Image by Anarchimedia via Flickr
goingundergroundRT on May 17, 2017
We speak to former CIA officer, Ray McGovern, about U.S. violations of international law. WikiLeaks associate and centre of investigative journalism board member Joseph Farrell on Chelsea Manning. Plus Julian Assange responds on this show to CIA accusations.
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Chelsea Manning, Legal Team Confirm Chelsea’s Safe Release from Military Prison
ACLU Press Release
For Immediate Release: May 17, 2017
Contact:
Ryan Karerat, rkarerat@aclu.org
Christina DiPasquale, christina@balestramedia.com
Today, Chelsea Manning was safely released from U.S. military prison in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
Said Chelsea Manning:
“After another anxious four months of waiting, the day has finally arrived. I am looking forward to so much! Whatever is ahead of me, is far more important than the past. I’m figuring things out right now–which is exciting, awkward, fun, and all new for me.”
Chelsea Manning has released her first photo, of her first steps as a free woman on Twitter @xychelsea, and on Instagram @xychelsea87
The post accompanying the photo reads: “first steps of freedom!! ^_^ #chelseaisfree.”
First steps of freedom!! 😄https://t.co/kPPWV5epwa#ChelseaIsFree pic.twitter.com/0R5pXqA1VN
— Chelsea Manning (@xychelsea) May 17, 2017
Nancy Hollander and Vincent Ward, Manning’s clemency and appellate lawyers, said in a joint statement:
“We are able to confirm that Chelsea Manning has been released safely from military prison. Thank you to everyone for ensuring her safe release and respecting her privacy as she starts to adjust to life outside of prison and rebuild her life following seven years of confinement. Chelsea has expressed her deep appreciation to her supporters and looks forward to the future.”
Chase Strangio, staff attorney with the ACLU, had the following reaction:
“It is incredible to witness Chelsea Manning’s freedom after having seen and worked with her behind bars for four years. We can all finally truly celebrate the strength and heroism she has shown in surviving and sharing her truth and life with all of us. Through extended periods of solitary confinement and up against the government’s insistence on denying her medical care and existence as a woman, Chelsea has emerged with grace, resilience, and an inspiring amount of love for others. I am humbled to fight alongside such a fierce advocate for justice.”
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Chelsea Manning is Free, and Her Impact is Worldwide
TheRealNews on May 17, 2017
U.S. Army whistleblower Chelsea Manning is free after serving seven years behind bars. Kevin Gosztola of Shadowproof and Nathan Fuller of the Courage Campaign, have remained deeply involved in her case, discuss Manning’s freedom and her global impact.
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Longest-serving whistleblower Chelsea Manning released from military prison
RT America on May 17, 2017
Chelsea Manning, the whistleblower who leaked documents to WikiLeaks on the US wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, was released from military prison on Wednesday. Her 35-year sentence for espionage was commuted by President Barack Obama after she served seven years. RT America’s Marina Portnaya has the story from outside of Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, where Manning was imprisoned.
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Updated: May 21, 2017
Here is Chelsea: https://www.instagram.com/p/BUPbwX0htrw/
From the archives:
Glenn Greenwald: Prosecuting Julian Assange and WikiLeaks Threatens Press Freedom for All
Julian Assange Press Conference and Q&A on Vault 7, Year Zero and the CIA
President Obama Commutes Chelsea Manning’s Sentence (updated)
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Like countless others, I’m delighted to live to see this.
Joseph Farrell tells Afshin Rattansi “no-one likes to blame the US for anything…” How true, and isn’t that quite remarkable? Why do we suppose this is the case?
I think there is a rather simple answer: the USA is, in the popular imagination, put about by myth makers ~ that is to say those who fuel the engineered mind of a public with very little ‘mind’ ~ is a subliminally indoctrinated fantasy; helped along a great deal, by Sir Francis Bacon’s original C17th New Atlantis fiction. This idea has mutated into a sort of air-brushed, photo-shopped Walt Disney world of talking animals, miraculous toys and cartoon landscapes….where wondrous utopian things are really possible. In other words, the US is a ‘future-proofed’ CIA fairy tale.
To (ungrammatically) shamelessly paraphrase W. Spencer Churchill ~ some tale….some fairy!