Manning, what was Obama thinking?

On Tuesday President Obama commuted the sentence of Pfc. Bradley Manning who received a 35-year sentence for espionage. On Wednesday Obama offered a piteously shallow explanation for his highly questionable decision that promises to have serious unintended consequences.

Manning's release of 700,000 classified documents caused several adverse reactions involving our national security. "Ambassadors were forced to resign, [CIA] station chiefs had to be recalled, secret diplomatic cables were revealed," said one official, recalling some of the fallout. The documents endangered the lives of those involved in our national security.

Fox News reports, "Manning's actions accelerated the Arab Spring and might even have contributed to the rise of ISIS. Two intelligence sources also confirmed that after certain Afghanistan reports were released in 2010, the Taliban 'went on a killing spree,' taking out everyone who seemed to fit the description of individuals working with the U.S. If the report said 'someone with short dark hair was helping the U.S., the Taliban took out everyone with short dark hair. It was indiscriminate,' one source said." It’s unclear whether U.S. intelligence assets were harmed -- but there is no question people died after the leaks at the hands of the Taliban, and this made recruiting sources that much harder in the future.

One can only wonder what Obama was attempting to accomplish with his seemingly aberrant decision. At this point there appears to be only negative results. Outgoing Defense Secretary Ash Carter, as well as top U.S. Army leaders, recommended against the commutation. Indeed, it seems no one is supporting the decision other than Obama himself.

Obama sanctioned Russia for interfering in our elections. Contrary to the ramifications of Manning's actions, there are serious questions about the effect of Russia's actions. Certainly some things are true. Russia's interference in our elections did not kill anybody; nor did it harm our national security. Equally certain is the unalterable fact the same cannot be said of Manning's activities. Manning's actions versus Russia's actions result in Obama contradicting himself.

Wikileaks provided Manning with access for his espionage, and Wikileaks founder, Julian Assange, is a fugitive from American justice, being charged with espionage and other serious crimes for releasing troves of once-secret files to the public. Assange tweeted last year, "If Obama grants Manning clemency, Assange will agree to US prison in exchange -- despite its clear unlawfulness https://twitter.com/wikileaks/status/765626997057921025 …" It seems that Assange is going to stick by his word. The Wikileaks account tweeted this statement from Assange’s lawyer just hours after the commutation. "Assange lawyer @themtchair on Assange-Manning extradition 'deal': 'Everything that he has said he's standing by.'"

That begs a question. Manning committed the actual act of espionage. Assange is merely the messenger and is regarded as a hero in many parts of the country for revealing the truth about our government and military officials. If Manning is forgiven for his actions, how is it possible for Assange to be prosecuted?

Obama's decision created a horrible precedent. He told future home-grown spies that what they do is perfectly okay. You will be forgiven.

Many are at a loss trying to discover what possible good will be derived from Obama's decision.

 

"What was Obama thinking?"

That's easy!

He wasn't.

 

What Manning revealed were almost exclusively not "national secrets" but, rather, "national embarrassments."

People who've apparently never learned the lesson "if you won't say it out loud, NEVER put it in an email" writing stuff like saying the President of Azerbaijan, was a "cross between fictional mafia bosses Michael Corleone and Sonny Corleone..."

It is good to put the thing into perspective.

Now, as for the good...Bradley/Chelsea Manning is no longer martyr or whipping post for either side.

Well done, Mr. President.

 

I don't always agree with your post, however I do believe you've hit this one squarely on the head. Bradley Manning was not a whistle-blower as he is being depicted, but a psychologically afflicted and disgruntled individual bent on injuring the country. Obama's commutation of both Manning and the FALN terrorist in my view was Obama's parting shot and sticking a finger in to the eye of the American people.

 

In all these paragraphs, you have managed to avoid discussing the President's explanation at all. Your first step should be to quote his complete statement in this thread, defending the commutation, and then you might try to rebut the statement. that would be more logical than the above polemic.

 

Granny says, "Dat's right...

... More mediocrity.

 

I would have cut the sentence to 10 years if it could have been housed in a hers mental institution....

 

I'm ok with it.

 

Manning is harmless. Forcing the American taxpayer to support a whistle blower for 35 years would be senseless.

 

Not every document that is classified relates to National Security. Many documents are classified for reasons of National Embarrassment, which is not the same thing as National Security.

Thanks to Manning and Assange, we know that Obama and Hillary illegally overthrew the Honduran government in July 2009.

That would be the 14th time the US has overthrown a Honduran government in the last 110 years.

That would be an example of National Embarrassment and not National Security.

 

Thank you. Coming from you, that is a real comment.

