Join us in urging President Obama to pardon Pvt. Manning


President Obama, Pardon Pvt. Manning

Because the public deserves the truth and whistle-blowers deserve protection.

We are military veterans, journalists, educators, homemakers, lawyers, students, and citizens.

We ask you to consider the facts and free US Army Pvt. Chelsea (formerly Bradley) Manning.

As an Intelligence Analyst stationed in Iraq, Pvt. Manning had access to some of America’s dirtiest secrets--crimes such as torture, illegal surveillance, and corruption—often committed in our name. Manning acted on conscience alone, with selfless courage and conviction, and gave these secrets to us, the public.

“I believed that if the general public had access to the information contained within the [Iraq and Afghan War Logs] this could spark a domestic debate on the role of the military and our foreign policy,” Manning explained to the military court. “I wanted the American public to know that not everyone in Iraq and Afghanistan were targets that needed to be neutralized, but rather people who were struggling to live in the pressure cooker environment of what we call asymmetric warfare.”

Journalists used these documents to uncover many startling truths. We learned:

• Donald Rumsfeld and General Petraeus helped support torture in Iraq.
• Deliberate civilian killings by U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan went unpunished.
• Thousands of civilian casualties were never acknowledged publicly.
• Most Guantanamo detainees were innocent.

For service on behalf of an informed democracy, Manning was sentenced by military judge Colonel Denise Lind to a devastating 35 years in prison. Government secrecy has grown exponentially during the past decade, but more secrecy does not make us safer when it fosters unaccountability.

Pvt. Manning was convicted of Espionage Act charges for providing WikiLeaks with this information, but the prosecutors noted that they would have done the same had the information been given to The New York Times. Prosecutors did not show that enemies used this information against the U.S., or that the releases resulted in any casualties.

Pvt. Manning has already been punished, even in violation of military law. She has been:

· Held in confinement since May 29, 2010.
· Subjected to illegal punishment amounting to torture for nearly nine months at Quantico Marine Base, Virginia, in violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), Article 13—facts confirmed by both the United Nation’s lead investigator on torture and military judge Col. Lind.
· Denied a speedy trial in violation of UCMJ, Article 10, having been imprisoned for over three years before trial.
· Denied anything resembling a fair trial when prosecutors were allowed to change the charge sheet to match evidence presented, and enter new evidence, after closing arguments.

Pvt. Manning believed you, Mr. President, when you came into office promising the most transparent administration in history, and that you would protect whistle-blowers. We urge you to start upholding those promises, beginning with this American prisoner of conscience.

We urge you to grant Pvt. Manning’s petition for a Presidential Pardon.

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A still from the "Collateral Murder" video released by PVT Manning, which exposed the murder of innocent civilians including 2 Reuters journalists.

A still from the “Collateral Murder” video released by PVT Manning, which exposed the murder of innocent civilians including 2 Reuters journalists.

Because the public deserves the truth and whistle-blowers deserve protection.

We are military veterans, journalists, educators, homemakers, lawyers, students, and citizens.

We ask you to consider the facts and free US Army Pvt. Chelsea (formerly Bradley) Manning.

As an Intelligence Analyst stationed in Iraq, Pvt. Manning had access to some of America’s dirtiest secrets–crimes such as torture, illegal surveillance, and corruption—often committed in our name. Manning acted on conscience alone, with selfless courage and conviction, and gave these secrets to us, the public.

“I believed that if the general public had access to the information contained within the [Iraq and Afghan War Logs] this could spark a domestic debate on the role of the military and our foreign policy,” Manning explained to the military court. “I wanted the American public to know that not everyone in Iraq and Afghanistan were targets that needed to be neutralized, but rather people who were struggling to live in the pressure cooker environment of what we call asymmetric warfare.”

Journalists used these documents to uncover many startling truths. We learned:

  • Donald Rumsfeld and General Petraeus helped support torture in Iraq.
  • Deliberate civilian killings by U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan went unpunished.
  • Thousands of civilian casualties were never acknowledged publicly.
  • Most Guantanamo detainees were innocent.

