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In reply to the discussion: WikiLeaks: Bradley Manning's motives are no defence, judge rules [View all]jberryhill
(62,444 posts)His court martial was presided over by the same judge.
Col. Lakin's interpretation of his oath was that it allowed him to refuse deployment to Afghanistan because the president had not provided him with proof of birth in the United States, and hence to deploy in response to an order would be obeying an illegal order. This would, Lakin argued, make him a war criminal.
Six months, loss of rank, loss of pension, and dishonorable discharge.
We have a civilian government in this country. I don't care if it is Lakin upset with who is president, or Manning upset with things at the State Department. Both the Office of President and the Department of State are civilian bodies, and I am not at ALL down with the military, or anyone in the military, deciding that it is the military's job to investigate, spy on or take action against, the civilian government of the United States.
Perhaps Mr. Manning should have found like-minded others in the Army and mounted a coup. Is that where this leads?
This is what the "Oath Keepers" are all about - something of a coup-in-waiting.