Jim Kouri
Wikileaks leaker an angry and confused soldier
By Jim Kouri
Army Specialist Bradley Manning is again making headlines about his role in leaking classified documents to a so-called blogger who has subsequently released tens of thousands of military and diplomatic secrets. Last August, the Law Enforcement Examiner introduced readers to the disgruntled soldier who betrayed his country.
The suspect in the leaking of classified military files, SPC Bradley Manning, voiced his disgust with US Army commanders and U.S. "society at large" on his Facebook page just prior to his alleged downloading of thousands of secret documents, according to the British news media.
According to one story appearing in Britain's The Telegraph, Manning, who served as a US Army intelligence analyst, became depressed after a break-up with his homosexual campanion. He also wrote: "Bradley Manning is not a piece of equipment," and quoted a joke about "military intelligence" being an oxymoron.
Manning, who is openly homosexual, began his gloomy postings on January 12, saying: "Bradley Manning didn't want this fight. Too much to lose, too fast."
The 22-year old Manning is awaiting court martial as the primary suspect in the leaking of more than 90,000 secret documents to Wikileak.org creator Julian Assang, who in turn posted the documents on his web site. The secret documents subsequently appeared in major U.S. newspapers in a security breach which Pentagon officials say has endangered the lives of serving soldiers and Afghan civilians.
Pentagon investigators plan to delve into Manning's background to ascertain if they missed any warnings when he applied to join the US Army. According to The Telegraph, in May 2010, when he was serving at a US military base near Baghdad, he changed his status to: "Bradley Manning is now left with the sinking feeling that he doesn't have anything left."
Five days later, according to the Telegraph story, he said he was "livid" after being "lectured by ex-boyfriend," then later the same day said he was "not a piece of equipment" and was "beyond frustrated with people and society at large."
Manning was arrested at the end of May after allegedly leaking a controversial video of a U.S. helicopter attack, and he became the chief suspect when the Afghan war documents were leaked to Wikileak.org and appeared in the Washington Post and New York Times.
Manning, who is reportedly on suicide watch, was transferred from a military jail in Kuwait to a prison in Washington DC, as the Pentagon called in the FBI to assist in the hunt for the source of the leak.
According to Accuracy in Media, a media watchdog group, Manning's Facebook page shows that he enjoyed the MSNBC program hosted by Rachel Maddow, the lesbian activist, and that he listed the left-wing Media Matters and the National Center for Transgender Equality as being among his "likes and interests."
"Manning's affinity on his Facebook page for 'Repeal the Ban' is also significant. It is a project of a group called Servicemembers United, which describes itself as the nation's largest organization of gay and lesbian troops and veterans, their allies and supporters. The group receives financial support from the Open Society Institute of billionaire George Soros," wrote AIM's editor Cliff Kincaid.
While the President Barack Obama and his administration are calling for an end to the Bill Clinton-initiated "don't ask, don't tell" policy for gays and lesbians in the U.S. military, most Americans are being told only half the story.
Contrary to the news media's applause for so-called military leaders who support allowing openly gay soldiers, sailors and Marines, there are several top commanders who oppose rescinding the current policy.
During the debate, several senior military leaders came forward to oppose repealing the ban on homosexuals serving in the military until a one-year study can be completed. This opposition contrasts significantly with Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Admiral Michael Mullen's expressed "personal belief" that the current policy should be overturned.
Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James Conway expressed his fear that the repeal effort will distract from the military's mission of protecting the nation. He explained, "My concern would be that somehow that central purpose or focus were to become secondary to the discussion."
Army Chief of Staff General George Casey agreed, saying, "I do have serious concerns about the impact of a repeal of the law on a force that is fully engaged in two wars." He added, "We just don't know the impacts on readiness and military effectiveness."
Meanwhile, Air Force Chief of Staff General Norton Schwartz argued that now is not the time to repeal. "This is not the time to perturb the force that is, at the moment, stretched by demands in Iraq and Afghanistan and elsewhere without careful deliberation," he said.