For service on behalf of an informed democracy, Manning was sentenced by military judge Colonel Denise Lind to a devastating 35 years in prison. Government secrecy has grown exponentially during the past decade, but more secrecy does not make us safer when it fosters unaccountability.

Pvt. Manning was convicted of Espionage Act charges for providing WikiLeaks with this information, but the prosecutors noted that they would have done the same had the information been given to The New York Times. Prosecutors did not show that enemies used this information against the U.S., or that the releases resulted in any casualties.

Pvt. Manning has already been punished, even in violation of military law. She has been:

  • Held in confinement since May 29, 2010.
  • Subjected to illegal punishment amounting to torture for nearly nine months at Quantico Marine Base, Virginia, in violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), Article 13—facts confirmed by both the United Nation’s lead investigator on torture and military judge Col. Lind.
  • Denied a speedy trial in violation of UCMJ, Article 10, having been imprisoned for over three years before trial.
  • Denied anything resembling a fair trial when prosecutors were allowed to change the charge sheet to match evidence presented, and enter new evidence, after closing arguments.

Pvt. Manning believed you, Mr. President, when you came into office promising the most transparent administration in history, and that you would protect whistle-blowers. We urge you to start upholding those promises, beginning with this American prisoner of conscience.

We urge you to grant Pvt. Manning’s petition for a Presidential Pardon.

92 thoughts on “Join us in urging President Obama to pardon Pvt. Manning

  1. Liberdade para Bradley Manning. Ele mostrou que é um ser humano que se importa com ouytros seres humanos.Deveria ser condecorado por isso.Alguma coisa muito estranha se passa com governos que punem quem fala a verdade.

  2. Manning deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for his effort to do the right thing for society.

      • That’s the question I’m asking too. Why aren’t more Americans outraged at this absurd 35 year prison sentence. It’s disgusting. Thank God we have “Courage to Resist.”

        • Manning is a true whistle blower and a patriot for doing the moral thing and following the constitution in coming forward to make US citizens aware of war crimes. Manning should be pardoned.

        • The reason more Americans are not outraged, is because there is plenty to be outraged against lately. The corruption, the economic disparity, chemicals contaminating drinking water. America is a mess right now, I support the release of manning, but the average american has already forgotten, with the ongoing issues happening everyday.

  3. Daniel Ellsberg has said that Private Manning is responsible for saving the lives of 10,000 American soldiers due to his courage in leaking the documents that he did. 10,000 American lives! Furthermore, he was very selective about what he leaked, and he did this only to try to save lives and for the love of his country — for this and this alone he is sacrificing his life. He should be pardoned and praised, not imprisoned. He is a true American hero, as he cares so deeply about our country and its purported values of world peace, justice, compassion, and humanity. Free Private Manning from prison. He is the last person in the world who belongs there.

  4. Manning is a hero who tried to get his country to return to the rule of law. Being tortured and then sentenced to most of a lifetime in jail is the thanks he gets? Release him immediately and restore the U.S.’s good name.

  5. [email protected] on said:

    Whistle Blower = HERO

  6. Private Bradley Manning did the right thing something all of our government representatives, including the President should try to emulate. We, the American People deserve the TRUTH from our government and transparency. I would love to have someone explain to me why when investigating President Clinton & Monica Lewinsky’s stained dress almost $60 million dollars was spent, but investigating 9-11 around $15 million was spent, why? 9-11 was the worse terrorist act (supposedly) on American soil, yet twelve years later there are still more questions than answers, why? I am tired of government corruption which can be found at every level of government…all the way to the President. It is time for a change and we need to stop shooting the messengers (whistleblowers). Doing the right thing should be encouraged and again become the way we all conduct ourselves rather than the exception that it has become. I want to know the truth about what happened in Benghazi, the IRS scandal, Fast & Furious, why the government has not gone after more of those responsible for the financial collapse, and why our government officials are protecting the Federal Reserve. Only the TRUTH can set us free!

