Why So Much U.S.Support For WikiLinks Leaker PFC. Bradley Manning?

Share |

There is a growing support mechanism on the internet for U.S. Army intelligence analyst, PFC Bradley Manning. He was arrested in May 2010 and detained without charge for over a month in a military jail at Camp Arifjan in Kuwait.

In early July, two misconduct charges were brought against him for "transferring classified data onto his personal computer and adding unauthorized software to a classified computer system" and "communicating, transmitting and delivering national defense information to an unauthorized source".The maximum jail sentence is 52 years.

Manning allegedly told journalist and former hacker Adrian Lamo via instant messaging that he had leaked the "Collateral Murder" video (of the July 12, 2007 Baghdad airstrike), in addition to a video, approximately 260,000 diplomatic cables, where aledegly leaked to the whistleblower website Wikileaks. Lamo then turned Manning in by handing over the instant messenger chat logs to U.S. investigators, who began searching for evidence to determine whether Manning's apparent statements to Lamo were true. Hat's off to Lamo. Just because you're a hacker, doesn't mean your not patriotic.

The "Collateral Murder" video showed an attack by a U.S. helicopter crew on a group of men presumed to be insurgents. Two children were wounded, and thirty nine men were killed, including the father of the children and two men who were later identified as Reuters employees. Manning reportedly said that the diplomatic documents expose "almost criminal political back dealings" and that they explain "how the first world exploits the third, in detail."

Manning said that he hoped the release of the videos and documents would lead to "worldwide discussion, debates, and reforms." Well...he was almost right. There does seem to be worldwide discussion and debate. Except it's not so much over what is on the video, but rather if Mannings actions make him some sort of humanitarian hero, or a complete and utter discrase to the United States Military and a traitor to his country.

.

Of course Fox News is letting the chyron on the lower third of the screen do their reporting for them by ascerting, or asking the question really, should American Troops be killed as a result of what is on the video that Manning supposedly leaked, shouldn't murder charges apply to PFC. Manning? - A rediculous supposition in my opinion. To do so would make Manning responsible for the loss of every American Soldier between now and the last one standing at the fall of our republic. Hopfully that supposition is a thousand years away, but I doubt it.

As for what PFC Bradley Manning is charged with doing with the video, that is certainly open to debate. So, which is it? -

Is PFC Manning A Hero for pointing out the teh ugliness of war?

-Or-

Is PCF Manning a turn-coat that should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of military law should he be found guilty?

Army Pvt. Bradley Manning's Sexuality A Component To WikiLeaks Drama

Share |

Army Pvt. Bradley Manning's sexuality has surfaced in the WikiLeaks investigation and acccording to a friend, Manning's harrassment in boot camp is surfacing as a potential reason for his actions. He said that he and Manning met in a Washington D.C. gay bar and while their relationship was initially physical, they have become good friends. It was through this friend that Manning's alleged harrassment in boot camp surfaced.

CNN investigates Manning's troubled past in the U.K. following his parents divorce. A few a Manning's prep school classmates where tracked down in the U.K. and they described him as someone who would stick up for himself in a fight even if he knew that he would lose the battle. Another described Manning's ability to run complex computer code as young as age 14 or 15 and described him as talanted.

Manning has been directly accused of leaking an Army video to WiliLeaks. He is also suspected of leaking thousands of classified documents that appeared on WikiLeaks around the same time.

Should it come to pass that Manning is in fact guilty, and the reason for his actions are over boot camp harrassment and his opposition for Don't Ask, Don't Tell, he just handed the opposition a ton of red meat for keeping gays out of the military.

I'm just going to hope that this is all some sort of mistake at that Manning had nothing to do with leaking this video. Because no matter how distrubing the video is that Manning is accused of handing over to WikiLinks, there is no valid justification for it, especially not boot camp harrassment or an idiodic Military policy like DADT.