DOD Passes the Buck Rather than Let Kucinich Visit Bradley Manning
On February 4, Dennis Kucinich asked DOD to allow him to visit Bradley Manning so he could assess his conditions of confinement. On February 8, Robert Gates wrote Kucinich a short note telling him we was referring his request to Secretary of the Army, John McHugh. In a letter dated February 24–but apparently not received in Kucinich’s office until March 1–McHugh told Kucinich he was referring his request to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Legislative Affairs.
In short, a full month after the date when a member of Congress requested a visit with Manning, DOD is still stalling on a real response with bureaucratic buck-passing.
As to the substantive response McHugh offered Kucinich? It matches all the disingenuous boilerplate responses the rest of DOD has offered–claiming that Manning is treated as any other “similarly situated” pretrial detainee at Quantico, without mentioning that there is at most one other Max prisoner, and none who have been held on Prevention of Injury watch for eight months.
PFC Manning experiences the same confinement conditions as other similarly situated pretrial prisoners at the MCBQ Pretrial Confinement Facility.
In addition, McHugh appeals to the same bogus privacy excuse that Quantico is now using to avoid explaining why they’re submitting Manning to the same treatment they used at Abu Ghraib.
PFC Manning’s custody and status classifications, like all pretrial prisoners at the MCBQ Pretrial Confinement Facility, are evaluated regularly by a board of corrections specialists pursuant to Department of Navy regulations. As United States laws prohibit the release of personal identification, including personal health information, I am not able to discuss PFC Manning’s specific custody and status classifications and other aspects of his care and treatment.
Effectively, they’re using “privacy” as their excuse not to admit that under POI, Manning is subject to some of the same degrading techniques we objected to in Gitmo and Abu Ghraib.
Kucinich isn’t missing that parallel, either. In his response today, he said,
My request to visit with Pfc. Manning must not be delayed further. Today we have new reports that Manning was stripped naked and left in his cell for seven hours. While refusing to explain the justification for the treatment, a marine spokesman confirmed the actions but claimed they were ‘not punitive.’
Is this Quantico or Abu Ghraib? Officials have confirmed the ‘non-punitive’ stripping of an American soldier who has not been found guilty of any crime. This ‘non-punitive’ action would be considered a violation of the Army Field Manual if used in an interrogation overseas. The justification for and purpose of this action certainly raises questions of ‘cruel and unusual punishment,’ and could constitute a potential violation of international law. [my emphasis]
As I said, it has been a full month since Kucinich made a legitimate request to visit with an American citizen who, thus far, must be assumed innocent. Yet DOD seems to be deploying the most transparent kind of bureaucratic stall to prevent Kucinich form visiting Manning.
Update: Corrected date of Gates note.
Great comment, Congressman Kucinich.
Thanks, Marcy, for writing this up, and I stand corrected on any earlier assertions in regards to Congressman Kucinich’s endeavors on behalf of PFC Manning.
For DoD, I have nothing but contempt in this affair. They are acting illegally, and whatever federal or military officials are involved in the torture and mistreatment of Pvt. Manning should be prosecuted.
EW!
Very Important–MUST READ FULLY!
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/03/03/952165/-Anonymous-Will-Avenge-Manning
Anonymous does no one any favors with these stunts, and certainly not Bradley Manning or WikiLeaks; this is criminal activity and it should be condemned not celebrated.
I hear you, but the high road can be pretty damned lonely at times.
Please define criminal. It’s all so confusing anymore.
I agree, but who am I? I’m left wondering though, is there any possibility that a movement from the law society and or members of the bar across the nation will demonstrate? Justice and freedom aside not to mention the Constitution, is it not in their best interests to rise up?
From “Tahrir Square with Max and Stacy – 4 March 2011” (by stacyherbert):
(Specific reply to Mzchief)
Do you have the new J. Perkins piece? It is in stores now and plays off the others.
Besides the fact that this economic model is 5 centuries old, the content is old news for readers and especially blog readers. Books are great but are the slowest form of information dissemination sometimes documenting what happened decades ago. Why buy it when you can read it in the library? FDL was very kind to do a salon on Perkin’s book, Hoodwinked, just recently (transcript).