  7. Manning is NOT the one to punish. This “Homeland Security” crap and the war atrocities are the real crimes and treason. They do not insure the safety of the US, but foster contempt of the US law and government. We citizens and civilians have been betrayed and threatened, so we hold the US government in contempt–and we demand the accountability of the real traitors and conspirators. Manning is not our enemy. He did what any decent human being would do, and he must not be punished for it the way the US would do to every other decent human being.

  8. Private Manning’s unlawful treatment is a reflection of a dangerously misguided and out of control government. One would think the recipient of a Nobel Peace Prize capable of recognizing such an egregious error as vilifying an American hero. Mr. Obama, do the right thing and FREE PVT. MANNING.

  9. Aussies would give him a Barbie and a dozen stubbies ….The guy is a hero!!
    Do the right thing and free him to restore faith in America

  10. Lt. William Calley served 3 years for the massacre of 450 Vietnamese, old men,women &children & babies at My lai. Lt Bob Kerrey Navy Seal ,also in charge of a massacre of civilians in Vietnamwent went on to become a US Senator.
    The architects of the illegal Iraq war in 2003, & all the atrocities that came about after the attack of the Coalition of 3 Willing, have not been bought to trial .Instead the Neocons & their camp follower are enjoying business or retirement or preparing to make a comeback to power from their positions in think tanks & the universities.
    President Obama please review Bradley Mannings sentence which is totally excessive . He killed no one !!

  11. Private Manning has already served a lengthy, and degrading prison sentence, therefore he should be released immediately.

  12. Private Manning has already served to long for informing U.S. citizens of our own countries unlawful actions in Afghanistan and Iraq. These two wars should never have been fought. If anything, those who were responsible for leading us into these wars should be brought to trial and give the maximum sentences, while Private Manning should be released immediately!

  13. Who are we anyway? Our leaders and we the people should sing praises and applaud Private Manning for outstanding courage, valor, commitment and diligence in service to this country and to humanity. Please recognize an outstanding young man who stands heads and shoulders above those in the military complicit in torture/murder. It is time to right a great wrong by apologizing, releasing and honoring Private Manning. These acts should be followed by a Congressional Medal of Honor at which time President Obama should recommend Private Manning for the Nobel Peace Prize…perhaps even bestowing his medal on Private Manning. Image this a great beginning in purging America of the multitude of wrongs committed by those in power. Imagine truth, peace, compassion, diplomacy and brotherhood becoming qualities of our government. The emergence of these qualities will make America strong, an America we can all be proud of. This is the change we need!

  14. There are no words strong enough to express my gratitude for this fine, upstanding human being. He is a hero and deserves the Nobel Peace Price along with Edward Snowden, Glen Greenwald and the Wikileaks organisation. Pvt. Manning risked his/her life to save the many. He/She deserves freedom and celebration, not to be treated as a scapegoat and a “message” to potential whistleblowers, the people of conscience who serve humanity, not power or money. Humanity will look back on this on equal terms as the jail sentence handed to Mandela by the aparteid regieme. Pardon and free Pvt. Manning now.

  15. Pardon and release PVT Manning immediately. He is a hero not a criminal. A few of the REAL lying, thieving, torturing & murdering war criminals who should be in prison for life are as follows: Condi Rice, George W Bush, Dick Cheney, Karl Rove, Donald Rumsfeld, Colin Powell, Paul Wolfowitz and Richard Pearle. (Just to name a few).
    WAKE UP. You are on the wrong side!

  16. Mr. president, I believe that Pvt. Chelsea is an American
    hero. He is by far more deserving of the Nobel Peace Prize
    than you!

  17. As a draftee in the american war in vietnam I witnessed some of the corruption and cruelty that went on there. Exposing this should be considered heroic and not be a reason to be sent to jail.Bradley manning should be released as a matter of conscience by the president as soon as possible.Maybe as soon as we leave the mess in our latest war. So we can save face.

