Update 10/11/11: Manning supporter at Occupy London, new WikiLeaks news stories cover Gitmo and “Iraqi massacre”
Bradley Manning supporters Melanie and Michael Moore both say "I am Bradley Manning." Submit your photo today at iam.bradleymanning.org!
This week, the federal government issued an executive order that aims to reduce the chances of classified information being released in the future. This order was passed on the recommendation of a committee formed in the aftermath of WikiLeaks obtaining U.S. government documents. For those concerned about human rights violations and other illegal activities revealed in the WikiLeaked documents which government officials had previously worked to keep away from public scrutiny, a case could be made that this initiative is like a bandaid which primarily hides problems. Eight times as many documents were classified in 2009 as 2001, with no discernible proof that it has improved public safety, and this new initiative does not address most of the real sources of corruption in governments around the world.
The urgency of Bradley Manning’s cause has spread to the United Kingdom, where many English protestors are organizing an “Occupy London” movement along the same lines as the “Occupy Wall Street” protests in the United States. The organizer of UK Friends of Bradley Manning, Naomi Colvin, is featured in an NBC World article on the protest. Although the core goal of the movement is democratic reform of a system which consistently favors a tiny elite minority, activists’ concerns include nuclear warfare, immigration, as well as the freedom of PFC Manning. His case has obviously struck a nerve with proponents of democracy around the world.
The Guantanamo Files were released earlier this year as part of the U.S. Diplomatic Cable release. They are the complete case files of 776 of the 779 prisoners held at Guantanamo, many of whom are now known to have been innocent. Journalist Andy Worthington has taken it upon himself to tell the stories of these prisoners, through a multi-part series including interviews with those prisoners who have been freed. Check it out here.
The Muslim News is reporting about the influence of one recently released cable describing the massacre of 11 civilians in Iraq. According to the article:
A Wikileaks diplomatic cable has forced the Iraqi Government to re-launch an investigation into the allegation that US troops executed a family of 10 including a woman in her 70s and a 5-month-old infant, then called in an air strike to destroy the evidence, during the 2006 incident in the central Iraqi town of Ishaqi.
The last paragraph of the article explains further the impact of the release upon Iraqi politics.
The release of the cable has coincided with current negotiations over the future of US bases in Iraq, whose departure is scheduled for December. The cable is being used as ammunition by Iraqi officials to deny the Americans any bases and to demand the departure of all US troops.
While the article fails to mention how many Iraqi officials are engaged in these debates, one thing that is clear is that most Americans now also support removing U.S. troops from Iraq. Adequate information can only help the public to have serious discussions and make informed decisions about such serious matters.
The world knows what a HERO Bradley Manning is and it is OUR responsibility as supporters to convince the People of the U.S.A. of this despite the lies of the Mainstream Media. The brave public figures and everyday people who support the freedom of Bradley Manning know we are right. We have TRUTH on our side. The same thing Bradley is accused of allegedly divulging!!!!! WAKE UP, Bradley Manning is a 99%er but he can’t make it to Occupy Wall Street due to our CORRUPT Government!