Bradley Manning: traitor, whistleblower, victim of Obama's bullying – and a terrible gay icon

The London Telegraph ^ | June 4, 2013 | Dr. Tim Stanley

[2ndDivisionVet]

The Bradley Manning trial has begun, and the tale of how a weirdo tried to bring down the government – and how the government bit back – is fascinating. For liberals, it’s one political paradox after another.

First, there’s the problem of little Bradley. On paper he ought to be a liberal’s pin-up – a gay soldier driven by his conscience to share the secrets of the military-industrial complex with the world. The defence’s tale of how he came to be disillusioned with the Iraq War is believable and symapthetic. Manning was ordered to investigate a roadside bombing in 2009 and was disturbed when his colleagues cheered that no US personnel had been hurt – showing zero concern for the Iraqi woman who died on her way to the hospital.

But the problem is that Manning did essentially betray his colleagues and country by helping to make public more than 720,000 secret diplomatic and military documents.

---snip---

The upshot of the Bradley trial is that we have one group of liberals protesting on behalf of a man who, by the prosecution’s definition, betrayed his country and another group of liberals (aka, the Obama administration) using the full power of the state to silence criticism of a war they were elected to wind down. At the centre of the storm is a person who one suspects should never have been in uniform.

---snip---

Of course, some folks do like Bradley Manning. Ron Paul says that Obama’s peace prize should be revoked and given to Bradley instead: “While President Obama was starting and expanding unconstitutional wars overseas, Bradley Manning, whose actions have caused exactly zero deaths, was shining light on the truth behind these wars.” That’s not accurate, Ron....

[DrDude]

Not the smartest person but no more evil than Panette giving away classified info to Movie Producers AND outing Israel’s plans.

[Sarajevo]

(aka, the Obama administration) using the full power of the state to silence criticism of a war they were elected to wind down.

Why does everyone want to give the current bunch of incompetents in the WH the credit for winding that war down? They didn't have squat to do with it. The US/Iraqi SOFA, which spelled out the terms of the drawdown, was signed on 17 Nov 2008, the day BEFORE obama was elected.

[Cicero]

He got angry because his fellow soldiers were glad that no Americans were killed by a roadside bomb?

Hey, they weren’t responsible for blowing up that Muslim woman. An Afghan Muslim did it. So, this makes him side with the Muslims who regularly blow up their own women and children, often deliberately?

[onedoug]

The Gay Traitor. I can see the marquees already.

[wideawake]

I like the Ron Paul quote. Shows who he is when he takes off his ill-fitting mask of sanity.

[OldSmaj]

Bradley Manning is a petulant, childish, pouting little queer, who, because he did not get his way, decided to commit an act which he had absolutely no idea of what the consequences were.

This whole damned thing is all about him.

The chubby-cheeked little traitor needs a damned good spanking, more than anything.

Only problem with that is that the whiny little pervert would probably enjoy it too much.

Not to worry, though, he'll have plenty of "companions" when he gets to Leavenworth.

Probably get "spanked" every day.

Another very good reason to keep faggots out of the US Armed Forces. They are unreliable, over-emotional and everything revolves around them...or so they believe.

Perverts cannot be warriors, as long as they put the perversion above all else.

[Charles Martel]

The Gay Traitor. I can see the marquees already.

Bialystock and Bloom, Directors.

[MSF BU]

I agree insofar as the romantic element does not belong on the combat team, either heterosexual or homosexual. That anybody is surprised over the current harassment problems in the news is amazing. Anybody familiar with the goings on in a coed barracks or vessel knows the place is a glorified brothel.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks 2ndDivisionVet.

On paper he ought to be a liberal’s pin-up -- a gay soldier driven by his conscience to share the secrets of the military-industrial complex with the world. The defence’s tale of how he came to be disillusioned with the Iraq War is believable and symapthetic. Manning was ordered to investigate a roadside bombing in 2009 and was disturbed when his colleagues cheered that no US personnel had been hurt...

On paper, he *is* a liberal pinup.