What the New York Times Missed in Its 1st Article on Manning's Torture Hearing

[unhappycamper]

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/12/09-6




What the New York Times Missed in Its 1st Article on Manning's Torture Hearing
by Jesselyn Radack
Published on Sunday, December 9, 2012 CWO Barnes

On the ninth day of Manning's torture hearing--one of the most important legal proceedings of the past decade--I was heartened to see that the New York Times finally showed up to cover the case. (Full disclosure: I know Times reporters Scott Shane and Charlie Savage, whom I think have done an excellent job reporting on some of Obama's most controversial counterterrorism policies and actions.) But my encouragement was dashed when--despite a mea culpa from the Times public editor that someone should have been covering this important hearing--Shane left after 4 hours (Savage was not at the hearing at all). His missed one of the most searing cross-examinations yet of a key witness, Quantico Brig Officer in Charge Denise Barnes, who--against military regulations--confiscated Manning's underwear and deprived him of it every night until his departure.

~snip~

(CWO) Barnes elaborated later on that she thought Manning stood for count naked on purpose, to be provocative, despite his record of consistent good conduct throughout his chilling stay at Quantico. If Shane had bothered to stay for the next 6 hours, he would have seen a haughty low-rank Chief Warrant Officer with a chip on her shoulder (she was the most junior person to ever run a brig; if anything bad happened to Manning, it would ruin her career; etc.), who flouted prison regulations in favor of her own "personal opinion."

~snip~

She (CWO Barnes) wasn't concerned that he'd use the underwear to commit suicide. She was concerned with punishing him.

Barnes and her predecessor, Brig Commander James Averhart, both put their personal opinions above the sound medical evaluations of multiple mental health professionals, military regulations, and Manning's well-being, to use pre-trial detention to punish Manning, who Averhart said plucked his eyebrows and was not like the other "patriotic" prisoners. They were concerned not with Manning's health, care, protection, and dignity, but with (as they both testified) what the media might think. After 9 days of testimony (and the torture hearing is still not over), one thing is absolutely clear: Bradley Manning was never going to get off solitary confinement while he was at the gulag known as Quantico.

[orpupilofnature57]

1. Both parties are victims of the MIC .

[unhappycamper]

2. Yup, but the difference is

Manning was doing what he was told to do and CWO Barnes worked at making Manning's incarceration unpleasant.

[orpupilofnature57]

3. No doubt between those two Manning was the victim .