Why is Bradley Manning Pleading Guilty?

[rachel1]

"The U.S. Army private accused of providing secret documents to the WikiLeaks website pleaded guilty on Thursday to misusing classified material he felt "should become public," but denied the top charge of aiding the enemy."*

Bradley Manning is facing prosecution for giving military information to Wikileaks. He's plead guilty to some charges. He maintains that he did release the information and that he did it because he wanted to help the country. What will happen with the other treasonous charges against him that could net a life sentence? Cenk Uygur breaks it down.

*Read more from Reuters: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/28/us-usa-wikileaks-manning-idUSBRE91R0T720130228

[MADem]

1. There's probably already a plea deal in place.

I can't tell you how many courts martials I sat on where, IF the verdict was guilty, a plea bargain had already been orchestrated after the fact.

I'm guessing that the "aiding the enemy" piece will go away, if he takes responsibility for improper handling/distribution of classified material. He could do a long stretch but it might not be "Life" like so many are suggesting.

[PatrynXX]

2. last I heard they were seaking the life sentence anyway

so there is no deal in place...

[MrMickeysMom]

3. There's likely to always be a deal in place...

Regardless of what the military had been seeking.

[MADem]

5. Well, I have sat on courts martials where we were deliberating for the fully Monty

of a sentence, only to find out, after we wasted days of our lives and came out of deliberation, that the 20 years we agreed upon and all wanted to give the guy was going to be only six because of an advance agreement.

They don't TELL the panel ahead of time, so no one save the two dueling parties would know about a deal in place. Not the panel, not the press.

Time will tell.

[freshwest]

4. I think that is how this playing out. I don't want a death penalty.

[dougolat]

6. Democracy Now! has covered this

today and yesterday, quite well.

Reuters had submitted a FOIA request for information on the death of their reporter and photographer, and been told nothing could be found.

Burying embarrassing news just makes it worse. The Catholic Church is finding that out with their abuse scandals, and we should have found it so in Viet Nam.
There were whistle blowers before Mi Lai, and investigations finding prevalent civilian slaughter, hushed until recently.