Breanna’s defense; the Army should have known he was a criminal (UPDATED)
So while we’re all waiting for the judge to hand down Manning’s sentence, the LA Times reports that Breanna’s defense team’s strategy during the sentencing hearing is that his supervisors shouldn’t have let him near classified material in a “stop me before I kill again” defense;
He was late for meetings, and once curled in a fetal position on a storage room floor and clutched his head, a knife at his feet. He carved the words “I want” into a chair.
Another time, he pounded his fists and flipped over a table of computers before he was wrestled into submission. And in April 2010, Army Pfc. Bradley Manning emailed his sergeant a mug shot of himself wearing makeup, dark lipstick and a flowing blonde wig.
“This is my problem,” he wrote in the email. “I have had signs of it for a very long time.”
While I agree with the larger point, his supervisors should have restricted his access to classified material, in fact they should have thrown his tiny ass out of the Army and out onto the street, but that doesn’t not make him a criminal deserving punishment;
Defense lawyers are seeking to persuade a military judge not to impose the maximum 90-year sentence on Manning, who was convicted last month of espionage and other charges related to the illegal disclosures. They are trying to show that Army commanders ignored signs that the Oklahoma-born soldier was mentally unstable and was nearing a breakdown.
I know this is the only defense that’s available to the lawyers, but it’s still pretty lame. It doesn’t change what he did, and the people who lost their lives because of his treachery don’t get to make excuses. If he’s only getting jail time and no rope stretching time, he should feel lucky.
One of our close friends sent this from BuzzFeed; Breanna Manning’s selfie;
Category: Shitbags
OT: Do we have anything on Milton Tepeyac ? Claims to be Recon Marine who was deported for being translator in drug deal. Huge sob story making the rounds (WaPo) in support of immigration reform.
…and just another example of the “Yes, I did it, but it wasn’t MY fault” defense.
Our society and culture has abdicated responsibility and accountability for any shortcoming, mistake, or crime. Worse, we have severed the connection between crime and plain evil character. People who commit horrific crimes are no longer evil. They are “sick”. They just “snapped”. There is an explanation readily available that exonerates the doer and blames the victim class of the act.
The Muslim on trial in Fort Hood is another example.
I don’t know when precisely this phenomenon was birthed, but it was during my life time. We used to own up to our deeds good or bad. Now we shift blame and steal credit (also known as valor).
I hope Manning gets the full 90 years, and spends it without a single creature comfort. I’m probably setting the bar too high.
Who exactly has lost their lives as a result of the leaks? Can you back up that claim with any evidence?
I don’t expect him to get the maximum – usually whoever is sentencing (whether judge or panel) will find some room for mitigation – but I do expect a lengthy sentence. I’m going to predict 40-50 years, and hope that I’ve underestimated.
So cross dressing and being gay is a mental illness now? Doesn’t that cut against everything that the movement has been working toward? As I understand it, the argument goes that gays and trannies are just as patriotic and capable as straits, unless the gay or transvestite is caught, in which case you should have known better than to let him near classified material.
So, explain to me again why Manning is such a boon to the gay community?
He sounds like Geraldine Jones: “The Devil made me buy this dress!!!”
I believe this ‘phenomenon’ started when punishing your kids for lying became unfashionable. Maybe it’s time people started going back to church on Sundays and going to confession. They might learn some morals.
@3, Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods.
Can you dispute it? Because how do you prove it either way? I have no way how the wacka doodles would have acted in the absence of this, but seems clear to me.
#3; Sure. the Wikileaks documents have been credited as fueling the “Arab Spring” – anyone die in those revolts?
“#3; Sure. the Wikileaks documents have been credited as fueling the “Arab Spring” – anyone die in those revolts?”
You seem to be reaching rather desperately with that answer. Right, because the Arab Spring would have NEVER happened without Wikileaks…. I’m talking about actual targeted assassinations based on names identified in the documents, and motivations due to the release of classified actions of those individuals (like spying or anti-insurgent activity). So far, I have not heard that such things have taken place or that they could be traced directly to Wikileaks, so I feel quite comfortable disputing said claim at this time, because I just don’t see it happening.
@9 – Read the contents of the attached link, in its entirety:
https://www.fas.org/sgp/othergov/intel/sf312.pdf
Of course, if you disagree with holding your word as your bond and fulfilling your commitments, then you’re no better than Manning.
