Bradley Manning’s trial starts today. A run-down of the government’s accusations reads like a modern-day Alice in Wonderland scenario: Bin Laden somehow benefitted from copies of Manning’s leaks, for example the infamous film of flyers deliberately shooting civilians on the ground, including those who came to rescue the victims, which included two children.
The accusation of ‘aiding the enemy’ usually refers to actions that enable the enemy to win rather than lose a battle, or that provide him with valuable intelligence for future battles. None of the documents Manning leaked are said to fit those definitions. However the cold-blooded picking off of civilians - one of which is carrying a camera - certainly will have inspired new jihadists.
To say that Manning’s actions benefitted the enemy is to say that during the present time of his leaks he was somehow contributing to past deci-sions by jihadists that led to the events or deci-sions that he was leaking. Manning, not the United States government, is responsible for attacks that took place after his leaks.
The enemy would have known just how cold-blooded and vicious American decisions are.
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