DOD Continues to Stall on Kucinich’s Request to Visit Bradley Manning
Last we heard of Dennis Kucinich’s request to visit Bradley Manning, the Pentagon had spent a full month referring his request from one official to another rather than respond to his request.
On February 4, Dennis Kucinich asked DOD to allow him to visit Bradley Manning so he could assess his conditions of confinement. On February 8, Robert Gates wrote Kucinich a short note telling him we was referring his request to Secretary of the Army, John McHugh. In a letter dated February 24–but apparently not received in Kucinich’s office until March 1–McHugh told Kucinich he was referring his request to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Legislative Affairs.
In short, a full month after the date when a member of Congress requested a visit with Manning, DOD is still stalling on a real response with bureaucratic buck-passing.
On Friday, Anti-War Radio’s Scott Horton did an interview with Kucinich. Here’s an update on his quest to visit an American citizen detained less than an hour from Kucinich’s congressional office.
That’s right. I put in a request to the Secretary of Defense who referred me to the Secretary of the Army who referred me to the Secretary of Navy who referred me to the Secretary of Defense and still not an answer on whether or not I can visit.
Kucinich goes on to note he’s a member of the Oversight Committee and that under the Constitution DOD ought to be subject to some accountability.
If these reports keep coming out and they do not permit third parties to come in and make an assessment, I don’t think we can take their word for it. We just can’t.
Obama says DOD has assured him everything they’re doing to Manning is standard. If so, then why are they fighting so hard to prevent a member of Congress from visiting him?
Okay, Buddy! Do your job. Stop fooling around after you went through the proper channels. It’s time to take Congressional action.
EW, Did I miss the Bloch sentencing?
To my knowledge, it is later today unless hijinks occur.
Bloch Sentencing Delayed As Defense Lawyers Investigate Next Move
None of the precedent is binding precedent. Given the previous covenants not to withdraw the plea, unless hijinks ensue, he will be sentenced today.
I’m gonna predict hijinks.
;-) Hijinx for sure.
Ex-Bush Lawyer Bloch Urges D.C. Judge To Reconsider Ruling
At least Obama can’t fire him for speaking out on behalf of Bradley.
Any other war criminals besides Obama, indicted or otherwise, ever get the Nobel peace prize, or is he the first and only one?
Bush was first and the worst, but at least he had the excuse of believing God was on his side (Reverend Ted Haggard was on the phone daily with Bush reinforcing that message—-when the Rev. wasn’t busy snorting meth off the cock of a male prostitute)
Enjoy.
There’s also Kissinger: http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1973/
There are many who thought Menachim Begin was an unindicted war criminal.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menachem_Begin
Do the name Henry Kissinger ring a bell?
Because they are lying?
Just a wild-arsed guess ; )
Speaking of DK, he gave a barn-burner of a speech in Madison Saturday night. I hope he applies some of that fire and passion to resolving Manning’s plight.
Maybe they’re not lying. Welcome to the “new standard.”
Thanks for this link. DK is a special dude.
Bob in AZ
Yikes, that is even more depressing than my answer. Unfortunately, I suspect you are much closer to the truth than I.
As Michael Moore said so eloquently in Madison in reference to our country, we want our good name back.
We cannot win this fight against the oligarchs soon enough. And we sure as hell cannot afford to lose.
Kucinich could join today’s march at noon.
http://firedoglake.com/2011/03/14/march-from-state-departement-to-white-house-today-to-protest-treatment-of-bradley-manning/
i want to reiterate here a comment i made at an earlier post on the manning/dod issue.
in that comment i raise the issue of “public lying” a matter i believe to be central to the gov’t (and corporate) incompetence with which our society is currently infected.
[orionATL March 12th, 2011 at 12:10 pm 225
the mistreatment of bradley manning is a terrible mark against the u.s. military.
it is, however, one of two extremely serious marks against our military arising out of manning’s mistreatment:
the second is the persistent, bald-faced lying to the american people by american military officers and civilian military officials
from officers at quantico to the office of the secretary of defense and, now, to the president of the u.s., its commander-in-chief.
this public lying is inexcusable.
it is also extremely damaging, undermining the reputation and credibility of the military with its citizenry.
that is an enormous price to pay for an exercise in ruthless cruelty that will have trivial positive consequences, if any, and potentially disastrous negative consequences.
it is a mendacious misuse of the u.s. military’s power
of the most incompetent sort.]