@10: What does that have to do with what I was asking? Nothing.
As Damien Sandow would say: “Thank you for your irrelevant opinion.”
If he’s only getting jail time and no rope stretching time, he should feel lucky.
I dunno. If I were in that kinda position, I’d be pulling a Hasan and working actively for a death sentence. Better to sit on death row for years and get offed than 90 years in Gen Pop.
Of course, given the reality of things, either one might very well prove to be a death sentence. One would be carried out more humanely and with more dignity than the other.
@3
Who exactly has lost their lives as a result of the leaks? Can you back up that claim with any evidence?
Maybe I missed it. Help me out here. Where in the text above yours did anyone claim lives lost?
@13: In the last part of the original post. On this site. I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you didn’t read the whole thing but damn.
@14
I’m not going to dig through the archives, so I’ll cede that it’s entirely possible, likely even. It’s also irrelevant.
Technically Anonymous (come on dude, at least use a name – no body respests an “Anonymous”) is correct – the Army admitted at the beginning of Manning’s trial that they had nor DIRECTLY linked any deaths to Manning’s leaks. However, at bin Laden’s compound and quarters they found many docs and items from the Manning leaks. So we have the folks who have coordinated and planned terrorist attacks against the US directly leaked to Manning documents…. I would call this one a tie.
FistSFC, have to disagree. Had his SFC supervisor did his job the little prick would have had his security clearance pulled. They should bring him back on active duty for punishment. We used to have something called the Human Reliability Program and a red flag would cause our classified access to be pulled immediately before someone could do something stupid. With the Fort Hood case it was more of the same, supervisary and command not doing anything about an identified problem. Ship em out, let someone else worry about it. In this PC world no one is going to step up. Punish those who didn’t do their job in addition to the perps.
@12 On the other hand Nik, Breanna might just enjoy life in prison… Thor, Bubba and Big Juan gonna have fun…
@17 Club Manager – Correct! If I was his supe, I sure as hell would have pulled his clearance. You can’t have people loose in the head running round SCIF’s.
Hey Anonymous. I’m glad to hear that you are comfortable. You are also clearly an egomaniac. This will shock you but not every comment that followed your first (which was one too many, by the way) is going to be responsive to you. I’ll cut to the chase: You’re an asshole.
@11 – It has everything to do with it, and the fact you fail to see that is beyond me. He’s been on trial for violating that trust and confident, among other things – in case you missed it. Manning was an Intel Analyst, which position brings certain responsibilities that aren’t taken lightly. He violated the trust and confidence of not only his leadership, but also violated policies extending to the care, control and maintenance of classified material.
Considering you must follow Damien Shandow and repeat what he has to say enough to quote it here, that of itself is a testament of what kind of idiot you must be.
Well Anonymous, aren’t you a special little angel, defending sweet Bradley from all of the ugly vets who see him as a traitorous little freak.
He broke the law, compromised national security and is lucky that he is not testing the tensile strength of a long rope.
Now don’t go away mad, just go away.
I figured they weren’t pursuing the death penalty because they could not directly link him to a dead body. With documents from his leaks found at the bin Laden raid site though they clearly have strong evidence that his illegal release of documents had found its way to those whose plans have long included killing civilians of several different nations.
My understanding was that was why he was facing 90 years, no direct link to dead bodies but a clear criminal release of documents that were directly found in the operating base of our number one enemy and the planner of the 9/11 attacks. He should be hung for that, but 90 years works for me.
The Army probably should have known he was criminal, but so what? Because the Army didn’t keep him from documents it somehow absolves his guilt in releasing the documents in violation of his service oath and clearance agreements? Not f#cking likely….
F#ck Manning, I hope his remaining days are spent in remorseful misery in the confines of an 8×10….
@23
Because the Army didn’t keep him from documents it somehow absolves his guilt in releasing the documents in violation of his service oath and clearance agreements?
Exactly.
– “Hey, you robbed my house.”
– “Yah? Well you didn’t lock the door, so it’s not my fault.”
Breanna’s idiocy aside, I am curious about one thing. Earlier, there has been a post about a physical altercation he got into with his supervisor that ended with her taking Manning down and restraining him.
Why in the world was that not followed up with a conversation that began with “Let me talk to the CO now!” and ended with Manning having his clearance pulled and sent home to face trial?
Manning is not even a full turd.