From my perspective, we are drowning in a sea of data and qualified information and have been so for a good amount of time.
(an often quoted passage from The Rime of the Ancyent Marinere by Samuel Taylor Coleridge).
Was the hacking of HBGary criminal?
Don’t know about a lot of others here, but I’m pretty much celebrating the hell out that. Wonder what Glenn’s take on it will be?
The short answer is yes, gaining unauthorized to a computer is typically criminal, as is altering or deleting data, inserting viruses, etc. Such laws are enforced more rigorously in the EU than in the US, for example, whose computer and data privacy/protection laws lag woefully behind those of other large economies, about as much I would say as does our health care.
Here is a short primer.
So, using illegal means to uncover more heinous illegal activity is good or bad? In a country where the tenacity of the law is indirectly proportional to the size of the pocket-book of the defendant, I have to go with the former.
It means they are engaging in a kind of civil disobedience that involves breaking some laws in order to correct greater wrongs than breaking those laws. As do all forms of civil disobedience, including the kind being done in Madison, WI, and Columbus, OH, it carries with it the acknowledged risk of censure, fines and imprisonment.
People do it, Gandhi started doing it in 1906 in South Africa and never stopped doing it, because the wrongs they see are worth the cost of punishment. The hope is, in the end, that if enough people do it, it will make a difference, that such punishments will no longer be meted out for doing the right thing.
It’s an aspiration that doesn’t always work out. In many cases, it’s still worth the try. But don’t expect a bed of roses or thanks, job well done praise even from supporters let alone from those you oppose.
The House route is fine if that’s what it takes. I seem to remember Jane posting something about Manning has to be notified that someone wants to be on his visitor or mail list, then approve or disapprove. (Assuming that’s not the last word and the Brig has some say, but just to keep Manning from getting visits or mail that he doesn’t want…say from the Westbro Baptist Church or whatever.)
The anonymous hackers are risking their lives to resist the Fascist Police State. They are patriots.
Presumption of innocence and compassion, quaint ideas from the past.
Kucinich needs to bypass Gates now. He needs to call Obama and Biden. Yeah, I know. Obama is with Jebbers visiting those schools in FL. Doesn’t matter, he can still get his message thru.
As soon as he makes the call, he needs to head on over to the brig and tell them he has authority.
I agree that Kucinich should and could stop allowing himself to be stonewalled. Demand that the get the hell out of the way, inform them – or not – that he is on his way over, show up at the brig and tell all torture adminstrators who think they have authority over him to get the hell out of his way. Kucinich has the position here, these filthy torture administrators do not.
There’s only so much a single Congressman can do. He can’t compel action here. He can only use the waning power of sunlight and embarrassment to provoke reasonable conduct.
Moreover, because of his liberal positions on many issues, Mr. Kucinich is not considered Serious by the Beltway’s Serious people. No one in DC opens the door for him or lights his cigar, as if he were chair of the Appropriations committee. They prefer to slam the door on his backside after he leaves. Officials sticking a thumb in his eye will get a high-five at the Ebbitt Grill. So Mr. K will have to be an annoying terrier, an approach with which he’s familiar.
Besides, Dennis is from Ohio. He is involved in strategizing countermoves to Gov. Kasich’s assaults on unions, students, families, local government, schools and colleges, and everyone not on his Christmas list.
As a former partner at defunct Lehman Brothers and a Fox Noise commentator, Kasich has failed upward so many times he confuses himself with Carly Fiorina and thinks it’s what happens to everyone when the heat’s turned off, the school and library doors are shut, and the lights go out.
Kucinich is a nobody in Washington. He could have been president but the Democrats wanted Obama.
I agree with your take on Kucinich (but still thank him for doing what he’s doing). I disagree *somewhat* re your take on Obama. yes, the voters did vote for Obama *in droves,* but I feel that Obama made it there ultimately bc of backing from the Plutocracy… who also sought to (successfully) marginalize Kucinich.
