President Obama has commuted the majority of the remaining prison sentence of Army whistleblower Chelsea Manning, who was sentenced to 35 years in military prison in 2013 for leaking hundreds of thousands of documents to Wikileaks. Manning will be released on May 17 from Fort Leavenworth Military Prison, where she would otherwise have been detained until 2045.
While serving as an army intelligence analyst, Manning sent hundreds of thousands of classified diplomatic and military documents to Wikileaks, revealing, among other things, a dramatically higher civilian death count in Iraq and Afghanistan than the Pentagon revealed publicly, and the chilling video of a U.S. Apache helicopter gunning down journalists in central Baghdad.
White House spokesperson Josh Earnest spoke about the possibility of clemency on Friday, saying Manning was “exposed to due process, was found guilty,” and that she “acknowledged wrongdoing.” He also appeared to close the door on last-minute clemency for other whistleblowers, saying NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden revealed material that is “far more serious and far more dangerous.”
Even with her sentence commuted, Manning will have spent more time in detention than anyone convicted of leaking to news organizations: Just under seven years. After being arrested in 2010, she endured 11 months of solitary confinement, and was repeatedly denied medical care for her gender dysphoria.
In September, Manning staged a five-day hunger strike, and ended it only after the Army allowed her to consult a surgeon to receive gender-affirming surgery. Later that month, the Army punished Manning in retaliation for a suicide attempt, and she spent a week in solitary confinement.
Human rights activists and lawyers for Manning celebrated the decision.
“I’m relieved and thankful that the president is doing the right thing and commuting Chelsea Manning’s sentence,” said Chase Strangio, an attorney with the ACLU representing Manning, in a statement. “Since she was first taken into custody, Chelsea has been subjected to long stretches of solitary confinement — including for attempting suicide — and has been denied access to medically necessary health care. This move could quite literally save Chelsea’s life, and we are all better off knowing that Chelsea Manning will walk out of prison a free woman, dedicated to making the world a better place and fighting for justice for so many.”
The move was quickly hailed by human rights groups. “Instead of punishing the messenger, the U.S. government can send a strong signal to the world that it is serious about investigating the human rights violations exposed by the leaks and bringing all those suspected of criminal responsible to justice in fair trials,” said Erika Guevara-Rosas, Americas Director at Amnesty International.
[Disclosure: First Look Media Works, Inc., publisher of The Intercept, made a $50,000 matching-fund donation to Chelsea Manning’s legal defense fund through its Press Freedom Litigation Fund, and Glenn Greenwald, a founding editor of The Intercept, donated $10,000.]
Top Photo: A photo of Pfc. Chelsea Manning, provided by the Army.
“Right thing”? No, the right thing would have been a full pardon and reparations… but from a sociopath such as the outgoing terrorist-in-chief, even this much of an act of ‘conscience’ is a small miracle (even if it’s far from justice, as he considers it).
Technical question about jurisprudence for Mona and “coram nobis”: As I was commenting on in the case of Manning:
https://theintercept.com/2017/01/17/chelsea-manning-will-be-free-in-may/?comments=1#comment-339345
What is the name of the legal precept under which it is justified to do something illegal as long as:
1) it is the only way for you to prove something (which is “legally” covered up),
2) no one gets hurt from your “illegal” actions or definitely “a greater good” has benefited from it now and in the future?
Of course, §2 is a very free-to-interpretations issue which would be hard to deal with in courts. There is one of those catchy Latin phrases framing the idea. What is it?
RCL
you could also direct questions about Physics, Math, related techno sh!t and semiotic/consciousness studies to silly me
RCL
Semiotics, a fascinating topic. Though it appears to the uninitiated to be, in its current state of evolution/development, more philosophical than scientific in nature.
I think what you’re asking for is the “public interest” defense. But Snowden cannot use it. He’s precluded from offering any reasons or testimony about why he did it. Under the Espionage Act — which is what he’s charged with violating — the only permissible inquiry is did he do it.
The Espionage Act was drafted to criminalize spies who gave secret information to the country’s enemies, either for ideological or pecuniary motives. It was never intended to apply to leakers to the press and the American public.
But prosecutors at every government level can be relied upon to ensnare citizens whose acts fall outside of the purpose of the charging statutes. Advocates of “original intent” fall strangely silent about this horrible menace — because so many are authoritarians who like prosecutorial activism.
To answer Mr. Camilo López, Mona: He may also be thinking of a necessity defense. In Torts, they teach that there is a public-necessity defense and usually raise Surocco v. Geary, 3 Cal. 69 (1853), where the alcalde of San Francisco (Geary) was able to plead that burning private houses to create a firebreak to save the city was necessary.
However, in criminal law, it’s more difficult to raise that as a defense. The usual case they cite is U.S. v. Schoon, 939 F.2d 826 (9th Cir., 1991) in which protestors trashed an IRS office in Tucson to protest the war in El Salvador. The court found that the protest didn’t meet this test:
Even if nobody “gets hurt” it’s still a crime and the defendant has to meet this test (note the “and”).
The Manual for Courts Martial does allow a justification defense (see Rule of Court Martial 916) but it involves carrying out a legal duty and the burden is on the prosecution to show the justification doesn’t exist in the case.
Thank god, it was about time. I am extremely glad for her.
Army: Manning to lose transgender benefits
She’ll actually lose all health care via the VA.
That would include her PTSD. Or any cancers arising if she was near a burn pit. Or anything else from her time in service and in military confinement.
Fun fact: under the Feres doctrine, Feres v. United States, 340 U.S. 135 (1950), service members have no torts remedies whatsoever for any injuries incurred in the service.
going through some news, I realized Obama has gone into a frantic commutation last leg right while he packs up vans to get the hell out of the White House. He also pardoned the source of the leak of Stuxnet among some other 1385 individuals whose sentences were commuted/shortened
// __ Stuxnet leak source, activists among 273 people Obama commutes and pardons
rt.com/usa/374023-obama-pardons-commutes-cartwright/
~
There are way too many people in U.S. prisons anyway, but why now? After championing the persecution of whistleblowers and taking the lead in deporting people back to their countries, Obama seems to worry about posterity and also he is setting the stage for Trump?
No one seems to find rhyme or reason in Obama’s last effortful leg. Oddly enough, so far the only thing that Trump has questioned is some preferential regulations for Cuban people (supposedly) seeking political asylum in the U.S. with an assured fast track to residency and some economical privileges “pies secos, pies mojados” (wet feet, dry feet policy) made into law by Clinton 1994.
// __ el Nuevo Herald: Trump opina sobre ley de ‘pies secos, pies mojados’
youtube.com/watch?v=PeOEtsGT3AE
~
Ok, that was just a regulation at the discretion of the POTUS, but I haven’t noticed anyone relating that measure to the lift of the embargo (that cold war relic, after more than 5 decades!) and returning Guantánamo back to Cuba.
RCL
Not sure what you mean by the last paragraph. Cuba is not a particularly significant subject in this page.
Is there any question that Manning did break some existing US law, whether it be a teeny little one or a big fat one? Is it conceivable that she would have been found not guilty had Obama not made that statement? Or are we making a mountain of a mole hill?