Just a half-a-turd.
And one that needs to be flushed.
@17 Club Manager. Thank you for proving my point.
During my 21 year split service career I personally processed out no fewer than 12 lost causes (won’t call them Soldiers). I had the sack and the plums to call them what they were. Then I dealt with them.
I was in during the 80’s, got out and then went back halfway through the 90’s until 2010. I’ve seen more administrations using the military as their social petri dish than I care to remember.
“We” just don’t do that (corrective action) any more; in civilian society, and often, (more than ever) not even in the military. The 10/90 rule takes over. (10% of your people taking up 90% of your time). They have to be counseled repeatedly. There is follow up required of the supervisor (absorbing even more of THEIR time). We transfer them to another platoon to see if the squad leader is the real problem. We send them to another unit. We shuttle them off to hand out basketballs at the gym. ANYTHING but process their sorry ass out.
And why? Because the twatwaffle says he is sick, or it isn’t his fault, or his Daddy didn’t take him to the ballgame, of Mommy wouldn’t let him keep the frog he caught when he was five. And society and our culture believes, encourages and protects him. It isn’t because he is a turd and made stupid decisions. Nope. It’s my fault. Bullshit.
@26: it well could’ve, with no results. It sounds like Breanna was a problem for a long time, and pretty much all his peers and immediate supervisors knew, but there was no will from up the chain of command to do what needed to be done. I’m not part of the .mil world, but I do work for the civilian Federal government, and I’ve seen this syndrome before. At some point, you’re putting your own career in jeopardy by pushing and poking the system, for a guaranteed no positive results.
Sorry, that was for @25 (NRPax).
Manning was shocked that our government lies and engages in games of diplomatic chess.
Manning was shocked that innocent lives are lost in war.
So, becuase of his naivete, he leaks classified documents that DID wind up in the hands of an infamous terrorist leader.
Committment, integrity?
I’m guessing 30 years confinement, reduction to E-1 and a dishonorable discharge.
Most of us foresaw that obamaman and his administration would be a problem. We just couldn’t know precisely how that problem would manifest. And then we saw, and then the SOB was re-elected. My point? Mistakes of greater or lesser magnitude happen at all levels, from the PVT to the (God help us) C-i-C.
Dear Anonymous at #3 –
http://www.dailytech.com/Taliban+Murders+Afghan+Elder+Thanks+Wikileaks+for+Revealing+Spies/article19250.htm
Fuck right off.
@32. And I thought I was alone in that sentiment. It’s nice to have company.
@33 – no fucking way. You’re definitely not alone. I may be a libertarian, but I’m not a STUPID libertarian. And working for the DoD, I spent six months of my life examining the documents that little fucktard released. Not. A. Happy. Camper.
@32 – Not taking Anonymous’ side, but the article you cited from 2010 links the tribal elder death to Wikileaks, and while it states Wikileaks released a shitload of Manning’s stolen docs, it doesn’t definitively link them. I suspect that given the trial started 3 years after this article, and that the Army itself stated they did not find a direct link between Manning and a specific death, that investigation failed to prove the link. If the Army had claimed a link which was subsequently found unprovable, that would have blown the prosecution case. Doesn’t lessen Manning’s eligibility for a 230-grain Q-tip, but he earned it through general document mishandling, not a specific death.
Anonymous: I’ll spare you the trouble of reading the article Nicki linked. Here’s the pertinent part:
The Taliban, a radical Islamic militia in Afghanistan, announced its gratitude to Wikileaks for the release and vowed to hunt down those revealed in the documents to be collaborating with the U.S. It appears that they have now made good on that threat.
Khalifa Abdullah, a tribal elder, was removed from his home in Monar village, in Kandahar province’s embattled Arghandab district, by gunmen. He was then executed.
At the same time, 70 other tribal elders received death threats warning them that the Taliban had obtained reason to believe they were collaborating with the U.S. One such threat is signed by Abdul Rauf Khadim, a senior Taliban official who was imprisoned in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba.
So if you’re looking for a specific individual whose blood is on Mannings tawdry, turncoat hands – try the name “Khalifa Abdullah”.
Oh, and you are also invited, most cordially, to please go fornicate yourself.
Nicki, thanks for the link. I was looking when I popped back here and you’d put it up.
And, I echo your sentiment re: #3.
