Obama Largely Commutes Manning Sentence, To Be Released in May

[Flagg]

Chelsea Manning Sentence Commuted, To Be Released in May 2017

Sorry, Tablet.

THANKS ALOT OBAMA!

[FireNexus]

This is good to see. With any luck, it was a backend deal negotiated with Assange to get him to fully fuck Trump.

[Flagg]

This is good to see. With any luck, it was a backend deal negotiated with Assange to get him to fully fuck Trump.

I don't and won't believe anything Assange says he'll do until it's done and documented by at least 7 separate news organizations. And Snowden pulls off his human face to reveal his status as a V alien.

[Gandalf]

Now Manning can walk free with the people who committed the very crimes she exposed!

[FireNexus]

This is good to see. With any luck, it was a backend deal negotiated with Assange to get him to fully fuck Trump.

I don't and won't believe anything Assange says he'll do until it's done and documented by at least 7 separate news organizations. And Snowden pulls off his human face to reveal his status as a V alien.

Assange would only do it if it helped him. If this were true, it would go something like "I've spoken to the Swedes who have agreed to drop charges if you dump everything you have on Trump. I'll commute Manning's sentence to show I'm serious."

Given that Obama is just a decent man and Manning's sentence was unconscionable, probably not. But given how insanely calm the executive branch has been about the impending landfall of Hurricane Trump, I can't help but think that something to neuter the danger he poses is going on in the background.

[GrandMasterTerwynn]

I wonder why Obama, with his renowned hatred of whistleblowers, would commute Chelsea Manning's sentence? I would suspect it probably has much more to do with denying the incoming Trump administration the opportunity to use some future review of Manning's imprisonment to establish a precedent for denying treatment of gender dysphoria to inmates of military prisons (as I recall, she's completed a few rounds of hormone therapy, and her release date supposedly allows her to complete her current round of treatment,) than it does with any sympathy he might feel for her.

The cynical view of the commutation is that Obama doesn't want the government to be on hook for paying for her gender reassignment surgery; and the political calculus suggests that it'd be better if she were released sooner so she can have her fifteen minutes of fame and then fade quickly and quietly into private life; instead of keeping her in the news for years to come as Fort Leavenworth's highest-profile inmate.

[Gandalf]

I wonder why Obama, with his renowned hatred of whistleblowers, would commute Chelsea Manning's sentence? I would suspect it probably has much more to do with denying the incoming Trump administration the opportunity to use some future review of Manning's imprisonment to establish a precedent for denying treatment of gender dysphoria to inmates of military prisons (as I recall, she's completed a few rounds of hormone therapy, and her release date supposedly allows her to complete her current round of treatment,) than it does with any sympathy he might feel for her.

The cynical view of the commutation is that Obama doesn't want the government to be on hook for paying for her gender reassignment surgery; and the political calculus suggests that it'd be better if she were released sooner so she can have her fifteen minutes of fame and then fade quickly and quietly into private life; instead of keeping her in the news for years to come as Fort Leavenworth's highest-profile inmate.

I assumed it was to score some legacy points without having to spend political capital.

[Alyrium Denryle]

I wonder why Obama, with his renowned hatred of whistleblowers, would commute Chelsea Manning's sentence? I would suspect it probably has much more to do with denying the incoming Trump administration the opportunity to use some future review of Manning's imprisonment to establish a precedent for denying treatment of gender dysphoria to inmates of military prisons (as I recall, she's completed a few rounds of hormone therapy, and her release date supposedly allows her to complete her current round of treatment,) than it does with any sympathy he might feel for her.

The cynical view of the commutation is that Obama doesn't want the government to be on hook for paying for her gender reassignment surgery; and the political calculus suggests that it'd be better if she were released sooner so she can have her fifteen minutes of fame and then fade quickly and quietly into private life; instead of keeping her in the news for years to come as Fort Leavenworth's highest-profile inmate.

I am operating on the assumption that Obama is a fundamentally decent human being here. Keep that in mind.

I think he probably feels that the State has to prosecute those who leak classified information--no matter what they leak--or the security and intelligence apparatus itself will break down due to a lack of deterrent. You can't trust to the honor system with classified material.

[Raj Ahten]

This truly is unexpected good news. I guess the deep state folks are having a really bad year having lost Obama and openly feuding with Trump. I will be interested in seeing what the President's official justification is. Maybe he thinks time served is enough instead of thirty years or whatever the sentence was.

[The Romulan Republic]

This is a surprisingly decent action by Obama, given his history on this subject and recent events involving Wikileaks (though of course Manning played no part in those). But its the right thing to do. In part because people like her are going to be treated particularly horribly under the incoming regime.

Well done, Obama.

[Terralthra]

Mr. Assange previously declared that he would give himself up to "unlawful" US extradition (with which he hasn't even been threatened) if President Obama granted clemency to Ms. Manning.

[Flagg]

Mr. Assange previously declared that he would give himself up to "unlawful" US extradition (with which he hasn't even threatened) if President Obama granted clemency to Ms. Manning.

Ass-Angel says a ton of shit I'll never believe.

[The Romulan Republic]

Yeah, I'll eat my hat if Putin's little internet puppet honours that promise.

[Thanas]

Well done, Obama.

More like "thank you for fixing what you have caused in the first place."

[Gandalf]

I am operating on the assumption that Obama is a fundamentally decent human being here. Keep that in mind.

I think he probably feels that the State has to prosecute those who leak classified information--no matter what they leak--or the security and intelligence apparatus itself will break down due to a lack of deterrent. You can't trust to the honor system with classified material.

Then why do this now, as opposed to several years ago?

[The Romulan Republic]

Well done, Obama.

