State Department Spokesman: Bradley Manning Is Being ‘Mistreated’ in Prison

Commentary Magazine ^ | March 11, 2011 | Alana Goodman

[2ndDivisionVet]

It’s hard to believe that the State Department spokesman, P.J. Crowley, not exactly one to shoot from the hip, would come out with a statement like this. But the Guardian is reporting that during a lecture an MIT, Crowley had some surprisingly harsh words about the Pentagon’s treatment of accused WikiLeaks leaker Pfc. Bradley Manning:

Hillary Clinton’s spokesman has launched a public attack on the Pentagon for the way it is treating military prisoner Bradley Manning, the US soldier suspected of handing the US embassy cables to WikiLeaks.

PJ Crowley, the assistant secretary of state for public affairs at the US state department, has said Manning is being “mistreated” in the military brig at Quantico, Virginia. “What is being done to Bradley Manning is ridiculous and counterproductive and stupid on the part of the department of defence.”

But how accurate is this report? There were no recordings of the event, and Crowley’s statement was written up by blogger Philippa Thomas, a former BBC correspondent who is now a Neiman Journalism Fellow at Harvard.

While there’s no reason to doubt Thomas’s account, it’s unclear what the context of Crowley’s statement was. He said that “[w]hat is being done to Bradley Manning is ridiculous and counterproductive and stupid on the part of the Department of Defense” — but what exactly was he referring to? Was Crowley unhappy about the treatment of Manning, or about how that treatment was handled from a public-relations perspective? It’s hard to tell from that sentence alone.

Either way, the “Free Manning” movement is continuing to gain traction. Yesterday, Amnesty International slammed the Obama administration over Manning’s alleged mistreatment in prison. This Manning issue, along with President Obama’s recent continuation of military tribunals at Guantanamo Bay, already seems to be driving a wedge between the administration and the antiwar left.

[allmost]

He was crying before he got caught. Solitary is just about right IMO. For now.

[Vendome]

Really?

Fine by me....

[Hardraade]

Sort of confirms what I always thought. The whole leak is this administration’s work.

Next, you’ll see this critter and his MIT helpers ensconced in the Lincoln bedroom ;).

[NTHockey]

>>He’s suffering. How? I don’t know either, but he is... sniff,sniff...<<

Yeah, tell somebody who gives a damn about a murdering POS. Go tell the widows and orphans of those killed because of his treason.

I hope they hang him, a la Mussolini. There are just some crimes that scream for “cruel and unusual punishment”.

[Levante]

Everytime those Code STENCH bastards show up, I wish the ground would open up underneath their foul cadavers and swallow them up.

[PLMerite]

Why is this any concern of the State Department? Was he acting on their behalf?

[csvset]

Crowley's Bio says that he was a Colonel in the Air Force. Was he ever a Commanding Officer? Did he ever send anyone to the brig? Probably not.

Some men you just can't reach. So you get what we had here last week, which is the way he wants it... well, he gets it. I don't like it any more than you men.

The fag made remarks about suicide. The staff has to take action. If the fag doesn't like the way he's treated, he should mind what comes out of his mouth.

The brig staff is professional and they are responsible for Manning's well being while he's confined there. Manning shot off at the mouth and now he doesn't like the results of his actions.

[Lessthantolerant]

Well a lesbian protesting mistreatment of a fairey, how sweet!

This little puke released this data without knowing if it could cause the death of Americans world wide, why should we care how he is treated?

I would have hung the little peckerwood already!

[Vigilanteman]

Why hasn't anyone mentioned the obvious solution?

Transfer this traitorous POS to Gitmo.

He will get kid-glove treatment from his jailers. As for the inmates . . . let's just say that we haven't yet supplied them with live goats.

[harpu]

This boy, ‘Bradley’, needs some private time with ‘Adebisi’.

[SandRat]

State Department and State Department spokesman, P.J. Crowley your job is foreign affairs. It is not your job to concern yourself with or comment on how the Defense Department is handling its matters falling under the UCMJ.

There that was the polite message, you can guess the more direct Gunny R. Lee style message.

[ops33]

I do not see Manning being pardoned nor do I see him receiving the death penalty (pity). I do see him being convicted by Courts-Martial, being reduced to the lowest grade, a Dishonorable Discharge, loss of all pay and allowances, and a very long confinement. Because of the nature of the crimes his confinement will in effect be solitary confinement. He’d better get used to it now.

Far left liberal groups are just using him as a cause of the day. Once he reports to Leavenworth he no longer has any value to them and he will be ignored.

[panthermom]

First and foremost, the State Department is NOT an ally of the US. They are a bunch of ideological whackos. They recruit fresh out of college from schools that preach that America is the evil empire.

[paddles]

I think PJ was a staff pogue...certainly not aircrew nor in posession of a combat record.

PJ was an HRC devotee when he was on the staff of the Center for American Progress but, like many at CAP, switched allegiances to BHO when he became the 2008 frontrunner.

[GOYAKLA]

His Father, an ex-Navy man, on a TV interview(PBS) said that his son was not complaing and was being treated well! The father also said he “twisted his son’s arm to go into the Navy”. The father seemed to think the complaints were coming from other than his son.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks 2ndDivisionVet. Update:

• State Department's P.J. Crowley stepping down [under the bus....]

[Eva]

I think that is exactly what the treatment that they are complaining about is trying to prevent. He has no clothes with which to hang himself.