Manning sentenced to 35 years

[MillCreek]

This just in: Bradley Manning sentenced to 35 years. He had faced a potential maximum sentence of 90 years.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/08/21/manning-sentencing-espionage-charges/2680243/

[Perd Hapley]

At last, some time for him to ponder his sexual orientation.

[Tallpine]

At last, some time for him to ponder his sexual orientation.

Well he did get a stiff sentence.

[Gowen]

I know  only a little of the case only from what I just read on wiki.  Unlike Snowden he was passing on materials that could and did actually harm the US and soldiers on the ground.  Snowden only passed on secrets of how in depth the NSA is spying on us.  Correct?

[Balog]

I know  only a little of the case only from what I just read on wiki.  Unlike Snowden he was passing on materials that could and did actually harm the US and soldiers on the ground.  Snowden only passed on secrets of how in depth the NSA is spying on us.  Correct?

Incorrect. Even fed.gov has repeatedly admitted (including testimony under oath) that Manning's leaks caused no material harm, aside from being embarassing.

https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130815/13090124192/bradley-manning-apologizes-harm-everyone-admits-he-didnt-actually-cause.shtml

[drewtam]

I know  only a little of the case only from what I just read on wiki.  Unlike Snowden he was passing on materials that could and did actually harm the US and soldiers on the ground.  Snowden only passed on secrets of how in depth the NSA is spying on us.  Correct?

I've only read random article on it, but what I recall is that Manning had no idea what was in the document dumps he was publishing/sending. Sometimes it was personal information, etc.

Also, some articles indicate the Manning showed many signs of being mentally troubled long before these events and should never have been given access, or sent out of country. Placing blame of the damage done, in part, on the COs who didn't manage their people.

[Gowen]

Thank you, I didn't know.

[MillCreek]

PFC. Manning just released a statement in which he is now calling himself Chelsea Manning and he wishes to begin hormone therapy as soon as possible.  I wonder if they provide hormone therapy to male prisoners at the Disciplinary Barracks.

[roo_ster]

PFC. Manning just released a statement in which he is now calling himself Chelsea Manning and he wishes to begin hormone therapy as soon as possible.  I wonder if they provide hormone therapy to male prisoners at the Disciplinary Barracks.

Does it not give you a warm & fuzzy feeling in your belly that US Gov't trusts our most sensitive data with the likes of this fruit loop?  Not just classified data, but the also all the data hoovered up by NSA. 

I think that fed.gov has show it is not responsible enough to store any of our sensitive data.

[MillCreek]

http://www.nbcnews.com/health/beginning-gender-change-prison-long-shot-6C10974050

From the article:

“The Army does not provide hormone therapy or sex-reassignment surgery for gender identity disorder,” Kimberly Lewis, a spokeswoman for the prison, told NBC News.

Manning's lawyer, David Coombs, told TODAY that he's "hoping" Fort Leavenworth "would do the right thing" and provide hormone therapy for Manning. "If Fort Leavenworth does not, then I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure they are forced to do so."

Coombs said that Manning hasn't discussed whether to pursue sex-reassignment surgery while in prison.

I have read in the legal literature about several states that provide hormone therapy to prisoners, usually after court decisions compelling them to do so.

[Fitz]

On Fark there was a great headline.

Said "Manning's future leaks will be sitting down"


ahhahahahaha

[Azrael256]

PFC. Manning just released a statement in which he is now calling himself Chelsea Manning and he wishes to begin hormone therapy as soon as possible.  I wonder if they provide hormone therapy to male prisoners at the Disciplinary Barracks.

This makes my brain hurt.  Did the crazy train just totally derail here?  Who let this nutcase access the card catalog at the library, much less something that matters?

[Levant]

Does it not give you a warm & fuzzy feeling in your belly that US Gov't trusts our most sensitive data with the likes of this fruit loop?  Not just classified data, but the also all the data hoovered up by NSA.  

I think that fed.gov has show it is not responsible enough to store any of our sensitive data.

I'm with you.  Whoever was in charge of this guy should do some time, too.  And maybe whoever was in charge of that guy.  And that guy... and that guy.. until we get to the top.

http://www.nbcnews.com/health/beginning-gender-change-prison-long-shot-6C10974050

From the article:

“The Army does not provide hormone therapy or sex-reassignment surgery for gender identity disorder,” Kimberly Lewis, a spokeswoman for the prison, told NBC News.

Manning's lawyer, David Coombs, told TODAY that he's "hoping" Fort Leavenworth "would do the right thing" and provide hormone therapy for Manning. "If Fort Leavenworth does not, then I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure they are forced to do so."

Coombs said that Manning hasn't discussed whether to pursue sex-reassignment surgery while in prison.

I have read in the legal literature about several states that provide hormone therapy to prisoners, usually after court decisions compelling them to do so.

What do you want to bet that changes?  It's a new Army.  A new Country.

I guess if I was going to spend the rest of my life in prison I would do what ever it takes to be put in the women's prison as well.

[T.O.M.]

I'm picturing a civil rights lawsuit against the Army and .gov for infringing on his basic civil right to choose his gender, and by refusing him hormones and/or surgery, we're violating his rights.  The suit will be backed by the LGBTQ groups, and even if the suit goes nowhere, I imagine someone in DC will try to curry favor (and votes) and push legislation that will get all of us to pay for his sex change.  Best part is that he'll then use the sex change as one of the grounds to seek a reduced sentence, arguing that he's literally not the same person who committed the offense.