Whether he broke some law or not is something that an impartial court should decide. Military courts-martial are convened by the chain of command, which includes the Commander in Chief, and military case law is very hostile to any appearance of tampering. UCI, like, say, inadmissible evidence, could overturn a verdict, alleged guilt notwithstanding. Obama declared Manning guilty well before the trial, and military personnel, on a court-martial panel in Washington, will certainly take notice.
It’s a big hill indeed if a chief executive and not a court can pronounce someone guilty.
Well, let me I hasten to say I’m not a lawyer and my knowledge of the legal issues involved is essentially zero, so I’m not expressing an opinion but rather wondering out loud.
I’m assuming that if it’s a case of UCI then it would have to be shown that Obama’s statement was, in fact — or could be reasonably interpreted as –, a command and that it had some influence in the outcome of the trial.
From where I sit (the remote sidelines) it sounds more than an innocent opinion that Manning did break SOME law, in no way specific abt it being whichever law(s) she was being tried over. Also, it doesnt sound much like a ‘command’.
Nevertheless, perhaps that’s enough to make a case of UCI — it just seems a bit weak.
Under military case law, appearances matter. You can pull down the Wikipedia page on UCI as a primer. There’s also this page from the US Court of Appeals of the Armed Forces, which provides past case law.
http://www.armfor.uscourts.gov/newcaaf/digest/VA1.htm
Got it. Tnx for taking your time to explain.
When coram opines on military law, and especially the Manning case, I do give it a lot of deference. He’s a really smart guy and lawyer.
Creative, as well. He used to do this shtick about the PBS “Newshour” that rivals “Benito Mussolini” for clever and funny — a very high standard!
He certainly sound athoritative. And with a nom de guerre like ‘coram nobis’ (which of course I had to google) the impression he leaves of jurisprudential gravitas is certainly enhanced.
Now, did I read somewhere you are also a member of the Bar?
Just curious.
Yes, I’m a lawyer. Opinion is split on whether I should, or whether I have a duty to, also state this: I was Glenn Greenwald’s law partner. (One long-time gadfly claims I have a “duty to disclose” this; when I do, other detractors claim I’m bragging, trying to bask in Glenn’s glory and etc.)
… and if you didnt disclose, somebody will surely come up w/ a reason to find fault in THAT.
There is a legal principle w/ an appropriate Latin label that covers the situation: “Illegitimus non carborundum”.
Glenn Greenwald in rematch with odious Major General
Last nite Glenn appeared on MSNBC opposite Major General Robert Scales to discuss the Manning commutation. They were put together again today.
Why is Major General Robert Scales odious?
READERS: About 95% of the time I do not reply to Craig Summers, who is an authoritarian, pro-torture, Republican who said he was also a Trump-voter. Multiple commenters asked that I not reply to Craig because doing so causes him to post yet more walls of drivel-text, which pollutes the board.
He is “odious” because he disagrees with Greenwald. Nice to see you have officially gone back into hiding.
Thanks Mona
It appears you think readers actually give a crap whether you respond to craigsummers.
You’re a narcissist, Mona.
Reply, at gray highlighted comment.
Also, enjoy some Western MSM nutsacks going about their bitch fits ;-)
// __ Fox News: The politics of Chelsea Manning’s commutation
youtube.com/watch?v=yx8hMGKYqWs
~
At times I wondered if they are actually mentally ill or it is just their morally deafferented minds. They talk about “protecting lives of innocent individuals” even putting on all kinds of faces when they say that. What do they effing mean?
RCL
I happened to witness that exchange on MSNBC this morning and, frankly, Mr. Greenwald schooled the major general inside of 60 seconds. He really had no return argument of any merit. And I think Ms. Ruhle felt the same. At least that’s how I saw it.
Ruhle was very good at not letting the Major General get away with bullshit. She got him to answer that no, he doesn’t think his friend, David Patraeus, should have spent a day in prison.
Ignorant people will like and eat up Scale’s appeal to the sensibilities of “the soldier,” but on law, facts and morality Glenn had him beat, no question.
President Obama deserves praise for this commutation, but only of the faint and damning sort.
A long time ago, on a blog far away, a wise commenter who has rejoined us further down in the thread wrote a factully scathing denunciation of the unlawful command influence that Obama committed prior to Manning’s trial. I hope coram nobis doesn’t mind me drawing attention to some excerpts.
Why is this so important? As coram goes on to note – and has mentioned below,
The entire piece is a masterful presentation of the details of how Obama’s casual pre-trial statement about Manning’s guilt may have ultimately cost them a conviction, and may still if the appeals are still pursued.
https://maydaysformanning.wordpress.com/2011/05/28/unlawful-command-influence-a-primer/
And, in case he didn’t see my “welcome back” in another thread, I would literally be turning back flips if my back and rudimentary gymnastics skills would allow for it. :-)
Thank you for finding it. It’s good to know this archive still exists. The article also hyperlinks a second article, a sequel, to this one. There’s also the “three magic words” article and the “omelet” article if you follow the hyperlinks.
The summary is this: military appellate courts have their own case law and a record of quashing verdicts tainted by unlawful command influence (UCI), and not over the defendant’s guilt but to punish the chain of command for breaches of due process, UCI especially. The three due-process denials WRT Pvt. Manning, briefly:
– UCI
– the three years between arrest and trial, a gross breach of the Manual for Courts Martial
– her maltreatment in pretrial custody, esp. at Quantico.
Any of those could be grounds to quash her verdict and what remains of her sentence, esp. the dishonorable discharge. That gone, she would qualify for VA treatment for her injuries, have a clean record, and recognition that her prosecution, guilt notwithstanding, was a miscarriage.
I’d like to see a column by Glenn at some point on this case, at this point. I believe he may have saved her life: she suffered terribly at Quantico during the latter half of 2010. Glenn, then writing at Salon, started a scandal about it in Dec. 2010, which may have been decisive.
What’s still bizarre is why she was at Quantico. The chain of command is what convenes courts-martial, and her field and theater commanders, Odierno and Petraeus, had ample judicial power to convene one and try her on, say, Art. 92 (breach of regs WRT classified material). Both generals had stellar reputations then, so the decision to move her to Quantico, and try her at the Military District in Washington, must have come from the top — the very top. And the Quantico brig commander wouldn’t have messed with a high-profile prisoner without higher direction. All this was taking place with Obama as Commander in Chief, who, under another doctrine called “command responsibility”, should have known or must have known.
There’s also this:
Not on topic and not a reflection of this specific piece:
Rarely does any article, as good as it may be, cover all of the intricacies and ramifications of the topic it is covering; nor is it intended to.
This perceived lack of coverage highlights what news articles are good at: maintaining the discussion by keeping a subject in the public eye.
Very important for many is the ancillary effect that comment sections provide to readers: the ability to further flesh-out these aspects and make use of other perspectives, others knowledge, and other viewpoints in providing greater context and additional information in order to make an informed decision.
For those that also find a value in this, let’s hope that The Intercept continues to, too.
Welcome back, coram nobis.
Thank you, and yes, the comments threads on this site, as on Glenn’s previous venues, can inform an article. I’m just one of a number of people who can add a few points, and have.