I don’t think bypassing Gates is an option. The decision to slow-walk this has to have been made at “the highest level.” I can tell you that, further down the chain of command, any request from ANY member of Congress is handled as nearly instantly as humanly possible. I’ve seen cases where the VIP was informed it would take another hour to answer his question because the casualty report still hadn’t been submitted (done in less than 24 hours), but normally when one of these requests lands on the general’s desk he’s going to require an answer within half an hour. And at the lower level any request is responded to favorably, if at all possible. I have no doubt that this is being managed out of the National Security Council, and every decision is being approved by Obama before being made. This latest outrage may have been “authorized by the commander of the brig,” but no Warrant Officer 2 is going to be doing s***t like this without written orders from higher up the chain of command, because it’s patently against the UCMJ. In other words, it’s illegal. Unless the lawyers say otherwise, of course.
Barack “good shoes” Obama will never respond to any entreaty from the
progressive, new deal, or liberal elements of the Democratic Party for
one reason, he is a complete personal opportunist yuppie affirmative
action baby, Condi with a strap on.
No, he’s a Reagan Republican, which is the only explanation needed.
I wonder what McCain thinks of the referral to Navy legislative affairs brass.
McCain stopped pretending to give a shit about torture when he geared up for 2008. Actually, well before that.
McCain cared about torture – and finding MIA’s – only so long as it was politically advantageous for him to complain about his. As with every other aspect of his behavior, when it comes to anyone but John McCain, he doesn’t give a shit. It’s why he would have never made admiral, despite being Navy royalty, the son and grandson of highly-decorated admirals. It’s why he can use the “c” word about his wife in front of reporters, ’cause it’s all about him.
“Windmill!”
– Dennis Kucinich
I wish we had 434 more Representatives like Kucinich. Most of the rest are like the clown from my district here in N. AZ, Paul Gosar. We had a blue dog Democrat in the previous congress to represent us, who failed re-election because of a lack of enthusiasm for her candidacy from the Democratic base. Gosar is the reward for our lack of enthusiasm.
Bob in AZ
Arab-American Student Sues FBI Over GPS Tracking Device
Yasir Afifi, the 20-year-old Arab-American student who was visited by FBI agents after he found a secret GPS tracking device on his car, sued Attorney General Eric Holder and FBI Director Robert Mueller this week for violating his constitutional rights.
The lawsuit describes how several FBI agents showed up at Affifi’s California apartment just a couple days after the device was found planted on his vehicle. Affifi alleges that the unknown agents in three unmarked vehicles subjected him to a hostile interrogation in a “bizarre mission to retrieve the device” and did not honor his request for the immediate presence of his counsel.
Once he handed the GPS device over, a female agent who identified herself as Jennifer Kanaan “made clear that she knew intimate, private details of Mr. Afifi’s life” by congratulating him on his new job and commending his taste in restaurants.”
http://news.google.com/news/more?pz=1&hdlOnly=1&cf=all&ned=us&cf=all&ncl=dXUt9_FYD1p2gqMsmygmmvR4YCYJM
That is one smart agent: she made sure he had confirmation that the device had been used- in fact he might get a date for the installation from the comments. This is individual responsibility.
It’s not clear to me whose privacy the Pentagon, the Army, the Marine brig in Quantico are worried about. It looks an awful like the Pentagon’s, the Army’s, the Marine brig commander’s and her guards’ privacy, not Mr. Manning’s. The arrogance and open cynicism in that excuse is as breathtaking as Mr. Manning’s continuing mistreatment.
If there really was an unmentionable episode on Mr. Manning’s part that elicited this new, probably illegal treatment, then surely they or Manning have told his lawyer about it. He couldn’t adequately represent him without knowing his current conditions and state of mind, could he?
If there were such an episode, then like our anti-terror policies generally, it most likely occurred as a direct result of the isolation and inhumane treatment meted out to this prisoner, which means it’s fault and liability of this government, not Mr. Manning’s.
