gangster empire II

Bradley Manning is being tortured by the U.S. government. From Glenn Greenwald's Salon column this morning:

Bradley Manning, the 22-year-old U.S. Army Private accused of leaking classified documents to WikiLeaks, has never been convicted of that crime, nor of any other crime. Despite that, he has been detained at the U.S. Marine brig in Quantico, Virginia for five months -- and for two months before that in a military jail in Kuwait -- under conditions that constitute cruel and inhumane treatment and, by the standards of many nations, even torture. Interviews with several people directly familiar with the conditions of Manning's detention, ultimately including a Quantico brig official (Lt. Brian Villiard) who confirmed much of what they conveyed, establishes that the accused leaker is subjected to detention conditions likely to create long-term psychological injuries.

Since his arrest in May, Manning has been a model detainee, without any episodes of violence or disciplinary problems. He nonetheless was declared from the start to be a "Maximum Custody Detainee," the highest and most repressive level of military detention, which then became the basis for the series of inhumane measures imposed on him.

From the beginning of his detention, Manning has been held in intensive solitary confinement. For 23 out of 24 hours every day -- for seven straight months and counting -- he sits completely alone in his cell. Even inside his cell, his activities are heavily restricted; he's barred even from exercising and is under constant surveillance to enforce those restrictions. For reasons that appear completely punitive, he's being denied many of the most basic attributes of civilized imprisonment, including even a pillow or sheets for his bed (he is not and never has been on suicide watch). For the one hour per day when he is freed from this isolation, he is barred from accessing any news or current events programs.

It's worth noting the pertinent section of the U.S. Constitution, to remind us of the specific laws our government is violating by abusing this young man before he's been convicted of anything. Even though Manning is a member of the armed forces in time of (perpetual) war, he's still a citizen, therefore the Sixth Amendment guarantees that he be tried and convicted before punishment is administered.

The U.S. government is torturing Bradley Manning. It's obvious, plain, and simple.

Keeping people in solitary confinement for long periods causes them to go insane.

Torture is illegal.

Any government that flouts is own laws is not a government, but a criminal enterprise, and doesn't deserve to live.