Manning in the Making

[Z_I_Peevey]

Here's a new article about Bradley Manning from This Land Press:

http://thislandpress.com/03/07/2011/manning-in-the-making/

"...Manning is in the brig at Quantico, where he’s been awaiting trial since last summer. Among the books he requested be sent to him while he’s in jail are Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason and Critique of Practical Reason, a treatise on ethics, in which the philosopher articulates his “categorical imperative”—put simply, act as you wish others would act.

Manning has been held for the better part of a year in conditions that have been described as solitary confinement, and that, whatever they’re called, are extraordinarily harsh. Upon learning that his repeated requests to be held in more humane conditions had been denied, Manning made a sarcastic jibe at his guards. The pressure on him was then ratcheted up in early March: he must now strip naked for seven hours each night, and stand at attention in the nude during roll call each morning..."

[rgbecker]

1. Manning shouldn't even be in jail much less in Solitary Confinement.

He's accused of a non violent crime, not yet convicted and in most cases these accused are let out on bail until the trial.

[AKDavy]

2. In my opinion...

Manning is the greatest hero to emerge from the U.S. invasions and occupations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

A telling parallel that he's being charged under a law (the Espionage Act) that was designed to crush dissent against U.S. entry into WWI.

That Manning is behind bars and the war criminals he exposed walk free is the truest account of the state of the nation.

[Bragi]

4. I agree totally

I'm not even sure the goal is still to break Manning to get him to implicate Assange.

While that may have been the original goal for torturing him, the fact is that now, even if Manning was to break, it seems unlikely that any respectable country would extradite him based on "evidence" coming from a tortured person held by a rogue state that is known to practice torture.

So maybe they are now just trying to break him so as to send a message to anyone else who might be tempted to engage in any whistleblowing against the MIC. The message is certainly clear: we can torture and kill you, no-one can stop us, we are the law.

[AKDavy]

6. Yes, I think Manning's treatment is a warning to dissenters

This is what happens when truth becomes an enemy of the state.

[DirkGently]

3. Inexcusable, barbaric, criminal. Every new humiliation diminishes ALL of us.

[Bragi]

5. And confirms the status of the US as a rogue torture state /nt

[Smarmie Doofus]

7. Got to get him outta there.

They're doing this with the whole (civilized) world watching.

Which suggests to me that .... given the chance.... they'll kill him.

Manning drives them ***crazy***.

[Bragi]

8. Whistleblowers are their worst nightmare

What this shows is that the MIC want us to see that they can torture and probably even kill anyone they want to torture and kill, regardless of the law. The current crowd in charge would have killed Daniel Ellsberg for leaking the Pentagon papers.

This is all part of the decline of civil liberties since 9/11, and the fact that U.S authorities now have accepted the idea that the U.S is now a rogue torture state.

And yes, I think Obama has to be condemned for allowing this torture to take place. I expect that Obama and those around him will eventually end up like the disgraced Bushites, confined to the U.S for fear of being charged with crimes against humanity should they travel abroad.