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

there was a headline this morning said he could get out in 6 1/2.  how?

[T.O.M.]

I don't know UCMJ law.  Do they do "good time" credit?  Do they do early release/judicial release?  Only ways I know of...

[Scout26]

I don't know UCMJ law.  Do they do "good time" credit?  Do they do early release/judicial release?  Only ways I know of...

Yes, they do credit good behavior.  IIRC, it was 10 days for each month.

[Fitz]

I don't know UCMJ law.  Do they do "good time" credit?  Do they do early release/judicial release?  Only ways I know of...

Under the military justice system, you can get out on parole at one third of your sentence

In addition, they do give credit for time served while awaiting trial

[JN01]

I'm picturing a civil rights lawsuit against the Army and .gov for infringing on his basic civil right to choose his gender, and by refusing him hormones and/or surgery, we're violating his rights.  The suit will be backed by the LGBTQ groups, and even if the suit goes nowhere, I imagine someone in DC will try to curry favor (and votes) and push legislation that will get all of us to pay for his sex change.  Best part is that he'll then use the sex change as one of the grounds to seek a reduced sentence, arguing that he's literally not the same person who committed the offense.

Maybe he can get himself changed into a Bald Eagle, then they will have to release him as he will be an endangered species. 

You're probably right though, they will probably cave in to the squeaky wheels who will demand surgery for him.  Perhaps he can use his Nobel Prize money to pay for it.

The creep indiscriminately released massive amounts of classified information without a clue of what potential damage could be done.  He deserved the whole 90 years, whether as a man, woman, or other.

[roo_ster]

http://takimag.com/article/dangerously_sensitive_jim_goad/print#axzz2d6eOqbyx

Long before he was deployed to Iraq and divulged a flood of state secrets, Manning revealed himself to be quite the fragile orchid. When he was 13, his stepmother reportedly observed him running into walls and declaring, “I’m nobody now.” In 2006 he allegedly threatened her with a knife. In August 2009 he was referred to Army mental-health counselors after reportedly crying for hours after watching the films The Last King of Scotland and Dancer in the Dark—a sure sign of mental instability by any objective standard.

In 2009, two months after being sent to Iraq with a security clearance, Manning angrily flipped over a table during a counseling session, damaging a computer. During this hissy-fit, he had to be restrained by another soldier from grabbing a gun from a nearby gun rack and was dragged out of the room. Still, his security clearance remained intact.

Before he started blowing whistles, Bradley Manning was obviously blowing other things. Despite the “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy that was in effect at the time, Manning was apparently telling everyone who’d listen that he was gay. Perhaps even though Manning was eager to “tell,” no one wanted to risk the appearance of having asked. He reportedly told his roommate he was gay, at which point his roommate allegedly instructed Manning to stop talking to him. Manning divulged the ins and outs of a failed gay relationship on Facebook. He was even said to have kept a fairy wand at his desk. At a pre-trial hearing, Army officials claimed they were fully aware that Manning had also created a female alter ego he called “Breanna Manning.”

On May 7, 2010 he was found in a cupboard, curled in a fetal position, a knife at his feet after having sliced the words “I WANT” into a vinyl chair. A few hours later, he punched another soldier in the face. Through it all, his security clearance was not revoked. And despite being as obviously gay as a pair of white-leather girl’s ice skates whose glimmering blades are lubed with K-Y Jelly, he was not discharged as the rules would have demanded.

Welcome to the New Army, Bradley!

[brimic]

Progress, social justice, and all of that....
We'll have the best military and government that the ACLU can give us. 

[41magsnub]

Wow, what would it take to get kicked out of the Army these days?  I watched a couple of folks get separated for being half that weird.

[Fitz]

Wow, what would it take to get kicked out of the Army these days?  I watched a couple of folks get separated for being half that weird.

I can answer this, being a DS and all...


Before the Army said "Oh, we're overstrength!" it was damn near impossible to kick someone out unless they did something seriously *expletive deleted*ed up. Now, right around the time manning went crazy, that all changed and it got way easier. My final cycle in basic training we chaptered something like 12 soldiers.

Now, there are a few more issues at play here. One, when something like that happens, basic training units tend to start first, since they're already familiar as hell with the paperwork required to chapter Soldiers. The other issue is a continued degradation of the NCO corps due to too-fast promotions, good NCOs getting out, and poor NCOES.

The simple fact is: Mannings leadership failed. Both him, and the Army.

They failed because they didn't recognize his behavior early enough to either correct it, or get him the f**k out. They also failed, repeatedly, to adequately dick-slap him with some UCMJ / court martial action when they had a few opportunities.

This kind of weak, "ignore the problem" leadership is a big problem in the Army. it's both a source of my frustration, and also a big reason why I'm still in.

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

This kind of weak, "ignore the problem" leadership is a big problem in the Armyeverywhere
.

[RoadKingLarry]

This kind of weak, "ignore the problem" leadership is a big problem in the Army. it's both a source of my frustration, and also a big reason why I'm still in.

That problem also gave us that nasty Ft. Hood "workplace violence" thing a few years ago.
IMO everyone that had been in Hassan's chain of command needs to be charged and convicted of dereliction of duty.