Trump cannot reverse this
According to The Marshall Project and Stephen Vladeck, a law professor at the University of Texas and an expert on constitutional law and the federal system:
No doubt the Trump Administration could try to monkeywrench the process but the commutation apparently can’t be undone.
Daniel Ellsberg on Chelsea’s commuted sentence:
even a president TRYING HARD TO LOOK GOOD IN HINDSIGHT does it DAYS BEFORE LEAVING OFFICE … which I am happy about anyway. Great!
RCL
Uh huh. While I celebrate the release of Chelsea Manning, who was unjustly imprisoned and stripped (literally in some instances) of her civil and human rights, I seriously doubt that any trials, fair or otherwise, will ever occur for those responsible for any human rights violations. Obama himself would have to be one of those taken to trial and that certainly won’t happen.
Can you please provide the official White House and/or DOJ announcement of this? It’s not present in any news source. Even the ACLU links the NYT article as the “official announcement”.
“the future of radio belongs to us”
indyradio.info
(EITHER USE MOZILLA OR VISIT INSECURELY AT http://ch0.us )
He “stole” those documents, you said? Hillary Clinton used to use those terms, too. Clinton would also publicly call out for the assassination of Assange. I am so glad that someone illegally kept under house arrest for more than 4 years based on lies and more lies and fabrications, played a crucial role in her not winning the election!
Also, not a single venue of Western “freedom-of-the-press” MSM question USG and their NATO acolytes about 8-timing the genocidal ratio of Nazi Germany during WWII, in all those abusive wars started based on well-known lies. We should be thankful someone honorably take that dirty job, no? How exactly is Assange “coddling up to tyrants like Putin”? Have you gone as low as starting another “‘Putin’ association” [email protected] with us at theIntercept.
Western “freedom-of-the-press” MSM, however, make up bizarre crazy @ss sh!t about Trump paying hookers to golden shower a bed Obama had slept on (sorry if I couldn’t get that straight! It is so bizarre that it is hard to even say/write it).
So far, we have all enjoyed that misogynistic plutocrat helping the media “find their place”
// __ Donald Trump Owning CNN/NBC Reporters Mega-Compilation
youtube.com/watch?v=ymoGq82Mhjw (1/2)
youtube.com/watch?v=wN9SfT6YYOQ (2/2)
~
RCL
RCL
“……..He “stole” those documents, you said? Hillary Clinton used to use those terms, too. Clinton would also publicly call out for the assassination of Assange…….”
Hillary was right. He stole the documents. Clearly HRC didn’t advocate the murder of Assange. That’s ridiculous.
“…….Also, not a single venue of Western “freedom-of-the-press” MSM question USG and their NATO acolytes about 8-timing the genocidal ratio of Nazi Germany during WWII, in all those abusive wars started based on well-known lies. We should be thankful someone honorably take that dirty job, no?……..”
Don’t know what you are talking about.
“…….How exactly is Assange “coddling up to tyrants like Putin”? Have you gone as low as starting another “‘Putin’ association” [email protected] with us at theIntercept……”
As reported by the Independent, Julian Assange has made his priorities public. According to the Independent, 2012 (“Julian Assange launches talk show on Kremlin-backed broadcaster Russia” http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/julian-assange-launches-talk-show-on-kremlin-backed-broadcaster-russia-today-7654690.html):
“…….Asked why he had chosen Russia Today Mr Assange said: “In the case we are in at the moment, where our major confrontation is with the West, although we have published material from many countries, RT is the natural partner.” He added that the relationship might not be so comfortable if WikiLeaks had published large amounts of compromising data on Russia…..”
The main goal and focus of WikiLeaks is to stop the west. In that regard, the interests of Assange align with Russian interests, for example, undermining HRC in the 2016 election.
“…….Western “freedom-of-the-press” MSM, however, make up bizarre crazy @ss sh!t about Trump paying hookers to golden shower a bed Obama had slept on (sorry if I couldn’t get that straight! It is so bizarre that it is hard to even say/write it)……”
I agree, but that has nothing to do with Russia hacking the DNC.
Thanks.
There is even a legal clause about such matters (some Latin phrase I forgot).
If, say, you are an employer and make your employees sign some “confidentiallity aggreements” about not disclosing certain aspects that very much pertain to your customers, patients interests and the only way you have to prove your claim is “stealing” documents and/or recording some happenings in order to prove your case in undeniable ways, then that so-called “stealing” is not the main issue and you should not be prosecuted.
About Killary Want to Drone Assange and many questionable individuals questionably disappearing from around her (you may not like the sources of those media feeds, but they are good at citing their own sources):
// __ The Alex Jones Channel: Did Hillary Want to “Drone” Assange?
youtube.com/watch?v=ZHtytBWzsoo
~
// __ The Jimmy Dore Show: Hillary Clinton Wanted To Murder Julian Assange With A Drone
youtube.com/watch?v=tD39FslP6BY
~
// __ MLordandGod: CONSPIRACY CONFIRMED: “MURDERED SETH RICH of DNC was WIKILEAKS SOURCE” – Assange.
youtube.com/watch?v=zjzEYZEjMqA
~
// __ TheCCCVideoChannel: Clinton Body Count +5 in Just 6 Weeks
youtube.com/watch?v=yZMiptxm_R8
~
That “Royal b!tch” was so out of control that even the people campaining for her and the secret service publicly dispised and did concrete things to undermine her (even while not liking Trump at all and Trump himself working hard at making people dislike him).
Very basic fractions and proportions (3rd grade Math) will show you what I am talking about, my friend! You may use wikileaks for your homework.
Since wars are among people. -Measurably- compare through a division the % of people that Nazi’s killed to their own killed (actually, not that Nazi’s had anything to be liked, but used their worst estimates including people who died in the war due to famines during WWII) and compare that figure to the latest wars started and never ended by USG and their Western acolytes.
BTW it is not really about silly me “talking about it”, but none of the Western MSM outlets doing so!
Well, that doesn’t answer my question. Again, we should strategize around what we choose to do. I don’t find Assange’s “priorities” irrational at all. Again, we should be thankful someone honorably takes that dirty job.
Come on Craig. I thought at this point no one was claiming anymore that “Russians hacked the DNC”, but you know what? USG messes with everything that moves by itself within the confines of our universe. I actually think that it is a good and healthy thing that they get a
little bit of their own medicine.
You are very welcome
RCL
“That “Royal b!tch” was so out of control that even the people campaining for her and the secret service publicly dispised [sic] … her”
i have a source who tells me secret service agents had to call their boss to find out if they could touch HRC because she was throwing things at Bill.
RCL
“……If, say, you are an employer and make your employees sign some “confidentiallity aggreements” about not disclosing certain aspects that very much pertain to your customers, patients interests and the only way you have to prove your claim is “stealing” documents and/or recording some happenings in order to prove your case in undeniable ways, then that so-called “stealing” is not the main issue and you should not be prosecuted…….”
I agree that if he had limited his theft to documents that showed US violations of international law, then he probably would have been OK. However, he took 750,000 documents which he could not have vetted so he violated his confidentiality agreement and deserved to be prosecuted (IMHO).
