Comments on: Bradley Manning hearing, 4/10/13: partial victory for defense, new media restrictions

By: Jim

Jim — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 12:11:45 +0000

A letter from the Army Command expressing a level of aggravation caused by Pfc Mannings’ actions maybe helpful to construct a meaningful separation.

By: David

David — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 04:27:53 +0000

We can only gather from all this that whoever Bradley was exposing has friends in high places, so consequently Bradley is taking the rap for blowing the whistle while the individual/s that he has exposed can go on committing war crimes with impunity. Whatever the US military wants to do to Brad is surely an indication of what they would do to Julian Assange should they get their hands on him. The Bush/Cheney-era mentality still applies it seems.

By: Frank Blackstone

Frank Blackstone — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 18:59:16 +0000

John Doe’ A Tool and Puppet of the prosicution and a Fool to think anything should be secreeted away frome the Public and that the enemy is aded by it , The military and this Judge Lind only need a Mirror to see there true Enemy..If they were to look into it they could see the Enemy and it would be temselvs looking back ..

By: Polly Tickleparty

Polly Tickleparty — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 06:07:03 +0000

Patricia,

I share your outrage.

Unfortunately, there are some situations where citizens agree to restrictions on their first amendment rights, like non-disclosure or confidentiality agreements or, in Pfc. Manning’s case, having a “security clearance.”

From CNN, 8/2/10:

“Manning had ‘top secret’ and ‘sensitive compartmentalized information’ clearance, according to a military official. Top secret is a lower-level of clearance, but SCI-level information is on a ‘need to know’ basis …”

http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/08/02/wikileaks.suspect/

The loophole that SHOULD logically apply here is whistleblower status. But in one of the most egregious and disillusioning of Obama’s unexplained policy reversals, he’s actually made it HARDER rather than easier for whistleblowers to come forward.

It’s probably wishful (bordering on delusional) thinking to imagine that Obama might at least partially redeem himself — by granting a FULL PARDON to Manning on his way out of the White House.

I mean, if people like Richard Nixon, G. Gordon Liddy and Scooter Libby were deemed worthy of presidential pardons, SURELY Bradley Manning is too !

Also, you said: “Considering the merits of Bradley Manning’s case we MUST know what our government is presenting and what the defense has to offer.”

If that means you’re looking for more info and you haven’t already seen it, Alexa O’Brien’s blog has a TON of info, all presented so clearly even I could understand it:

http://www.alexaobrien.com/secondsight/wikileaks/hack_the_constitution_usg_builds_conspiracy_in_the_trial_of_bradley_manning.html

By: Russell

Russell — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 02:54:39 +0000

The United States cannot win its war on Bradley Manning. Though it sent a somewhat fragile young man off to war in Iraq, it produced instead a committed humanitarian; though it has caged him without trial for three years, one of them in torturous solitary confinement, it produced instead a fine, free spirit; though it brings its full weight to bear on a man who stands but five-foot two and tips the scales at one hundred and five pounds, it simply steeled his spine; though it restricts public access to pre-trial hearings and, in contradistinction to the First Amendment, threatens the meager group of gathered journalists and witnesses by stating today that access is not a right but a privilege, it produces instead a hunger for truth.

This last suppression of our First Amendment rights was the government’s response to the leak of Manning’s clean, clear voice as he read his statement of actions and intentions, his hopes that the documents he released would stir debate about our government’s actions on behalf of we the people. The Commander in Chief for whom I voted does not want citizens to hear this solitary voice for truth and real justice because regardless of the punishment the court eventually imposes on Manning (and anything other than release for time served would be an outrage), the United States fears Bradley Manning.

The Real leak, the Big secret that’s been exposed and cannot be redacted is that Goliath fears this David. And because that’s been revealed at Fort Meade to the witnesses gathered there and the rest of us who are paying attention, the United States has already lost this war too.

By: Alex

Alex — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 23:34:03 +0000

“Why are they able to dictate to our journalist what they can and cannot do?”

There’s an important word in that sentence: “dictate”.

By: Patricia Stidham-Burns

Patricia Stidham-Burns — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 18:48:44 +0000

Didn’t Bin Laden watch CNN, read the New York Times, The Washington Journal, and an avast array of other western journalism?? Why are they not on trial for espionage?

What Bradley Manning and Wiki Leaks did was journalism. Our government just doesn’t recognize what it looks like any more considering the American media is under the control of The Few!

We do have FREEDOM of the PRESS in this country. Why are they able to dictate to our journalist what they can and cannot do? The American people are entitled to the truth!

Considering the merits of Bradley Manning’s case we MUST know what our government is presenting and what the defense has to offer.

This is “The People’s Case” WE ARE BRADLEY MANNING!