Quote:
Originally Posted by Big Sarge
My issue with Manning is he betrayed his country and shouldn't be rewarded
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My issue with the country is that it betrayed Manning, and will just continue to hurt the country by operating poorly.
I've known very many M-to-F TSs: best friends with one, good friends with two others, and had many many acquaintances. The virtual community has always been a place for them to feel comfortable, and for some, to live as women on a trial basis. Choose an appropriately sexed handle and you're good to go.
As a group, I find them to be highly interesting people before and after the transition. During, however, they are not exactly the most even-keeled folk. They will be highly emotional and sometimes irrational. And while one should have compassion for people facing a... ridiculously complicated and personal matter, challenging their deepest personal psychological condition...
They should not have security clearances that allow them access to all of the country's most important secret communications.
Much as the Army shouldn't send a soldier with a broken arm to carry a rifle into harm's way, the Army never should have put Bradley Manning in that position. They knew he was a troubled person. They apparently didn't care.
Manning testified that he spent hour after hour in the Wikileaks IRC channel, debating various Wikileaks issues. Really? Did the Army know that, and what it entailed? They should have said "I'm sorry Private (!) Manning, you will have some sort of desk duty but your Intel access is closed."
The US Army did this. Or rather, did nothing. It's like
leaving Bill Buckner in to play first base even though he's injured. You don't blame Buckner when he can't field a simple ground ball. You blame the manager for not bringing in a defensive replacement. (Fuck you, John McNamara)