Chelsea Manning Strikes Back with NY times OpEd

FORT LEAVENWORTH, Kan. — WHEN I chose to disclose classified information in 2010, I did so out of a love for my country and a sense of duty to others. I’m now serving a sentence of 35 years in prison for these unauthorized disclosures. I understand that my actions violated the law.
However, the concerns that motivated me have not been resolved. As Iraq erupts in civil war and America again contemplates intervention, that unfinished business should give new urgency to the question of how the United States military controlled the media coverage of its long involvement there and in Afghanistan. I believe that the current limits on press freedom and excessive government secrecy make it impossible for Americans to grasp fully what is happening in the wars we finance.

If you were following the news during the March 2010 elections in Iraq, you might remember that the American press was flooded with stories declaring the elections a success, complete with upbeat anecdotes and photographs of Iraqi women proudly displaying their ink-stained fingers. The subtext was that United States military operations had succeeded in creating a stable and democratic Iraq.

Those of us stationed there were acutely aware of a more complicated reality.

Military and diplomatic reports coming across my desk detailed a brutal crackdown against political dissidents by the Iraqi Ministry of Interior and federal police, on behalf of Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki. Detainees were often tortured, or even killed.

Early that year, I received orders to investigate 15 individuals whom the federal police had arrested on suspicion of printing “anti-Iraqi literature.” I learned that these individuals had absolutely no ties to terrorism; they were publishing a scholarly critique of Mr. Maliki’s administration. I forwarded this finding to the officer in command in eastern Baghdad. He responded that he didn’t need this information; instead, I should assist the federal police in locating more “anti-Iraqi” print shops.

Click to expand...

rugcat said:

How did she manage to get this published in the state controled corporate lacky New York Times?

Click to expand...

EffinGoose said:

Yep. Posting this stuff helps maintain an illusion of political discourse. Especially regarding social issues. We fight and fight over stuff that should simply be a simple inalienable right to a person while they make big money no matter who wins.

That said, I honestly wouldn't consider Chelsea a hero, simply because she released documents en masse without going through them first. People (both military and Iraqi) have died due to the carelessness of the release. I'm not saying releasing documents of illegal actions is bad- Snowden is a hero because he showed massive government overreach and corruption while not compromising the lives of people in any significant way. I'd like to say I would have done the same thing if I was in his specific position, but I'd be egotistical of me to say a such when I didn't go through the crucible he did. She is certainly not evil or a traitor, and while I believe she should be punished for what she did, the current sentence is way to severe.

Click to expand...