“…….That “Royal b!tch” was so out of control that even the people campaining for her and the secret service publicly dispised and did concrete things to undermine her (even while not liking Trump at all and Trump himself working hard at making people dislike him)……”
I agree that Hillary was a horrendous and entitled candidate, but that has nothing to do with assassinating Assange. I agree also your sources don’t fly, but even if they did, HRC was simply NOT going to assassinate Assange. Simple.
“……Well, that doesn’t answer my question. Again, we should strategize around what we choose to do. I don’t find Assange’s “priorities” irrational at all. Again, we should be thankful someone honorably takes that dirty job…….”
Fair enough. I just disagree.
“…….Come on Craig. I thought at this point no one was claiming anymore that “Russians hacked the DNC”,……”
Clearly you are reading far too much “alternate” media sources. I recommend you read more main stream media for some balance.
You make some good points Ricardo. I enjoy reading your posts so keep up the good work.
Thanks.
So, you are suggesting to me to pay more attention to Western MSM in order to inform myself in “a more balanced way” and fix my distress?
You are kidding me, right?
RCL
In a way, yes, but most people in the US believe that Russia was behind the hack. Thinking it’s unusual for someone to believe that Russia was behind the hack….,is unusual.
Obama had to do something to deserve his Nobel.
More about liberals gushing over the first US black President – and the “hope and change” of a typical politician.
Not that I believe it’ll happen under a President Trump, or would’ve under Hillary for that matter had she been elected, but it’s way past time for a non-hypocritical Justice Department with some rule of law integrity – actually arresting / prosecuting the high level criminals exposed by whistleblowers. The fact our whistleblowers are instead imprisoned and called spies, while those high-level government and military criminals walk every time, tells anyone paying attention how very little of OUR country’s government truly serves the people, not even laws.
By its very nature an empire of greed will always be a criminal enterprise – where injustice is the norm.
Hope she isn’t Casolaro’d.
Congratulations to Pvt. Manning; only, she deserves an honorable discharge. She arguably upheld and defended the US Const. in the face of the enemy.
Mr. Emmons
The Intelligence community must feel they are getting slammed from two directions. First Trump essentially called them liars when he questioned their conclusion that Russia had hacked the DNC and leaked the emails to WikiLeaks. Now the sentence of Chelsea Manning has been commuted by President Obama. Manning leaked hundreds of thousands of secret documents and diplomatic cables to anti-American/anti-western activist, Julian Assange of WikiLeaks – and this can only serve to encourage more whistleblowers to steal large quantities of classified material without fear of significant reprisals. If a thirty-five year sentence is too much for her crimes then surely a seven years in prison will not serve as much of a deterrent against future whistleblowers.
In many ways, this must be considered a “liberal” intervention by the President. Manning has serious psychological problems having tried to commit suicide twice while in prison. She has undergone hormonal treatment while in a male prison for Gender Dysphoria but has not had surgery to complete the transformation. She had a record in the army of psychological problems and incidents prior to her contacts with WikiLeaks which should have thrown up a red flag to her superiors. Chelsea was also denied a request for a discharge during basic training.
President Obama did not pardon Edward Snowden.
quote:”If a thirty-five year sentence is too much for her crimes then surely a seven years in prison will not serve as much of a deterrent against future whistleblowers. “unquote
right.
Meanwhile.. Gen. Patraeous gives his mistress TOP SECRET doc’s to enhance her book.
Get’s..ahem ..2 yrs PROBATION.
If stpididy were weather you’d be a coast to coast 6.9 hurricane.
Meanwhile… those scumbag US military murderers who killed two Reuter’s journalists, among others documented in the video Manning disclosed, remain walking free..without one shred of accountability.
Manning is a monumental hero. On the other hand, you are a monument to depravity.
correction.. that should have read…… general warrant > craigsummers
If Manning had released a few videos or documents concerning US violations, then no problem. However, he stole hundreds of thousands of documents which contained information he had no way of vetting. Then he released the information to Assange. Needless to say, Assange has proven beyond any doubt he focuses on American/western disclosures while coddling up to tyrants like Putin. Sorry, no sympathy from me.
Thanks.
“If Manning had released a few videos or documents concerning US violations, then no problem.”
Ah, so it’s the magnitude of information, not the information itself, that sticks in your craw?
“Needless to say, Assange has proven beyond any doubt he focuses on American/western disclosures while coddling up to tyrants like Putin.”
Then why did you have to say it? “Coddling”? This kind of talk is straight out of the flag-wrapped jingoist press.
Key point: US violations, not 750,000 documents that were never properly vetted by Manning before he handed them over to Assange.
“Key point: US violations, not 750,000 documents that were never properly vetted by Manning before he handed them over to Assange.”
Hardly a “key point”. Mr. Assange did the vetting. Have you checked on the 750,000 documents’ veracity yourself? Anything found that wasn’t true?
craig’s key point (really almost his only point) is to hammer on all the revelations of US wrongdoing – the reveal, not the fact that what they’ve been doing is wrong (tiny hands waving frantically in the air). In doing that he distracts from the fact that Assange has also revealed much about other governments. And that many of those revelations also came from the documents given to him by Chelsea Manning.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/may/13/amnesty-international-wikileaks-arab-spring
As Mr. summers’ persistent whinging in these comment sections makes clear, he prefers the status quo and repression.
“As Mr. summers’ persistent whinging in these comment sections makes clear, he prefers the status quo and repression.”
Ayup. Or one could infer that craigsummers is paid to post here. Fairly well, too.
Perhaps someday I’ll learn to blockquote like all y’all, and thank you for all that research you’ve done.
“……. Or one could infer that craigsummers is paid to post here. Fairly well, too……..”
I’ll tell you this. It’s not enough. I can barely afford to live at Trump Tower.
Hey, everybody’s struggling nowadays. Perhaps you can re-negotiate your mortgage terms.
HAMP or HARP?
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/trump-tower-sales-prices-dropping-949843?utm_source=twitter
Pedinska
“……..As Mr. summers’ persistent whinging in these comment sections makes clear, he prefers the status quo and repression…….”
You got that entire wrong. First of all, calling WikiLeaks a catalyst for the Arab Spring is at best speculative. After all, some have suggested Iraqis voting and proudly displaying their purple fingers in Iraq was a catalyst – or even the green revolution in Iran was a catalyst. The truth of the matter is that the Arabs were the catalyst for the Arab Spring. They simply rebelled against the authoritarian governments for political rights. It caught the whole world off guard – and certainly represented one of the great revolutions of our time. It also represents the lowest of expectations for Arab people to believe that it took WikiLeaks or a US sponsored vote in Iraq to spark the Arab Spring. Low expectations for Arabs is not uncommon as Stanley Fish gingerly tap danced around the issue of democracy for Arabs in 2007 (New York Times, “Why Democracy?”, 10-07-2007, https://nyti.ms/2k0WaoO via @nytopinionator):
“………But if you distrust teleological arguments (as I tend to), you will be skeptical of the possibility of exporting democracy and think of it instead as something others might take or leave, depending on what they hold dear………Given that democracy privileges some values — personal mobility, individual entrepreneurialism, tolerance, cosmopolitanism — and downplays others — community, ideological conformity, cultural stability — its attraction will vary with the values a particular society embraces. A society for example that rests on a strong religious foundation may find some democratic practices useful, but it will not be inclined to fight and die for them……..”
