Re:Obama Commutes Bulk of Chelsea Manning’s Sentence
by EdHominem on Wednesday January 18, 2017 @02:44AM
(#13424786)
> Manning did commit a crime.
Not actually. Manning was required by law to refuse and report illegal orders. And not just make a show of reporting it and then back to business as usual.
> didn't it also do things like give away the positions of some undercover agents?
No, but that'd be our fault anyways, for mixing legal and illegal.
> And harm US diplomatic relations with other countries?
The truth didn't harm relations, doing the things that the allies found out about in the first place was the problem.
> Look at it from the POV of the government: How could they not punish Manning?
Um, admitting fault and correcting it. But yeah, we know that'd never happen so what could they do but shoot the messenger?
> It would do a lot to encourage others to indiscriminately leak classified info.
Doubtful. The motivator in Manning's case wasn't the ease or difficulty of leaking, but the crimes that needed exposing.
Not actually. Manning was required by law to refuse and report illegal orders. And not just make a show of reporting it and then back to business as usual.
> didn't it also do things like give away the positions of some undercover agents?
No, but that'd be our fault anyways, for mixing legal and illegal.
> And harm US diplomatic relations with other countries?
The truth didn't harm relations, doing the things that the allies found out about in the first place was the problem.
> Look at it from the POV of the government: How could they not punish Manning?
Um, admitting fault and correcting it. But yeah, we know that'd never happen so what could they do but shoot the messenger?
> It would do a lot to encourage others to indiscriminately leak classified info.
Doubtful. The motivator in Manning's case wasn't the ease or difficulty of leaking, but the crimes that needed exposing.