  18. Dear Mr. President,

    As you and I both know, Private Manning acted on his conscience and opened a tiny window to the world on the daily atrocities committed by U.S. military forces in Iraq. His imprisonment, torture and subsequent trial have shown us all the risk that he took in so doing. He is obviously a hero and a patriot of the rarest kind, one of those whose love for their country is so great that they will undergo martyrdom if that is what’s needed to awaken that country’s sleeping conscience.

    Mr President, I must admit to you that I am bitterly disappointed at your betrayal of the vision you initially proclaimed to the world. With the two percent faith I still have in you I hope and wish to believe that you are at least capable of recognising courage and integrity in others, and that you will give this man an unconditional pardon, an official apology, financial compensation and the highest order of merit the country has at its disposal.

  19. Dear Mr President:

    Your campaign ran on a slogan about “be the change we want in the world”. Pvt Manning had the courage to speak out against injustices so we can change them….Pvt Manning gave us (including you Mr President) an opportunity to do that.

    Pardon Pvt Manning now!

  20. Chelsea Manning (Bradley Manning, previously) had a human conscience, a sense of morality and, above all, courage to speak the truth.

    The U.S. Army Manual teaches that each soldier, upon knowing, viewing, of having intelligence of war crimes has a duty to report them to his superiors. Chelsea Manning did just that, he then Bradley, reported to his superiors the war crimes that he witnessed and was dismissed from the conversation. He later attempted the New York Times, and the Washington Post, in efforts to get them to hear the TRUTH, only to be turned away. Thus, he released the TRUTH to Wikileaks who scrutinized the veracity of the information and then “published” the pertinent parts of the information to the Public. Chelsea Manning has been punished for years, as a result, including torture, for having done what he was supposed to do.
    Chelsea Manning (formerly Bradley Manning) has paid a dear price for doing WHAT HE WAS SUPPOSED TO DO AS REQUIRED BY THE ARMY MANUAL!
    GIVE CHELSEA MANNING A PARDON NOW!

  21. The freedom and justice, had one of the bigger miscarriage of history with PVT Manning. He is a hero not a criminal and his treatment.You Mr Obama, as a lawyer know well that USA had been ignore and that Manning was sentenced for political reason.
    As a citizen of the world I asked you to pardon this man and given a strong apology for the wrong doing.
    Also the people that had been expose as perpetrator of criminal war action should be persecute and clean up the USA corrupt system.

  22. Whenever the people are well informed, they can be trusted with their own government; that whenever things get so far wrong as to attract their notice, they may be relied on to set them to rights. – Thomas Jefferson. Which seems to be the principle which informed Private Manning’s actions.

  23. I am a Vietnam veteran, and I was appalled and outraged by the U.S. military’s conduct of that war. Of course, no one was held accountable. Thanks to Bradley Manning, we the people have been informed that the contempt for innocents trapped in a war zone continues, and now we know that this is in fact policy emanating from the highest offices in the land! Bradley Manning has allowed us to glimpse the truth, and every day he spends in prison is a glowing beacon of truth about the United States government. If anything about the United States of America still recognizes basic human decency, Bradley Manning should be freed, and the murderers and torturers should be held accountable.

    • Thank, John the lies and wrong doing of Vietnam war had been well documented,that still happening in many part of the world like Afghanistan is an insult to moral and justice. The leader’s and the guilty can escape human justice but not God one. They had two choice: repent and change that will save them or face the consequence of God punishement.

  24. If the U.S is a true democracy, Chelsea (Brad) Manning must be awaerded clemency and honor. (Following a state of extreme nationalism is fasciism.)

  25. How can you imprison a a courageous, highly moral person, and who wants people to know the truth. He should be given the Nobel Peace Prize above anyone in the shameful American government. For honour to his country his name will lead all the rest.

  26. On the basis of what I have read, I believe that Bradley action was totally selfless. He truly believed in the importance of telling the public about the truth. His actions were sparked by the injustice that he saw in Iraq and the treatment of local protesters.
    Life has been tough with Bradley and despite that he has very high moral standards and he is ready to put his life at stake for the common good. In my eyes Bradely is a very brave man, a hero, who deserves better treatment than he is currently being reserved.

