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Subscribe to RSSA host of military and civilian officials have lamented the leaking of more than 75,000 classified documents about the Afghan war to Web site WikiLeaks, saying that the disclosure of the secret information could endanger U.S. troops. But a Republican congressman today went a step further, calling for treason charges – accompanied by the death penalty – against the 22-year old analyst charged with leaking the information.
Asked during an interview with Michigan radio station WHMI if he supported capital charges against Pfc. Bradley Manning, the Army intelligence analyst charged with illegally downloading and leaking the classified information, Rep. Mike Rogers said "I would support it 100 percent."
"We know for a fact that people will likely be killed because of this information being disclosed," said Rogers, a Michigan Republican and a member of the House Intelligence Committee.
"[Manning] put soldiers at risk who are out there fighting for their country," he added. "And he put people who are cooperating with the United States government clearly at risk."
Manning will face a military hearing similar to a grand jury proceeding later this month, NBC reported Monday. He is currently being held at a Marine Corps facility in Quantico, Va.
Treason charges in the modern era have been rare. In 2006, American Adam Gadahn was charged with treason after appearing as a spokesman in Al Qaeda propaganda videos. He was the first American charged with treason since 1952.
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The Soldier.... Treason, I think it fits considering all that data the Wikileaks did not publish and there was intent. As for the Wikileaks dude.. Murder in the first degree, the first time a friendly Afgan goes down. we owe that to those friendlies that helped us out, otherwise we loose complete credability with our allies and those with whom we work with.
Both these people are scum and have no honor except to themselves.
Unfortunately our administration is too cowardly to put forth these charges.
I'd like to find either in a dark quiet ally sometime.
Don't underestimate this administration. You may not agree with everything but do not underestimate them.
Although I agree with the idea of throwing the book at the guy, given the recent GOP history of being for something until Pres Obama or democrats support the idea, I wonder what he and other republicans will say when the DOJ or whoever brings charges against Manning. Will we see the usual flip flop?
Jody,
Like the recent GOP history in the May vote on war funding where 5 times as many Democrats did not support Obama's war as the Republicans. Or, how about the vote last Tuesday on more war funding where 9 times as many Democrats did not support Obama's war as the Republicans.
That flip flop?
Rogers is playing politics. The kid has issues but the war is a mess - that's not his fault. Bad judgment, yes. Treason, come on! The information age has changed a lot, and that means it's harder to lie. Let's get out of Afghanistan as soon as possible and save lives and money. We aren't gaining any credibility by sticking around either.
The top commanders should have keep the films better secured so they would not be available to the public....The films should have been put somewhere in secret so no one could get there hands on the films .so they would not have to charge this kid ......the ones who need to charged is the ones at the top. privates can never keep a secret.even some at the top that has been proving fact .the ones at the top mess up .they only want this kid to be the fall guy?
Elvis I agree with the keeping things more secure statement, but then what is the point of a security clearance? So long as the gov't keeps granting TS or SCI clearances to kids that have barely been able to buy a beer for crying out loud, stuff like this will continue. It's intel and he took an oath. It's offense. It's not for me to decide wether it's treasonous, but it's a breach none-the-less.
President Obama will do the right thing and make certain that Pfc. Bradley Manning is given a fair trial before he is executed.
After all what else can Obama do? If Manning is not held accountable then Obama and the Democrats will look weak on defense.
Let the Republicans charge him with treason as this is their only back fall after what they put this county through. They should charge themselves along with Rumsfield and Cheney and Bush with treason. They of course will never see the evil of their ways and will just continue to blame others, but never the real cause of the near collapse of this country. Deny, project, and deflect all you want but the history books of time will always see this as a dark time in the history of this country where the entitled elite almost gave this country away.
I hope it does because they will have to call all that was involved .That would be great.Bush and Cheney on the stand.
Why not try [for treason] all those who sold us out to the Commies for cents on the dollar? Why not try [for treason] all those who stole all the taxpayers' money for their own personal gain? Why not try [for treason] all those who brought this nation to the edge of the economic abyss? Oh, wait... I forgot... they're just trying to do business.
