Tuesday, June 4, 2013

The depressing trial of Bradley Manning

I can hardly read the news about Pfc. Manning's trial. He's the American hero who alerted the world to the illegal acts the United States engaged in while pursuing its extra-legal, pre-emptive wars. They'll name a high school after him one day. But for now, the show goes on.

Julian Assange nailed it:
"This is not justice; never could this be justice," Assange said in a statement Monday. "The verdict was ordained long ago. Its function is not to determine questions such as guilt or innocence, or truth or falsehood. It is a public relations exercise, designed to provide the government with an alibi for posterity." 
It's a sickening charade. One day I hope to be able to write Manning a letter of praise. But for now, the KGB U.S. government won't let anything get through to him. It's another example of torture by Americans. By blocking communication with the outside world, the US is putting blinders on Manning's eyes -- lest he realize that he has a legion of supporters. Their goal is to make him feel very alone.

After the show trial and the inevitable verdict, they'll undoubtedly persecute him for the entire span of his imprisonment, which will probably be a life sentence. He's going to need all our letters of praise just to get through it.