AB so LUTELY! It is a huge black mark on our once mighty and well thought of military.
This is the new, post-OLC standard. The one where they refute the standard then embrace the standard which wasn’t a standard at all but a set of criminal conspiracies. That standard.
EW:
See this?:
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/03/conyers-obama-would-be-in-trouble-if-the-2012-gop-wasnt-so-weak.php
When you think you have a monopoly, it’s hard not to abuse it. Mr. Daley, if not his boss, seems addicted to making offers others can’t refuse.
Is your last question rhetorical or can I suggest someone is lying and it’s not Mr. Manning.
The fuggin military already inured itself to torture, eschewed accountability, daily handed over Iraqi detainees to be tortured, or innocent critics of the Iraqi regime to Iraqi political police (which was exactly the kind of behavior Manning saw and couldn’t countenance, if we can believe his statements in the Lamo logs).
Obama has signed off on torture already. Hell, their Army Field Manual in its Appendix M countenances use of isolation, sleep deprivation, and sensory deprivation on certain prisoners, and use of “Fear Up” and drugs (so long as they don’t cause “permanent harm”) on all prisoners.
Congress did little or nothing, and at times facilitated all of the above. So why should we be surprised at any of this.
I like DK, and hope he gets to see Manning. But as for the political establishment and military itself, I have lost all respect (except for individuals of honor within, who have spoken out).
Crowley’s replacement is Mike Hammer. He has been the spokesperson for the National Security Council.
Statement by National Security Council Spokesman Mike Hammer on Detention of Peaceful Protestors in Russia
http://moscow.usembassy.gov/st_053110.html
National Security Council
http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/nsc
One thing the NSC oversees is The High Value Detainee Interrogation Group-created by the Obama Administration.
New Unit to Question Key Terror Suspects; [Move Shifts Interrogation Oversight From the CIA to the White House]; Anne E. Kornblut; NYT; 8/24/09
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/23/AR2009082302598.html
HIG also used domestically:
Intelligence chief says FBI was too hasty in handling of attempted [Times Square] bombing; Hsu/Agiesta; WaPo; 1/21/10
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/20/AR2010012001364.html
Don’t be so quick to believe that the interrogation unit will be run out of NSC. NSC is tasked with giving assignments to CIA for the president. The Intelligence Science Board, who put out the Educing Information paper on interrogation, is a shadowy formation that is run by CIA affiliated types. It apparently has disbanded, but the ISB thinktankers were precisely who were drawn upon for the HIG. It’s not all CIA, of course, but methinks not much has really changed. CIA and DIA run the show, with other military intelligence, and the FBI is assured a seat at the table.
But this is not all about interrogation anyway. Jason Leopold and I will put out a report this week that will show what it’s about. Still, OrionATL @21 has a good surmise, and I’ll also bet the HIG is involved or in charge of his case.
But I’m beholden to you, harpie, for noting the salience of the NSC, and to have one of the NSC’ers brought in to run public affairs at State, albeit a previous “foreign service” official, is of some interest. Hammer is himself a figure about whom it is very difficult to get information.
… which says something right there. Some “nobody” that you can’t get info on? hmmm, yeah, and so what’s the Hammer been doing all this time (shudder)??
Look forward to your report.
That’s what I thought, too.
I used to call Bush and the Cheney-gang’s “press secretaries” “The Mouth of Sauron”. Just thought of that again when contemplating Hammer. [I hadn’t never heard of the cartoon character…duh! Imagine my surprise when I first looked him up at Wikipedia!]
Crowley is going to be replaced by Mike Hammer? Irony abounds.
It indeed looks like Obama & Holder made a pact with the devil some time ago. They will eventually rue the day they decided to go down that path.
Bob in AZ
Not Mickey Spillane’s Mike Hammer?
heh. Beat you to it. See my #38.
Bob in AZ
A quick review of strip search precedent shows that Manning’s fourth amendment rights have been and are being violated.
I’m a member! I guess I failed to include my phone number when I tried the other day, but didn’t notice the error message and clicked away from it too quickly. For whoever cares – I’d rather not have given the phone number, and hope I won’t be called for anything. But anyway, glad to do a little to keep you guys going. Keep up the good work.
