Veterans Organization Tells US Army: Drop All Charges Against Bradley Manning!

[Better Believe It]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 23, 2012

Drop All Charges Against Bradley Manning!!
Veterans For Peace Tells US Army: Stop Prosecution of GI Whistleblower

A national organization representing thousands of military veterans is calling on the US Army to abandon court martial proceedings against Private Bradley Manning, the accused Wikileaks whistleblower. The young soldier, who has been imprisoned for 21 months, will be formally arraigned today (Thursday, Feb. 23) at Fort Meade, Maryland. Army prosecutors say they will file 22 charges against PFC Manning, including “aiding the enemy,” a crime that can be punished by the death penalty or life in prison.

“Where is the justice?” asks Gerry Condon, a Board member of Veterans For Peace. “The Army is shirking its duty to punish soldiers who have committed rape and murder. Yet they are trying to destroy the life of Bradley Manning, who has not harmed a hair on a person's head.”

In May 2010, the Army arrested PFC Manning, then 22, in Iraq, where he was working as a low level intelligence analyst. He is accused of leaking classified information, including an Army video that shows US soldiers in Baghdad shooting down unarmed civilians, including two Reuters employees, from an Apache helicopter. The video, dubbed “Collateral Murder,” has been viewed millions of times on YouTube.

Prosecutors have also accused Manning of giving Wikileaks thousands of Army diaries from its occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan. The Army's own reports reveal that the killing of civilians was a regular occurrence and that the Army regularly lied about it.. The diaries also show that the Army was lying to the American people about the progress of the wars in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

“It is not a crime to reveal evidence of war crimes, but it is a crime to cover up evidence of war crimes, as the Army has apparently done,” said Leah Bolger, a former Navy Commander who was recently elected the first woman president of Veterans For Peace. “The American people deserve to know the truth about the wars being waged in our name,” continued Bolger. “Our soldiers should not be asked to die for a lie, and those who tell us the truth should not be the ones being punished.”

Bradley Manning has been confined for 21 months, including 8 months in solitary confinement at the Marine brig at Quantico, Virginia, where reports of his abuse bordering on torture caused an international outcry. Manning is now at another military prison at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and the Quantico brig has been closed down.. The US government has declined repeated requests by United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture, Juan Mendez, to interview PFC Manning privately about his treatment.

Private Manning's lawyer, David Coombs, has complained on his blog that most of his requested defense witnesses were denied by the Army judge, while all of the prosecution witnesses were allowed.

“This is a kangaroo court martial,” said Gerry Condon of Veterans For Peace. “It is now obvious that the US Army will not give PFC Manning a fair trial, That is why Veterans For Peace is calling on Army Chief of Staff General Ray Odierno, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, and Commander-In-Chief Barack Obama to drop all the charges against Bradley Manning.”

At its national convention in 2010, Veterans For Peace awarded Bradley Manning for his courage. “If he actually did what he is accused of doing, then he is a hero,” said Mike Ferner, Interim Director of Veterans For Peace.

http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2012/02/23-12

[Better Believe It]

4. What law? Who wrote the law? And who is the law protecting?

All worthy progressive movements and individuals have broken unjust laws and progressives have always defending our own and challenged their persecution under reactionary and undemocratic laws.

We don't just sit on our hands and let the rulers throw us in prison because the laws the ruling class wrote are intended to punish whistleblowers and hide government actions from the American people. That's why millions of documents are stamped "classified" by some government or military bureaucrat.

Use of the government classification stamp frequently has nothing to do with protecting the security and lives of the American people. It's simply an easy way to conceal federal government wrongdoing and even illegal/criminal activity.

The FBI, CIA, Pentagon. State Department and other government agencies have a long history of hiding their attacks on our rights and liberties by classifying documents that expose such activities.

That's common knowledge.

[lunatica]

15. self-delete

I'd rather not get 'hidden' by jury decision

[rhett o rick]

28. But the curious question is do you agree with him or not? Why are you telling us what he said?

We know what he said. How do YOU feel about it?

[Better Believe It]

31. Obama should never had said that Manning was guilty of horrible unspeakable crimes before a trial.

[dickthegrouch]

9. That's the same constitutional scholar who can't understand

equal protection when applied to same-sex marriage.

I think he faked his scholarly credentials.

[JDPriestly]

12. But as any lawyer knows, it isn't so simple.

A defendant cannot be found guilty until he has been permitted to confront his accusers and present witnesses in his defense. Obviously, irrelevant testimony that just wastes a court's time cannot be presented for practical reasons. But a defendant is entitled to present a reasonable amount of evidence in his defense.

In the Nuremburg trials of NAZI war criminals, we argued that following orders was no excuse for war crimes. Does a soldier have a duty to alert the public to war crimes of which he has knowledge? That is a question for the court.

The military court has an obligation to protect the integrity of our military and that includes protecting its reputation in the world as an institution that obeys treaties and international law.

I don't know all the facts in this case, so I don't know what the outcome should be, but certainly Manning is entitled to present a reasonable amount of evidence in his defense.

The military risks looking like a bunch of goony guys in flashy uniforms with lots of glittering medals in a banana republic if they just railroad Manning.

[BrentWil]

22. Once a fair trial determines He did break the law...

and he will pay for it. That is justice. What he did was absolutely wrong and put many in danger.

[rhett o rick]

24. If you are being facetious, welcome to DU. If you arent, you are off to a bad start. nm

[JonLP24]

25. Constitutional Law Professor's administration earlier in his term

appealed the decision to give Bagram prisoners the right to use Habaes Corpus to challenge their detention on the basis the Guantanamo rules don't apply.

