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In reply to the discussion: Bradley Manning is a true American hero. [View all]Col. Lakin.
The belief that you know best is not license to break the law.
As posted elsewhere in this thread, Manning was not exposing a particular violation of law. And if he did, there are avenues to do that, which he did not pursue.
I like the idea of government transparency. I also understand the need for confidentiality in certain government transactions. Manning made no distinction, and he broke the law, as evidenced by his guilty plea.
I appreciate that he thought he was doing right. He knew he was breaking the law doing so. He didn't do what he did under the whistleblower laws... thus, as any conscientious objector, he must accept the punishment given to him.
I wish he had done it differently.
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Of course the military thinks he's a traitor. He exposed them for the murderous
morningfog
Mar 2013
#6
Russia Today and Iran's PressTV get off on telling the truth about America's problems.
Fire Walk With Me
Mar 2013
#7
So... was Daniel Ellsberg also a "vile little piece of sh.." for the Pentagon Papers?...
cascadiance
Mar 2013
#62
A soldier undermines the civilian government's diplomacy! What could be better?
struggle4progress
Mar 2013
#51
My point is that thanks to the actions of the Bush Administration, diplomacy is not
vanlassie
Mar 2013
#84
Well, of course, no one who has a lick of sense imagines that governments of any kind
struggle4progress
Mar 2013
#89
Nothing obliges you to like Mr Obama or his administration, but comparing them all to Nazis
struggle4progress
Mar 2013
#73
You're welcome to take the PoV that soldiers are entitled to ignore constraints imposed on them
struggle4progress
Mar 2013
#88
Claims that he was a principled whistleblower might have had some credibility,
struggle4progress
Mar 2013
#19
War crimes, none of which have been investigated btw in case you had not noticed.
sabrina 1
Mar 2013
#41
You have no objection to military personnel undermining the diplomatic corps?
struggle4progress
Mar 2013
#49
You do not understand this notion of civilian control of the military? It is not a difficult notion,
struggle4progress
Mar 2013
#64
Is torture Constiutional? Are you aware of the oath taken by members of the US
sabrina 1
Mar 2013
#68
You are free to dislike diplomats and to oppose diplomacy if you like, but then you should be
struggle4progress
Mar 2013
#45
Let's see a link for your claim US diplomats are assassinating journalists
struggle4progress
Mar 2013
#48
This particular subthread concerns ronnie's claim that US diplomats assassinate journalists
struggle4progress
Mar 2013
#81
Your prior post indicated you believe US diplomats are murdering journalists:
struggle4progress
Mar 2013
#80
OK. You were free to clarify what you were actually saying, if you really wanted to be understood.
struggle4progress
Mar 2013
#87
It was a long-winded way of saying, 'I like the status quo, and I hate anyone who undermines it'. nt
ronnie624
Mar 2013
#28
Why 'unfortunate'?? RT is one of the best most fact filled international news outlets
sabrina 1
Mar 2013
#44
When do you expect RT will start publishing Russia's diplomatic cables?
struggle4progress
Mar 2013
#50
As soon as they publish any of the others. You don't watch it, do you? But you
sabrina 1
Mar 2013
#54
Just as I thought, you are simply reacting to the old, historical Cold War rhetoric
sabrina 1
Mar 2013
#58
Well having observed the brutal crackdown of peaceful OWS protesters, the near
sabrina 1
Mar 2013
#66