty fan fiction about their time in the war.

[X5N]

I support Bradley Manning, and it pisses me off immensely when people say he should be thrown in prison for the rest of his life, or even executed, for "treason." Damn near makes me want to reach into the Internet and punch them in the face.

What's funny is, even some left-wing liberals are calling for him to rot in jail for the rest of his life.

[RedSonRising]

Some random fucking troop is not a reliable source. Every asshole who deploys as a computer tech or maintenance person comes home and tells their friends a bunch of call of duty fan fiction about their time in the war.

He was an infantry captain with reports in the leak and a colleague of mine. But good job making assumptions to attack my position's credibility for no apparent reason.


I support Bradley Manning, and it pisses me off immensely when people say he should be thrown in prison for the rest of his life, or even executed, for "treason." Damn near makes me want to reach into the Internet and punch them in the face.

What's funny is, even some left-wing liberals are calling for him to rot in jail for the rest of his life.

Treason is such a fucking outdated concept. That word belongs in the time as monarchs and despots do, left behind in the past (despite the fact it's not yet the case).

[Agathor]

I "learned" from a former marine who told me in person that he saw his reports in the dump, and that there were many situations in which naming a person in such a document directly endangered the families of resident Afghani civilians who had come into contact with US forces.


We know for a fact that the dump of embassy cables led to a number of Belorussian dissidents being identified and disappeared, although this is probably Assange's fault rather than Manning's

[RadioRaheem84]

Wiki leaks really needs to comb through the reports to erase the names of civilians who may be killed by religious fanatics or the states that are repressing protest movements.

[Ethics Gradient, Traitor For All Ages]

He was an infantry captain with reports in the leak and a colleague of mine. But good job making assumptions to attack my position's credibility for no apparent reason.



Treason is such a fucking outdated concept. That word belongs in the time as monarchs and despots do, left behind in the past (despite the fact it's not yet the case).

Yeah, this still does not turn him into a reliable source. I'd love to see the report he authored.

In any case, Wikileaks offered to hand over their cables for redaction before their release and the state department declined the offer. The blood of any collaborators/informants is on the government's hands.

[RedSonRising]

We know for a fact that the dump of embassy cables led to a number of Belorussian dissidents being identified and disappeared, although this is probably Assange's fault rather than Manning's

Yeah, at the end of the day, they're the ones responsible for releasing & distributing that information and have the resources at their disposal to do so.


Wiki leaks really needs to comb through the reports to erase the names of civilians who may be killed by religious fanatics or the states that are repressing protest movements.

Agreed.


Yeah, this still does not turn him into a reliable source. I'd love to see the report he authored.

In any case, Wikileaks offered to hand over their cables for redaction before their release and the state department declined the offer. The blood of any collaborators/informants is on the government's hands.

I'm obviously not going to start releasing his personal information so that some strangers, I'm just putting it out there and people can take my word for it if they'd like. He's an honest guy.

I didn't know about that offer, thanks for that bit of info, though I think ultimately Wikileaks also as a responsibility to edit the content regardless of the state department's posture.

[Manar]

We know for a fact that the dump of embassy cables led to a number of Belorussian dissidents being identified and disappeared, although this is probably Assange's fault rather than Manning's
How is that a bad thing? The more NATO-sponsored 'dissidents' disappear, the better. Thank you, Assange.