Stanley wrote that article during the height of the US invasion of Iraq – and I used to argue Arabs didn’t generally support democracy. Arabs took to the streets 3-4 years later and demonstrated they were more than willing to fight and die for “democracy” proving Stanley (and myself) wrong.
Second of all, I have been fascinated and supportive of the Arab Spring every step of the way because I believe that democracy is a worthwhile endeavor for all people. The Arab Spring was co-opted by Islamists who were also a part of the repressed majority of people represented in Arab society. In Syria, Islamists represented the most motivated and trained fighters, but certainly not in the name of democracy. Not every “rebel” is a jihadist, but the most successful fighters are jihadists. Regardless, Assad is the biggest terrorist currently fighting in Syria – and he militarily crushed the movement for political rights by democratic activists early in the campaign.
Finally, exactly what kind of democracy the Arabs support is likely different than western democracies, but that doesn’t lessen the value of democracy or the Arabs fighting for political rights. Arabs live in a different, but changing culture. I also don’t believe that the Arab Spring is dead, just dormant until the Islamists are marginalized which could take decades.
Thanks.
“…this can only serve to encourage more whistleblowers to steal large quantities of classified material without fear of significant reprisals.”
What do you have against whistleblowers?
Indeed, Assange worked with the State Dept on redacting any potential harm.
Good. More whistleblowers, please. More dirty linen hung out to dry, please. More, more, more!
As re. sympathy? I doubt very much Chelsea would want your sympathy, Craig.
“………As re. sympathy? I doubt very much Chelsea would want your sympathy, Craig…….”
I suspect Chelsea can use all of the sympathy she can get. She has some large issues to deal with.
Yeah, like people such as yourself who believe she should have rotted in gaol for 35 years…
15-20 years seems more realistic to me.
Practical question: Given that Manning’s release isn’t until May, what prevents the incoming administration from simply not acting on Obama’s clemency order?
Good question.
Letting idealists out of prison sets a bad precedent. What is going to stop people from following their conscience and objecting to pointless wars and needless killing? I understand that Mr. Trump probably needed a cell in short order to house Rosie O’Donnell, but the answer is to build more jails, not let innocent people go free. But after eight years of following the orders of the Deep State, I suspect this is Mr. Obama’s small act of rebellion, a way to salvage a few shreds of self respect as he heads into retirement. He probably calculates, correctly I hope, that the Deep State with its hands full with Mr. Trump, will not punish him for executing a single principled act in the final days of his presidency.
In the longer term, if this can fool some people into believing the system still works, it may even have a positive effect. Presidents shouldn’t rule through fear alone, but should attempt to trick people into cooperating of their own free will. So they should be allowed a magnanimous act, or even two, when their term expires. As the old saying goes, a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down.
Ha, ha, ha! He, he, he! Hi, hi, hi! …
Duce, watch our for yourself! I worry about you ending up like your namesake ;-)
I had never in my life noticed such sharply insightful sarcasm, but as some have said: you are just matter-of-factly stating things as they are and keeping it real for all of us (and even the 1%, I would say).
I have stopped seeing the purpose of theIntercept. I come here to even change my mood while noticing the inside jokes of your hopeful sarcasm.
RCL
Ah, Duce, but it depends on the character of the Leader to begin with. The maestro, Niccolò Machiavelli, noted:
Well, Obama has started himself the “let’s make ‘America’ great again!” thing
He could have started it a bit earlier, don’t you think? Is he trying to avoid the huge PR blunder of having Manning commit “suicide”?
Anyway, he did something truly good!
RCL
i think in obama’s mind obama secretly figures that it is going to take more persons like Manning to prevent the nasties that follow even if it means hacking Hellary’s emails, because after all, OB still has a long future ahead as do his daughters and he needs to pave some road.
The Iraq war has been long over and the leaks are stale, it’s about time she is set free. I rarely say this but thank you Obama.
I’m glad that Chelsea Manning will be released.
If he leaves it at that, I fear that this may be bad news for Snowden, because it provides added incentive for Trump to try and look ‘tough’ in order to differentiate himself from Obama.
How long before Assange is brought here for “good old american justice”?
About effing time, considering that she should never have been jailed in the first place, and that the bastards that *should* have been jailed have not been. Obama is no hero – he is directly responsible for Chelsea and other whistleblowers’ incarceration/exile. It’s WAY too late to salvage his reputation – he is garbage. Good riddance, we’ll be glad to see the SOB go.
Congratulations, Chelsea. You ARE a hero! Welcome back!
I read the news most mornings on my way to work. Today was one of the rare times that I smiled to myself. There is some justice is this world, after all.
This is an astonishing (shocking?) and very telling move by Barack Obama.
Manning has been condemned, despised, and villified by every official of every institution of government that has had any relation to the case and also spoken about the issue. Also, Manning was given the longest sentence ever handed out in this kind of case, meaning the court concurred with the prevailing opinion.
Yet Obama is now on record in stark disagreement with them all: Manning is not so evil; Manning’s crime is not so serious; Manning has suffered enough.
That the President is taking such a radical anti-establishment position can only be interpreted as a resounding slap on the faces of the Deep State and it’s sidekicks, and should be recognized as such by all.
It also makes you wonder what he could be thinking about Assange and Snowden.
Tremendous News
Thanks for The Intercept and everyone who helped free Manning.
I hope all is well for her safety until her release date. If she wanted to be “disappeared,” it wouldn’t be difficult. And the psychological damage she has already suffered will be a lifetime imprisonment.
It would be nice to know if there’s any technical difference between a presidential pardon, which Obama just gave to a general, and a sentence commutation by a president.
Manning of course should never have been prosecuted.
Considering one of the globalists agendas to keep the sheeps busy is the trans agenda, this plays into that because obamas PR department is letting him go on LGBT day. The fact is Obama has treated manning as all whistleblowers with vengeance. Obama never lifted a finger for manning and this makes me sick to think he is pretending to be noble now. Maybe if he jailed corrupt bankers instead of whistleblowers I might think had an once of sincerity in this act.
Good for Obama.
This tortured has suffered enough.
So Alex,
Did Obama commute her sentence because he thought it was the right thing to do, or did he do it because he was scared that a future attempt at suicide may be successful and he would be blamed for it? What sir, does your research suggest?
I think it was more the statement that Julian Assange would surrender himself for extradition after Manning was granted clemency. They let a little fish go to get the big fish.
That awful wig photo just encapsulates so many things that are wrong, bizarre, fallacious about the story, the whole world.
To begin with, of course, it reminds us that Manning has been so incommunicado that we are limited to one barely-usable photo from inside a car. We have seen her as an abstraction only.
Then there is the sheer awfulness of gender roles. To think how much nicer women would look if all the lipstick and eye liner and high heels were sent back to the greedy purveyors. To think how much nicer men would look if Cromwell’s awful roundhead style and those ridiculous Croatian cravats were crammed up the asses of those who invented them.
And there is the force, the mindless coercion, so bizarrely persistent outside of any plausible context. To think that soldiers would be forced to be short haired for being “men”, in an army supposedly free of sexual discrimination. To think that the same soldiers are forced to do a trans thing, shaving their beards to look like women, even when posted in Muslim countries where it emphasizes their otherness! It used to be that at least the army had some kind of a general philosophy, however wrong, that they hated “effeminacy” and loved “masculinity”, and yet … how does any of this square in with any of it?