Perhaps Mr. Kucinich would get somewhere if he took the short drive from DC to Quantico and asked personally to see a federal prisoner. Perhaps he could accompany Mr. House on his next visit. Perhaps a few photos of a Congressman being escorted off the base or having his car searched or having a ticket issued for having a license sticker on the wrong corner of a plate would help publicize the mistreatment of Mr. Manning, which corrodes belief and in trust in the American military, the president and the rule of law. If not, eventually there comes a time when playing chicken doesn’t work out well for anybody.
Fantastic idea, Earl. That DoD disses a Congressman so transparently is hideous.
No doubt he is thinking of that action.
Have Dennis cash in that health vote chit for a visit with the hero Bradley Manning this Sunday.
Obama ain’t got time for Dennis and Bradley Manning while he’s kissing Jeb’s ass. Some fucking .
presidentunitary executive.This is not the way parts of the executive branch normally respond to congressional letters.
They normally respond with urgency.
Somebody in this case has made it clear to people in the Dept. of the Army that they are not to respond to this request with any dispatch at all.
No, actually they DON’T respond with urgency. They often let responses linger for a year.
But Kucinich’s request was really not something they needed to run around the bureaucracy like this. Hell, Morell said yesterday they were thinking of bringing in a journalist to meet Manning (probably some captive journalist like Chuck Todd). But they can’t just let Kucinich go meet with this guy?
For the record … Todd speaking to Morrell at time point 9:05: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/41887523#41887523 .
Good point.
I have asked Sen. Webb to request a visit with Manning. He’s a former Marine, Quantico is in our state, he’s on the Armed Services committee, and he’s got more free time than members of Congress and Senators who are going to run for re-election. I told him I’m glad my mother, who was a Marine lieutenant in 1944-45, is not alive to see the way the branch is disgracing itself at the behest of those higher up.
He won’t, of course, but if he did I know he’d get a faster response than Rep. Kucinich. I made it clear that a visit would not show support for Manning or his alleged actions but for the rule of law.
McCain may not be interested in this case, but I wonder if former Marine officer and SecNav (and Annapolis graduate) Jim Webb might be persuaded to take an interest. Since he’s leaving the Senate, career preservation might not be a factor inducing him not to take an interest.
Quantico is even in his state.
I had hopes for Jim Webb, based on his announced push for prison reform, but now that he’s announced he won’t run for reelection I don’t think he’s got any leverage. He also seems discouraged from not having been able to gain any traction for his program, although it’s long past time when that NEEDS to be addressed.
On the other hand, the fact that Webb is not running for re-election might give him greater freedom to take a stand. He doesn’t have to worry about being re-elected.
And doesn’t he occupy important committee positions for the funding of the military?
And mightn’t Manning’s treatment give him greater leverage over the treatment of prisoners in general?
I noted that Jeff Kaye’s valtinsblog is down a few minutes ago.
I’m seeing the website just fine. Getting my opera fix (Das Rheingold: Alberich’s curse [Hermann Becht]) right now …
Thanks to Kuchinich for what he’s doing. I encourage him to double-down on his attempts to get in to see Manning. It’s a travesty what they’re doing. I also hope that Kuchinich’s efforts get some media attention, albeit I *do* realize that the corporate-owned fascist media has done it’s “job” in dimissing Kuchinich as a leftie nutbar. I hope Kuchinich contacts POTUS Obama, who’s on his little junket in FL with JEB (perhaps arranging for JEB to be his future running mate in 2012??) lauding JEB’s fabulous schools agenda in FL. What. a. waste. of. my. tax. dollars.
Talk about traitors- Jeb Bush- what an insult to all Americans that the President has time for Baby Bush.
It’s my “take,” that Obama is negotiating with JEB to be his VP running mate in 2012. We all now know that Obama is a NeoCon hard-right Republican continuing the W Bush Admin III. So why not make it official and keep it in the family ‘n such? Nothing would surprise me at this stage.
Just a change of roles. Kennedy fellated Dubya and now Jeb is returning the favor on Obama.
Where’s the ICRC on Manning? Human Rights Watch?
I’ve written to Amnesty International about Manning’s torture and encourage others to do so, fwiw.