  27. Manning is the voice of the truth. How can we imprison someone for making some of the dysfunctions of the military transparent? We have to have some imput into what and how our power is used around the world.

  28. Release Pvt. Chelsea (previously Bradley) Manning, who is a hero and revealed the information public had to know, and punish those who authorized unjustified and illegal killing of civilians.

  29. Free this woman! She deserves recognition for this very heroic and patriotic deed. Many innocent people will live, because they know now that the world is watching.
    And president Obama is very disappointing in this matter. I tought he was the first decent and honest president. I’ll guess I was wrong here…

  30. Please free Chelsea Manning who showed us the truth despite knowing he could suffer harshly if his identity became known.

    He is a hero not a criminal.

  31. Manning a sauvé l’honneur des Etats-Unis. Elle devrait être honorée par son pays pour avoir dévoilé la VERITE, c’est aussi simple que cela… J’espère ici en France obtenir que des villes – selon une tradition française, je ne sais pas s’il y a l’équivalent aux USA – le désignent comme citoyen d’honneur.

  32. The government was caught doing something Americans (and everybody else) strongly objects to and Manning was merely the messenger who exposed the wrongdoing. Said government has no business interfering in any way with this process that we all have a right to know, let alone prosecuting, persecuting and incarcerating a patriot who let us know what the gov’t were keeping secret because it knew it was doing something very wrong.

  33. It’s not Pvt. Manning who belongs in prison – it’s Bush and Obama and their fellow war criminals. What Pvt. Manning did was expose their criminal acts and subsequent cover-ups, and that’s why he’s being punished.

  34. We are a veteran family. Whistle blowers are an important way for America to go back to being America of the people instead of America of the corporations.

  35. Chelsea Manning is a noble spirit. She is a role model for all people of conscience who care about justice, honor, human rights, equity, democracy, and people’s sovereignty over their own lives, as well as unbiased and unfettered media (without which there can be none of the above).

    All who purport to be patriots should applaud her courage and the honor with which she upheld and continues to uphold the U.S. constitution and the dignity of life. I would be proud to have a daughter like her. Our nation owes her a deep debt of gratitude.

    Now if only the media and Private Manning’s fellow U.S. citizens would *ACTUALLY PERUSE* the materials she and Wikileaks sacrificed so much to share with us. We should all be OUTRAGED. I am, that our government treats human life with such disregard and that we are not holding ticker tape parades in honor of Private Chelsea Manning. As others have noted, she deserves a Nobel Peace Prize as well as our deep gratitude.

    President Obama, do the right thing here; at the very least, issue a presidential pardon before Private Manning spends one more night unjustly imprisoned.

  36. Pvt. Manning deserves more than a “pardon.” He, John Kiriakou and Edward Snowden deserve the Nobel Peace Prize, Presidential and Congressional Medals of Honor.
    They have put themselves at risk to reveal to the public what the public has the right to know, however embarrassing it might be to the Pentagon, the intelligence agencies and the president.
    During his p re-trial captivity, Pvt Manning was subjected to such extreme abuse that Amnesty International investigated and called it “torture.” But that doesn’t seem to have embarrassed anybody in the administration, which in itself is telling.

  37. Every day that Pvt. Manning is forced to spend in jail is a black mark on the U.S. I am totally ashamed of my country for this disgrace and abuse of a human life. President Obama, where is your backbone? You can right this wrong!

  38. It is illegal to reveal the illegalities committed by the DoD or of the US government. That is the message being conveyed by our “leaders.”

