P.J. Crowley is out as the department's chief spokesman after his Defense Dept. critique. | AP Photo
“I spent 26 years in the Air Force,” Crowley, a retired colonel, said, according to blog posts by two of those present at the MIT discussion. “What is happening to Manning is ridiculous, counterproductive and stupid, and I don’t know why the DoD is doing it. Nevertheless, Manning is in the right place” in detention.
Pfc. Bradley Manning is accused of leaking classified documents to WikiLeaks that Pentagon officials say endangers U.S. operations and informants.
This one isn't a joke. This story is actually true. The city council in Berkeley, CA wants to declare Manning a hero.
City Peace and Justice Commissioner Bob Meola, who authored the resolution, told the San Francisco Chronicle that Pfc. Bradley Manning, 22, is a patriot who deserves a medal.
Yeah, they're nuts.
"If he did what he's accused of doing, he's a patriot and should get a medal," Meola told the newspaper. "I think the war criminals should be the ones prosecuted, not the whistle-blowers."
Click title of post for full story.
I feel like I'm in Alice's Wonderland.
Jeff Paterson, an organizer for the Bradley Manning Support Network, said he's "hopeful" the Berkeley resolution will pass.
"I believe he's a hero," Paterson said. "There's an international witch hunt against WikiLeaks and if Bradley Manning is the source of the material, he needs all of our support."
U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., said this week that the charges against the Wikileaks whistleblower are worthy of capital punishment. (AP)
Republican Rep. Mike Rogers, from Michigan, has stated that, if Pvt. Bradley Manning is found guilty, the punishment should be death.
"We know for a fact that people will likely be killed because of this information being disclosed," he told Michigan-based WHMI. "That's pretty serious. If they don't charge him with treason, they ought to charge him with murder.
Yes, the punishment for treason is death penalty. He continued:
"I argue the death penalty clearly should be considered here," he said. "He clearly aided the enemy to what may result in the death of U.S. soldiers . . . If that is not a capital offense, I don't know what is."
Currently Manning is being held and faces several charges.