More like "thank you for fixing what you have caused in the first place."

True, but better late than never.

And as disappointing as Obama could be, oh, we are all going to miss him so much come Friday.

[Alyrium Denryle]

I am operating on the assumption that Obama is a fundamentally decent human being here. Keep that in mind.

I think he probably feels that the State has to prosecute those who leak classified information--no matter what they leak--or the security and intelligence apparatus itself will break down due to a lack of deterrent. You can't trust to the honor system with classified material.

Then why do this now, as opposed to several years ago?

Any commutations or pardons a president makes that have any kind of political resonance (like this one) can be used against his or her party, or themselves. So they tend to do it in the final days of their final term (other than the occasional stay of execution or commutation for time-sensitive reasons).

[Gandalf]

I am operating on the assumption that Obama is a fundamentally decent human being here. Keep that in mind.

I think he probably feels that the State has to prosecute those who leak classified information--no matter what they leak--or the security and intelligence apparatus itself will break down due to a lack of deterrent. You can't trust to the honor system with classified material.

Then why do this now, as opposed to several years ago?

Any commutations or pardons a president makes that have any kind of political resonance (like this one) can be used against his or her party, or themselves. So they tend to do it in the final days of their final term (other than the occasional stay of execution or commutation for time-sensitive reasons).

Yeah, I know that part. My point was that if if one runs from the assumption that Obama is a decent person, why wait until it's politically feasible to commute a sentence? Did he feel that Manning deserved a sentence conveniently as long as his need for some good security theatre?

[Joun_Lord]

I don't particularly like Manning as a person because by all accounts she was a dickhole of the highest caliber back before this and while I think the release of the material was needed (nothing to my knowledge endangered anyone) Manning only did it because she was a whiny fuck who couldn't hack military life, however I applaud Obama releasing her. I don't think she was a traitor, maybe an idiot, and don't think whistleblowers should be arrested. The only way the US is going to stop fucking up is when our dirty laundry is aired, shit stains and all.

I'll be really interested to see if ASSange actually follows through with turning himself in or weasels out of it.

Also quick possibly un-PC question, am I supposed to always refer to Manning as she even for when she was still Bradley and identified as a he? Is her current gender identity I guess retroactive?

[Dragon Angel]

Yes, and no one should really care about her former identity except the morons digging deeply for reasons to not respect her transition. Why is this even a question? It's her actions that define her spot in the public eye, not her identity.

Also, where did you pull that assessment of her personality from?

[Joun_Lord]

Not really a care but at one time she was Bradley and in the interest of accuracy I would think she's be referred to as Bradley when that was still her name. Thats not disrespecting her transition, thats just acknowledgement of who she was previously.

My assessment of her personality is based upon the word of other soldiers serving with her. She was chronically late, disregarded rules, destroyed property after a reprimand, and struck another soldier. I know she was going through alot but her actions speak of someone who was a really shitty person. Having gender identity problems does not excuse assaulting someone.

[Dragon Angel]

Do we refer to women with their maiden names in the interests of accuracy? What "accuracy" are you trying to serve by referencing an identity that is not even relevant to the story being given?

It's kind of enlightening how trans people seem to be the main focus of this quest for accuracy where the addition to the story is exactly zip.

[Joun_Lord]

I think people do refer to women by their maiden names if they were using the name during the events referenced. The identity is relevant to the story because Chelsea was Bradley when she blowed the whistle on fucked up military shenanigans, the reason she is currently in jail and the reason Obama has to commute her sentence.

A trans person is the focus of this quest for accuracy because a trans person who while under a different identity there her current one committed the crimes that form the basis of this story (leaving aside the original crimes she whistleblew on).

[Alyrium Denryle]

Then why do this now, as opposed to several years ago?

Any commutations or pardons a president makes that have any kind of political resonance (like this one) can be used against his or her party, or themselves. So they tend to do it in the final days of their final term (other than the occasional stay of execution or commutation for time-sensitive reasons).

Yeah, I know that part. My point was that if if one runs from the assumption that Obama is a decent person, why wait until it's politically feasible to commute a sentence? Did he feel that Manning deserved a sentence conveniently as long as his need for some good security theatre?

With stakes like elections? Yes.

"Hmmm. I can release her now and in so doing give the republicans ammunition they can use for electoral gains which put a hell of a lot of people at risk, but it will certain be better for her. Or I can sacrifice her a little bit in an effort to make sure the republicans don't get a filibuster proof majority in the senate and go about selling the homeworld."

It is an agonizing choice, but not a difficult one from where I am sitting.

[Dragon Angel]

I think people do refer to women by their maiden names if they were using the name during the events referenced. The identity is relevant to the story because Chelsea was Bradley when she blowed the whistle on fucked up military shenanigans, the reason she is currently in jail and the reason Obama has to commute her sentence.

A trans person is the focus of this quest for accuracy because a trans person who while under a different identity there her current one committed the crimes that form the basis of this story (leaving aside the original crimes she whistleblew on).

No, generally, that is not true. You don't see the constant footnotes of Jane Doe (previously Jane Smith) the way you would see constant footnotes of, pulling a random trans person out of my head, Christine Jorgensen (previously George William Jorgensen Jr.).

Chelsea Manning's actions of whistleblowing and her former identity of Bradley Manning are two separate ideas, only made into a huge deal because she announced her transition while being a high-profile figure. There is literally no journalistic addition to mentioning her former identity unless it is about her transition specifically, because in the end, the central idea of the story is her whistleblowing, her being sentenced for decades, and her now being pardoned. Only pedants of the highest order would even care about her former identity being included in every single article ever written about her and her actions.