Slavoj iek on Bradley Manning

By: Slavoj Zizek Videos

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Slavoj Žižek on Bradley Manning - Video

Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl ... accusations that he was a traitor have put the focus on American soldiers who go rogue. Source: AP

THE United States and its allies have been fighting al Qaeda and Taliban forces since September 11, 2001, but in the past five years a new threat has grown: the enemy who comes from within.

There have been too many examples of Afghan government troopers often in the pay of the Taliban attacking their foreign comrades. Australians, Britons and Americans have all been victims.

But what of the Westerners who turn on their own?

The stories of these soldiers and veterans who go rogue have been brought into focus again this week after the American soldier Bowe Bergdahl, who was held captive by the Taliban for five years, was branded a traitor by some of his former colleagues.

Emails that Bergdahl sent to his parents before his capture which have not been authenticated indicate that he had lost faith in the US efforts in Afghanistan, and that he was ashamed to even be American.

Some have called for Bergdahl to be court martialed for allegedly deserting his post, while others have revealed that six other men died in attempts to find and rescue him. Bergdahl has not yet spoken publicly about his ordeal, and little is known about his state of mind leading up to his capture.

State of mind is key, especially when considering the other soldiers and veterans who have harmed their own in even more drastic and deadly ways.

Their motivations vary, although most are believed to have been suffering from post traumatic stress disorder or other mental health issues. Some were motivated by issues of conscience; others are no longer around to tell us why they snapped.

Nidal Hasan ... killed 13 and wounded 32 others in the 2009 attack at Fort Hood. Source: AFP

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Nidal Hasan, Bradley Manning, Ivan Lopez, Aaron Alexis and ...

Two witnesses for Pfc. Bradley Manning described a chaotic work environment with lax supervision as the defense presented its case Wednesday for the former security analyst charged with turning over classified documents to WikiLeaks.

Both witnesses worked with Manning in Iraq. They testified to an office environment where those working with classified information listened to music, watched movies and played computer games in the secured areas.

It was the fifth day of testimony in a preliminary hearing to determine whether Manning should face a court-martial for leaking hundreds of thousands of classified documents to the anti-secrecy website. He is charged with aiding the enemy and violating the Espionage Act. The presiding officer, Army Lt. Col. Paul Almanza, has a Jan. 16 deadline for making his recommendation.

The defense has not seriously challenged the evidence showing that Manning had access to the classified documents and had the ability to upload them to WikiLeaks. Instead, the lawyers have sought to portray Manning as a deeply conflicted soldier struggling with gender identity in an understaffed, poorly supervised and stressful base south of Baghdad.

Sgt. Daniel Padgett, who worked with Manning in their "sensitive compartmented information facility" in Iraq, said there was no clear chain of command. "There could have been more oversight," Padgett said.

Government prosecutors asked only a few questions, establishing that as a member of the U.S. armed forces, Padgett was aware that sharing secret documents was wrong. "Every soldier, especially a solder with security clearance, has a responsibility to safeguard classified information," Padgett said.

Next up was Capt. Barclay Keay, who was in charge of both Manning and Padgett in Iraq in the fall of 2009. Keay explained that the post was his first as an intelligence supervisor, and he was surprised by the loose environment.

"I thought it was kind of odd," Keay said.

At the end of the hearing, Manning was asked if he wanted to make a statement. He replied: "No, sir."

annie.linskey@baltsun.com

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Defense rests in Manning hearing - chicagotribune.com

Yesterday's verdict in the Bradley Manning court martial was a partial victory, but mostly a resounding defeat. Again, the United States government wieldedtheEspionage Act, a law written to stop legit spies in the employ of foreign governments or agents,against a whistleblower working in the best interest of America.

That this law was used so successfully in the prosecution of a whistleblower is particularly troubling. It sets a dangerous precedent not just for defense employees, but intelligence agents, or anyone who comes into possession of classified documents. The US government, protecting what it believes to be its defense and intelligence interests, once again placed the whistleblower in the same legal arenaas the double agent. In the future, whistleblower cases will only be easier to prosecute.

With that in mind, we should take a look at the law that streamlines the US government'sprosecution ofwhistleblowers. Call it "ABrief History of the Espionage Act of 1917."With a clearer picture of the act's intent and evolution, perhaps we can start to ask the question of whether,after nearly 100 years, it needs some amending. If the same effort applied to fighting legislation like SOPA andPIPAor in defunding the NSA were used in changing the Espionage Act, there might yet be legal place for the whistleblower in America.