First off, there is absolutely no excuse for the release of the classified documents by Manning, so let’s just take that off the table. As someone who’s been in the SCIF world for his entire career, we routinely process personnel out of the service for mental instability. That his chain of command failed in their duties to inhibit his access to classified material is no mitigation for his actions. Unless his defense team can prove he wasn’t responsible for his actions based upon mental instability, he deserves whatever punishment is adjudicated.
However, I do heavily favor additional investigation into the lack of the chain of command’s action in maintaining the integrity of the system when it seems quite obvious there was an issue with Manning for quite some time. They did fail to maintain suitability standards for access to classified material.
I bet Anonymous #3 will not retreat and GTFO .. and he better is pieces of shit like him/her/it that end up hurting more people than anything else, god at least they should READ a bit … such a damn fail …
I would go in a long rant and show facts but ppl .. he ACTUALLY defends Manning, he ACTUALLY probably believes Assange is not an asshat, you can’t deal with this ppl he probably thinks dinosaurs where put there by the evil or something …
David – I suspect (and TSO is the lawyer here) that the rules of evidence are a LOT more stringent in a courtroom, so I doubt a press article could be used as evidence in that trial. I would think they would have to actually drag a hairy-assed, camel-fucking Taliban into court to testify that he kidnapped an elder based on information he found on WikiLeaks.
However, that said, based on the documents that I PERSONALLY examined and the assessments I made, as well as what is reported in open sources, I would say that yes… Manning did cause lost lives. And I will also say that the diplomatic cables he released caused infinitely more damage vis-a-vis our relationships with our allies than the stuff released from CIDNE.
UpNorth, no problem. I keep that shit handy when idiots snivel at me about WikiLeaks – a subject about which the vast majority of them are completely clueless.
#25 NR Pax –
There were evidently two incidents of violence while Manning was at FOB Hammer. The first was the table-tipping incident in December 2009; the second was when he punched his female supervisor in early May 2010.
Some have said, hindsight being 20/20, that Manning should not have gotten what evidently amounted to a free pass on the first incident, and taking action then might have avoided the disclosures to Wikileaks in January and February.
Action was taken after the second incident, Manning both got an Article 15 and things were put in motion to kick him out of the Army, but it was only a couple of weeks later that he was arrested after Adrian Lamo talked to the FBI.
To veer in another direction, what people like Anonymous can’t seem to understand is that within the intelligence community the actual process is not like Hollywood. Most of it is not about one spy meeting another spy in a smoky cafe in some exotic locale to turn over the microdot with the blueprints to the doomsday weapon.
More often, it’s about taking a bunch of discrete pieces of information that might not seem to mean much on their own, but can be fitted with other pieces to form a useful picture. How those pieces get put together is often more important than the meaning of each piece.
Personally, it wouldn’t surprise me if the Manning disclosures were directly responsible for the death of human intelligence assets, but it would also not be a surprise if a decision was made not to disclose the circumstances of those deaths in the interest of avoiding even more disclosure.
Nicki – as you stated before, you have actually seen ’em, and would have a better idea – all I said was that the Army stated they could not prove a direct link. They say the truth is not shown in court, just what you can PROVE – and yes, I spent ten years in the classified world, military and civilian, so I know that ‘connecting the dots’ to know something is so, and being able to solidly PROVE something is so, are two different things – and the latter seldom happens.
I do like the idea of a cell maybe an inch larger than Manning for the next hundred years – I just don’t want taxpayers paying for it. Hence the reference to John Browning’s ear wax removal system.
@42 – I’d like the opportunity to kick him in the nuts several times too. Just for forcing me to cancel my leave and ruining my life for six fucking months.
Nicki, are we certain there’s a big enough target there to kick?
Even if Nicki misses, it’s satisfying to get the shot.
I’ll just aim for the general area. I’m sure I’ll hit something small there. And if I happen to send his shriveled raisins into his foul throat, oh well…
🙂
Please post video here for everyone’s enjoyment. Also, extra points for actual liftoff.
Oh, hell! That’s not a feat! That little fuck is barely 120 lbs. soaking wet. I pressed 175 lbs. the other day at the gym.
:golf clap:
@2 FISTSFC
“I hope Manning gets the full 90 years, and spends it without a single creature comfort.”
I disagree, I’m all for letting him keep his wig and makeup. That will make him more marketable when Bubba pimps him out for smokes and candy bars.