Bradley Manning is a traitor, an enemy of the United States. His crimes will get people killed. I hope they keep him locked up forever.
That is really sick and twisted.
Waht’s sick aand twisted is worrying aobut a traitor.
Out, out, damned spot
Hey there! I was hoping to see you around. Turns out that claim you keep pushing about millions of dollars of damage done to the Wisconsin capitol building is bullshit and now even the person who made that claim is admitting it’s bullshit. Sort of fucks up any remote claim to credibility you might still have possessed, does it not?
Eh – unsurprised. Yesterday s/he was boxed into a corner on a WI blog, and then proceeded to spout nonsense about “cougars and young boys.” Seriously, I kid you not. Not sure if David Koch paid him/her for that lame commentary, but at least it got him/her to STFU and get off the blog.
Plus, the Painter’s Union has made an offer to make any necessary repairs at no cost.
More to the point of the topic of this post, Wallbanger admits an un-American and un-Constitutional view.
In this country one is presumed innocent until proven guilty, and is also free from cruel and unusual punishment per the 8th Amendment.
But, but, but….teh Constitooshun doesn’t apply to real ‘muricans…you know, Republicans and teabaggers, unless they agree with it. The ones who don’t have to pay taxes or obey any laws they disagree with.
Dick Cheney is a traitor, an enemy of the United States. His crimes have gotten thousands of us soldiers and hundreds of thousands of civilians killed. I hope they try him in the ICC for war crimes.
Rather like locking up the kid who told the newspaper that his boss, his boss’s boss, and his boss’s boss’s boss all had their hands in the till and were stealing the store and its customers blind. Nice set of priorities you have there.
Pardon me, wallbanger — Innocent until proven guilty, right? Did I somehow miss Manning’s trial and conviction?
Is he a constiuent of Kucinich? If not, who is his Congressman – can’t they get any double teaming? Kucinich gave Obama his healthcare bill without a public option, and Obama won’t even get him in to see the kid? I actually flinch these days when I read articles about Obama’s prospects in 2012 looking up.
Kucinich should show up at the gate and tweet what happens. Someone else did something like that. *heh*
The word to stonewall Kucinich comes from the wh in all probability. This is one of those ‘plausible deniability’ scenarios.
Anyway, wasn’t our hero, john kerry, going to look into the Bradley Manning situation? As I recall it has now been about a week with not a peep from kerry.
From a constituent diary about the Saturday February 19, 2011 town hall meeting with Kerry in Northampton, Massachusetts entitled, “John Kerry Investigating Bradley Manning’s Solitary Confinement“:
Monday Feb. 28, 2011 has come and gone.
Maybe Kerry went windsurfing.
Well we know from his office’s press release yesterday that “Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.) will take the ice this year for the 3rd Annual Congressional Hockey Challenge”:
Perhaps Mr. Kerry could ask Mr. Obama if Mr. Manning will be the last soldier to give up his underwear in Mr. Obama’s war on whistleblowers, as misguided an effort as the war Mr. Kerry protested.
Good thing I finished my coffee before I read that.
Figures. I gave up eons ago on John McCan’t, whose picture is in the dictionary next to the term: narcissistic sociopath. McCain couldn’t give one sh*t about active or vet military personnel. Recall that he voted against increasing active military pay and against increases for the Vet Admin. POS.
And Kerry’s probably too busy combing his hair.
Both of these Senators have long gone past their “sell by” dates in terms of being of any use to anybody, most esp to anyone in the active military or a Vet. Worthless POS scum. Ptoui!!! I’m sure that neither one could care less about Manning, and I’m equally sure that both sleep like babies every single night. Ptoui!!!
Now if there is someone who knows torture when he sees torture, though not so good at keeping planes in the air under his command, McCain should be demanding access tonight. Instead he’s trying to figure out which house they are staying in this weekend.
Enough of the Torture/ Murder/ Treason, please.
Torture only “matters” when it happens to John McCain personally and directly, clearly. Everyone else can go get off of McCain’s lawn & STFU.
