> Explain to me why what Bradley Manning did should be legal.
Allegedly did. You see? Comments like that are exactly the problem. Aren't we "innocent until proven guilty?" And that is why everyone is upset about Bradley Manning. He's been treated like a criminal though he's never been convicted.
There's no presumption of innocence in the military justice system. It's not common law, and military courts are heavily biased in the prosecution's favor.
Pvt Manning was a member of the armed forces at the time of his alleged crime, and thus is not subject to most of the procedural protections afforded to civilian defendants.
I don't feel that what he did was legal. On the other hand, the way he has been incarcerated and treated while in military prison seems excessively cruel.
Cruel? He hasn't been excuted for exposing private government communications, including internal communications on national security issues and correspondence with foreign governments. That is potentially treason, and just a few decades ago he would have been summarily executed after a quick, brief trial.
Allegedly did. You see? Comments like that are exactly the problem. Aren't we "innocent until proven guilty?" And that is why everyone is upset about Bradley Manning. He's been treated like a criminal though he's never been convicted.