The Passion of Bradley Manning: The Story Behind the Wikileaks Whistleblower

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  RJ Stansfield

  5.0 de 5 estrellasCompra verificada

  Gor blimey ... read this !

  Calificado en Reino Unido el 6 de noviembre de 2013

  I don't often find time to read a book cover to cover. But in this case I did. It ought to be required reading in schools and universities. As a sequel to Orwell's "1984". The Soviets promulgated the idea that since Communism was obviously perfect,...Ver más

  I don't often find time to read a book cover to cover. But in this case I did. It ought to be required reading in schools and universities. As a sequel to Orwell's "1984". The Soviets promulgated the idea that since Communism was obviously perfect, dissenters must be insane. So they were right, they said, to bung them away in "secure mental institutions", read prisons where they could be abused at will by brutal psychopaths. I grew up believing "we" are the Guys in White Hats, striving to bring civilization (synonymous, we believed, with "democracy" and "freedom") to those dark regions that hadn't yet "got" it. "When I became a man, I put away childish things." Like the heroes in "The Matrix", "Dark City", etc, I began to see a wider world that wasn't much like the one we are propagandized hourly to believe. I suspect many of us see it too but don't want to face up to it. There are penalties. Like being ostracized or treated as crank. The point about Manning is that he didn't shirk what he saw as his human duty to expose the facts he uncovered as an American technician skilled in computer data analysis. He was located in an isolated outpost in Iraq, where he found American security astonishingly lax. He had secret security clearance, and was legally able to root around "secure" data & communications outside his "remit". What he uncovered horrified him. Responsibly, he never revealed anything labelled "Secret", only "Classified". Heaven help us over what is "Secret". So much for the accusation he is a threat to national security. Some people's security undoubtedly, but not the public's. What was even more horrifying was that he saw how many others saw what he saw, but either couldn't care less, or were too frightened to speak out at all, or at least were told by their "reporting line" to shut the blazes up. It was clear that determination to keep quiet about dreadful practices -- both at home and in those sad places benefitting from Western "stability" and "democracy" (read colonies) -- not only was the norm, but went to the top echelons of command and government. Thus any few brave enough to voice dissent were portrayable as mentally unstable, and therefore to be institutionalized somewhere that their cry would go unheard. For writing what he had found, for us all to read, he was treated thus. He was and is systematically abused by continual mental torture in isolation, where he is kept "for his own safety", because of course he is crackers and may harm himself. And of course, as a trans-sexual, well, what more need be said ? Long live the USSR. Madar summarizes 5 areas in which he assesses Manning as doing an ongoing service to Mankind. Toothpaste out of the tube and all that. The rest of the book cites the evidence Manning uncovered. (What can we say ? "It will take more than the facts to convince ME" ?) [1] Giving [the American] foreign policy elite the public supervision it so badly needs. I believe he will only achieve this if you and I take notice and withhold our support for, and cease to vote in favour of, the evildoers. Even if they are "our" evildoers. [2] Exposing the pathological over-classification of America's public documents. "Everything is a state secret." USSR again ? [3] Advancing the cause of freedom abroad. By revealing the myth that the Government wants the foreigners it dominates to be treated humanely, but in fact treats them like rubbish. [4] Performing his duties in exemplary fashion. Ie speaking out when others fear to do it. [5] Upholding American tradition of transparency in statecraft. "More observed in the breach ...". Madar explains, because Manning no longer can, that this appalling abuse of Manning is not confined to Manning or Guantanamo. It is being done to thousands incarcerated in the USA. Against international law, which the US Government does not respect, and for no reason except gratuitous brutality. "Don't criticize me, or I'll kick your face in. Look what I'm doing to these others." If none of this worries you, if you think by contrast that our side of The Pond is the Home of the White Hats, this book will be a waste of your time.

