I have become so cynical that I am even doubting Kuncinich’s sincerity. Is it possible he is trying to score political points with his concern? I hope not, but it shows how little respect an ordinary member of the (non-American) public holds for your government now.

Here’s hoping your rational citizens can use this issue to restore some credibility in the eyes of the rest of the world.

When Congress, in 1917, declared its entry into World War I, it passed a “Sedition Law,” that provided for penitentiary imprisonment of anyone who leaked an embarassing fact or opinion about that war. Richard F. Pettigrew, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, however, had the courage to break that law. He immediately published his dissent as a letter in the “Sioux Falls Argus-Leader.”

When he was subsequently indicted under the Sedition Act, he framed the indictment, and hung it on the wall of his law office. The Wilson Administration was afraid to prosecute him.

Pettigrew had served two terms as a US Senator, so he met Kennedy’s criterion for inclusion in the book. However, Kennedy certainly must have known that, if he favorably mentioned anyone who had severely criticized Wall Street, as Pettigrew had done, he’d have had no chance of being chosen as President.

Pettigrew’s book “Triumphant Plutocracy” is available at university and big-city libraries, and also online. For a link to an online version, Google “Jerry Baker Triumphant Plutocracy.”

Gerald Baker

However, conceivably the Military, being a government entity can punish Soldiers for disciplinary violations, as in a disciplinary hearing of some kind, i.e. Soldier ordered to mop the floors after not making his bed to standards – in that sense this could be a non-judicial Eighth Amendment issue- although I have not heard of such.

But, speaking as someone who was falsely imprisoned w/o bail pretrial for several years – I know this is a Fifth Amendment issue not an Eighth Amendment issue.

Obama may be the “lesser evil,” but that doesn’t say much for him. He could arrange for Private Manning to be held in a humane way, but he’s apparently afraid to do that, because of what some malicious Republicans might say.

The only person who can be trusted with power is one that doesn’t seek it.

Dennis Kucinich has been a real force for good through all this. I would vote for him in a heartbeat were he to run for national office. But he wouldn’t win. The voting machines can be hacked in under a minute (See Dan Rather’s expose of this on HDNet). We don’t know that our elections have integrity at ALL, and studies of the last decade’s national elections are very discouraging. This past November, one in six votes in New York City went uncounted. When they finally counted them, they said the results were unchanged…do I believe them? Who do I believe anymore?

I know I believe that Manning did this for the good of his country, his fellow soldiers, and the world– a world in which Americans SHOULD be the good guys. Thank god Brad Manning came along. That collateral damage video desperately needed exposure and it would not have gotten US exposure just being released by AJ.

Manning took seriously his oath to defend his country from “all enemies foreign and domestic.” And the enemy of this country is secrecy, paired with lies. The enemy is a military-industrial complex that owns the media, the politicians, and the President, apparently. An economic machine that wants to take us to war for the sake of it, because war is, as Smedley Butler said, “a racket.” There’s a great book by Susan Lindauer just published that everyone curious about the pre-war intelligence on Iraq should read. Apparently Baghdad was begging the US through back channels NOT to attack and agreeing to all US demands up to, and including, agreeing to buy 1 million US-manufactured automobiles every year for ten years. I believe her.

I saw someone posting somewhere that he “wouldn’t want to be in a foxhole with Manning.” Well, guess what? I would. In fact, we are in a foxhole with Manning, all of us. And he is upholding his oath. He is a soldier to the core, one of the best kind, using not just his brute strength, but his mind.

The Marine Corps is under the DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY

And the Department of the Army, and the Department of the Air Force have NOTHING to do with the DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY

There has been a SERIOUS DEVIATION from proper protocol based on THIS FACT ALONE!

Mona Kool

Thank you for speaking out about this issue. I am glad that there are still some politicians out there that are willing to stand up for what is right. Regardless of how one feels about Private Manning’s actions, we should still be appalled at the inhumane way he has been treated, it is a travesty.