This space is dedicated to the proposition that we need to know the history of the struggles on the left and of earlier progressive movements here and world-wide. If we can learn from the mistakes made in the past (as well as what went right) we can move forward in the future to create a more just and equitable society. We will be reviewing books, CDs, and movies we believe everyone needs to read, hear and look at as well as making commentary from time to time. Greg Green, site manager
In a powerful statement read by US Army PFC Bradley Manning in
court last week, he took full responsibility (and credit) for releasing
documents that exposed war crimes, torture and other grim realities of US
foreign policies to the whistle-blower website WikiLeaks. Bradley explained to
the court, and the world, that, “I believed that if the general public,
especially the American public, had access to the information... it could spark
a domestic debate on the role of the military and our foreign policy in general
as it related to Iraq and Afghanistan."
Bradley detailed the depravity he saw in the 'Collateral Murder' video, the
abuses previously unknown to Americans in the Iraq and Afghan war logs, and the
corrupt backroom dealings in the State Department cables. It wasn't only the
indiscriminate slaughter of civilians, and the US soldiers' ‘bloodlust’, that
concerned him. Bradley had also been ordered by a supervisor to aid Iraqi police
in capturing people that he knew were innocent to be tortured and killed.
“I knew that if I continued to assist the Baghdad Federal Police in
identifying the political opponents of Prime Minister al-Maliki, those people
would be arrested and in the custody of the Special Unit of the Baghdad Federal
Police and very likely tortured and not seen again for a very long time – if
ever,” read Bradley, as part of his 10,000-word statement.
It was a stirring and history-making defense of whistle-blowing and
government transparency. Yet, Bradley also deliberately chose documents he was
sure wouldn't incur harm to the US. Instead, he chose documents that would
expose abuses and inform the public, undercutting the Government's absurd
contention that he "aided the enemy."
Bradley’s attorney David Coombs later explained that, “PFC Manning did not
plead guilty pursuant to a "plea bargain" or "plea deal" with the Government.
Despite his plea, the Government has indicated it will prosecute PFC Manning on
the remaining charges.” So Bradley will still face life in prison during the
June 3rd military court martial, but he’ll be able to defend his heroic actions
in court, effectively putting our wars and over-classification systems on
trial.
Join us at Fort Meade Saturday, June 1, 2013—a couple days
before Bradley’s months-long court martial begins. This International Day of
Action is organized by the Bradley Manning Support Network, Veterans for Peace,
Courage to Resist, and many more organizations. This will be a historic day in
one of the most important trials of American history. We need YOU there to help
us send a strong message to the military officials and the White House—that this
this young man, who believed so strongly in American ideals that he risked
everything, deserves freedom now.
Contact our organizer Emma Cape (emma@bradleymanning.org) if you are interested in helping
organize a bus from your city to Fort Meade for June 1st, or if you can’t make
it to Fort Meade, and are interested in organizing a solidarity event in your
own community.
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