The World Can’t Wait – 2010-08-07 23:36:17

http://www.livestream.com/worldcantwait/video?clipId=pla_28119ec2-42fd-4aca-b127-eac6b3dc601a&utm_source=lslibrary&utm_medium=ui-thumb

ACTION ALERT: Rally in Support of Whistleblower Bradley Manning on Sunday, August 8, noon
Where: Quantico Marine Corps Base where Manning is being held in pre-trial confinement; Meet at the Amtrak station in Quantico
More information: Bradley Manning Support Network bradleymanning.org
Please write to Bradley Manning at 3247 Elrod Avenue Quantico, VA 22134 USA
Brig phone: +1 (703) 432-6154. Brig fax: +1 (703) 784-4242

Conference Video:
Government Threatens Julian Assange,
Wikileaks, Bradley Manning While the US
Occupation of Afghanistan Kills On
The World Can’t Wait

The recorded webcast from Sunday, August 1, 2010 concerning the Wikileaks.org revelations about the US occupation of Afghanistan is online and available now. A highlight was Matthis Chiroux with a group of GI resisters and others organizing active duty soldiers at Ft. Hood as they talked about protesting the upcoming deployment of the 3rd Regiment back to Iraq. Thanks to Ray McGovern, Josh Stieber, Dahr Jamail, Cindy Sheehan, Matthis Chiroux & Under the Hood, and Mike Ferner.

The unified message of the Defense Department and military command — that leaking the evidence of US war crimes is criminal, while committing them is not — is being delivered to the media by Robert Gates and Michael Mullen. They both use the phrase, “Wikileaks might already have blood on their hands,” which as we’ve noted is a surety in the case of Gates and Mullen who both served under the Bush regime.

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange spoke Tuesday about what the leaks show; why the charges from the US that they put anyone in danger are wrong; and gave an example to the rest of us of someone sticking firmly to principle, based on having looked for what’s true. Watch Julian Assange on Democracy Now! August 3 talk about the threats and allegations coming from the US government

Congressman Mike Rogers, MI, who is on the House Intelligence Committee said, “the alleged release by a soldier of documents relating to the war in Afghanistan to WikiLeaks.org constitutes treason and should be considered a capital offense.” Jacob Applebaum, associated with Wikileaks.org, was detained last week at Newark Airport. On Democracy Now, Assange spoke about threats on Bradley Manning, the US soldier who is being held now in Quantico, VA, on charges that he leaked the footage from Collateral Murder, and is reportedly being investigated for the most recent War Diary leaks:

“So this is an individual who is meant to be overseeing the intelligence Industry in the United States. So that’s the sort of first takeaway, is that this, like, war hawk is meant to be overseeing and holding to account behavior of those involved in war. His call for execution, well, it’s not only legally wrong-Congress has not declared war, so that option, as I understand, is not available to him. Also, for an execution to occur, the President must, or authority of the President must, authorize it. Now, that doesn’t mean it couldn’t happen. If the political will in the United States doesn’t shoot down these floating balloons that Rogers and Thiessen are putting up, then we could see a shift towards finding that behavior or similar behavior acceptable.”

http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=El5oLmEB14kH8pt88EQ86Z%2Fx860GIfU8

World Can’t Wait affirms our support for Assange, the Wikileaks organization, and for Bradley Manning, who should be released whether or not he had anything to do with exposing the underside of the US occupations to the world. We encourage everyone to read, watch and share the information that has been provided. We are making available DVD copies of the “Collateral Murder” video for use in classrooms, etc. Contact WCW if you need a copy!

World Can’t Wait
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End the Torture State
Silence is Complicity!

Sunday, August 1st, was the 8th anniversary of the writing of the torture memos by John Yoo and Jay Bybee. Cheers to Coleen Rowley, the former FBI official, for protesting in Minneapolis, calling for prosecutions of those who have authorized and implemented torture.

Along with this anniversary comes the expiration of the 8 year statute of limitations for prosecuting the torturers. Rowley called for immediate action in response, and wrote: “Obama’s insane slogan and policy about ‘looking only forward’ makes no sense as it would entail overlooking all crimes committed in the past.”

Also see: Obama Administration In Danger Of Establishing “New Normal” With Worst Bush-Era Policies, Says ACLU:

“In the eighteen months since the issuance of those executive orders, the administration’s record on issues related to civil liberties and national security has been, at best, mixed.

Indeed, on a range of issues including accountability for torture, detention of terrorism suspects, and use of lethal force against civilians, there is a very real danger that the Obama administration will enshrine permanently within the law policies and practices that were widely considered extreme and unlawful during the Bush administration. There is a real danger, in other words, that the Obama administration will preside over the creation of a “new normal.”