Perspectives on Pfc.
Bradley Manning from an Anti-War Veteran
By
Jim Baldridge,
VVAW/OSS & Baltimore VFP
 |
| L to R: Dave Schott - USAF (VFP), Vietnam; Dr. Larry Egbert, US Army (VFP), WWII & Korea; Jim Baldridge,- USN, Vietnam Era (VFP & VVAW/OSS) Photo: Bill Perry |
 |
| Many came by bus. Photo: Bill Perry |
 |
| Photo: Bill Perry |
My perspective on the Bradley
Manning trial, as a Vietnam-era veteran, is that capitalism has once again turned
TRUTH into a victim of imperialist war no matter how it lies to justify it.
 |
| Photo: Bill Perry |
 |
| VVAW/OSS on the March For Bradley Manning Photo: Bill Perry |
The main stream media (MSM) is
putting out all the misinformation that the Administration and Pentagon can
come up with, all to minimize support for Manning, but it isn’t working! Aside from the myths and lies being told by
the MSM about Bradley Manning and what he did or is alleged to have done, as a
Vietnam-era vet I’ve seen the attacks before.
I got out in ’69, and the Pentagon Papers hit the streets 14 months
later. When I heard about the release of
the Pentagon Papers I rushed to get to the newsstand because the Papers
validated what I had known to be true for the second half of my four years in
the service.
 |
| Dan'l Ellsberg of Pentagon papers Fame at Ft Meade for Bradley Photo: Bill Perry |
Many “myths” surround the
whole Wikileaks/ Bradley Manning situation.
I’ll just discuss a few of them.
First, some say that Wikileaks and Manning are “anti-American.” Wikileaks clearly disapproved of our invasion
of Iraq, which is true of two thirds or more of Americans well before we
officially “pulled out.” Does that make the U.S. majority “anti-American?
A second myth is that the
information Pfc. Manning “leaked” to Wikileaks was Top Secret. You wouldn’t know it from media coverage, but
none of the information Manning has been accused of declassifying was Top
Secret. None. Most of it wasn’t classified at all, just
somewhat embarrassing when it was publicly revealed. Even the helicopter gunship video, since called “Collateral Murder", which has been highlighted at home and around the
world. wasn’t classified.
Another “myth” that gets
closer to allegations being made against Manning in the military courtroom is
that his leaks have gotten people killed and have damaged U.S. “national
interests.” In the three years since the
release of the Wikileaks documents, there has been no evidence that anyone
other than America’s reputation has been harmed by the leaks. But I doubt that’s what our government is
talking about when it alleges damage to U.S. “national interests.” Rather, the military would have us believe
that in-the-know Americans are what put us at risk, and therefore our lack
of knowledge provides us security. It’s
worth noting that while our government doesn’t want us to know what it’s doing,
in many of these instances people in other countries already know because they
are on the receiving end of it, like death by helicopter gunship, drone and IED’s.
Bradley Manning’s trial is
expected to continue for twelve weeks, through the summer. You can be sure that U. S. veterans will
continue to protest at the Main Gate and be vigilant in the military courtroom
to hear what the government and Pentagon are trying to do to Pfc. Bradley
Manning. As vets we object to what is so
often done “in our name,” whether it is torture, invading countries that pose
no threat to us, looking the other way when sexual assault and suicide decimate
the ranks of veterans and active duty, or cover-ups, lies and distortions of
truth. |
| 49er Nicole Guiniling, fresh in from Toronto Photo: Bill Perry |
A group of 14 American expatriates from the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, known as the Toronto 49er's, was represented at Ft Meade by Nicole Guiniling, wife of 49er Jules Guiniling. They sent a letter to the VVAW/OSS
participants. It says, in part:
To
the delegation of VVAW/OSS:
On behalf
of my fellow war resisters in Canada, I would like to extend this formal
greeting to all of you who are meeting here today. We are deeply thankful to
VVAW/OSS and others involved for the thought they are putting toward the
struggle of U.S Iraq and Afghanistan War Resisters in Canada. We are also
honored to have one among you, a Vietnam veteran against the war and old school
sapper, representing us at this gathering as he did at the medal returning
ceremony (in Chicago) last Spring. It was an odd twist of fate that brought him
to us but one that we are very grateful for. We have benefited from his
friendship, experience, and knowledge of the G.I resistance movement.
Many
of you might remember what it was like to be in our shoes, or at least under
similar circumstances during the Vietnam War. Unfortunately, we are living
proof that not much has changed since then. The imperialist war machine is
still turning out young killers with factory-like efficiency. Nowadays at the crew-served
weapons ranges at Ft. Benning, they teach you to hold the butterfly trigger for
three words, four syllables “die-Hajji-die”. Since the start of these wars,
thousands of U.S troops have deployed overseas to kill for and die for these
scumbags who run the show: the profiteers and the zealots. But, just as in all
wars that are unjust and based on false pretenses, there springs forth an
organic resistance to the bullshit.
Young
people like Camilo Mejia, Mike Prysner, Kelly Doherty, Jeremy Hinzman, and
Bradley Manning. You can’t really fit us into one category. We are not all
socialists; we are not all pacifists; not all of us began our resistance from a
place of ideology. Some of us had to see and do the things we did to figure out
that we didn’t want to do them anymore, and some of us figured it out right
away. We here in Canada left our contracts early, while those resisters who
chose to stay behind became outspoken while respecting their contracts.
Resistance has been unique to each individual—as it should be.
