Wikileaks: Bradley Manning military hearing bias row

Jimbuna · 12-16-11, 05:02 PM

I watched a video of Obama on the evening news in which he clearly states that Manning is guilty of breaking the law, so if Obama as C in C is ultimately in charge of the court trying this guy, how can he receive a fair trial?

Quote:

A military officer overseeing the hearing of the US Army analyst accused of leaking government secrets has rejected a request to recuse himself.
The request was made by a defence lawyer for Private Bradley Manning, 23, as he appeared at a military court.
He faces 22 charges of obtaining and distributing government secrets - which he allegedly leaked to anti-secrecy site Wikileaks.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-16211977

Rockstar · 12-16-11, 06:23 PM

How do I get a fair trial? I used to ask myself that question everytime I went to captains mast.

I'm no lawyer but maybe the Manual for Courts Martial would answer your question. http://www.marines.mil/news/publicat...x#.TuvSbfKwVfM

Catfish · 12-16-11, 07:03 PM

One could argue he did, what his conscience told him to do.

I don't know how US citizen's rights are confined in the military, in the US. Anyway everyone criticizing his own governemnt in such a way will certainly be prosecuted, there is no democracy in the military or secret services worth mentioning.

But was he maybe right ?
Did he think his oath bound him to America, and not to unrightful action ?
Did he see something illegal was done, and he wanted the citizens of America and the world to know it ?
Did he think that there was some action done, breaching international and american law, the common people in his democracy were forbidden to hear, hidden away in a a free and democratic America "for the greater good" ?
Killing civilians in collateral damage abroad, with drones ? Invading countries that had nothing to do with terroristic attacks ? Torture violating international law ? Corruption with big business, arms factories and politics ?
It is all there, in those documents.

War crimes, wars of aggression and crimes against humanity are just this internationally, regardless who enforces them. Doing that in Hitler's time would have made him a hero, if most probably posthumously and much later.

If America is free and a democracy he will have to be questioned in a fair trial. If he is not killed before due to some intern code..

Edit: As far as i know he was by far not the only one who informed the press, and wikileaks ? But maybe he is the only one in the military (having onlyconfined civil rights here) , so he can be dealt with internally ? As well this was not an entirely american phenomenon, many people around the world contributed to wikileaks and other organisations about their contries, and governments.

Platapus · 12-16-11, 07:15 PM

Is there any reasonable doubt of his guilt? Motivations aside, hasn't he already confessed to downloading the stuff and giving it away?

Takeda Shingen · 12-16-11, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Platapus

Is there any reasonable doubt of his guilt? Motivations aside, hasn't he already confessed to downloading the stuff and giving it away?

Of course he is guilty, but he is still entitled to due process. Jim raises a valid point about the fairness of trial.

12-16-11, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Is there any reasonable doubt of his guilt?

But on which charges?
There certainly is a big pile of them of various natures.

12-16-11, 07:15 PM	#4
Platapus Fleet Admiral Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 19,362 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 0	Is there any reasonable doubt of his guilt? Motivations aside, hasn't he already confessed to downloading the stuff and giving it away? __________________ abusus non tollit usum - A right should NOT be withheld from people on the basis that some tend to abuse that right.

12-16-11, 06:23 PM	#2
Rockstar In the Brig Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Zendia Bar & Grill Posts: 12,614 Downloads: 10 Uploads: 0	How do I get a fair trial? I used to ask myself that question everytime I went to captains mast. I'm no lawyer but maybe the Manual for Courts Martial would answer your question. http://www.marines.mil/news/publicat...x#.TuvSbfKwVfM

12-16-11, 07:03 PM	#3
Catfish Dipped Squirrel Operative Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: ..where the ocean meets the sky Posts: 17,766 Downloads: 38 Uploads: 0	One could argue he did, what his conscience told him to do. I don't know how US citizen's rights are confined in the military, in the US. Anyway everyone criticizing his own governemnt in such a way will certainly be prosecuted, there is no democracy in the military or secret services worth mentioning. But was he maybe right ? Did he think his oath bound him to America, and not to unrightful action ? Did he see something illegal was done, and he wanted the citizens of America and the world to know it ? Did he think that there was some action done, breaching international and american law, the common people in his democracy were forbidden to hear, hidden away in a a free and democratic America "for the greater good" ? Killing civilians in collateral damage abroad, with drones ? Invading countries that had nothing to do with terroristic attacks ? Torture violating international law ? Corruption with big business, arms factories and politics ? It is all there, in those documents. War crimes, wars of aggression and crimes against humanity are just this internationally, regardless who enforces them. Doing that in Hitler's time would have made him a hero, if most probably posthumously and much later. If America is free and a democracy he will have to be questioned in a fair trial. If he is not killed before due to some intern code.. Edit: As far as i know he was by far not the only one who informed the press, and wikileaks ? But maybe he is the only one in the military (having onlyconfined civil rights here) , so he can be dealt with internally ? As well this was not an entirely american phenomenon, many people around the world contributed to wikileaks and other organisations about their contries, and governments.