Bradley Manning gets 35-year sentence in WikiLeaks case
Richard A. Serrano
August 21, 2013
For many, a 35-year prison sentence is devastating news. For Bradley Manning, the man behind the leaking of thousands and thousands of confidential military and government files, plans, and conspiracies visible to the public, this was a breathe of relief. Army Private First Class was looking at around 90 years in prison, but it would be safe to say his apology for having "hurt the United States" saved him an extra 55 years. One might ponder, why would a respected and devoted military man, better yet, a proud American citizen, put their country in such a vulnerable and untrustworthy state? The answer is simple: Bradley Manning needed the citizens of his country and all others around the world to know how flawed the foreign diplomacy policies were. The case was judged by Col. Denise Lind, Manning had decided to be judged my a military officer rather than to be tried by a jury. He was found guilty for 20 out of the 22 charges against him, along with demotion to Private, deprivation of army pay, and a dishonorable discharge. His lead defense attorney, David Coombs, did not seem to lose hope. This article is important because of its effect on the views of the people. Was he worthy of 35 years? Less? More? The answers of those questions lie in the thoughts of the citizens. Manning can be seen as a hero or a villain, but regardless of how you view him, his releasing of nearly 700,000 crucial documents shows the government's flaws and lies and how we the people were not even aware of them.
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