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Obama Commutes Bulk of Chelsea Manning’s Sentence

nytimes.com

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Re: Obama Commutes Bulk of Chelsea Manning’s Sentence

#161

Post by TheGirondin »

noobermin wrote: post #96
chollida1 wrote: post #11

It's been said that one person's freedom fighter is another's terrorist. > The files she copied also included about 250,000 diplomatic cables from American embassies around the world showing sensitive deals and conversations, dossiers detailing intelligence assessments of Guantánamo detainees held without trial, and a video of an American helicopter attack in Baghdad in two Reuters journalists were killed, among othe…

Okay, so there is punishment say, as some others have said here. Is 7 years enough? She was sentenced to rot in jail till 2045, how can that be just?

For a soldier committing this level of deliberately treasonous crime, Manning is lucky there was no execution.

Re: Obama Commutes Bulk of Chelsea Manning’s Sentence

#163

Post by celticninja »

notpc wrote: post #18

Manning indiscriminately leaked tons of diplomatic cables, as part of a personal vendetta against the US Army. It is without contention that the vast majority of the leaked cables revealed nothing that anyone considers wrongdoing. This wasn't the act of a whistle blower. It was the cowardly act of someone who put their own petty fantasies ahead of their solemn duty to protect the information they were entrusted with…

although this does heavily resemble a troll account so perhaps the downvotes are because this account is trying to stir up trouble instead of engage in civil discourse as opposed to downvoting to disagree with you.

Re: Obama Commutes Bulk of Chelsea Manning’s Sentence

#164

Post by grzm »

MrZongle2 wrote: post #150
wbl wrote: post #119

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Or it's Obama recognizing that someone with mental health issues the military is ill-equipped to address who has been in custody for seven years has been punished enough. Lawfare is not a bastion of liberalism, but has suggested enough is enough. Let's save the life sentences for the Walkers.

"Or it's Obama recognizing that someone with mental health issues the military is ill-equipped to address who has been in custody for seven years has been punished enough." Playing Devil's Advocate: if this is the case, why did it take until the last week of his tenure as President for him to do this? No, this smells of "legacy". Obama could have done this years ago.

It's not atypical for a president to wait until the end of their term to issue pardons and commutations, for legacy, or any other consideration.

Re: Obama Commutes Bulk of Chelsea Manning’s Sentence

#165

Post by themartorana »

karmacondon wrote: post #143
djsumdog wrote: post #32

Seven years is still a long time for whistle blowing. I'm glad to see she is still getting released though. It's important to note commuting the sentence is not a pardon. Chelsea will still have this conviction for the rest of her life. I know there is a lot of controversy with Manning compared to Wikileaks et. al. as far as not redacting documents or using a discriminating news source to filter them. Still, I oppose…

By definition, a whistle blower must reveal evidence of the commission of a crime. The term does not extend to "actions by the government that I disagree with" or "things that violate my personal interpretations of the Constitution" If you misuse the term, you make it more difficult for legitimate whistle blowers to get the protection they deserve.

Murder, torture, blanket domestic spying etc., are not (or have not recently been) considered crimes when the federal government is the actor. The line isn't so clear.

Re: Obama Commutes Bulk of Chelsea Manning’s Sentence

#167

Post by mikeash »

noobermin wrote: post #113
mikeash wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wouldn't it be outrageously unconstitutional to undo this?

Well given Trump's recent skirting around the emoluments clause... Let's hope he doesn't do that.

Well, that's why I said "outrageously." It's a lot more clear when there's an obvious wronged party and the outcome is an American in prison when they shouldn't be. It would surely be challenged in court, and won.

Re: Obama Commutes Bulk of Chelsea Manning’s Sentence

#169

Post by rand77763 »

rthomas6 wrote: post #72
djsumdog wrote: post #32

Seven years is still a long time for whistle blowing. I'm glad to see she is still getting released though. It's important to note commuting the sentence is not a pardon. Chelsea will still have this conviction for the rest of her life. I know there is a lot of controversy with Manning compared to Wikileaks et. al. as far as not redacting documents or using a discriminating news source to filter them. Still, I oppose…

I have mixed feelings on this. Manning did commit a crime. They were entrusted with classified information and they released it on purpose. For all of the corruption and wrongdoing the release of those cables uncovered, didn't it also do things like give away the positions of some undercover agents? And harm US diplomatic relations with other countries? Look at it from the POV of the government: How could they not pu…

The POV of the government should be nothing more than the POV of the people.

Re: Obama Commutes Bulk of Chelsea Manning’s Sentence

#170

Post by ghostly_s »

ishields wrote: post #132
arbitrage wrote: post #109

She. Not they. Chelsea Manning identifies as female.

Come on now, "They" does not imply any gender and is appropriate to describe any person

In this context, it reads as a refusal to accept usage of her preferred pronoun.
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