Glad you’re a member. Hope lots of people join you.
Thanks.
harpie@18
damn!
“high-value detainee interrogation group”
that’s gold, pure gold.
these have got to be the guys overseeing manning’s torture.
they’re legit (apparently) to work inside the u.s., which cia is not (not that means anything anymore).
so now anybody, foreigner or citizen, can be tortured in the good old u.s. of a.
the torture is being run right out of the white house now – no wonder the obama admin is so testy about international torture legals.
plus “hig” would save lots of travel budget on renditions in these times of tight budgets.
how low obama and his bastards have sunk to guarantee re-election.
I thought that might be a good possibility too.
harpie@22
wonder just who in the whitehouse rides herd on these folk.
and housed in the fbi building – how convenient.
you walk downstairs to the cafeteria to grab a sandwich
and lookee over there, it’s one of the wikileaks prosecutors.
mind if i share the table with you?
At least *someone* who matters is fighting for Manning. Here’s hoping Kucinich pushes through this and visits him.
I wonder why he hasn’t done that yet.
Thanks for the update and all good luck to DK, who the PTB have done their d*mndest to undermine and marginalize and mock and deride and attempt to tie both hands behind his back. It’s a crying shame that DK can be effectively jerked around as much as any serf these days (not that we serfs should be jerked around either, but…), but then again, DK has (mostly) chosen to actually, you know, do his job and represent “we, the people.” Not very popular with the MOTU.
Clearly the Chain of Command at the DoD got *their* marching orders to jerk DK around, and they did so. Hope DK can figure out a good next step and/or at least keep the heat turned high on this one.
Free Bradley Manning!!
And bc Kucinich folds like a cheap card table to alpha males, he’s just waitin for permission. If he had any balls, he’d show up, demand a visit & raise holy hell if they kept him out.
heh… well now THERE’s an idea! And bring along a LOT of media whilst banging on the door at Quantico (really)!
Really, it’s so blinking obvious.
heh… yeah, well… can’t argue, eCAHN. Some have balls and some don’t. To be completely fair, I suspect that DK’s had a few “Dutch Uncle” talks in his day.
Why single out the only guy who put up a fight? Do you know anyone else who is even trying to see Manning?
Nothing personal Nomics. You have a lot of company bashing Kucinich. In fact, pretty much the whole party turned their back on him in the primary.
If you’re satisfied with crumbs, you’ll get even less.
I’m not attacking anyone. Just trying to keep track of reality.
On edit: If you disagree with me, present the contrary evidence, and if it’s convincing, I’ll change my mind. It’s not about the messenger, you know.
Hear hear! Couldn’t agree more.
People get uncomfortable with “shrill” or “loud” or however they want to characterize it, but always increasing demand is the only way power will even begin to concede.
DK is easy to make fun of (duh). The worry at the top is that he’s clean. Conyers was chilled into ice cubes with an ethics FBI investigation just before his party got back their chairmanships (end of 2006). (Dr. Cyril Wecht was in fact indicted at that time for the same kinds of Federal nickel-dime offenses. Like waterboarding with ice). The only thing that prevents Kucinich from prevailing is the mockery from the media and the mediabots who love to make fun of others. Double-duh.
DK had his chance with healthcare reform, but instead he just folded like a cheap suit and didn’t even get any crumbs at all. The more time goes on, the more people lose their credibility with me when they talk very tough when they’re out of power but then once they are in position to back up their talk with action, they at best fold (or at worst were consciously deceiving the public by feigning support for things they categorically didn’t want to have happen). I saw this with healthcare reform with more than just DK, but Democrats in general how they made a big deal about the Billy Touzin drug deal under Bush and how for literally about a decade Democrats said they’d get drug re-importation passed if they were put in power…then there’s indefinite detention, TBTF, etc. I used to like and admire DK until healthcare reform because all his talk over the years didn’t turn into action when he was in a position of power. It’s not to say that my opinion of him can’t change again, like he could exert some power by making a very public spectacle over this rather than just letting himself be indefinitely detained from seeing Manning – that would involve embarrassing not just another Democrat but a Democrat who was the President as well and as such that would show that he can walk the talk instead of just being a partisan when it matters.