Then there’s the dress. How do we have a country where it is no longer even slightly shocking for a woman to wear pantaloons, even blue jeans, and yet at the same time, a man in a dress is taken to be a “freak”? Riddle that out for me!
And then there is transness. What makes a woman? Is it the dress, awful makeup and so forth? I think not. Is it the silicone boobs? No, I say even “unaugmented” women are just fine the way they are, perfectly feminine no matter what nature did or did not give them, and so the same applies to MTF trans, obviously. I feel like a stranger in a strange land. Manning seems both perfectly male and perfectly female in his or her 2012 dress uniform photo, because ultimately, to see someone as male or female is an act of the eye, of the mind, not of the silicon breast or the hastily donned wig. With a guy on top of him … she will be woman enough for government work.
I defy those who tell me what to see, what to say, what to think; the genders are arbitrary, and I am content to be a polite arbitrator. I wouldn’t even be surprised if Manning decides in freedom that the need to be a woman is less intense than when abused and shoehorned into a gender role in jail; I’m OK with that. I won’t feel tricked. We all should have the right to feel as we wish.
I know you think you’re really smart, but everyone around you is laughing.
“…and I am content to be a polite arbitrator.”
None of what you’ve said makes you that. ..especially you saying it.
Wnt…?
I’m happy for her, but Obama is self-serving. Should she still be “Bradley”, Obama never would have commuted her. Her mental anguish as a transgender woman in a male prison is not jurisprudent for her release. Despite his similar whistleblowing, Snowden will not be commuted, as he is a white heterosexual male.
To celebrate Chelsea Manning’s pardon, I did some digging through the Cablegate State Department documents looking for anything related to the Iran-Syria economic cooperation deals that played such a central role in the Obama Administration’s decision to attempt a destabilize-and-overthrow program in Syria. Here’s something from Oct 2008:
And here’s a May 2009 example of State Department interest in the growing economic cooperation between Iran and Syria, some familiar places – Aleppo, Deir Ezzor – taken over by ISIS:
And here, this seems telling, verbatim, on Homs:
Then, the Arab Spring breaks out – and over the period Jan 2011 – Jul 2011, the U.S. commits to a program of regime change in Syria aimed at replacing Assad with a regime that won’t cooperate with Iran. At the same time, Hillary Clinton is busy emailing the US Bahrain embassy and complaining about their appearance of support for Bahrain opposition parties – regardless of the fact that Bahrain’s crackdown on protests is apparently identical to Syria’s crackdown on protests. In August 2011, Obama publicly condemns the Syrian crackdown on protesters, while saying nothing about Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, UAE, etc. John McCain starts promoting military intervention in Syria in the press in Oct 2011. By Dec 2011, Hillary Clinton’s State Department is promoting Syrian opposition groups that promise to cut economic and military ties with Iran. (All the above from Hillary Clinton server documents at Wikileaks).
P.S. Thanks to Chelsea Manning for the documents! Real patriots tell the truth about corrupt & bloodthirsty Empire games.
Manning also helped reveal a lot about things going on in Libya. And, her example helped lead to Snowden and other leakers.
In which the vile Judith Miller gets slammed: ‘You literally caused the Iraq War’: Internet rips Judith Miller for blaming war deaths on Chelsea Manning
None. The answer is known and it’s: NONE. By contrast, Miller is responsible for about 1 million direct and indirect deaths from the Iraq war.
The article prints only some of the more genteel replies to that woman. Many were more…spirited.
Judith is the establishment you genuflect to.
Reply – scroll to gray, highlighted comment.
Awesome news. I’m normally very hesitant to comment but apart from Glenn and his team’s excellent reporting, I’d like to thank you Mona, and Doug and the other regulars who provide not just additional context at times, but also invaluable evidence (especially regarding the Palestinian issue) that’s easily accessible (would’ve taken me ages to research).
So yeah, thank you.
At least only Faux News is willing to give her a platform. (Of course, the only other reporter in modern times comparable to her would have been Richard Engle, who nearly got us into a war with Syria. I’m surprised he was publicly skeptical of the CIA case.)
Judith Miller is an execrable excuse for a human being! Thanks for posting the link.
I especially liked:
You [JM] are a weapon of mass destruction.
We luv ya Chelsea !!!
You’ll always find a table with food and drink , a warm place to sleep , and grateful faces in America.
WE OWE YOU !!
So… what is the catch or quid pro quo? Do they have other charges for which they can arrest or detain Manning? Is there a secret deal to accept Assange’s offer to be extradited in exchange?
Obama’s motive ? Was it political ? Was it a legacy rescue ?
Well I’ll tell you what it was not . He did not do it because he felt it was the morally right thing to do . You can take that to his bank .
But , for whatever reason ,,, who cares !
Geez Chelsea did not do anything but show us truth .
I hope she can put herself back together after what those psychopaths did to her !
MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU CHELSEA !!!
It was clever. The military appellate courts would have, on grounds of due process denied, quashed her conviction and probably wrote a scathing opinion against the chain of command from Odierno up to Obama. This may estop it, but I would hope the appeals still continue to lift the rest of her sentence and her conviction.
It’s also not a pardon or a vindication. Obama is simply tossing her aside, with no money, a dishonorable discharge, mental damage from her maltreatment, no VA benefits and a felony record. I’m happy she’s out, but regard this case and this outcome as a stain on his legacy.
yep this could be mere damage mitigation
It wouldn’t surprise me in the least if she shows up as an Intercept columnist. She’s already written quite a bit for The Guardian.
I wish I knew whether and how a Son of Sam law applied, if she wanted to write a book.
I don’t think the federal statute would fairly apply, although I can certainly see Jeff Sessions or one of his USA minions trying.
18 U.S. Code § 794 is entitled “Gathering or delivering defense information to aid foreign government.”
And it’s hard to see how any of the state statutes could apply, but here’s a summary.
I’ve never had a thing to do with the UCMJ, and don’t know if or how that might make a difference.
One legal issue that some brought up was that the constitutional “right to a speedy trial” means something more specific in the military. There is a 120-day limit in which charges can be brought.
https://www.ucmjdefense.com/resources/speedy-trial-military.html
Then again, I’m not a lawyer (and could get charged with UPoL if I was acting as one), I’ve never been in the US active-duty or military reserves, or National Guard, and my iPod Touch with the UCMJ on it is missing.
It’s definitely not in the UCMJ itself. Subsection 08 merely provides that, upon conviction, a court-martial may impose sentence consisting of a bad conduct or dishonorable discharge, reduction in rank, and/or confinement. The details of length of sentence, etc. are left to regulations established by SecDef and to the discretion of the court.
I’d be surprised if the Secretary’s delegated authority has been construed to include establishing new forms of punishment, so I expect that, if any Son of Sam-type provision applies, it would be from 18 USC.
How would you let her get a word in?
Reply – if necessary, scroll to the gray, highlighted comment.
I actually expect the appeals to go forward, precisely because Obama’s clemency order leaves the conviction and so much of the punishment intact.
