{"id":63825,"date":"2017-01-19T11:20:01","date_gmt":"2017-01-19T15:20:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/?p=63825"},"modified":"2017-01-19T11:20:01","modified_gmt":"2017-01-19T15:20:01","slug":"mccains-hypocrisy-has-no-bounds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/?p=63825","title":{"rendered":"McCain’s Hypocrisy Has No Bounds"},"content":{"rendered":"

Submitted by Mike Shedlock via MishTalk.com,<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

TechDirt<\/em> writer Mike Masnick is so disgusted with fake-patriot politicians that he stopped writing about tech dirt and instead wrote about human dirt: Senator John McCain.<\/p>\n

Masnick took McCain\u2019s statement \u201cPresident Obama\u2019s commutation of Chelsea Manning\u2019s sentence is a grave mistake that I fear will encourage further acts of espionage and undermine military discipline.\u201d and ripped to shreds.<\/span><\/p>\n

Almost Every Word Of John McCain\u2019s Response To Chelsea Manning\u2019s Sentence Commutation Is Flat Out Wrong<\/a><\/em><\/strong> says Mike Masnick.<\/p>\n

What follows is Masnick\u2019s entire article because every point he makes is an important one.<\/p>\n

From the Hypocrites-in-Congress<\/em> Dept<\/strong><\/u><\/p>\n

It\u2019s hardly a surprise that a bunch of people who have been fed a load of bullshit about what Chelsea Manning did years ago are now quite angry over President Obama\u2019s decision to commute Manning\u2019s sentence<\/a>. But I don\u2019t think any are quite as painstakingly wrong<\/em> as Senator John McCain. Someone should call up the Guinness World Record folks, because the wrong-per-sentence ratio of McCain\u2019s angry statement<\/a> might just set a new world record. Let\u2019s dig in.<\/p>\n

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\u00a0President Obama\u2019s commutation of Chelsea Manning\u2019s sentence is a grave mistake that I fear will encourage further acts of espionage and undermine military discipline.<\/em><\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Wait. Really? Manning has been in prison for seven years<\/em>, with a significant portion of that being held in solitary confinement, sometimes being made to strip naked before being able to sleep. This was called \u201ccruel, inhuman and degrading treatment in violation of article 16 of the convention against torture\u201d<\/a> by the United Nations. You would think, of all people, Senator John McCain, who similarly was held in solitary confinement and tortured for extended periods while being held captive for 5 and a half years in Vietnam, would recognize that \u201conly\u201d 7 years of such treatment wouldn\u2019t exactly encourage more of Manning\u2019s behavior.<\/p>\n

To put it more directly: who, in their right mind, is going to leak a bunch of documents thinking \u201coh, perhaps after going through literal torture, character assassination and basically hell on earth, it\u2019ll be okay, because maybe some other President will commute my insane 35 year sentence to just 7 years? No one. The idea that this commutation is going to lead to further leaks is ridiculous. If anything will lead to further leaks it\u2019s Manning\u2019s courage<\/em> in seeing something wrong in the system and actually doing something about it<\/em>.<\/p>\n

In fact, it was things like Manning\u2019s courage that helped inspire Ed Snowden and other whistleblowers to step up. They didn\u2019t do it on the idea that they might \u201conly\u201d suffer 7 years of torture.<\/p>\n

Second, what Manning did was not \u201cespionage\u201d<\/em> and for McCain to suggest it is, means McCain either has no idea what he\u2019s talking about, or is lying. Manning leaked diplomatic cables and related information exposing vast wrongdoing by the US, to Wikileaks, who partnered with a number of respected press outlets to reveal the wrongdoing. That\u2019s not espionage<\/em>. That\u2019s classic whistleblowing. And, yes, in case you\u2019ve forgotten, Manning\u2019s leaks revealed a hell of a lot of wrongdoing<\/a> by the US government.<\/p>\n

