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Twenty three-year-old computer programmer David House is the only person besides Bradley Manning‘s aunt and attorney to visit him in prison, as Manning almost enters his sixth month in extreme isolation while awaiting trial at Quantico Marine Base.
House reported on Firedoglake this morning about the conditions in which Manning is held, the Army Private accused of giving classified documents to Wikileaks, while under “maximum custody” and a longstanding “Prevention of Injury” order at the Marine brig. He wrote that Manning is enduring inhumane and unnecessary restrictions on his sleep, exercise, and communication.
House appeared on the Dylan Ratigan Show today to discuss his Firedoglake story about Manning’s detention, revealing new information about Bradley’s health, the Pentagon’s deceptions, and the weak accusations hurled at Manning by Adrian Lamo, the one man whose story the government used to arrest and detain Bradley.
House on Bradley’s declining health:
I’ve been traveling to visit Bradley in the bring since last September. Over the several months I’ve been visiting him I’ve noticed a remarkable decline in his psychological state and his physical well-being. In recent months Bradley has developed very big bags under his eyes, he appears to be very weak from a lack of exercise, and psychologically he has difficulty keeping up with some conversational topics, which never used to be the case.. I definitely think the conditions in which he’s being kept in are inhumane and they’re starting to weigh on his personality and his physical appearance to a great degree.
On his role in visiting Manning:
We have never mentioned any details about his case at all. Our conversations are usually very abstract, and I’m mostly there to give him some small form of mental engagement.
And on Manning’s alleged connections to Assange:
All the information about Bradley’s alleged connection to Wikileaks or to Assange flows from one very unreliable source, Adrian Lamo, who was admitted to a psychiatric clinic only three weeks before [Lamo] came out with this story [about Manning leaking to Wikileaks].
More information about Bradley Manning on Firedoglake:
- Sign the petition to stop the inhumane treatment of Bradley Manning
- Julian Assange: Bradley Manning is a Political Prisoner (VIDEO)
- David House: Bradley Manning Speaks About his Conditions
- Dr. Jeff Kaye, Bradley Manning & the Torture That Is Solitary Confinement
- Michael Whitney on GritTV with Laura Flanders on Bradley Manning’s detention
- Bradley Manning/Wikileaks Timeline
15 Comments
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I am a veteran and these actions are NOT what I swore an oath to uphold with the Constitution
Excellent interview from David House.
I, too am a veteran and I believe that the crimes committed here are perpetrated by the government and that Bradley Manning is a sacrificial lamb to satisfy the need by some people to have a victim to hide their own inhumanity.
I also believe that Julian Assange is a hero of humanity and should get a peace prize.
Agreed.
I commend David House on his self-possession, poise and prudent responses despite the needling of the interviewer.
I too am a veteran and I remember in basic training when they described what a lawful order was and how one had the duty to disobey unlawful orders. It’s also important to point out that at Nuremberg, German officers and soldiers were given lengthy prison sentences, even hanging for “following orders”. I don’t know everything about this case but what I know seems to make the federal government and the United States armed forces the guilty party, not Pvt. Manning. Thanks and praise got to FDL for staying on this.
Why does any of this surprise anyone…Remember when Obama wanted to look forward & not back at Bush’s crimes.
Well that should have clued us into the fact that Obama is also a torturer…those black sites are still operational but the galling thing is that those on MSNBC who so loved America that every week there was a special comment about the virtues of America & how Bush had degraded our beloved America.
Well,where are those self righteous creeps now……nary a word from ‘em.Has anyone seen any special comment from Olberman,or how about Rachel Maddow…who couldn’t wait to ask Colin Powell why the Bush admin were torturing so called Al qaeda fighters…..Ya think Maddow with her self righteous smirks are going to ask the Obama WH,why are they torturing Americans……don’t hold your breath.
They are on TV to tell us piss is water & up is down.
Yep. Bradley Manning = Clayton Hartwig. Ten bucks says he “commits suicide” soon. I hate to even speak such ill but I dread it.
I’m happy FDL writers are so dedicated and put forth analysis. I admire all of you.
I would like to make some intellectual comment but I can’t. I feel like screaming – OBAMA IS AN ABOMINATION AS IS THE WHOLE GOVERNMENT.
I feel so helpless, what are we to do?
Assange yesterday, and now this interview today were breaths of fresh air.
What dakine said at #1.
Let’s hope that this blows up in the War Dept’s face.
Awright, Assange, start releasing floods of documents to alternative media outlets, eg, Democracy Now!, Real News Network, and some progressive blogs, eg, Firedoglake. Fuck the corporate media.
well said. when the host started saying “Everyone is saying” I think I would have lost my temper at that little blank.
This was all preventable. He knew he was risking something like this when he sent US property to a foreign hacker.
He’s no hero, no role model.
What was he convicted of again? I forget.