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by Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich
Washington, Apr 28, 2011
Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), who has repeatedly challenged the Defense Department’s treatment of Private First Class (Pfc.) Bradley Manning and sought to meet with Manning, today challenged the purpose of a so-called “Media Day” at the Joint Regional Correctional Facility, Ft. Leavenworth, where Pfc. Manning is currently being held. Pfc. Manning was transferred to Ft. Leavenworth from the Marine Corp Brig Quantico following criticism of his treatment there which may have violated his constitutional rights. Pfc. Manning has been accused of leaking documents to WikiLeaks, but after nine months of confinement a trial date has not yet been set.
“Instead of answers and accountability for the potential mistreatment of Pfc. Manning, the Department of Defense only offers fake transparency in the form of a guided tour of his new prison. Instead of responding to criticism from the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture, the Army will offer the media a scripted fantasy of Manning’s brand new facility. With this stunt, it is clear that the Department of Defense and the Army are more concerned with public relations than the rights and security of Pfc. Manning.
“This fake transparency ignores the central question: How was Pfc. Manning treated during his long, solitary pretrial confinement at Quantico? What is his mental state after suffering the indignity of being left naked for an undetermined period of time, and after being continually disrupted in the manner of a continuous interrogation?
“If it is determined that there has been a deliberate effort to break Pfc. Manning physically and/or mentally prior to his trial or subvert his rights in any way, then the news media, which is participating in the public relations exercise today at Ft Leavenworth could become complicit in a cover up.
“The Department of Defense must grant my legitimate request to meet with Pfc. Bradley Manning and fully answer serious questions about his treatment.
“I urge the news media not to be taken in by this contrived pretension of transparency. The American people rely on the news media to investigate the cover up of abuses, not tell us about the nice, new prison the Army has built,” said Kucinich.
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I applaud Congressman Kucinich, but what he is doing here is ineffective at best. He has a member of congress has the right to institute a suit in the Supreme Court, and get the court to direct the Executive branch and the Department of Defense to answer his legitimate questions!
I AGREE.
His problem lies with an UNJUST Department of Justice [DOJ].
It has to do with Obama ORDERS for treatment of Manning – Pentagon said NO MISTREATMENT DONE TO Manning — as per the words of Obama. So now you have our Pentagon who won’t RESPOND to the mistreatment of Manning – although they received UN notice of illegal treatment according to LAW regarding Manning.
WH DOJ Pentagon all want Manning to be forced to make statement against Julian Assange for his ultimate Death Penalty once extradited to U.S. soil.
SHAMEFUL display of U.S. government corruption.
LIES OF WAR make countries hate us and Pentagon does not have integrity to defuse the LIES OF WAR in spite of past with Viet Nam LIES OF WAR “The Pentagon Files” by Daniel Ellsberg which congress put into the Library of Congress.
LIES OF WAR allowed U.S. Bush/Chaney use WMD in Invasion of Iraq destroying their country in 90 days with bombs having Depleted Uranium – their water & soil will be contaminated for MANY years & births of babies with grotesque deformities w/cancer and other DEADLY diseases.
Iraq did not have WMD, but Bush/Chaney USED THEM TO DESTROY IRAQ.
Good for you Congressman Dennis Kucinich.
KEEP IT UP.
You must be able to meet w/Manning “privately” FACE TO FACE without being monitored by prison.
This “no visitors” prison is at the ORDER of Obama – they would NOT do it without his ORDER.
They are still trying to break Manning – to force him to say what OBAMA wants him to say.
SHAME of DOD, DOJ, WTF [wikileaks task force in Alexdrandria VA]. Hillary gave to DOJ the law firm to discredit Wikileaks – DOJ/Obama started the WTF to discredit legally or illegally any way they can do it.
USG has much to account for as far as “transparency” which still does NOT exist.