Countdown to Manning guilt-trip starts now?

[Logue 1st MRB]

Just going by historical trends and current international opinion, but I get the feeling once this administration is just another chapter in the history books, once more people bother to look for themselves what were in all these leaks, opinions are going to change. What do you think? Will Manning be spending the next 130 years in jail or will things change once we can look back at this with hindsight.

Edited July 31, 2013 by Logue 1st MRB

[Perrone]

How will we see this down the road in 20+ years? I cannot tell if we'll view this ruling as a horrible ruling, or if we'll view this as a just ruling. After all, things have a tendency to become clearer as time moves on... clearer for those of us who want to see it for what it really was, not what we want it too be.

He hasn't been sentenced yet by the way, but he does face up to 136 years if he's given the full sentencing.

They still have to do the sentencing phase which includes both prosecutor and defense arguing to get the most or least amount of time behind bars. During this phase, it'll basically take into account Manning's motives for releasing classified information and what harm too our forces the leak has done. There was a review done in the Pentagon about Manning's leak, I have not read it, but from what I've heard about it, it pretty much shows that the military and government claims of "dire consequences" were completely overblown. But he'll still probably get 25 to 50 years.

He is no hero in my eyes, but he is also not a traitor either. He is guilty of everything but aiding the enemy, and he has admitted too being guilty of everything but aiding the enemy.

[Peaker]

Our nations (And this is more prevalent in the US than in Canada, but it still happens here) have some accountability problems. Whistle-blowers like this shouldn't be necessary for our privacy and rights to be respected. The CIA almost operates as a separate government of it's own, as the numerous coups and operations during the time of the Cold War and the recent Arab conflicts have shown us. I understand that obviously classified information is classified for a reason, but we need to remember what happens when we stop demanding accountability from our leaders. (Hint: People die.)

[Barney]

Manning should have been found guilty of all charges and thrown in the brig for the rest of his miserable fucking life. That Colonel Lind bitch was too soft. Maybe she doesn't understand what her job is.

Just another example of the Mothers of America running the show folks. Once again tarnishing and weakening the US Military and their integrity.

What ever happened to putting little girls like this up against a wall and giving a firing squad the go ahead?

[C. Small 1st MRB]

Manning should have been found guilty of all charges and thrown in the brig for the rest of his miserable fucking life. That Colonel Lind bitch was too soft. Maybe she doesn't understand what her job is.

Just another example of the Mothers of America running the show folks. Once again tarnishing and weakening the US Military and their integrity.

What ever happened to putting little girls like this up against a wall and giving a firing squad the go ahead?

If I had a picture of a face palm I'd put it up , luckily I'm too lazy .

To say his was a traitor is absolute rubbish , he's taking a stand against some1 he see's as wrong (and which is) "Sometimes standing for something means standing alone."

[Armstrong 1st MRB]

Our nations (And this is more prevalent in the US than in Canada, but it still happens here) have some accountability problems. Whistle-blowers like this shouldn't be necessary for our privacy and rights to be respected. The CIA almost operates as a separate government of it's own, as the numerous coups and operations during the time of the Cold War and the recent Arab conflicts have shown us. I understand that obviously classified information is classified for a reason, but we need to remember what happens when we stop demanding accountability from our leaders. (Hint: People die.)

That's so true, especially with the current government and parties up here in Canada, where its all about blaming it on the other guy and not taking any responsibility for anything they may have had a hand in doing unless it benefits them. A Democratic government should always be accountable on its actions to its people, because in a democracy it is through its people which it gains its legitimacy and power, once you start operating outside of the people, then it starts becoming more of an Oligarchy, wherein only a certain group of people know what is going on and have a say, which is what I think our countries are leaning more and more towards in terms of politics.

Having said that, I do believe there is some merit to the proverbs "Knowledge is power." and "Ignorance is bliss.". There are advantages to doing covert operations, using underhand tactics, and doing backroom politics, and those are that things generally get done faster, and on occassion they may be better moves for the betterment of the State and its people rather than a more open approach. Bismarck utilized every opportunity that he could and he turned Germany into one of the most powerful nations in Europe in less than a lifetime despite stealing tax money to achieve his goals, and Machiavelli's works make a fair amount of sense. I think that if politicians are going to go that route though, they shouldn't play a double standard and try and make it seem like they are honest people with clean hands. Everyone has baggage, its just a matter of how heavy that baggage is.