Origins

The tale of the Espionage Act really begins in the early 20th century. US legislators, essentially playingcatch-up with other nations that already had anti-espionage laws, began to lobby for such a law. Technically, the USmay have been enjoying apre-WWI Pax Americana, but our military was embroiled in a war in the Philippines. After defeating Spain in the Spanish-American war, we set our sites on thePhilippines, and took the country by force. At home, politicians were crafting an act entitled "An Act to prevent the disclosure of national defense secrets."

The debate culminated inthe Defense Secrets Act of 1911;which, by today's standards, featured pretty lax punitive measures. Those convicted of trading in defense secrets were to be imprisoned "not more than ten years." Child's play, really. As Europe descended into the chaos of World War I, it seemed vital to some that the US government needed strongeranti-espionage lawsa wider net with more punishment.

In his December 7, 1915 State of the Union, President Woodrow Wilson delivered the following words:

"There are citizens of the United States, I blush to admit, born under other flags but welcomed under our generous naturalization laws to the full freedom and opportunity of America, who have poured the poison of disloyalty into the very arteries of our national life; who have sought to bring the authority and good name of our Government into contempt, to destroy our industries wherever they thought it effective for their vindictive purposes to strike at them, and to debase our politics to the uses of foreign intrigue...

I urge you to enact such laws at the earliest possible moment and feel that in doing so I am urging you to do nothing less than save the honor and self-respect of the nation. Such creatures of passion, disloyalty, and anarchy must be crushed out. They are not many, but they are infinitely malignant, and the hand of our power should close over them at once. They have formed plots to destroy property, they have entered into conspiracies against the neutrality of the Government, they have sought to pry into every confidential transaction of the Government in order to serve interests alien to our own. It is possible to deal with these things very effectually. I need not suggest the terms in which they may be dealt with."

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How the Espionage Act of 1917 Became a Law Against ...

EWTN News Nightly - 2014-15-5
Jason Calvi reports from Capitol Hill on the Veterans Affairs scandal. Wyatt Goolsby updates us with the latest on the Bradley Manning case from the Pentagon. We #39;re joined by a former pornography...

By: EWTN

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EWTN News Nightly - 2014-15-5 - Video

Aug. 28, 2013

Editorial criticizes military's response to declaration by Chelsea Manning, formerly known as Pfc Bradley Manning, that she wants to live as a woman; urges military to give Manning appropriate medical care and safe but not unduly isolated housing, which should be available for all transgender prisoners. MORE

Pfc Bradley Manning, who was sentenced to 35 years in prison for leaking vast archives of government files to WikiLeaks, says that he is female and asks to receive hormone therapy while in prison, setting up a potential conflict over a treatment the Army says it does not provide to its inmates. MORE

News organizations are divided in their handling of request that they now refer to Pfc Bradley Manning as a woman. MORE

"Pfc Bradley Manning is sentenced to 35 years in prison for providing more than 700,000 government files to WikiLeaks;" sentence is longest ever handed down in case involving leak of United States government information for purpose of having information reported to public; leak lifted veil on American and military diplomatic activities worldwide; Manning will be eligible for parole in about seven years. MORE

Editorial contends Pfc Bradley Manning's 35-year sentence is too severe, given his stated desire not to betray his country but to shed light on realities of American war effort; notes prosecutors are attempting to discourage other leakers with sentence, but holds even threat of a severe prison sentence will not deter those who believe the government is too secretive. MORE

Pfc Bradley Manning is posed to be sentenced for providing more than 700,000 secret government documents to WikiLeaks, largest leak of confidential materials in American history; faces up to 90 years in prison. MORE

Defense lawyers for Pfc Bradley Manning make plea for leniency at sentencing hearing, asking military judge Col Denise R Lind to allow him a chance to rehabilitate himself; Manning faces up to 90 years in prison for his role in disclosing government documents to WikiLeaks. MORE

Pfc Bradley Manning, who is facing up to 90 years in prison for leaking 700,000 government files to WikiLeaks, apologizes at his court-martial trial, saying he now realizes that what he did was wrong. MORE

Former supervisor of Pfc Bradley Manning testifies at his court-martial trial that Army intelligence unit in Iraq allowed Manning to keep working with classified information despite recurring concerns about his mental health because unit was understaffed and he was playing vital role in analyzing insurgent threats. MORE

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Bradley E. Manning - The New York Times - NYTimes.com

Flobots:Bradley Manning
a GBBjr original video.

By: Bud Malinowski

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Flobots:Bradley Manning - Video

Chelsea Manning, formerly Bradley Manning, is serving a 35 year prison sentence at a military detention center for leaking classified military documents to Wikileaks. Shortly after she was sentenced, Chelsea revealed that she was transgender and would like everybody to address her by her new chosen name. She also requested that she receive hormone therapy while in prison a request the military may finally oblige.