That said, being released from that hell is major relief, notwithstanding the circumstances in which Chelsea may be left — for now.
As for a stain on his legacy, I have a very hard time seeing Obama’s legacy, overall, as anything but another in a long series of stains on America’s history. No doubt, some will want to pop in and tell us that Bush was worse and Trump is likely to be even worse than Bush. Yeah, OK, so a slightly smaller or lighter stain. Slightly.
Coram’s experience in military cases gives me pause, but I also would guess that the case will go forward. Chelsea continues to have a strong interest in overturning the conviction, or parts thereof. That alone makes the appeal justiciable.
Another stain. See The Issue Is Not Trump, It’s Us Under Obama, the U.S. extended secret “special forces” operations to 138 countries, or 70 percent of the world’s population.
By John Pilger January 16, 2017 “Information Clearing House” – “teleSur” –
It was political, but more about the globalist image he pushes. They have to present a smiling caring face, while starting wars and destroying cultures in silence. Notice manning release date May 17. That is LGBT rights day. Its almost offense they picked that date, after abusing him in solitary for 7 years.
Glenn Greenwald v. cretinous general, just tonite on MSNBC
Maj. Gen. Robert Scales is one slick mofo, but Glenn’s no piker in a debate.
That bloated old ahole ain’t never had to dive to the ground to avoid a bullet .
Someone should slit his belly and let the pus run out !!!
Nothing slick about him, unless slick is a synonym for sleazy.
I suppose you can’t expect a dull-normal retired general to be a legal expert, but it shouldn’t be too much to expect him to know what “treason” means, since it is the only crime defined in the Constitution and is defined there in simple and straightforward terms:
Emphasis added.
And Greta (the once-upon-a-time lawyer), of course, lets him spew that nonsense. If “the other side” were represented by someone not as sharp and succinct as Glenn, Scales’ reckless use of language would have gone unchallenged.
The Major General was a smooth-talking asshole, but he was smooth-talking. He’s clearly got long experience, and training in, selling his authoritarian bullshit on TeeVee or other public venue.
Among other things, he knows the rule about raising the other sides’s strongest point first, in the best terms for yourself. He did that by initiating the matter of generals v. privates when it comes to being sentenced to prison.
Yeah, but his only concern is that letting the generals slide looks bad to the grunts.
Well, lest we forget, Greta was a Fox personality, and is a member of a religious group with VERY negative views on LGBT people.
Yup. She and her husband are Scientologists and he’s a mass tort lawyer who was an adviser to Sarah Palin.
If Obama frees Snowden he can have me. I have 2 slides of the Pentagon that I took on 9-11-1991, from seat 16A flight DL209 DCA-DFW if I remember correctly. Shared copy of both a slide and the boarding pass with TI.
https://theintercept.com/2016/10/16/i-am-fully-capable-of-entertaining-myself-in-prison-for-decades-if-need-be/?comments=1#comment-297896
#Kryptos #BerlinClock #INeverLie
@Maisie
I am so happy this happened, but what you write is true. Many are speculating about Obama’s motive. I’ve always thought he’d be at the point, in these last months, where his legacy was of utmost concern.
Obama knows that history vindicates brave people like Chelsea Manning. The books could have said all of the above — what you describe — and also that she killed herself in prison. Now they’ll at least report that he commuted her sentence.
Trump can still make Obama look bad by dropping all charges against Assange and Snowden as soon as he takes office.
Boy, would that present leftists with a dilemma (besides being the right thing to do)!
I guess you missed Trump’s saying he wouldn’t be against executing ES, huh?
Looks like a quick fix for Obama’s legacy.
Next up. Free Assange.
In my view, this is the best thing Obama has done, by far.
~O~ does things for shits and giggles, not principle. This was about Assange.
Alas, Assange promised to turn himself in to US authorities if Manning was released. (I think that was one reason Obama made the decision to commute Manning.)
Calling his ‘bluff’ was the only reason Obozo did it.
I forgot about that.
oops.
Manning may be certifiable, but he is a HERO!
There have never been any charges against those responsible for the
“COLLATERAL MURDER” video Manning exposed. Why not?
That’s not a serious question is it W0X0F ?
You damn well know why not . Any one with two functioning synaptic transmit&receive neurons knows why not .
This government is corrupt to the core ! THAT’s Why !!
Aside from this particular case, I have difficulty with the concept of presidents having the universal authority to commute sentences and using it liberally only when they are no longer accountable to anyone at the end of their presidency. If it’s the right thing to do, do it when you’re accountable for the decision. If it’s the right thing to do, the individuals commuted shouldn’t have to wait 4 or 8 years until it becomes politically advantageous for them to be released.
Do you understand what a Politician is ?
Fantastic news for Chelsea and for democracy! Now Obama needs to pardon Native American activist Leonard Peltier who has been rotting in a cell for 40 years because of the color of his skin. http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/president-obama-free-1
Lyin’ Don hasn’t chimed in yet with his sure to be idiotic hot-take, but Paul Ryan offered his measly 2 cents:
https://twitter.com/SpeakerRyan/status/821486533102411779
Apparently, being imprisoned for 7 years doesn’t qualify for being held accountable. /s
What hypocrites the republicans are. Thats a lot more accountability than was ever required of Karl Rove or Dick Cheney when they outed Valerie Plame
It was Richard Armitage who outed Valerie Plame.
The secrets in question are not “sensitive” because of security considerations, of course, but because they are an embarrassment.
And its a display of disobedience to boot !!!
Happy for Chelsea, but figured this warranted a post:
After torturing her, breaking her spirit and making her grovel in ‘confession’ over and over that what she did was wrong (which it wasn’t), Obama is suddenly the good guy?
No. For Obama this is just good PR: it certainly impresses the sentimental, but moreover it reminds those who go against the system that they will be punished until they break – and then the magnanimous powers that be may dump them (if they are lucky) bruised and battered on the side of the road as an example to all.
Those whistleblowers who will not repent and fall on their faces in shame will never be so ‘lucky.’
Now to return to my attempt at breaking my unhealthy addiction to this place…
Internet comment sections are indeed addictive, but hardly unhealthy in moderation. Unrelenting cynicism, on the other hand, can be quite detrimental.
+100
Total win-win for the state authority.
If Assange keeps his promise and hands himself over to be extradited to the US, he’d be given a shot to become a new Solzhenitsyn though.
Very surprised….and even more so if she survives all the way to May with Trump in charge…but even then where on the planet is safe for her after that?
Likely only done because of the fame and the LGBT angle for sure…so many others, not quite as notorious….in the UK Melanie Shaw just been senetnced for another two years on top of what she has already endured….and nobody knows what she has been accused of! Let alone convicted of!
How dramatic. Name one thing Trump’s ever done to or said about LGBT to make you question Trump’s commitment to their welfare.
Mike Pence.
point was that he has publicly stated that he wants Manning executed.
Not sure he has said anything directly on LGBT, but the man is a nasty biggot.
Of course it does, everything obama does helps the globalist agenda.
That is why he is releasing him on LGBT day!
Obama also said he guilty before the trial. He doesn’t care about manning or whistleblowers and it makes me mad to think he is pretending to be noble.
Oh really. Then you can link to where.