I wonder how many times the little twerp Kuchinich visited wounded soldiers at Walter Reed?
Rep. Kucinich has probably been to Walter Reed Army Hospital more times than all the Rethug Congressmen put together. He just doesn’t stage photo-ops every time he goes unlike they do.
And unlike you and your compatriots, Rep. Kucinich actually has worked very very hard FOR our troops, not just mouthed platitudes and then voted against every single thing that has been proposed in the last ten years that would actually support those same troops.
The sick, wounded and dying that Cheney, Bush and Rumsfeld left to sit in their own body wastes, the ones left to fend for themselves with debilitating head wounds in a hospital whose funding they’d cut and which the Pentagon still mismanages, the ones multiplied in number owing to their wars built on lies. Those patients? Yea, I thought so.
Don’t feed the trolls.
More times than your hero George Bush, I`m sure.
Attention FDL janitorial clean-up service we have a discharge clean-up in isle 28 & 29.
Wake up, citizens. IF you happen to believe that this type of treatment is “reserved” only for “traitors,” then you’re very delusional and not in touch with reality. Manning has not been *proven* to be a traitor, nor has he had a chance to go before a judge and jury. For those unaware of basic civil liberties in this nation, we are *all* innocent until proven guilty before a court of law.
Wake up. Such treatment could happen to you. Think you’re safe? I wouldn’t be so sure about that. The Commander in Chief is demonstrating the *power* of the state to incarcerate citizens without a trial and to torture them in the same fashion that we tortured Iraqi citizens at Abu Ghraib.
Anyone who thinks they’re “safe” from something similar happening to them is living in a fool’s paradise. This situation is beyond regrettable in terms of what’s happening to Private Manning, but believe me, it goes way beyond the situation for this one citizen.
Don’t ask for whom the bell tolls, citizen. It tolls just as much for thee, as it does for Manning.
Wake up!!
I agree. This is taking too long. Give him a fair and open court martial already. Give him whatever we would give any American soldier arrested for a serious crime. There are plenty of good lawyers who will defend him for free. And these lawyers will fight for his rights. Then, if he’s found guily, hang him as a traitor.
This is what you said @55, which seems to me that you have *some* concern or “worry” about Private Manning & the illegal torture he is forced to endure without ever having a chance at legal representation.
Yet, let me quote you @29:
1. YOU have already “tried & convicted” Manning as being a “traitor” in the kangaroo court of your petty narrow mind
2. And then YOU appear to among the “sick and twisted” who are “worried” about Manning.
I think you’d do yourself a favor to go back to gibbering about “cougars and young boys” like you did yesterday. You’re absolutely not making any sense, yet you manage to be about as offensive as is humanly possible.
If you don’t want to smell like monkey poop, stay away from the primates.
Just sayin.
yeah yeah… couldn’t help pointing out the extreme cognitive dissonance…
Careful Denis. Don’t push too hard. Just do enough to get your second ride in the big blue aeroplane and then you’ll come back grinning like a 10 year old who just opened his Christmas presents, and you can forget the whole thing!
OT, here’s something Al Jazeera might want to cover.
http://www.rawstory.com/rawreplay/2011/03/watch-christian-protesters-surround-muslim-man-at-white-house/
Is it possible the military knows they have a halfbaked case at best and are getting their punches in while they can?
They have no case. They will force Manning to confess. That will be good enough for whatever kangaroo court is convened to persecute Manning.
We also know from Kerry’s office today that:
That’s groovy but why not bring an American citizen, Bradley Manning, just miles away from DC back together with his family instead of doubling-down on his pre-trial torture? How about boosting that? Shouldn’t that be priority?
What about protesting Manning treatment at Armed Forces recruiting stations? Let those joining know they could be the next one to get the Manning treatment from the Pentagon.
We’ve got to turn up the pressure on those in a position to make decisions on Manning. Get them to release Manning.
Also… Try to get Jim McDermott from Seattle involved. Activate the Left Coast.
A naked protest? To stand in solidarity with Manning… could get a lot of pub in the MSM. You know they won’t cover a normal protest.