You & Blue Wombat @59 sound like chicken hawks: All swagger and braggadocio, criticizing Kucinich from the safety of your easy chairs at home. Or have you indeed done what you condemn Kucinich for not doing? Please clarify.
Kucinich’s speech in Madison recently was a wonder, and very inspirational. They also serve who speak and inspire the rest of us.
The Democratic Party would be well served if it had a hundred more DKs.
Bob in AZ
Try Jane Hamsher.
Yes of course. I should have specified elected Democrats. That’s what I was thinking.
My thoughts exactly. One month? Kucinich should just go to Quantico and demand to see Manning. Enough with the “pretty please.”
Abso-fucking-lutely. Took the words right out of my mouth.
I wonder if DK really understands how much he sacrificed with his craven cave-in over HCR? Any bets that if he could get in the time machine and go back that he’d do it differently?
I’ll have what you’re having.
“If so, then why are they fighting so hard to prevent a member of Congress from visiting him?” ; rhetorical right?
Did Mr. Kucinich explain to them that he just wants to bring health “care” to Bradley like he did for the rest of us?
Briefly OT: Per MSNBC another explosion heard at reactors…
See, the problem I have with DK is that while I think his heart is in the right place, he simply doesn’t have gumption. I’d like to see some politicians who don’t NEED the job…..who can stand up for what they believe in and go down fighting if necessary. And, yeah, what is it we say around here? Oh, yeah, and I want a pony!
jeffkaye@30
i don’t think the point is that cia and dia wouldn’t be deeply involved in the actions of hig.
though i can’t speak for harpie, i suspect her key point is that there IS a white house “interrogation” organization, hig.
who knew that? i certainly didn’t.
in addition to supervising manning’s torture,
hig could also function as a federal law-evading entity that permits the cia/dia to operate within the u.s. without operating under their own names within the u.s.
i wonder if some of manning’s guards are not marine at all, but hig agents.
there’s obviously lots of room for fun speculation.
one implication of the existence of hig is that obama did not need to ask the dod about manning’s situation.
when he might have been able to walk down the hall and get the answer in person – if he had not been previously briefed by nsc staff.
You can make book that there are countless USG and separate WH (remember stovepiping) efforts domestically, as well as abroad that commit daily atrocities of which we are completely unaware.
The Arab street, European street, etc., know far more about what the USG does than we do.
Yes, orionATL, and thanks.
“…why are they fighting so hard to prevent a member of Congress from visiting him?”
Because “Justice delayed is justice denied.”
That’s clearly the plan.
Humiliating Kucinich is also part of the plan. In addition to its merits on the surface, it also serves as a chilling effect on other members of congress.
That said being agreed with, it might be better if he doesn’t wear a t-shirt with a target on it.
Not that any of the spineless God Invoking Finger In The Wind Ostriches need any chilling. They’re quite good at:
ignoring the obvious, subverting the constitution, selling votes, “crafting” legislation, cowing to the Security State, praising the Lord, retroactive immunity, propping up TBTF Institutions, invoking God and the power of prayer, buying hookers, picking up dudes in mens’ rooms, storing bribes in freezers, paying off cuckholded spouses, writing off expenses, insider trading, wearing diapers, killing exposed madams and rat finks…
They’re really bad at representing the interests of their constituents, and doing the right thing if it is politically inconvenient.
There aren’t very many, if any, members of congress anymore who would actually try to represent their constituents’ interests.
BUT there is always someone(s) not at the top of the mountain who tries to attack the one on the top (it’s part of the game; I’m sure you remember from your childhood). So this is merely one of the tactics that the King of the Mountain uses to repel others from rushing up to unseat him.
bobschacht@38
lol.
i had forgotten.
tx
p.s.
wonder if the white house has thought about using the services of the green hornet?
Seems like blatant lying to the public… Bo is no different than Bush Except he brought torture to the US soil and is condoning it with his statement “that he is being held under DoD rules”. When in fact solitary IS considered “torture” under many accords we are signatories for decades… Please oh please I hope the Hague gets involved.. Our Polls are complicit in torture… Just as plain as the end of your nose…
So why doesn’t Kucinich go down there with a camera crew and demand to see Manning? Get how they treat a U.S. Congressman on film. Put it up on YouTube and FDL. Camp out at the gates. Raise some hell. If Kucinich goes down there and calls us to join him, how many will turn up?
