Chelsea Manning released from prison

Renae · May 17, 2017

KevinKohler said:
Not sure about military, never served. But in private industry, I've seen quite a few folks get fired for trying to go through the chain of command. The only safe way to do it is if there a means of doing it anonymously.

Doesn't work like that in the Military. When people start breaking the chain of command and how things work, it breaks down discipline, and that's a bad bad thing.

Erod · May 18, 2017

Chelsea Manning wikileaks good.

Hillary Clinton email wikileaks bad.

Thoreau72 · May 18, 2017

DA60 said:
'Chelsea Manning, the former Army intelligence analyst behind one of the largest classified information leaks in US history, was released from military prison early Wednesday morning, an Army spokeswoman said.

Manning was convicted in 2013 of stealing 750,000 pages of documents and videos before leaking them to WikiLeaks.'

Chelsea Manning released from prison - CNNPolitics.com

Thoughts?

Manning is in the same class as other whistleblowers such as Snowden, Binney, Kiriakou, Drake, Wright and others. At great personal expense, she exposed the crimes of government in its wars of military aggression. That makes her and them patriots of the highest order.

Thoreau72 · May 18, 2017

Renae said:
No, obviously you didn't learn ****.

I had a problem with my LT. I'm the reason he was drummed out to high year tenure, he couldn't get promoted to O-4. Cause I used the chain of command to deal with his stupidity.

Manning didn't even try.

But we know the truth here, you're a partisan hack, and because you approved of the results of her actions you'll mack every excuse for her. Bling, partisan, hack.

Drake and several others DID use the chain of command. It utterly failed to stop the wrongdoing, AND it led to criminal charges. Manning was aware of that and so was Snowden.

In these sort of cases, the chain of command is used only to protect the guilty parties and punish the whistleblower.

Perotista · May 18, 2017

DA60 said:
'Chelsea Manning, the former Army intelligence analyst behind one of the largest classified information leaks in US history, was released from military prison early Wednesday morning, an Army spokeswoman said.

Manning was convicted in 2013 of stealing 750,000 pages of documents and videos before leaking them to WikiLeaks.'

Chelsea Manning released from prison - CNNPolitics.com

Thoughts?

Does it makes any difference? You have a former presidential candidate that had 22 top secret special access program, codeword, sci information on an unclassified server along with 2,000 or so other classified national security information messages or e-mails which was perfectly okay to her supporters. You have the present president discussing classified intelligent information with the Russian Ambassador which is okay to his supporters. why bother locking anyone up? Perhaps Manning's problem is that he wasn't running for president. He had no political clout or a huge political machine behind him to protect him, or her or whatever.

RetiredUSN · May 18, 2017

Thoreau72 said:
Drake and several others DID use the chain of command. It utterly failed to stop the wrongdoing, AND it led to criminal charges. Manning was aware of that and so was Snowden.

In these sort of cases, the chain of command is used only to protect the guilty parties and punish the whistleblower.

Then, there is the option of picking up the phone and calling the JAG corp if Manning was truly being honorable. Manning didn't use JAG because he knew he didn't have a lawful leg to stand on with what he was doing.

I have seen JAG work many times with sailors, and there have been more than a few local commands toppled over the past 20 years after a JAG investigation. JAG has flushed more than a few Captains XO's, department heads, and a few Command Master Chiefs in the Norfolk area.

30 years ago, you wouldn't have many options, but today the deckplate sailor's complaints do not have to end with the C.O. JAG is required by the Navy to follow up on every call into the hotline.

Thoreau72 · May 18, 2017

RetiredUSN said:
Then, there is the option of picking up the phone and calling the JAG corp if Manning was truly being honorable. Manning didn't use JAG because he knew he didn't have a lawful leg to stand on with what he was doing.

I have seen JAG work many times with sailors, and there have been more than a few local commands toppled over the past 20 years after a JAG investigation. JAG has flushed more than a few Captains XO's, department heads, and a few Command Master Chiefs in the Norfolk area.

30 years ago, you wouldn't have many options, but today the deckplate sailor's complaints do not have to end with the C.O. JAG is required by the Navy to follow up on every call into the hotline.

I do understand your point, and it's valid to a point. Sorry I can't instantly link to it, but Thomas Drake has specifically discussed this issue. He DID go through the chain of command, and in the end was indicted by the feds. There are others in the same boat. Recall that Obama prosecuted and imprisoned more whistleblowers than any other president, ever.

It's history now, but Manning did the right thing. Had he gone through the chain, nothing would have changed, nothing at all.

RetiredUSN · May 18, 2017

Thoreau72 said:
I do understand your point, and it's valid to a point. Sorry I can't instantly link to it, but Thomas Drake has specifically discussed this issue. He DID go through the chain of command, and in the end was indicted by the feds. There are others in the same boat. Recall that Obama prosecuted and imprisoned more whistleblowers than any other president, ever.

It's history now, but Manning did the right thing. Had he gone through the chain, nothing would have changed, nothing at all.

I am well aware of what Obama did, and the left never likes mentioning his little war on DOD whistleblowers.

Mike Imprevento is Ex JAG, a practicing lawyer, and hosts a talk show on here locally on AM 790 WNIS. I knew of him in the Navy, and I buy insurance from his wife.

He has related a lot of stories regarding JAG corps on the radio. He was in like 6 years and got out, but still has many ties with the Navy JAG today, and represents sailors all the time. I can tell you first hand that the JAG office will listen to and investigate any valid complaint from sailors no matter what the complaint. Waste-Fraud-Abuse, sexual harassment, violation of the sailors rights, Misconduct in the chain of command etc. etc.

AM790 - News Talk - WNIS

RetiredUSN · May 18, 2017

Renae said:
Doesn't work like that in the Military. When people start breaking the chain of command and how things work, it breaks down discipline, and that's a bad bad thing.

When did you get out? The JAG hotline is posted in every building on base these days.

You don't necessarily have to go through your chain of command if you have been threatened.

Renae · May 18, 2017

RetiredUSN said:
When did you get out? The JAG hotline is posted in every building on base these days.

You don't necessarily have to go through your chain of command if you have been threatened.

2005, I meant Retired, when people start just deciding they can ya know... release information that's classified on their own.

Thoreau72 · May 19, 2017

RetiredUSN said:
I am well aware of what Obama did, and the left never likes mentioning his little war on DOD whistleblowers.

Mike Imprevento is Ex JAG, a practicing lawyer, and hosts a talk show on here locally on AM 790 WNIS. I knew of him in the Navy, and I buy insurance from his wife.

He has related a lot of stories regarding JAG corps on the radio. He was in like 6 years and got out, but still has many ties with the Navy JAG today, and represents sailors all the time. I can tell you first hand that the JAG office will listen to and investigate any valid complaint from sailors no matter what the complaint. Waste-Fraud-Abuse, sexual harassment, violation of the sailors rights, Misconduct in the chain of command etc. etc.

AM790 - News Talk - WNIS

Now if only JAG and its counterparts in the other branches could establish a solid reputation based upon its actions. If only it actually delivered on the dreams you and your friend have about the practical success of keeping complaints in the chain of command.

I can't remember all the details just now, but what happened at Abu Ghraib years ago also suggested the failure of the chain of command to deliver justice and the rule of law.

I hope something will change it, but right now "going through the chain of command" is all theory. In real life, all it does it get one prosecuted or thrown out.