There’s an idea. You interest me strangely. ;)
Be difficult to do that where I am in March, although I suppose we could organize indoors demos.
Male and Female shirtless protests?
Ya think Wolf Blitzer would show up?
We could argue that we are doing it as a way to improve the health of the population?
In solidarity with a naked Bradley. That blanket he has to sleep under at night has been noted to be so rough it tears at the skin.
I’ve read. It’s simply disgusting what these people are doing to the kid.
Desperate times calls for desperate measures I suppose.
People protesting at the brig, media coverage, calls and letters haven’t gotten their attention. Neither has all the blogs all over the sphere. Maybe mass nakedness would.
There’s no enemy Army marching on Gettysburg, PA. What’s going on in Libya…maybe that is what desperate looks a little like.
There no real dire circumstances in the US. There’s no fucking excuse for any of this shit.
The people responsible for Manning’s treatment are criminals.
You missunderstood, or i worded it poorly.
I was saying the naked protests would be the desperate measures.
Ummm… it is Portland OR. They don’t even really arrest naked people inside the city limits anymore. If you’re gonna do it anywhere, here is safest.
Me naked is a weapon of mass disgust, though. I don’t think you want that on your conscience
Yeah, I’m not going to protest naked. I believe in the laws against cruel and unusual punishment .. for innocent bystanders.
I could pull a “Yossarian”(Catch 22) if this 56 year old male body was more presentable.
This will end badly for Obama and the others involve.
the Bradley Manning SAGA will probably hurt Obama more than he thinks.
Dems will soon be running to the hills denying they knew anything about OBAMA inhumane actions toward Bradley Manning.
this current WH is a circus act, they just don’t get it. the way they have handled the Bradley Manning Saga is just STUPID. How does OBAMA when the PR war on this? he will not!
Not letting Dennis K see Brad Manning says it all, yet again OBAMA has found another way to become the worse USA president ever.
Obama needs to look in the MIRROR quickly, he knows or someone needs to tell him, when the Bradley Manning story is told, you will be made the fall guy, and most of the USA will hate you.
Obama does not have anyone in his inner circle that tells him, don’t do this OBAMA remember you are a UNIQUE president. You can’t do what Bush and others do and have done.
I’ve just sent the following letter and encourage others to do likewise:
…………….
General James F. Amos
Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps
Quantico, VA 22134
Dear General Amos:
Why are you torturing Bradley Manning?
Sincerely yours,
……………..
Bmaz,
I’ve been away from the puter for a while. I’d like to clarify my post as per your response.
I am not celebrating anything! I caught this early in the day, read thru it, and have been back to catch the updates. The reason that I posted the response to EW is due to the facts that he mentions EW and her reporting several times in his statement.
Most importantly, I felt that as a long time reader of EW that EW should know of this. I did not realize that my post evoked a passion of celebration.
The Ministry of Love(DoD)is run by sycophants working for sociopaths.
“War is Peace,” “Freedom is Slavery,” “Ignorance is Strength.”
Well isn’t cruel and unusual punishments exactly what we’d be trying to expose? /s
Not saying it’d be pretty but, it might be affective… at least in getting the word out. You know the MSM loves a good nudity story.
If this is how the U.S. governments treats one of its own citizens, how long will it before we all are subject to “room 101” because we posted something that “aided the enemy”?
Well, yeah, exactly.
Think it can’t happen to you? Don’t be so sure… (said rhetorically, but still: duly note what’s happening).
Don’t worry, we’ve still got the seperation of powers – checks and balances, you know.
There’s no way the Courts…
I mean, there’s no way, the Congress….
I mean, surely the Executive…
See you in the stockade, bro.
It won’t be long.
How come Dennis doesn’t write to Manning and ask to be put on his list of approved visitors?
That might shake things up a bit.
Actually, I think that Kucinich would have to write to David House and ask him to ask Bradley to put Kucinich on the list – if I remember aright, Bradley is not allowed to get mail from people not already on his list. And I dunno if I would even trust that the mail he is “allowed” to get hasn’t been censored beyond readability.