When Do the War Criminals Manning Exposed Go on Trial?

 The crime isn't the crime; exposing the crime is the crime.

Scott Lemieux at Lawyers, Guns and Money:

I don’t object to Manning being charged with a crime. I certainly strongly object to the way he was treated in prison. And I think the idea that his leaks merit a 35-year sentence is absurd. And as I said before, it’s particularly appalling when you consider the Obama administration’s “look forward not back” approach on torture. It’s hard to square this life-ruining sentence with the fact that no torturer was even considered worthy of being charged. I’d also say that at this point that it’s pretty hard to the American government to complain when other countries refuse to extradite whistleblowers.

Charles Pierce cuts to the heart of it.