U.S. CAN'T PROVE HARM IN MANNING LEAKS,SCREWS UP

U.S. TRIES TO PROVE HARM FROM LEAKS BY MANNING- N.Y. TIMES


The article is written by Emmarie Huetteman.  It is not on the Times' web site so it is paraphrased with my comments added.  If they are opinions, I so state.

At the sentencing phase of the court-martial of Bradley Manning the government tried to prove that Mannning that is release of thousands of military and diplomatic documents to WikiLeaks has sewn distrust and damaged the United States.

The judge said that Manning had been "unlawfully confined" for 112 days.  Manning was put in solitary confinement for about three and one-half years.  In my opinion,  this action was torture. 

Robert A. Carr, a retired brigadier general  led a Defense Intelligence Agency task force investigating the leaks.  Carr could provide no examples of distrust engendered by the leaks.  When Carr was asked by defense counsel if anyone was harmed by the leaks he gave an example that was so lame that the judge said that she would disregard that part of the testimony.

The judge said that Manning had been "unlawfully confined" for 112 days.  Manning was put in solitary confinement for about three and one-half years.  In my opinion,  this action was torture.

 He was even  stripped of his clothing and made to stand naked in his jail cell and his sleep was frequently interrupted during the night.

The sentencing phase of the trial is expected to last months.