bradley manning

[DSull]

Beyond a shadow of a doubt he is a Traitor!

[Aloha_Shooter]

Not stretching at all, I simply said I would believe his reasons for going the route he did was to ensure that it got out and not buried (remember, remember, 11th of September... Benghazi anyone?). That's all. I can understand his reluctance to use the "appropriate" channels.

Or he feared using the appropriate channels out of fear that a) retribution would be swift and harsh, or b) it would be swept under the rug (or c) all of the above).

Sorry, no, that's complete crap. Retribution WILL be swift and harsh because what he did doesn't fall under whistleblowing. This isn't even comparable to Benghazi or the IRS which is why I say you're stretching to defend him. His fears -- if he had them -- are incorrect, inappropriate, and/or irrelevant. Publishing this kind of stuff in a foreign paper because of his misunderstandings and ill-begotten fears is BS and the distortions being written in the media will do incalculable damage to the country just like Manning's Wikileaks.

[Ronin13]

Sorry, no, that's complete crap. Retribution WILL be swift and harsh because what he did doesn't fall under whistleblowing. This isn't even comparable to Benghazi or the IRS which is why I say you're stretching to defend him. His fears -- if he had them -- are incorrect, inappropriate, and/or irrelevant. Publishing this kind of stuff in a foreign paper because of his misunderstandings and ill-begotten fears is BS and the distortions being written in the media will do incalculable damage to the country just like Manning's Wikileaks.

Usually I think of you being a very informed and quick individual- but on this I can't bring myself to agree with you. I just watched an extensive interview with Judge Napolitano on FNC and he says this guy is a hero. He brought to light that the NSA is doing a sort of "dragnet" operation on this issue, and that it is far beyond the intended scope of the law in regards to this. Our government is famous for covering shit up, from Benghazi to these new scandals that are coming out today (if you haven't heard- US Ambassador overseas investigated for prostitution being covered up)... So this guy could have (again my educated guess and speculation) feared that this was the only way to get these violations of the 4th Amendment out and looked at. It's dishonest to compare this guy to PFC Manning- Manning indiscriminately released classified documents that could harm US personnel and interests. This Snowden guy uncovered a massive data collection operation that is potentially unconstitutional and opens the door to abuse. That's not my call to make, but now it will be looked at, I guarantee that, and that would be thanks to this guy for leaking it.

Again, I ask, if the law says you can release the info, but the info sheds light on potential violations to the US Constitution, what would you do? What if you fear it will get covered up and not ever come to light/get investigated unless you step outside normal channels? This guy feels he did no wrong, but he is in fear that he will be in hiding for the rest of his life. While yes, he may have gone about it wrong, it's too late to play the "Woulda, coulda, shoulda" game and decide if he's a traitor for showing the world what our NSA is doing, or if Napolitano is correct and he's a hero for bringing this potentially unconstitutional program to light. So many here seem so hell bent on labeling this guy treasonous for pointing out that our own government could very well be spying on innocent Americans. What happened to innocent until proven guilty? Pretty sure you need a judge to approve looking into someone... or at least that's what the law says.

[Aloha_Shooter]

Ronin -- I usually think of Judge Napolitano as informed but in this case I think he is falling prey to a lot of the mischaracterizations and urban legend that are running around. This guy's actions are on par with Christopher Boyce and his rationalizations are poppycock. Your guess and speculation in this case are NOT educated. This guy feels he did no wrong even though I'm sure he went through annual training on the obligations to protect information on Americans and how to report errors or bad actors. I don't think it's too late to blame him for taking the wrong path because what he did was so obviously and egregiously wrong. While I think Manning was far worse because of his intent, Snowden also indiscriminately released information in a manner that has made it ripe for mischaracterization, distortion and exploitation by those who seek to do our country harm. In my book, Snowden is every bit of the traitor that Christopher Boyce was.

[muddywings]

I think he waived his fairy wand..



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bradley_Manning

"He was by all accounts unhappy and isolated. Because of the army's "Don't ask, don't tell" policy (known as DADT, which was repealed in September 2011), he was not allowed to be openly gay, though he apparently made no secret of it; his friends said he kept a fairy wand on his desk."

bingo!!! winner!!!

http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/22/us/bra...ing/index.html

CNN) -- WikiLeaks source Bradley Manning intends to begin hormone therapy for gender reassignment and live the rest of his life as a woman, according to a statement from him read on NBC's "Today" show Thursday.
Manning wants to be referred to as Chelsea -- not Bradley -- according to the statement.
Manning's announcement comes a day after a military judge sentenced him to 35 years in prison for leaking hundreds of thousands of U.S. military and diplomatic documents.
Manning, 25, was convicted in July of stealing 750,000 pages of classified documents and videos and disseminating them to WikiLeaks, the online anti-secrecy group. Lind also reduced his rank from private first class to private, ordered him to forfeit pay and benefits and be dishonorably discharged.

break break

you tax dollars at work right there!!!

[KestrelBike]

Actually, Snowden had plenty of choices. He could have raised the issue to the NSA IG, the DNI IG, or to his elected representative. He chose to expose a classified program in a way that is rife with mischaracterization and exploitation by people who want to damage the country. What he did is far from exposing the Clinton Administration placing a sweetheart deal for Tyson in their negotiations with Russia or China (diplomatic negotiation points are typically classified before the talks).

If snowden have the info to anyone other than the press, I doubt we'd have ever heard of what the NSA has been doing, nor would anything have changed. The info would not have been further investigated, or just become a chip in some politicians poker game. The fact that you, I, and everyone else knows about the NSA and their shit tells me that snowden released the information in exactly the necessary manner. The fact remains that even with the world knowing about it, the practices haven't even stopped!! At least we have tangible reasons not to trust the government.

[Aloha_Shooter]

Both Manning and Snowden were leakers who intended and caused harm to the US. IMO Manning got off light -- he shouldn't have been eligible for parole until the 22d century.

[OneGuy67]

Both Manning and Snowden were leakers who intended and caused harm to the US. IMO Manning got off light -- he shouldn't have been eligible for parole until the 22d century.

I agree.

[BlasterBob]

Wonder how many times Manning attempted to be a whistle blower and no one paid any attention to a plain ole low level soldier. A sentence for him could be to allow him to have his requested sex change and after it's completed, turn him loose in the general prison population, then he'll get plenty of opportunities to blow whistles.

[Dave]

bingo!!! winner!!!

http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/22/us/bra...ing/index.html

CNN) -- WikiLeaks source Bradley Manning intends to begin hormone therapy for gender reassignment and live the rest of his life as a woman, according to a statement from him read on NBC's "Today" show Thursday.
Manning wants to be referred to as Chelsea -- not Bradley -- according to the statement.
Manning's announcement comes a day after a military judge sentenced him to 35 years in prison for leaking hundreds of thousands of U.S. military and diplomatic documents.
Manning, 25, was convicted in July of stealing 750,000 pages of classified documents and videos and disseminating them to WikiLeaks, the online anti-secrecy group. Lind also reduced his rank from private first class to private, ordered him to forfeit pay and benefits and be dishonorably discharged.

break break

you tax dollars at work right there!!!

How does he plan to pay for a sex change op if he has to forfeit all pay while he is in jail?