I remember one Constitutional Law Professor, Turley(who disagreed w/ Obama at the time), once said that the most dangerous man to the constitution isn't one who is purely evil or outright nefarious. It is because those types are more obvious and easier to resist. It is the one who is really trying to do good and things like the law make it more difficult. The President has shown at times that he is willing to look for shortcuts.

Sorry for that, none of this means that Manning didn't break the law and Obama is incorrect. I was just arguing that if someone was/is a Constitutional Law Professor doesn't mean they are correct in this instance, especially since that title doesn't really apply since according to that same Constitution Manning has all sorts of rights including right to a trial where at the conclusion they make that determination, rather than basing it on one man's opinion.

[sabrina 1]

2. If his attorney cannot bring in witnesses, then this is a sham of a 'trial'.

“It is not a crime to reveal evidence of war crimes, but it is a crime to cover up evidence of war crimes, as the Army has apparently done,” said Leah Bolger, a former Navy Commander who was recently elected the first woman president of Veterans For Peace. “The American people deserve to know the truth about the wars being waged in our name,” continued Bolger. “Our soldiers should not be asked to die for a lie, and those who tell us the truth should not be the ones being punished.”

She makes sense to me. Anyone else witnessing war crimes, seeing what is happening to him, are likely to remain silent. Which may be one of the reasons why he has no chance of a fair trial.

[gratuitous]

3. Manning has spent 21 months longer in prison than Scooter Libby did

Manning has been convicted of nothing; Libby was only convicted lying to investigators and obstructing a leak investigation.

This is what passes for "justice" in the United States.

[Better Believe It]

5. And Manning may spend the rest of his life in military prison without parole.

That should teach potential military/government whistleblowers a lesson!

[surfdog]

16. Stop already

Manning had no idea what he was stealing , and no idea what he leaked

Get it yet ?

I doubt it

[Better Believe It]

21. Not in your lifetime. So tell us what terrible things Manning "leaked" to the American people.

Things that should remain hidden from the Ameerican people and that deserve life in prison without parole.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

19. And, 21 months longer in prison than Lt. Calley did. But, Calley only murdered people.

Bradley blew the whistle on war crimes and (GASP!!) embarrassed politicians, a much more serious crime.

[Matariki]

6. This sentence sums the situation up tidily

"The US government has declined repeated requests by United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture, Juan Mendez, to interview PFC Manning privately about his treatment."

[hack89]

17. Mendez is being treated the same as any visitor

prisoners are only allowed private visits with their lawyers. Mendez can have a supervised visit if he wants.

[UTUSN]

7. Why did I totally know it wouldn't be the VFW?!1 n/t

[MADem]

14. Or the American Legion, or VVAW... nt

[_ed_]

10. And Obama's unprecedented war on whistleblowers goes on

He has now used the Espionage Act six times --- 2x every other President COMBINED.

[SunsetDreams]

11. "He has now used the Espionage Act six times --- 2x every other President COMBINED"

Got proof for your statement? World War 1 and Red Scare, Palmer Raids alone disprove your statement. Your statement of "unprecedented" is over the top, as well as "He has now used the Espionage Act six times --- 2x every other President COMBINED."

Let's review some history of the Espionage Act, shall we?

Espionage Act of 1917

Don't like wiki?
Here: http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/FWWespionage.htm

[_ed_]

18. I was incorrect in the number

"The Obama administration has misguidedly used the Espionage Act in five such cases of news media disclosures; previously there were no more than four in all of White House history. This comes as officials classified nearly 77 million documents last year — a one-year jump of 40 percent. The government claim that this was because of improved reporting is not reassuring."

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/25/opinion/why-is-that-a-secret.html

And there has been a sixth use since then:

"Through the years, the Espionage Act has been used sparingly, that is until Barak Obama took office. The Obama Administration, and his Justice Department, have to date brought up six people on charges. This is more than any other administration."

So, Obama has used it 6 times in his term as opposed to four times for all other Presidents combined.

Is that better? I still find it disgusting, whether other Presidents used it 2 times or 4.

[SunsetDreams]

20. Your statement...

"So, Obama has used it 6 times in his term as opposed to four times for all other Presidents combined."

...tells me you did not read the links I provided, otherwise you wouldn't still claim "four times for all the other Presidents combined".

So no it's not better. I'm glad you find it disgusting, but in doing so, let's not try to claim that Obama has used it MORE than all the other Presidents combined, or even more than other Presidents have throughout history.

[_ed_]

29. Whatever

Silly numbers game. Here:

Obama = 6
All Presidents since 1917 = 4

Happy? Do you have an opinion about this war on whistleblowers or would you rather quibble about the number? The fact that he's used it 6 times is the most important figure here, regardless of what others did.

[R.Blue]

13. Free Manning

Hoping that this request from Veterans For Peace would be accepted but it's most likely not going to happen. Manning deserves praise, not this kangaroo court crap.

[JSnuffy]

23. Few things...

1) He knew the consequences of his actions when he did it. If he is man enough to commit the crime he should have the testicular fortitude to accept the consequences of his actions

2) This whistle-blower crap is ridiculous. A whistle-blower finds a specific issue of clear cut illegality and releases that information. Translate it to the civilian world. A corporate worker finds something he thinks is unethical. He then proceeds to release the companies entire database and private communications without reading or analyzing them.

On a side note, you can imagine that this is a disgruntled employee who was failing miserably at his work and had been disciplined for attacking female coworkers (but only if you want to keep the Manning analogy going.)

[rhett o rick]

26. I agree with you and the right on this one. Whistle-blowers are so much trouble. They destroy our

sense of well being. Some times it's just better not to know.

[JSnuffy]

27. If you see one..

... be sure to point him out.

Otherwise feel free to address the point...

[hack89]

30. Army tells Veterans Organization: Drop dead!

As they should.