Officers of the United States Government should be on trial -- not PFC Bradley Manning.

[Maedhros]

66. I understand that Manning broke the law.

That is part and parcel of civil disobedience: one defies the law, and accepts the consequences, because one believes that to disobey (i.e. by leaking classified documents) is the right think to do. I have no issue with holding Manning accountable for what he has done.

I take issue with the single-minded focus on demonizing Manning for defying authority while at the same time discounting and ignoring the bad acts of the governments detailed in the leaks. Doing so plays into the hands of the bad actors, who want nothing more than to get us all to forget what was in the leaks and instead join a witch hunt against Manning, Assange and Wikileaks.

For Manning, you demand accountability for what is a comparably small crime: leaking classified documents.

For the government, which has committed far more serious acts, you look the other way.