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\u00a0It also devalues the courage of real whistleblowers who have used proper channels to hold our government accountable.<\/em><\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Oh come on. We\u2019ve highlighted repeatedly how the \u201cproper channels\u201d<\/a> claim is a complete joke<\/a>. The \u201cproper channels\u201d have a long history of retaliating<\/a> against whistleblowers<\/a> such that everyone now knows the best way to destroy your life is to use the proper channels<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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\u00a0It is a sad, yet perhaps fitting commentary on President Obama\u2019s failed national security policies that he would commute the sentence of an individual that endangered the lives of American troops, diplomats, and intelligence sources by leaking hundreds of thousands of sensitive government documents to Wikileaks, a virulently anti-American organization that was a tool of Russia\u2019s recent interference in our elections.<\/em><\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n

First of all, Manning did not endanger the lives of American troops, diplomats and intelligence sources. During Manning\u2019s sentencing hearing, following her conviction, the US military admitted no one died<\/a> because of Manning\u2019s leaks. So why does this myth still persist? Mainly because it\u2019s politically convenient to lie and pretend that whistleblowing leaks must \u201ccost lives.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u00a0Thousands of Americans have given their lives in Afghanistan and Iraq upholding their oaths and defending this nation. Chelsea Manning broke her oath and made it more likely that others would join the ranks of her fallen comrades. Her prison sentence may end in a few months\u2019 time, but her dishonor will last forever.<\/em><\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n

This has been pointed out over and over again: the oath that people take is to defend the Constitution<\/em><\/a>. And a big part of that is calling out unconstitutional behavior<\/em> by \u201cthis nation.\u201d Which is exactly what Manning did. Manning clearly felt that part of defending our nation and upholding her oath was to reveal wrongdoing by the US government. Furthermore, once again, the US military itself admitted that Manning didn\u2019t cause anyone to die.<\/p>\n

Finally, as Marcy Wheeler correctly points out<\/a>, McCain isn\u2019t just completely wrong with most of his statement, he\u2019s a total hypocrite as well. After all, McCain has been one of the most vocal supporters<\/a> of General David Petraeus, a man who was convicted of giving classified information (much more serious than anything leaked by Manning) to his mistress. When there was talk of demoting Petraeus for this fairly serious breach, McCain said he was going to launch a Congressional investigation<\/a>. And, more recently, McCain had this to say<\/a> about Petraeus:<\/p>\n

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\u00a0People make mistakes in life, they pay a price and move on.<\/em><\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n

So, uh, yeah. Compare that to his statement about the commutation (not pardon) of Manning\u2019s sentence and explain how McCain is not an utter and total hypocrite. If commuting Manning\u2019s sentence after \u201cjust\u201d 7 years of torture and inhuman treatment will incentivize more leaks, wouldn\u2019t that also mean that Petraeus getting basically no punishment at all for leaking much more serious material will lead to more leaks, since it seems top government and intelligence community officials are clearly being given the message: it\u2019s okay to give up the nation\u2019s biggest secrets if it means you get laid.<\/p>\n

End Masnick<\/strong><\/u><\/p>\n

Many people responded to my post on Manning, and some commented, as did McCain, that Manning endangered the lives of American Troops. I will cut my readers some slack, as they probably have been brainwashed.<\/p>\n

As for McCain, he knows damn well Manning did no such thing.<\/p>\n

Suggestions that Manning go through proper channels is a joke. Espionage? Give me a break.<\/p>\n

McCain is ready to let General David Petraeus, a man who was convicted of giving classified information to his mistress, \u201cmove on\u201d, but not Manning.<\/p>\n

Senator McCain is one of the biggest hypocrite pieces of scum on this planet.<\/p>\n

Related Articles<\/strong><\/u><\/p>\n

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  1. Chelsea Manning: Justice Delayed Is Not Justice Served; FU Senators Cotton, Graham<\/a><\/li>\n
  2. McCain has Blood on his Hands<\/a><\/li>\n
  3. Dear Senator McCain, Our National Security is Threatened by You, Your Policies, and Your Soulmate, Hillary Clinton<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
    \n

    I am totally sick of fake-patriot, warmonger as*holes like senators John McCain, Tom Cotton, and Lindsey Graham.<\/p>\n

    — Mike "Mish" Shedlock (@MishGEA) January 18, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n