The army intelligence analyst who is suspected of leaking classified and sensitive documents to WikiLeaks, Bradley Manning, is finally going to get a day in court. How useful that will be to someone who has spent the last year and a half in solitary confinement is debatable.
Bradley Manning will have an Article 32 hearing which will start on December 16 and it will last five days. This is a military procedure which is a bit like a depositions hearing. It will see prosecutors lay out their evidence before a judge who will determine if the case is strong enough for Manning to face a court-martial.
To make sure they get a court-martial, the Army has filed 22 counts against Manning, including a charge of "aiding the enemy". It is not clear who the enemy was, unless it helped the Taliban when the US army was shown shooting unarmed Iraqi civilians and Reuters journalists while laughing.
"Aiding the enemy" is a capital charge, though the government has said they will not seek the death penalty if they can make that one stick.
Other charges include five counts of theft of public property or records, two counts of computer fraud, eight counts of transmitting defence information in violation of the Espionage Act, and one count of wrongfully causing intelligence to be published on the internet knowing it would be accessible to the enemy.
The Army has said that if he is convicted, Manning could spend the rest of his life in prison.
The hearing will be open to the media and public, except for points in the proceedings where classified information may be discussed.
It is the first time that Manning's defence has an opportunity to hear the government's entire case against him.
Writing in his blog, Manning's brief, David Coombs said that the defense will also see copies of the criminal investigation files and witness statements.
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new age limit of conscription will also be pushed up to 36 years (update:
June ... They have now tied in Selective Service Registration First All Us males must registure & be primary pool till age-=25=-, right now. Enlistment is to age 27 to 35, depending on Service chosen. -=35=-, what coincidence. 25, what neat number to pick. In Clear Voice Selective Service was mentioned. in tonight debate. Could Worst of All worlds be unpon Door. Edgar Allen Poes: theRAVEN, in Real life.
Worst Thing Ever for Us. Clears some of children from Home. Cleared as in Final. By time I,Me Myself was drafted in 1971, All Males in 19 to 20 age group where conscript & they do run to rural areas & hide, about 80% of males escape draft by hiding away, changing name or birth date. maybe even transgender.
me, thomas stewart von drashek, took p0hysical, asvab & sowrn in, yet for those from milatary family, already with on base record, let go to end of line of my peers. thats when noticed complex lieing about service & where bee, when USA called.
In most lucky event of My life, in spite of hardship in general, Us Conscription ended 3 weeks before my 1 year home furlow or waiting for first step onto US recruiting bus, which was to front line combat in viet name after 7weeks training, did check whole affair out in what plan was, well, 3 weeks before death in 10 day life expectancy position, US Conscription Ended. Recieved 1 payment for 2 weeks US Naval Service, Toold Fulfilled My US Selctive Service OBLIGATION & , tHAT WAS it. dONE. pRAISE lIFE iTsELF.
nOBDY GONNADBEE THAT LUCKY TODAY, IF IN PARAMETERS of Selective Service. Dc has No Such Obligation, yet border gang problem results, to make room for newbees'. BE AFRAID.
Signed:PHYSICIAN THOMAS STEWART von DRASHEK M.D.