Yeah, he’s a regular Archie Bunker. That’s why Oprah celebrated him on her show.
Stay tuned to globalist left ‘news.’
Pretty sure that was Snowden he implied should be executed. But same principle would apply.
And yes, he’s a nasty bigot. The Fraternal Order of Police, and cops all over the country, endorsed and poured out for him in opposition to Black Lives Matter. He adores his dead daddy and says only glowing things about him. Daddy, of course, was a proud and active Klan member.
The Central Park Five case, the “Mexicans are rapists” shit, the blatant housing discrimination against blacks in the 70s. Naming white supremacist Steve Bannon as a top adviser. Trump is a racist by any reasonable standard.
His dad was not a Klan member.
And he never said “Mexicans are rapists.”
DONALD TRUMP said
quote”“When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best. They’re not sending you. They’re not sending you. They’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems with us. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re RAPISTS. And some, I assume, are good people.”unquote
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/fact-checker/wp/2015/07/08/donald-trumps-false-comments-connecting-mexican-immigrants-and-crime/?utm_term=.70e65ebf9ba8
And you are a certifiable fucking liar.
Yup. Fred Trump was arrested at a Klan riot in 1927. In the 1920s the KKK was very popular (taking over state legislatures in multiple states), many joined. Membership wasn’t the huge embarrassment that it would come to be.
Great news.
Kudos to President Obama.
This was the right thing – partnered with the wrong thing and wrong attitude about Mr Snowden.
I keep calling his policies/judgments schizophrenic – and he did not disappoint with his statement. Went to an adversary…who meddled in our election? No Drama, Obama? Overly dramatic, in my view.
Thank heavens. This is really good news.
This has nothing to do the Chelsea Manning. Obama is using this to make the “emperor” look good for the history books.
I hope that Chelsea does not say thankyou, cause you know this all about Obama, the Nobel Peace Prize winner who spent every day of his 2 terms at war and started up the tradition of HellFire Tuesdays to add new names to the never ending list of those marked as a drone target.
All hail the benevolent emperor!
……sorry that sounds is really cynical, doesn’t it?
that is how it is…
Good news, albeit late.
Your post didn’t explain why the May release date….
Does anyone understand why this cannot be done this week?
My concern is that there may be an opportunity for Trump to rescind in May
My guess is that it may be an anniversary. She was arrested in May 2010.
She was jailed in August.
From the LA TIMES: She will now be released from military custody on May 17 to give her time to prepare for release and to make arrangements for a place to live, according to senior administration officials.
” She will now be released from military custody on May 17 to give her time to prepare for release and to make arrangements for a place to live, according to senior administration officials.
————————————————————————————-
Ah ,,, those senior administration officials again . Anybody ask them why it can’t be done from a Holiday Inn ? And the garbage about keeping the PRESS away won’t fly !!!!!
Coram nobis!11!!1!1 Stop being a stranger.
Well, I’m back, as Sam Gamgee said, and I figure after all I’ve written over the years on this case, it’s timely. Thank you for the greeting.
Stephen Vladeck via a Marshall Project article says this:
https://www.themarshallproject.org/2016/08/10/the-obama-criminal-justice-reforms-that-trump-could-undo#.UVlbW5d8g
In other words, he could derail the clemency initiative used by Obama but not reverse the decisions.
thanks Coram, Nate.
But could Trump institute new charges against Manning?
Trump couldn’t direct such an effort without violating the Fifth Amendment.
Trump has no interest in doing that.
Agreed. Hopeful, but I wouldn’t celebrate just yet. There’s no telling what this Cheeto Orangutan in Chief or Jeff Sessions might do.
I’m hoping it’s not another cowardly have-it-both-ways weasel move by Obama. Commute the sentence, but have it take effect after Trump is in power, giving him a chance to reverse it. Then Manning gets hammered (Obama does seem to be a vindictive control-freak.) , but Trump gets the blame.
Hope not, but wouldn’t be surprised.
Can’t rescind the commutation, but Agent Orange could, I suppose, try to rescind the allowance of gender-altering medications in prison. Why he would want to punish our hailed and adored military is beyond me.
A fight for civil rights and gender equality, in my view.
The NYT didn’t have the reason, either.
I don’t know with certainty, but I doubt if many of the pardons/commutations were immediate release.
This is the Federal system.
Plenty of time to execute her before that….and even is she survives that long, where on the planet is safe for her?
As for the date….it’s some kind of LGBT festival I think….not a coincidence, just for propaganda purposes…..
That’s nice, but I haven’t found anything that this commutation — not a pardon — changes anything other than her prison time. The guilty verdict, as well as the sentence provisions for dishonorable discharge and forfeiture of pay and allowances, seem to be standing.
So, she gets out with little or no funds, no VA treatment, a gender transition that’s incomplete, mental injuries from the treatment she got in custody, a bad discharge and a felony conviction. And, if Obama had left her be, the military appellate courts would have found this case a gross miscarriage of justice on grounds of due process, and quashed her verdict altogether, as they’re apt to do in such cases. Maybe the Judge Advocate General’s office told him that.
Oh please, she’s famous nothing else matters…
I would expect that she’ll get help once released, if needed. Not from government, but crowd-sourced, as with the legal defense fund. I.e., from us.
Her writing from prison has been coherent, so seemingly not completely broken. Hoping there may be opportunities along those lines, if not others.
Coram, Chelsea is extremely smart and can write. A book deal alone should make her some nice change. (Or does that law against profiting from crimes apply?)
She’s going to be released to a circle of warm and loving admirers. I’d be utterly floored if she’s allowed to want for anything.
The cretinous general on opposite Glenn on MSNBC tonight, sourly noted she’s released to be a “national hero.” That’s true.
She’s going to need all the friends and friendship she can get, and she deserves it, certainly.
“So, she gets out with little or no funds, no VA treatment, a gender transition that’s incomplete, mental injuries from the treatment she got in custody, a bad discharge and a felony conviction. ”
Yes, should have been a full pardon.
I have added a new entry to my personal dictionary:
Obama = to do/choose the least good out of possible good choices.
I know tons of trans women who didn’t pay a nickel for their transitions. Lovers, rich trans persons from the community, etc paid for everything. This is as much a testament to the community’s wealth as it is their lobbying power. I mean our country holds so many political prisoners held since the 1960s and 70s. I saw little lobbying done by The Intercept or other leftist news agencies.
It would be great to know that The Intercept does not uniquely support white males who are unjustly imprisoned on the one hand. On the other, it is great news that Manning is soon free. Let’s hope Snowden can receive the same treatment!
Now is the time for special vigilance. There is no telling what the Army will attempt to do in the few months they have left. We have to make it clear to them that we are watching, and that if something happens to her, it will not go unpunished.
Wow, a tip of the hat to the Obama Administration, didn’t see this coming. Chelsea Manning served time and didn’t deserve such an obscene sentence.
This is genuinely wonderful news. Kudos to The Intercept and Glenn Greenwald for their support for her legal defense. I am so very, very pleased for her.
Agreed. Many thanks Glenn.
Donations for Chelsea Manning’s defense from The Intercept and Glenn demonstrates that the press need not be a “disinterested” one to be fair and to serve the public interest.