Defense attorney: Bradley Manning a whistleblower

Associated Press ^ | Jul 26, 2013 11:22 AM EDT | David Dishneau and Pauline Jelinek

[Olog-hai]

U.S. Army Pfc. Bradley Manning is a whistleblower who wanted to inform the American public about the troubling things he saw in the war zone, and the soldier is willing to pay the price for giving secrets to WikiLeaks, his defense attorney said Friday.

During closing arguments, attorney David Coombs disputed what prosecutors said a day earlier, that Manning was a traitor whose only mission as an intelligence analyst was to give classified information to the anti-secrecy website and bask in the attention.

“He’s not seeking attention. He saying he’s willing to accept the price” for what he has done, Coombs said.

Manning, 25, is charged with 21 offenses, but the most serious is aiding the enemy. A conviction on that could land him in prison for the rest of his life. …

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks USNBandit.

Bradley Manning, an E-5 in the Army, was mad about the Don't Ask Don't Tell policy because he is a homosexual. His response wasn't to advocate, protest, march, write his congressman, or get kicked out of the Army. His response was to download every bit of classified material he could get his hands on, regardless of its content, and give it to a foreign party. He did this to cause as much damage as possible, not to highlight any wrongdoing.

Bingo. For that matter, those Muslims who tried to blow up their ship during the Gulf War -- I think the ship was in the Far East at the time -- are similarly just traitors who should have gone to the gallows.

[wideawake]

You don't understand - Snowden is the official "conservative" traitor while Manning is the official "liberal" traitor.

You have to love Snowden for betraying his country to Red China and you have to hate Manning for betraying his country to Red China.

I'm afraid your approach to treason just isn't nuanced enough. It seems like you just have a blanket disapproval for all treason.