 

First of all, there were a lot of things I could have included, but I'm writing an article, not a book. Secondly, I heard his explanation. It wasn't worth repeating.

 

Obama was thinking that he has hankering for some pre op tranny White woman. Get two birds stoned at once.

 

I'm not at a loss at all . What would someone do that hates America and Americans ? Release a traitor that dresses like a girl, that's what. So we have come to expect such things from the Muslim Brotherhoods president best bud . The guy disgusts me ! Is it Friday yet? This fool can't leave town fast enough. I hear Kenya needs some goats milked .

 

He/she it's treason should have been delt with in the harshest terms. They shoud never have let him plead out. However, Barry would have saved her ass anyway. What a sad day for justice.

 

Normally when one writes an article entitled "Manning, what was Obama Thinking", a little attention to what Obama was actually thinking, might be a big piece of the article. You did not pay it any attention. You cannot address the question raised in the title, without confronting Obama's statement explaining what he was thinking, head on. From what I saw, his point was that a commutation is fundamentally different from a pardon in that it does NOT attempt to justify the underlying conduct or dispel the notion of punishment/ deterrence, but instead seeks to remedy an injustice in the sentencing. Obama was saying in his defense of the commutation, that 35 years for this conduct, is historically outside the norm for sentencing in cases with a similar set of facts.

I am curious to know whether he is right, but you do not appear to care enough about this reason ( his) to have researched the most pivotal question Obama based his entire rationale on. That leads any thinking reader to assume your whole article is as disingenuous as it is irrelevant.

 

There's irony in Obama's decision....

Army: Manning to lose transgender benefits

By Mark Hensch
January 18, 2017

The Army says former private Chelsea Manning will lose her military healthcare benefits despite President Obama’s commutation of her prison sentence.
“If Pvt. Manning is discharged with a dishonorable discharge, she will lose her entitlement to [military] benefits, including gender-transition care at [military] medical treatment facilities,” Army spokeswoman Cynthia Smith told USA Today Wednesday.
Smith said Manning’s dishonorable discharge was included in the terms of the 35-year prison sentence imposed on her in 2013.
Manning was convicted of leaking classified information about U.S. national security activities that were later publicly disclosed by WikiLeaks.
Smith said Manning could appeal her discharge determination, noting a failed appeal would ultimately result in dishonorable discharge from the Army.
Manning would also be barred from Veterans Affairs (VA) Department benefits under that status, Smith added.
The Army has been providing Manning with treatment for gender dysphoria, USA Today said, including hormone treatments.
Manning was also a candidate for gender-reassignment surgery, it continued, which would have been paid for under the Pentagon’s new policy for transgender troops.
USA Today added the VA, meanwhile, has also provided treatment to veterans struggling with gender dysphoria for several years.
Manning had already served seven years of her prison sentence when the White House announced Obama’s commutation Tuesday.
The former solider was originally scheduled for release in 2045 and will now regain her freedom on May 17, 2017 instead.
Obama defended his decision Wednesday, meanwhile, noting he is satisfied with the severity of Manning’s punishment so far.

(Excerpt)

Read more: http://thehill.com/policy/defense/army/314998-army-manning-to-lose-transgender-benefits

 

I don't consider this any worse than Bush commutting Scotty Libby's sentence for intentionally ousting a CIA field agent (On administration orders to do so)

The difference is that Manning was attempting to reveal corruption in the military, and many consider him a hero and wanted him given whistleblower protection. Obama is meeting them halfway.

 

Manning should be SHOT!!!!

GOD I can't even look at the pictures of that GUY!!

Woman....NO!!

Traitor.....YES!!!

Ready....Aim....FIRE!!!!

AA

 

Manning needed at least like 20-25 years. Treason is a big offense.

She jeopardized the national security of many Americans.

 

Just Obama trying to squeeze in as many last minute middle fingers to America as possible. Manning should have hanged. This is an utter disgrace and the lefts love for him and championing him as a hero solely because of him being queer is just as disgraceful.

- - - Updated - - -

A noose would have been cheap.

 

Mediocre President makes mediocre decision...

Vets Slam Obama's Decision to Shorten Manning's Sentence
Jan 19, 2017 | Many vets wasted little time registering their disapproval of President Barack Obama's decision to commute the sentence of Chelsea Manning, the former Army intelligence analyst who leaked troves of classified intelligence to the website Wikileaks.

 

Obama explained what he was thinking this whole thread is pointless and useless

 

Agree 100% . And a big I love you to all his friends in the Muslim Brotherhood.

 

And a fitting end for a treasonous traitor. Instead Barack Hussain Obama wants to put him on a pedestal because he dresses like a girl and probably likes to get poked from behind. A true hero of the dems.