Military statements regarding Bradley Manning "patently false"
Replacement of Quantico brig commander provides military opportunity to end mistreatment of alleged WikiLeaks whistle-blower By the Bradley Manning Support Network. 28 January 2011 QUANTICO, Virginia, -- Supporters of accused WikiLeaks whistleblower US Army PFC Bradley Manning are calling for Manning's detention status to be changed from maximum to medium security, that the "prevention of injury" (POI) order be lifted, and for the military to cease using "suicide watch" for punitive purposes. Without cause, Manning is the only inmate at Quantico subjected to either "max" confinement or POI. The lifting of these classifications would allow Manning to move outside his cell without restraints, perform jobs within the brig and have social interaction with other inmates. Military steps up retaliation against Bradley Manning
Following a rally by supporters Monday at Quantico, the military retaliated with an arbitrary "suicide watch" against Bradley Manning. Retaliation continued today with the detainment of an approved regular visitor, increasing Bradley's isolation. By the Bradley Manning Support Network QUANTICO, VA, 23 January 2011 -- Military officials at Marine Corps Base Quantico today increased the isolation of accused WikiLeaks whistle-blower U.S. Army Pfc. Bradley Manning by detaining Manning's friend and regular visitor David House at the base entrance until visiting hours were over. House was accompanied by Jane Hamsher of Firedoglake.com, a website that has collected 42,000 signatures on a petition calling for improvements to the conditions of Manning's detention, which constitute extreme and illegal pre-trial punishment. Bradley Manning supporters rally at Quantico
30k petitions protesting inhumane conditions to be delivered this weekend By Courage to Resist. Select images above for larger versions of Bill Perry's photos. Quantico, Virginia (January 17, 2011) - Over 150 concerned citizens risked arrest today at the gates to the Marine Corps base at Quantico in order to protest the inhumane conditions that accused WikiLeaks whistle-blower Army Pfc. Bradley Manning has been held in for seven months and counting. Supporters marched towards the base front gate chanting “Free Bradley Manning!,” approximately a mile from the brig where Bradley has been held in solitary confinement for the last five months, before being stopped by Marine MP’s. CodePink activists had collected a care package for Bradley that included a blanket, a Snuggie, cookies, books and music. Unfortunately and unsurprisingly, it was rejected by the Marines. Earlier in the day, many of these activists rallied outside FBI Headquarters in Washington DC to protest the September raids on anti-war organizers in Chicago and Minneapolis.
Support grows for Manning; Confinement conditions protestedOverview of important developments in the international campaign to free accused WikiLeaks whistle-blower US Army PFC Bradley Manning. January 15, 2011 200 supporters risk arrest outside of the Quantico, Virginia brig on January 17, 2011, in order to rally in support of Bradley Manning and oppose the inhumane conditions of his pre-trial confinement.
Bradley Manning speaks about his conditions (firedoglake.com) Thousands rally to defend accused whistle-blower Bradley Manning
"The inhumane conditions of Bradley Manning's detention" by Glenn Greenwald, Salon.com (December 15, 2010) is an urgent read for anyone concerned about human rights. "A typical day for PFC Bradley Manning" by Bradley's attorney David Coombs. December 18, 2010 Courage to Resist. Updated December 15, 2010 "We stand for truth, for government transparency, and for an end to our tax-dollars funding endless occupation abroad... We stand with accused whistle-blower US Army Pfc. Bradley Manning," begins the new public statement "Stand with Brad" at standwithbrad.org. Despite the efforts of the world's governments to demonize the Wikileaks whistle-blower website and Bradley Manning, over 2,500 individuals have already stepped forward to publicly take a stand. For every signer of the petition, Courage to Resist prints and mails (via first class postage) copies on behalf of the signer to both the Secretary of the Army and the Chief of Staff of the Army. This campaign comes on the heals of the first public petition organized by the Bradley Manning Support Network, signed by 5,765 people, which came to a close this week. Additionally, over 1,550 individuals have also donated to Bradley's defense at couragetoresist.org/bradley. A recent statement entitled, "The Bradley Manning Support Network accepts responsibility for all expenses to defend accused Wikileak whistle-blower Army PFC Bradley Manning," outlines our challenge in funding the remaining $40,000 in legal expenses, and in support of the public education efforts underway. Courage to Resist needs your support
By Jeff Paterson, Courage to Resist. November 15, 2010 It’s been quite a ride the last four months since we took up the defense of accused WikiLeaks whistle-blower Bradley Manning. Since then, we helped form the Bradley Manning Support Network, established a defense fund, and have already paid over half of Bradley’s total $100,000 in estimated legal expenses. Now, I’m asking for your support of Courage to Resist so that we can continue to support not only Bradley, but the scores of other troops who are coming into conflict with military authorities due to reasons of conscience. Please donate today.“Soldiers sworn oath is to defend and support the Constitution. Bradley Manning has been defending and supporting our Constitution.” Bradley Manning legal update and overview