Reuters reports that the military may transfer Manning to a civilian prison. As it currently stands, Manning can not receive the treatment she desires in a military prison as its not outfitted to address transgender needs. At a civilian prison, the options available to Manning are greatly expanded.

So, why is Manning requesting hormone treatment in the first place? She currently has what medical professionals call gender dysphoria a condition where one is not happy with the gender they born into. For those who have the condition, they can either seek hormonal therapy, psychotherapy or both. At a civilian prison, Manning would be able to receive both as she embraces the gender she always felt she should be.

Of course, none of this is set in stone for now. In a statement released to the press, Rear Admiral John Kirby said the military is currently weighing its options:

No decision to transfer Private Manning to a civilian detention facility has been made, and any such decision will, of course, properly balance the soldiers medical needs with our obligation to ensure Private Manning remains behind bars.

Understandably, the military is concerned that Manning may slip through the cracks if she transfers. Still, it would be inhumane to not give Manning the treatment she needs. In a world where transgender rights are still woefully ignored and belittled, the military can set a good example for the rest of the nation by treating Manning with respect and dignity in regards to her needs.

Image via Wikimedia Commons

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Chelsea Manning Looks To Transfer To Civilian Prison For Hormone Therapy

Convicted national security leaker Pvt. Chelsea Manning might get treatment for gender dysphoria in an unprecedented case that sheds new light on how the military treats transgender soldiers -- a small minority who serve invisibly for fear of reprisal.

Born male as Bradley Manning, she was convicted of sending classified documents to the anti-secrecy website WikiLeaks and sentenced in 2013 to the all-male federal prison in Leavenworth, Kansas, for 35 years.

Who is Bradley Manning?

But because transgender Americans are barred from serving in the armed forces, Department of Defense spokeswoman Catherine T. Wilkinson told ABC News at the time, "There is no mechanism in place for the U.S. military to provide hormone therapy or gender-reassignment surgery for inmates."

Now, just a week after Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel approved a request by Army leadership to evaluate potential treatment for inmates diagnosed with gender dysphoria, Manning may be transferred to a civilian prison, according to DOD.

Manning has asked for hormone therapy to live as a woman. Her request was the first ever made by a transgender military inmate and seemingly conflicted with long-standing policy. Manning cannot be discharged while serving her sentence.

During court martial and pre-trial hearings, Manning referred to herself using the female name Breanna. Her lawyers argued that her judgment had been clouded by a struggle with gender identity problems. Photos that Manning took of herself dressed as a woman were used as evidence.

Chelsea Manning fights to live as a woman.

Pentagon press secretary RDML John F. Kirby released this statement on the matter: The secretary approved a request by Army leadership to evaluate potential treatment options for inmates diagnosed with gender dysphoria. No decision to transfer Pvt. Manning to a civilian detention facility has been made, and any such decision will, of course, properly balance the soldier's medical needs with our obligation to ensure Pvt. Manning remains behind bars."

Transgender ex-Navy SEAL says military is 'going through puberty'

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Transgender Leaker Chelsea Manning Could Get Transfer to Civilian Prison

by Tom Vanden Brook, USA TODAY

NWCN.com

Posted on May 14, 2014 at 11:05 AM

WASHINGTON The Pentagon is trying to transfer convicted national security leaker Pvt. Chelsea Manning to a civilian prison so she can get treatment to transition to a woman, a Defense official said Wednesday.

The soldier, formerly named Bradley Manning, was convicted of sending classified documents to anti-secrecy website WikiLeaks.

The Associated Press first reported Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel's decision to move Manning early Wednesday.

The Army has asked the Pentagon to approve moving Manning to a federal prison. Manning is serving a 35-year prison sentence and is eligible for parole in seven years.

The soldier has asked for hormone therapy and to be able to live as a woman. Transgenders are not allowed to serve in the U.S. military and the Defense Department does not provide such treatment. The Department of Veterans Affairs, however, does provide the treatment for veterans.

Granting Manning's request is the humane thing to do, said Allyson Robinson, policy director for SPARTA, an advocacy group for LGBT troops and veterans.

"It is the constitutional right of every American to be spared cruel and unusual punishment for their crimes," Robinson said. "The Pentagon's decision reflects their acknowledgement that the treatments Manning requires are medically necessary, and that withholding them would be cruel and unusual, a violation of her Eighth Amendment rights. We should expect an institution charged with defending our Constitution to do no less."

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Pentagon OK with Manning gender treatment