After being held without charge since July 2010 (19 months), in conditions that 295 legal scholars petitioned as violations of the constitution, his military hearing finally began about a week ago. Some tidbits, in case anyone is curious about the status of his show trial: The prosecution seems bizarrely unprepared and sloppy, that is, unless you recognize that they have no reason to care all that much, since this is, indeed just a show trial. Examples of oddities you'd think over a year of preparation would avoid: 1) Claimed the "collateral murder" video was classified. Forced to admit, in cross examination, it was not. 2) Forced to admit that other military personnel had access to Manning's computer, despite claiming otherwise initially. 3) An analyst claimed cables on Manning's PC matched wikileaks releases, then changed his mind the next day under cross examination. Other oddities: 1) Manning's roommate claimed he said "gay things" and thereafter refused to talk to him. Fun courtroom shenanigans: 1) Initially blocked wifi, now have it on, but are sniffing traffic of course. Makes it difficult to fact check witnesses. 2) Routinely kick reporters out for discussions of "classified material". Material that is, of course, now public knowledge. 3) Waited until they kicked out reporters to handcuff, pin to the ground, and tear the rankings off Lt Dan Choi who was in attendance in his uniform, which I guess pissed somebody off. Can't have those gays around. 4) Dan Ellsberg was also in attendance and he was also removed for approaching Manning to introduce himself. He was let back in eventually. In related news, the NYT found reams of classified documents in a Iraqi junkyard left by evacuating US troops. Among them were info related to the Haditha massacre that the ACLU FOIA'd some time ago and were denied in full. Who's prosecuting this breach of our so-called security*? *Of course, our "security" is really in this case just a wall of secrecy intended to shield our nation's military and civic leaders from investigation into massive crime and thuggery.
Just remember how important Private Manning leaks (assuming he was the source of the major wikileaks State Dept dump) has been to progress in the world recently --Arab Spring, Tunisia etc. and our understanding of what our government is secretly doing, often without our permission. Here is his defense website. I contributed $50.00 yesterday to his defense fund and urge others to do so.
Apparently not serious enough to follow Constitutionally mandate procedures for trying individuals for the crime.
Manning is being tried under the UCMJ. They military is following the constitutionally mandated procedures under the law.
Trying treason requires two witnesses to provide testimony regarding the act that was considered treasonous, or a confession in open court. This isn't a trial. This is a military tribunal...
I'm liberal...but this asshat needs to be shot. You know, he does not have the right to risk the lives of people in Service to the United States. Especially, giving them to a Pedophile Rapist.
bradley manning, the man who managed to topple more repressive regimes than 10 years of warmongering. "string him up" i guess.