"Shortly after the State of the Union Address, President Obama sent Defense Secretary Gates and Admiral Mullen to Capitol Hill to argue for a repeal of the military's ban on homosexuals. Clearly, this hearing was politically timed in order to suppress opposition within the military to the President's proposed new policy," claims Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council
© Jim Kouri
November 30, 2010
Army Specialist Bradley Manning is again making headlines about his role in leaking classified documents to a so-called blogger who has subsequently released tens of thousands of military and diplomatic secrets. Last August, the Law Enforcement Examiner introduced readers to the disgruntled soldier who betrayed his country.
The suspect in the leaking of classified military files, SPC Bradley Manning, voiced his disgust with US Army commanders and U.S. "society at large" on his Facebook page just prior to his alleged downloading of thousands of secret documents, according to the British news media.
According to one story appearing in Britain's The Telegraph, Manning, who served as a US Army intelligence analyst, became depressed after a break-up with his homosexual campanion. He also wrote: "Bradley Manning is not a piece of equipment," and quoted a joke about "military intelligence" being an oxymoron.
Manning, who is openly homosexual, began his gloomy postings on January 12, saying: "Bradley Manning didn't want this fight. Too much to lose, too fast."
The 22-year old Manning is awaiting court martial as the primary suspect in the leaking of more than 90,000 secret documents to Wikileak.org creator Julian Assang, who in turn posted the documents on his web site. The secret documents subsequently appeared in major U.S. newspapers in a security breach which Pentagon officials say has endangered the lives of serving soldiers and Afghan civilians.
Pentagon investigators plan to delve into Manning's background to ascertain if they missed any warnings when he applied to join the US Army. According to The Telegraph, in May 2010, when he was serving at a US military base near Baghdad, he changed his status to: "Bradley Manning is now left with the sinking feeling that he doesn't have anything left."
Five days later, according to the Telegraph story, he said he was "livid" after being "lectured by ex-boyfriend," then later the same day said he was "not a piece of equipment" and was "beyond frustrated with people and society at large."
Manning was arrested at the end of May after allegedly leaking a controversial video of a U.S. helicopter attack, and he became the chief suspect when the Afghan war documents were leaked to Wikileak.org and appeared in the Washington Post and New York Times.
Manning, who is reportedly on suicide watch, was transferred from a military jail in Kuwait to a prison in Washington DC, as the Pentagon called in the FBI to assist in the hunt for the source of the leak.
According to Accuracy in Media, a media watchdog group, Manning's Facebook page shows that he enjoyed the MSNBC program hosted by Rachel Maddow, the lesbian activist, and that he listed the left-wing Media Matters and the National Center for Transgender Equality as being among his "likes and interests."
"Manning's affinity on his Facebook page for 'Repeal the Ban' is also significant. It is a project of a group called Servicemembers United, which describes itself as the nation's largest organization of gay and lesbian troops and veterans, their allies and supporters. The group receives financial support from the Open Society Institute of billionaire George Soros," wrote AIM's editor Cliff Kincaid.
While the President Barack Obama and his administration are calling for an end to the Bill Clinton-initiated "don't ask, don't tell" policy for gays and lesbians in the U.S. military, most Americans are being told only half the story.
Contrary to the news media's applause for so-called military leaders who support allowing openly gay soldiers, sailors and Marines, there are several top commanders who oppose rescinding the current policy.
During the debate, several senior military leaders came forward to oppose repealing the ban on homosexuals serving in the military until a one-year study can be completed. This opposition contrasts significantly with Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Admiral Michael Mullen's expressed "personal belief" that the current policy should be overturned.
Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James Conway expressed his fear that the repeal effort will distract from the military's mission of protecting the nation. He explained, "My concern would be that somehow that central purpose or focus were to become secondary to the discussion."
Army Chief of Staff General George Casey agreed, saying, "I do have serious concerns about the impact of a repeal of the law on a force that is fully engaged in two wars." He added, "We just don't know the impacts on readiness and military effectiveness."
Meanwhile, Air Force Chief of Staff General Norton Schwartz argued that now is not the time to repeal. "This is not the time to perturb the force that is, at the moment, stretched by demands in Iraq and Afghanistan and elsewhere without careful deliberation," he said.
"Shortly after the State of the Union Address, President Obama sent Defense Secretary Gates and Admiral Mullen to Capitol Hill to argue for a repeal of the military's ban on homosexuals. Clearly, this hearing was politically timed in order to suppress opposition within the military to the President's proposed new policy," claims Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council
© Jim Kouri
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