  I don't often find time to read a book cover to cover. But in this case I did. It ought to be required reading in schools and universities. As a sequel to Orwell's "1984".
  The Soviets promulgated the idea that since Communism was obviously perfect, dissenters must be insane. So they were right, they said, to bung them away in "secure mental institutions", read prisons where they could be abused at will by brutal
  psychopaths.
  I grew up believing "we" are the Guys in White Hats, striving to bring civilization (synonymous, we believed, with "democracy" and "freedom") to those dark regions that hadn't yet "got" it.
  "When I became a man, I put away childish things." Like the heroes in "The Matrix", "Dark City", etc, I began to see a wider world that wasn't much like the one we are propagandized hourly to believe. I suspect many of us see it too but don't want to face up to it. There are penalties. Like being ostracized or treated as crank.
  The point about Manning is that he didn't shirk what he saw as his human duty to expose the facts he uncovered as an American technician skilled in computer data analysis. He was located in an isolated outpost in Iraq, where he found American security astonishingly lax. He had secret security clearance, and was legally able to root around "secure" data & communications outside his "remit". What he uncovered horrified him. Responsibly, he never revealed anything labelled "Secret", only "Classified". Heaven help us over what is "Secret". So much for the accusation he is a threat to national security. Some people's security undoubtedly, but not the public's.
  What was even more horrifying was that he saw how many others saw what he saw, but either couldn't care less, or were too frightened to speak out at all, or at least were told by their "reporting line" to shut the blazes up. It was clear that determination to keep quiet about dreadful practices -- both at home and in those sad places benefitting from Western "stability" and "democracy" (read colonies) -- not only was the norm, but went to the top echelons of command and government.
  Thus any few brave enough to voice dissent were portrayable as mentally unstable, and therefore to be institutionalized
  somewhere that their cry would go unheard. For writing what he had found, for us all to read, he was treated thus. He was and is systematically abused by continual mental torture in isolation, where he is kept "for his own safety", because of course he is crackers and may harm himself. And of course, as a trans-sexual, well, what more need be said ? Long live the USSR.
  Madar summarizes 5 areas in which he assesses Manning as doing an ongoing service to Mankind. Toothpaste out of the tube and all that. The rest of the book cites the evidence Manning uncovered. (What can we say ? "It will take more than the facts to convince ME" ?)
  [1] Giving [the American] foreign policy elite the public supervision it so badly needs. I believe he will only achieve this if you and I take notice and withhold our support for, and cease to vote in favour of, the evildoers. Even if they are "our" evildoers.
  [2] Exposing the pathological over-classification of America's public documents. "Everything is a state secret." USSR again ?
  [3] Advancing the cause of freedom abroad. By revealing the myth that the Government wants the foreigners it dominates to be treated humanely, but in fact treats them like rubbish.
  [4] Performing his duties in exemplary fashion. Ie speaking out when others fear to do it.
  [5] Upholding American tradition of transparency in statecraft. "More observed in the breach ...".
  Madar explains, because Manning no longer can, that this appalling abuse of Manning is not confined to Manning or Guantanamo. It is being done to thousands incarcerated in the USA. Against international law, which the US Government does not respect, and for no reason except gratuitous brutality. "Don't criticize me, or I'll kick your face in. Look what I'm doing to these others."
  If none of this worries you, if you think by contrast that our side of The Pond is the Home of the White Hats, this book will be a waste of your time.
  

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  J. Mcl

  5.0 de 5 estrellasCompra verificada

  Dear NSA this is the sort of stuff that I read

  Calificado en Reino Unido el 9 de febrero de 2014

  Dear NSA I was going to purchase this book in a back street book shop using cash, but what the heck I have decided to do it online with a credit card and full delivery details. I await your drone-agram. Lots of Love J. McLean PS: Fantastic book and a very brave person. The...Ver más

  Dear NSA I was going to purchase this book in a back street book shop using cash, but what the heck I have decided to do it online with a credit card and full delivery details. I await your drone-agram. Lots of Love J. McLean PS: Fantastic book and a very brave person. The greatest power on earth fully deployed against one fragile man. He did not run, and has been vilified, damned and kept in a concrete cell. Even his lawyers cried when he was cast into the cell for 35 years, Manning did not, his first thoughts were to reasure those weeping that "everything was going to be OK". Reminds me of the Romans and their treatment of a certain person who dared to bring hope. The good news is that even after Mandela - there are still heros in the world

  Dear NSA I was going to purchase this book in a back street book shop using cash, but what the heck I have decided to do it online with a credit card and full delivery details.
  
  I await your drone-agram.
  
  Lots of Love
  
  J. McLean
  
  PS: Fantastic book and a very brave person. The greatest power on earth fully deployed against one fragile man. He did not run, and has been vilified, damned and kept in a concrete cell. Even his lawyers cried when he was cast into the cell for 35 years, Manning did not, his first thoughts were to reasure those weeping that "everything was going to be OK". Reminds me of the Romans and their treatment of a certain person who dared to bring hope.
  
  The good news is that even after Mandela - there are still heros in the world
  

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