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Wired Releases Full Bradley Manning Chat Logs

By Jeralyn, Section Crime in the News
Posted on Wed Jul 13, 2011 at 04:14:39 PM EST
Tags: Bradley Manning, Wikileaks (all tags)
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Wired Magazine has released the full version of the instant messaging chat logs of Wikileaks suspect Pvt. Bradley Manning and Adrian Lamo.

Previously, Wired had published only portions of the logs, due to Manning's privacy interests. It's changed its mind. Why?

[I]ndependent reporting elsewhere has tipped the scale in favor of publishing. By all evidence, Manning is a figure of historic importance. Inasmuch as the conversations shed light on the personal pressures in Manning’s life at the time of his arrest, publishing the logs serves a valid news interest, and at this point we believe it will cause little additional harm to Manning’s privacy.

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    Wired Releases Full Bradley Manning Chat Logs | 27 comments (27 topical)

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    i suppose that depends on (none / 0) (#1)
    by cpinva on Wed Jul 13, 2011 at 07:24:14 PM EST
    how you define "little additional harm", now doesn't it?

    "Full version" except for redacting (none / 0) (#2)
    by Joan in VA on Wed Jul 13, 2011 at 11:04:14 PM EST
    the names of his gov insider sources, who might also be "historically important" and possibly the reason he was in isolation at Quantico. Seems that whether one has privacy rights or not is  dependent on the consequences to those who would violate them.

    Time for a pardon (none / 0) (#3)
    by jeffinalabama on Thu Jul 14, 2011 at 09:27:18 AM EST
    provided there's elocution. He's suffered enough. Even with only partial elocution. Even without elocution.

    No kidding (5.00 / 1) (#4)
    by Militarytracy on Thu Jul 14, 2011 at 10:05:53 AM EST
    Poor kid.  He's like the walking poster child of what having no support system, no supportive family, and trying to make a life under DADT does to someone, and he's just a kid.  There will be no pardon though Jeff.  You know that and I know that.  Worse still his biggest fear of dying before he really lives is likely going to be very much a reality for him.  How could someone in intel have what can be described as three episodes that can be equated to a nervous breakdown and just be ignored.  Some commanders and some leaders just flatout SUCK!  And they stopped securing anything either while this kid is melting down.  They are just about as responsible for what happened as that punk kid, frontal lobe still not done cooking yet, Manning is.

    Parent
    He was considered (5.00 / 1) (#5)
    by jeffinalabama on Thu Jul 14, 2011 at 10:49:09 AM EST
    a p*ssy by his section sergeant, his lieutenant listened to the section sergeant, and the CO did no further investigation, and probably barely knew Manning's name.

    I met EVERY SOLDIER under my command. I had days where top would be forced to go away... day off, training, something, and an open door no appointment.

    Of course, that didn't sit well with the ringknockers or the staff weenies. Battalion CSM before he was replaced by my dear friend said, "Go for it, but EM's always lie." One of the reasons to find a different CSM, and quickly. I got the hard-drinking, belly-fat, field doggie who could run 5 miles singing I wanted, instead of Mr. Clean, no-risk-i-want-a-long-career-as-a-REMF-when-i-leave-this-outfit.

    Parent

    is there ANY organization... (5.00 / 1) (#6)
    by Dadler on Thu Jul 14, 2011 at 10:56:19 AM EST
    ...less knowledgable about what it means to be a sentient human being than the military?  

    Oh that you would've been the CO to deal with my little brother when he had his life phucked by being sent on a fourth tour, which they promised him they wouldn't.  And the kid is STILL a loyal and hardworking soldier, albeint working for the NSA now, which doesn't really make me much happier.

    One more day in Tahoe being bleed by leeches, er, skeeters.  Tried the onion, all it did was make my wife sleep in another bed. ;-)

    Parent

    And I've seen soldiers get sick (5.00 / 1) (#9)
    by Militarytracy on Thu Jul 14, 2011 at 11:14:33 AM EST
    And whole units take over all the household needs for the family and do amazing things.  Bad leaders and bad commanders though who are unfeeling uncaring self centered pukes destroy a lot when people are under extreme stress.

    Parent
    I couldn't have said it better (none / 0) (#11)
    by jeffinalabama on Thu Jul 14, 2011 at 11:23:46 AM EST
    myself without using non TL language.

    Parent
    I have no doubt you are right (none / 0) (#12)
    by Dadler on Thu Jul 14, 2011 at 11:34:27 AM EST
    My problem is that because dissent is not tolerated really, and because dissent is REQUIRED to be a full human being and not simply a tool, you end up with the system we have -- where good people are almost always run over like dirt.