What was leaked was not even considered essential to national security... it just made us look bad in the eyes of doubters. What was leaked will not cause a military defeat or kill troops any more than the stupid decisions of the politicians!
The real traitors are the ones who spit on the Constitution while twisting and hiding behind it.
To not do this would be to open the flood gates to every unstable individual out there who has managed to slip through the security vetting process and permit unlimited "disclosures" regardless of the security agreements the individual might have signed.
On top of that, foreign-directed and seditious intelligence penetrations of the US's governmental and military and scientific organizations will be able to provide their foreign spymasters whatever they are seeking by just leaking the information to the media, "indirectly" providing their anti-US controllers the valuable info they are seeking under the cover of a 1st Amendment claim.
If you don't do it now, you can forget it in the future....too bad our opponents don't have populations that can force their leaderships to allow the "leaking" of critical information..
Are there any questions???
Unfortunately, unless something has changed, a charge of treason can only carry the death penalty in time of war. We are not in a declared war. Haven't been for quite a few decades. If the President (any of them in the last 60 years) or the Congress (any in the last 60year) had any cojones they'd have called a spade a spade and called a war a war . . . a declared war - act of Congress - remember the Constitution - oh, that old thing . . . . . . . . .
So, I want ttreason charges broought against faux noise - makes a lot more sense.
How about the Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld triumvirate who released the identity of a covert CIA operative, and cost the lives of members of her overseas network, because her husband proved the punks were lying about WMD's?????? Sacrificing a boot licker like Scooter Libby, and then giving him a pardon on conviction, did not satisfy me.
Asking for a treason charge is wrong, it's not Manning who should be charged but the entire military intelligence community. I was in the Army Security Agency when I served and I had a top secret security clerarance. Back then it wasn't just a matter of having a security clearance but also a "Need to Know". The problem is that private Manning had access to way too much secret info that he had no need to know about. The problem is the way the secret info is stored on computers nowadays and how easily anyone can access it, way too easy. Jumping on Manning is a big smokescreen to coverup the fact that it's the people at the top who have forgotten how to secure secret information!
I'm curious as to how a 22 year old Private First Class was able to obtain so many classified documents. He was an intelligence analyst, but for one individual to have such access does not seem right. There seems to be a lot more behind this story.
The "leaker" gave information to the enemy. Sorry. The leaker should be punished. End of story. There is no other way. The person who leaked and those who were involved in the leak should be punished.
There are legal and illegal ways to protest or oppose our government. This is clearly a case that involves the illegal type. To make matters worse, he was a sworn member of our military. If this guy is found guilty, he should be charged with the highest form of treason. People will be killed as a result of his illegal actions. Political affiliations should not even matter in this case.
In the end the guy will get prison time and a dishonorable discharge, just for leaking the documents. But I hope no one thinks that sensitive information was disclosed. There is nothing in those documents that you or I or anyone paying attention hasn't heard from MSNBC, CBS, FOX or ABC.
"For what charge? What crime, felony or misdemeanor, has the President committed?"
For failing to protect the U.S. from foreign invaders...a deliberate move to get the illegal vote (after he gives them all amnesty)...
Has anyone considered the afghan war was lost the day Bush invaded iraq. As for the constitution; Bush&Cheney: with their secret wiretaps,Cheney's under the table energy deals;or the fact Haliburtion made money hand over fist;both did all they could to destroy the constitution; they have more too answer for than any previous administration.
Do the Republicans really want to throw the word treason around and i think the wiki leak founder should be charged for posting the information before getting the clearance from the generals with so much important info for years could put people lives in danger. How well the wiki founder know the person who gave the documents and why WIKI LEAK FOUNDER still has information and claiming to print more so the JUSTICE DEPARTMENT needs to serve this guy if the documents are not handed over. AMERICA should be outrage over this cause we could be in danger over what some founder whose no stranger to being a troublemaker.
Treason covers a lot more more than just a war scenario. When Rep. Rogers agrees to excute the Israeli spies who, belonged to our military, then he can shoot the PFC.
I find it odd that Rep. Rogers would shoot our little PFC, which is fine, but leave Israeli spies, serving in our own military just sitting in the brig. Shoot them all.