State Dept. Spokesman P. J. Crowley Resigns after Calling Army Treatment of Bradley Manning"Stupid"

[C. Flower]

There must be something in the water....

13/03/2011 - 18:30:23
State Department spokesman PJ Crowley has resigned after causing a stir by describing the Army’s treatment of the suspected WikiLeaks leaker as “ridiculous” and “stupid.”

Crowley said in a statement today that he took responsibility for the remarks and that, given their impact, he had submitted his resignation to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

President Barack Obama said on Friday that the Pentagon had assured him the Army private believed responsible for the largest leak of classified American documents ever was being held under appropriate conditions.

Bradley Manning is being held in solitary confinement for all but an hour every day at a Marine Corps brig in Quantico, Virginia.

He is stripped naked each night, and given a suicide-proof smock to wear to bed.

Read more: http://www.breakingnews.ie/world/spo...#ixzz1GVSivLqM

[Kid Ryder]

The conditions of incarceration for Bradley Manning smack of psychological torture. Constant solitary confinement and forced nakedness are not normal for prison régimes, even military ones. Being a soldier should not mean absolution from upholding basic human rights, nor should it mean being shriven of those same basic rights should you become subject to the military courts. The Empire thinks differently though, as it appears in Bradley Manning's case. The United States govt. and its military are out to break Manning into tiny little pieces and scatter his remains in public, as an object lesson for the military whistleblowers of the future. State terrorism at its finest. The Empire has nothing left to learn from Josef Stalin and his show-trials.

[C. Flower]

The conditions of incarceration for Bradley Manning smack of psychological torture. Constant solitary confinement and forced nakedness are not normal for prison régimes, even military ones. Being a soldier should not mean absolution from upholding basic human rights, nor should it mean being shriven of those same basic rights should you become subject to the military courts. The Empire thinks differently though, as it appears in Bradley Manning's case. The United States govt. and its military are out to break Manning into tiny little pieces and scatter his remains in public, as an object lesson for the military whistleblowers of the future. State terrorism at its finest. The Empire has nothing left to learn from Josef Stalin and his show-trials.

Quite extraordinary for Crowley to call it as it is.

[Count Bobulescu]

Once Obama essentially contradicted Crowley at his press conference Friday, his days were numbered. The irony is it is a State Dept. official falling on his sword over actions controlled by the DOD. It’s another Gen. Stanley McChrystal moment. Irrespective of the merits of his remarks, (I tend to agree with Crowley, but there is a valid alternative view), his comments were intemperate for someone in his position. Crowley was paid to explain policy, not decide it.

[C. Flower]

Once Obama essentially contradicted Crowley at his press conference Friday, his days were numbered. The irony is it is a State Dept. official falling on his sword over actions controlled by the DOD. It’s another Gen. Stanley McChrystal moment. Irrespective of the merits of his remarks, (I tend to agree with Crowley, but there is a valid alternative view), his comments were intemperate for someone in his position. Crowley was paid to explain policy, not decide it.

I see this as a progression from McChrystal.

It is a little fissure in the superstructure which must surely have resulted from considerable seismic activity below the surface.

[barrym]

Just read the Guardian bit. Yes, PJ broke ranks, the line is we don't speak about Wikileaks or anything around it. PJ must have just had enough.

On the wider issue it is increasingly obvious that the Obama White House hasn't managed to change anything in Washington, he's not the first Pres to fall down there. Worryingly, there are matters where he or someone simply has to change the status quo. If you've seen the movie Inside Job (and I recommend it as required viewing, especially for commentators on Ireland's situation) you'll have been horrified by the last part which shows that Obama hasn't done anything to change the Wall St culture, in fact he has continued it. Similarlly with Defence (sp, )

B

[C. Flower]

Just read the Guardian bit. Yes, PJ broke ranks, the line is we don't speak about Wikileaks or anything around it. PJ must have just had enough.

On the wider issue it is increasingly obvious that the Obama White House hasn't managed to change anything in Washington, he's not the first Pres to fall down there. Worryingly, there are matters where he or someone simply has to change the status quo. If you've seen the movie Inside Job (and I recommend it as required viewing, especially for commentators on Ireland's situation) you'll have been horrified by the last part which shows that Obama hasn't done anything to change the Wall St culture, in fact he has continued it. Similarlly with Defence (sp, )

B

Agree and no suprise to me. Obama is a child of a State Department family, schooled in expensive private schools from childhood all the way up, and has always had an insider view.