We expect the pre-trial hearing of accused Wikileaks whistle-blower Bradley Manning to take place early 2011, followed by trial about four months later. Both hearings should be open to the public and media in the Washington DC area. Supporters will be encouraged to attend. - Courage to Resist By David Coombs, attorney for Bradley Manning. November 1, 2010 I. The Military Process: The basic structure of the military process is similar to any criminal trial in a civilian court. Once allegations are made, the government begins to investigate the alleged crime. The government’s investigators are usually either Military Police Investigators (MPI) or Criminal Investigation Division (CID) officers. These individuals interview the key witnesses, secure all available evidence, and create a report that details the nature of their investigation. AWOL Soldier Jeff Hanks refusing deployment due to PTSD
Please consider a donation to Jeff's defense fund hosted by Courage to Resist. $985 of an estimated $1,500 needed for legal and mental health care has been donated (as of 28 Jan. 11). By Sarah Lazare, Truthout. November 5, 2010 "I am just trying to get help," insisted Jeff Hanks (photo right), active duty US Army infantryman, who has served in Iraq and Afghanistan. "My goal in this situation is to simply heal. And they wonder why there are so many suicides." Jeff spoke rapidly over the phone from Virginia, where he, his wife and his two young daughters are staying while he is AWOL from the military. Days earlier, Jeff had walked out of an airport, refusing to board a plane headed for Kuwait, which was to be his first stop on his way back to Afghanistan. Naser Abdo: The missing story of Muslim peacemakingJULY 28,011 UPDATE: Courage to Resist was shocked to learn this morning that PFC Abdo was arrested under suspicion of planning to "attack Fort Hood." We have not had direct contact with PFC Adbo in the last six months, nor do we have any specific factual information to add to the media reports regarding his arrest. We are in the process of writing a statement outlining: 1. Our previous support for PFC Abdo's bid for discharge as a conscientious objector (described in the article below), 2. Our concerns that PFC Abdo's arrest will be used against other Muslim service-members and would-be conscientious objectors, 3. The need for improved mental health services for service-members, 4. Our absolute opposition to violence being used against any individual or individuals as a political tactic, strategy, or plan, 5. Our relief that no one was harmed. Courage to Resist has assisted hundreds of service-members who have "refused to fight" since 2005. In light of PFC Abdo's arrest yesterday, we have removed PFC Abdo's profile from those that we have proudly supported.
On the one-year anniversary of the shooting at Fort Hood, TX, Naser Abdo (photo right), a Muslim servicemember seeking Conscientious Objector status based on the principles of Islam tells the missing story of Muslim peacemaking. By Kimber Heinz, War Resisters League. November 5, 2010 Today, November 5, 2010, marks the one-year anniversary of the Fort Hood shooting, in which former Army psychiatrist Major Nadal Halik Hasan shot and killed 13 people at Fort Hood, Texas, wounding 42 others. As U.S. servicemembers and the families of the victims of this shooting grieved for those who were killed and Americans mourned the loss of life, reports on these crimes riveted the mainstream media. The shootings were certainly newsworthy. The problem is that almost the only time Muslims are featured in the U.S. news media is when a Muslim engages in an act of violence. A one-sided focus on violence committed by some Muslims fuels the racist narrative that “Islam is a religion of violence"—which underwrites the so-called “Global War on Terror.” Iraq veterans support Bradley Manning
"Authorities were quick to vilify Army Specialist Bradley Manning ... Yet we insist that it is the right of the U.S. public to have accurate information about wars that are being fought in our name and funded by our tax dollars." Iraq Veterans Against the War. October 27, 2010 The recent Wikileaks release--The Iraq War Logs--has shed important light on the high rate of civilian death and widespread atrocities, including torture, that are endemic to the war in Iraq. As veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, we are outraged that the U.S. government sought to hide this information from the U.S. public, instead presenting a sanitized and deceptive version of war, and we think it is vital for this and further information to get out. Members of IVAW have experienced firsthand the realities of war on the ground, and since our inception we have spoken out about similar atrocities in Iraq and Afghanistan. We are asking the U.S. public to join us in calling on our government to end the occupations and bring our brothers and sisters home.... Operation Recovery launched to resist repeated deployments
Iraq Veterans Against the War. October 7, 2010 Thousands of troops are being sent to war despite suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), and Military Sexual Trauma (MST). Many of us within IVAW have faced or are currently facing deployment as we try to recover from the severe trauma we have already experienced. While we recognize that we must stop the deployment of all soldiers in order to end the occupations in Iraq and Afghanistan, we see the deployment of soldiers with PTSD, TBI, and MST as particularly cruel, inhumane, and dangerous. Military commanders across all branches are pushing service members far past human limits for the sake of 'combat readiness.' We cannot allow those commanders to continue to ignore the welfare of their troops who are, after all, human beings. More Articles...
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Father and step-mother of Lt. Ehren Watada