    • The state secret had been use always in human history to cover up criminality against human right.The past history of America is full of atrocity and well documented. Had thank God also do great act of humanity and stand for many freedom of Western world especially.In this case is evident that much evil had been done and had not be address.The unlikeliness to admit wrong doing by the Obama administration is founded by the intention to keep such state of injustice. Free this person

  39. We are all fed to the teeth with the duplicity of our government and governments in general. Chelsea Manning is a scapegoat. She is being used to deter other whistleblowers’ exposing dirty secrets in high places. RELEASE CHELSEA MANNING

    • The Obama administration is rotten to the bone. As a lawyer he should stand for defending life and justice. Obama instead use is capacity to undermine any moral and justice.

  40. Chelsey Manning and Wikileaks revealed the truth that some people didn’t want to hear. They continue their atrocities with drone attacks on innocent civilians. Apparently they think they have silenced the whistle blowers, but the cat is out of the bag. Edward Snowden, Julian Assange, Wikileaks,and Chelsey Manning should be honored, not persecuted. Free Chelsey Manning now!

  41. I guess all of us supporting Manning, Snowden, Assange and the likes are going to stand on a special list of the NSA before long for “trying to overthrow the government of a free country” juste because we tell things as they are.
    You, Mr. Obama, despite all your electoral pledges, are no different to Bush and his cronies : you lie to your fellow citizens and to the world, you spy on them and on us, you advocate, bring and support wars all over the world.
    And you illegally punish the heroes who speak their conscience and inform us about things that happen on our behalf. These are the very ones you should listen to, though !
    Free Manning, and leave all the others alone !!
    Do something to show us you have a real SPINE, and you are REALLY going to change something. Maybe after that you’ll be able to watch yourself in the mirror !
    Mr Obama, STOP just being the puppet of criminals who plague american policies in and outside the USA. Be a real man, thank Manning for what she did and beg her pardon !

  42. Manning manned up . He did the right thing for you and our Country. No matter what others may tell you Stand UP for Manning and release him. When no one would listen to him in the Military He is going to the top now for me he has personality problems I like him as a man which he is and is a terrible looking girl, Release him from this confinement as he needs to be in a normal inviorment with his family to unite and bring himself to his real identy . Be true to yourself and this world by realeasing him ,He did a wonderful job , that no one else was able to do for our country. One day you will be PROUD of this Man. I can tell you one thing He was serving and Proctecting, Please put his Snick that racked on him in prison and the helicopter Piolets that laughed their way thru the whole thng like a game , on who could shoot the most and enjoy it . Manning is My HERO and our Countries.

  43. Manning did a public service. She should have no punishment for exposing the crimes and hypocrisy being hidden.

    • Agree with you Douglas, also he should been eulogy from exposing wrong, protecting instead the actions carry out are showing to the world the hypocrisy of the American’s who stand in defense of criminal human right abuse and killing.
      Obama should not only pardon him but also should had act to stop the wrong doing. Unfortunately Obama had been himself incoherent many times and of poor morality at least.

  44. So, is there some reason that every time I try to sign this petition it fails to load. I’ve tried three or four times over the last few days. Maybe it’s just my computer. It makes me so mad though- I guess there’s a petition to deport Justin Bieber and it’s “passed the mark for presidential consideration” and I’m just like….why is that glaring at me from the side of my yahoo account and not something important like this. What a sad little world we live in.

  45. That someone who exposes crimes by our government is treated like a criminal is absolutely wrong.

    Those who perpetrate the crimes being exposed are our government and others who are in power. They are the criminals and should be punished, not the Chelsea Mannings who are willing to put their lives on the line to bring the crimes of the power brokers and our government to the attention of the world.

    I’m sick and tired of seeing criminals go free and the freedom fighters imprisoned. Will justice ever prevail?

    Bless the Pvt. Mannings. Protect Whistle-blowers.

  46. It is a sad state of affairs when murderers get 10-15 years, if that-yet an individual put their future on the line to save thousands of lives is given 35years for telling the truth. What happened to the promised transparency? What does it say about a country who was once looked up to as a true leader for democracy’s way of life when not only anyone, but Americans can be killed without charges,and a fair and open trial. These types of actions cost Germany and many other UK countries their reputations and carry that stigma to this day. Are these the footprints we should want to follow?

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