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Jack Rabbit

(45,984 posts)

16. Manning and Julian Assange should be given the Nobel Peace Prize

Thu Feb 23, 2012, 04:57 PM

Feb 2012

A lot of this "secrecy" is nonsense to cover up propaganda program, to cover up a gross mistake in judgment, or simply to prevent a brutal dictator who may be useful to the US at the given moment from being embarrassed. It doesn't serve the long term interests of United States very well and serves the people the world at large, especially nations like Iraq and Tunisia, very poorly.

The goal of spreading democracy in the Middle East is laudable and it would be nice if the US acted on it instead of using it as a rouse to get popular support for wars aimed at enriching corporate coffers. Specialist Manning (I'll unilaterally give him back the rank my government took away from him) and Mr. Assange did more to democratize the Middle East than invading Iraq or supporting a motly crew of corrupt dictators ever did.

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Bradley Manning charged in WikiLeaks case [View all] hue Feb 2012 OP

If Manning is guilty, I don't feel a lot of sympathy for him. NaturalHigh Feb 2012 #1

Lest you forget: there are better people to haul into court on charges; i.e., Bush, Cheney, et al. xocet Feb 2012 #3

That's really not relevant to what I posted about Manning. NaturalHigh Feb 2012 #6

Of course, it is relevant. It goes to the point of even bothering to have a justice system. xocet Feb 2012 #20

If someone I know breaks the law and is not prosecuted... NaturalHigh Feb 2012 #23

I see that you cannot answer my questions. I did not think that you would be able to do so. n/t xocet Feb 2012 #25

Possibly, yes, depending on the circumstances TiberiusB Feb 2012 #47

Answers to your questions: NaturalHigh Feb 2012 #26

Thank you for answering. n/t xocet Feb 2012 #37

Iraq War was Illegal Under International Law solarman350 Feb 2012 #38

That isn't evidence that it's legal. caseymoz Feb 2012 #43

I mentioned the murders & rapists to the officer who cited me for speeding. He wasn't impressed 24601 Feb 2012 #31

Good for you! xocet Feb 2012 #36

Didn't say blameless. Said in effect not legally responsible for orders he could not give. n/t 24601 Feb 2012 #54

This is an argument for resignation. caseymoz Feb 2012 #44

That's a bit of a distortion TiberiusB Feb 2012 #48

The fact that Bush, Cheney et al need to be in jail... jmowreader Feb 2012 #56

I agree. nt Sarah Ibarruri Feb 2012 #66

btw, Nuremburg - following orders is no defense nt msongs Feb 2012 #5

You're going to equate protecting classified information with executing millions? TheWraith Feb 2012 #11

Thank you - you beat me to it. NaturalHigh Feb 2012 #13

OK, so we agree that Manning is not accused of exposing war crimes. JDPriestly Feb 2012 #14

Because these are US embassy cables. TheWraith Feb 2012 #21

I am not in the group that thinks that Manning JDPriestly Feb 2012 #33

Wait, how would Manning have had access to diplomatic correspondence? caseymoz Feb 2012 #45

Manning had access to state department databases. He dumped a huge chunk of it. boppers Feb 2012 #55

Well, we needed that leak just for that fact, then. nt caseymoz Feb 2012 #63

Part of the "9/11" problem was compartmentalization. boppers Feb 2012 #64

Before Bush, classified information was compartmented, and now it's not jmowreader Feb 2012 #57

That arrangement in itself needed this leak, then. caseymoz Feb 2012 #62

Why is this relevant? TiberiusB Feb 2012 #49

I question why the material at issue, so much of which JDPriestly Feb 2012 #12

Very good point, but that's not the issue at hand. NaturalHigh Feb 2012 #15

I am concerned about the fact that our government wastes JDPriestly Feb 2012 #34

there is the Geneva Conventions annm4peace Feb 2012 #39

Actually, if he'd bothered to follow the MWPA of 1988, he'd have complied with Geneva, and had msanthrope Feb 2012 #67

Manning can ONLY be "guilty" if the USA Gov't is "innocent" of war crimes 99th_Monkey Feb 2012 #41

Exposing war crimes is not a crime. grahamhgreen Feb 2012 #51

It's a shame that Manning is charged with this and yet Dick Cheney roams free. sinkingfeeling Feb 2012 #2

Absolutely. Proof that the rich and powerful rule over the rest of the 1%. Gregorian Feb 2012 #9

meanwhile war crimes perpetrated from the white house go unchallenged nt msongs Feb 2012 #4

Which White House? cbrer Feb 2012 #42

BRADLEY MANNING IS A TRUE HERO, drynberg Feb 2012 #7

True heroes are willing to accept the consequences for their actions. NaturalHigh Feb 2012 #10

And that kind of rank hyperbole is why no one takes you seriously. TheWraith Feb 2012 #17

Implying anyone takes YOU seriously. nt sudopod Feb 2012 #18

"Hoist with his own petard: and 't shall go hard" --Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act 3, Scene 4 xocet Feb 2012 #24

Trolling or serious, I can't tell TiberiusB Feb 2012 #50

BRADLEY MANNING IS A TRUE HERO, drynberg Feb 2012 #8

+10000, the Manning case is a true test of who is a collaborator with tyranny, and who is not stockholmer Feb 2012 #32

Manning and Julian Assange should be given the Nobel Peace Prize Jack Rabbit Feb 2012 #16

This ^ n/t Catherina Feb 2012 #19

K&R valerief Feb 2012 #29

We already know the end result. . . BigDemVoter Feb 2012 #22

Same charge as Prescott Bush and Herbert Walker. Downwinder Feb 2012 #27

The entire civilized world is the "enemy" he was aiding. saras Feb 2012 #28

When the prosecution charges "aiding the enemy", Matilda Feb 2012 #30

No. Proving harm is not an element of the crime. nt msanthrope Feb 2012 #59

Wow, I didn't know they were going after him under aiding the enemy and espionage! joshcryer Feb 2012 #35

Tough case to prove? Probably not. GliderGuider Feb 2012 #46

Yes, but the chat logs indicate he was doing it *for* the country. joshcryer Feb 2012 #53

The chat logs indicate a ex-post facto rationalization that is easily picked apart. msanthrope Feb 2012 #60

They've got that charge nailed. msanthrope Feb 2012 #58

Reason number 4,379,334 that our government is a complete joke. n/t girl gone mad Feb 2012 #40

Exposing War Crimes is not a Crime, READ: grahamhgreen Feb 2012 #52

Yeah. Too bad he didn't use the MWPA of 1988--then the perpetrators could have been held msanthrope Feb 2012 #61

K&R. Tripod Feb 2012 #65