    I know there are good and decent people in the military.  Those who genuinely control it, however, I am sorry, still haven't a clue.

    Parent

    Some who control have clues (none / 0) (#14)
    by Militarytracy on Thu Jul 14, 2011 at 11:42:47 AM EST
    and some don't.  It is a roll of the dice though as to what sort of commander and command environment you will get to go into combat with sometimes.  Those environments are greatly improved when we have a Dem for President because his base will go ape$hit if he tries to go all Dubya.

    My husband survived a really bad one his first Iraq tour.  But the whole damned command environment was horrible then, it didn't improve until we almost lost Baghdad because we couldn't kill enough people and bomb enough towns to get these damned people to be nice and soldiers were getting the hell out and out of this meat grinder.

    Parent

    Oh, there are ways. (none / 0) (#15)
    by jeffinalabama on Thu Jul 14, 2011 at 11:44:32 AM EST
    There are certainly ways. But just like in the business culture, dissent can often be viewed as disloyalty.

    The dissenter often finds him/herself alone a lot until the situation gets resolved.

    But then again if you're an officer, it can mean the end of a career. Just like it might mean getting fired in real life.

    One problem, and MT, is this still happening? the promotion from O-1 to O-4 is almost guaranteed based on the number of wars.

    Sigh. Part of the problem is the lack of either self-sacrifice or forced sacrifice-- a draft.

    I'm not saying we need one, but a mediocre or inferior person can rise quickly because of the attrition rate. It's the old 'keep your nose clean and get promoted.' don't make waves, move up. Make waves, well that OER just doesn't look too good. Do unconventional things, that OER looks worse.

    And God forbid you or your soldiers have beer bellies, unless you're in aviation! The big mucky mucks notice fatbodies.

    Disclaimer: I was always a fatbody who scored 300 on his PT tests.

    Parent

    Thanks for both of your persepectives (5.00 / 2) (#17)
    by Dadler on Thu Jul 14, 2011 at 11:49:38 AM EST
    My rants come mostly from watching my incredibly loyal and caring and honest brother get his ace handed to him over and over again.  That he is STILL in, well, let's just say I have urged him to get out, but he is one very committed cat.  

    Again, I also know there are SOME good folks, but I really think they are closer to the bottom of the ranks.  The higher you go in any organization, as we all know, the much more likely you are to encounter company men who don't have a real Free American brain cell in their heads.

    I'm just a dipsh*t civie, though, and y'all know way more than I do, so forgive my simplicity at times.  

    I should just go to Harrah's in Stateline right now and hit the tables and stop thinking for the day.

    Parent

    Glad to share any knowledge I have. (none / 0) (#19)
    by jeffinalabama on Thu Jul 14, 2011 at 11:59:22 AM EST
    Back during the Iraq war, when DPICM was fired on Fallujah (it's exploding bomblets, and it's the only thing that looks that way when the fuse goes off) folks were claiming it was White Phosforus...even some italian television reports, and english, also. When I corrected people, I was told how wrong I was, how I didn't know anything, and that I must be a war loving baby killer. The last is a direct quote-- I won't forget that insult.
    Oh, on the Great Orange Satan, before it was the GOS, lol.

    Parent
    Just curious (none / 0) (#20)
    by Dadler on Thu Jul 14, 2011 at 12:05:30 PM EST
    Is DPICM considered a cluster bomb, the type of which are supposedly banned?

    And the disgusting crap hurled at you, well, I think that's the reason I really feel and hurt for the genuinely good people in the military.  There goodness ends up turned against them.

    Parent

    Seems they aren't (none / 0) (#21)
    by Dadler on Thu Jul 14, 2011 at 12:16:47 PM EST
    From my little googleizing.  Also seems the definition of a cluster bomb is pretty malleable.

    Parent
    I think only the US (none / 0) (#22)
    by jeffinalabama on Thu Jul 14, 2011 at 12:16:57 PM EST
    and Israel use it... many nations consider it a cluster munition, but each bomblet is designed to explode on impact, not lie around as a nasty surprise.

    There are even artillery-deployed mines. They have timers so you can block an area for a given amount of time, then they explode.

    But I'm certain not every fuse works...

    On a personal note, I don't have a moral problem with DPICM in general, but not in an urban environment... too many noncombatants... or a WP artillery barrage, used as screening smoke either. US doctrine has been since the 70s at least not to use WP on troops in the open, but only on equipment, like thin-skinned vehicles, bunkers, etc.

    WP grenades are problematic at best. the blast range is 35 meters, but the distance you can throw it is only 30...so around corners, into vehicles, etc.

    Parent

    Those WP grenades (none / 0) (#23)
    by Dadler