This is complete BS. If a Republican member of Congress wanted to visit a constituent under duress, nobody – not even the CIC – would dare to stop him. Same terms should hold true for Dennis.
Manning isn’t one of Kucinich’s constituents. Manning is from Oklahoma. Kucinich represents Ohio.
Doesn’t matter, every Member of Congress works for every American citizen.
(a) Restricting Communications With Members of Congress and Inspector General Prohibited.—
(1) No person may restrict a member of the armed forces in communicating with a Member of Congress or an Inspector General.
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/10/usc_sec_10_00001034—-000-.html
The wildcard here is Darrell Issa, Chairman of the House Oversight Committee (Kucinich’s committee). He’s a former Army officer himself but it will be interesting to see if he takes the opportunity to take a clean shot at the Administration. If Issa does, he could subpoena everyone from the Secretary of Defense down to the Marine night guards to testify.
There have been no reports of Manning attempting to contact any member of congress. Manning’s 138 would most likely have initiated an IG visit to the brig.
The fact that Kucinich has not made progress in visiting the brig makes it appear to me like he’s just talking to gain support and popularity. Why has Kucinich not reached out to Coombs to say, “Can you get me on Manning’s visitation list?” He’s a congressman…he should be able to find loopholes in the “official process” pretty easily.
Different link to the interview, with transcript… here
…and I see today’s guest is our very own Marcy Wheeler!
Love the synergy between libertarian leaning Antiwar.com and FDL.
Toppling Saddam Hussain Obama and Restoring the Rule of Law
Most progressives have become more and more disillusioned with Obama, and his brutal, torturous treatment of Bradley Manning is the last straw. Recall that Bradley was motivated to allegedly send the documents to Wikileaks because he was horrified that US forces, including his unit, were rounding up Iraqis and turning them over for the same sorts of torture employed by Saddam’s security apparatus, and by a blatant attack on civilians by a US helicopter crew, and that US authorities have refused to take action even after massive publicity. Defense Secretary Gates has acknowledged that the leaks caused embarrassment, but posed no threat to national security nor to any individuals.
Both the Wiki documents and Obama’s reactions to them reveal a petulant, narcissistic, arrogant tyrant who cares nothing for human rights or the rule of law. Clearly, our servile media, supine congress and comatose courts don’t care and won’t act, but the Raymond Davis fiasco provides a window through which justice might enter.
It has been reported in the Indian and Pakistani media that Davis’s cellphones contained numbers of 27 high-level Taliban operatives, and that he was conspiring with them to carry out attacks inside Pakistan to provide a pretext for US action against Pakistan’s nuclear program.
If true, this would explain Obama’s and Clinton’s frantic efforts to get Davis released and would almost certainly implicate them in numerous felonies related to terrorism and conspiracy.
Would anything come of it? I am quite sure it would, based on politics rather than principle. If Biden were also implicated, a Republican house would gleefully impeach both of them, and a Democratic senate would have no choice but to remove them after the world learned of their dark deeds. This would be the biggest scandal in US history. Boehner would certainly push the issue, because he would become president. Would he be worse than Obama? No, because both of them bow to the same masters. How could this help Bradley Manning and Julian Assange? Senate Democrats could extract a promise of pardons from Boehner in return for their votes for removal.
This isn’t farfetched, and the information to date at least warrants a special counsel investigation. It would go a long way towards restoring the rule of law and attenuating our international pariah status. We’ve imprisoned and tortured people and started wars based on less reliable information, after all.
>>It has been reported in the Indian and Pakistani media that Davis’s cellphones >>contained numbers of 27 high-level Taliban
It might be “reported” as such, but no Operator would ever do such a thing. That report is misinformation, pure and simple. Whatever Davis was doing (if that is his real name), any information we get about his mission will be either speculation or outright lies.
workingclass@48
aitchd@52
i’m of the same mind.
kusinich is trying. i don’t know what his motives are, but he’s trying.
will kusinich persist?
we’ll see.
but no other one of the 520 (?) congressmen have raised a peep, not even one other.
that in itself is remarkable, very remarkable; that in itself needs exploring.
there is something going on here that our elected, bought-and-paid-for reps and senators know that we don’t know.
what is that?
why, except for kusinich, the deafening silence?
this is a mystery with much meaning if it can be solved.
Glad somebody gets the point. Thanx.