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Manning Testifies in Wikileaks Pre-Trial Hearing

To Bradley Manning’s supporters, gathered on a cold rainy day outside the base where the hearings were under way, he is a hero.

To U.S. military prosecutors¹, Manning is a traitor² who leaked hundreds of thousands of secret documents and aided the enemy. A conviction could mean a life sentence for the 24-year-old former intelligence analyst³. 

Manning is trying to avoid going to trial and has offered to plead guilty to leaking documents to Wikileaks. 

Website founder⁴ Julian Assange spoke⁵ this week about the Manning case, saying it is the U.S. military that is on trial. 

Manning's lawyers argue he has been abused while in custody⁶. In testimony⁷ Thursday, he said that after his arrest he was held in a tiny cell. He described it as a cage where he thought he would die.

Analysts⁸ say the argument has boosted public sympathy for Manning and has taken some of the focus away from damage that the leaks may have caused. 

Defense⁹ analyst Lawrence Korb says it also has raised an ethical¹⁰ dilemma¹¹.

“We’ve never had a thing like this where all the confidential¹² cables have gotten out," Korb noted¹³, "and I think some people are saying you won’t be able to try him rightly because of the way you treated him. Others say, ‘how can you treat someone like this given who we are and what we’re supposed to stand for.'”

While serving in Iraq, Manning voiced opposition¹⁴ to the war, and the classified materials he leaked pointed¹⁵ to alleged¹⁶ atrocities¹⁷ by U.S. troops.

But it is not clear at this stage how Manning’s leaks - as massive as they were - affected¹⁸ national security. 

The case is raising questions about whether Manning was psychologically fit to be in the army.

Former superiors describe him as an emotionally troubled individual who was confused about his gender¹⁹ and had trouble relating to others. 

For Korb, the case spells a need for reform in the Army’s screening process.

“From 2003 to 2007 when the war, particularly in Iraq, was so unpopular, the army had a very difficult time recruiting people," Korb explained, "so they had to lower their standards and in fact, the army gave 80,000 what they called moral waivers from 2003 to 2007. So, this is a young man who should never have been in the service.”

Pentagon officials have refrained from speaking on the case to avoid prejudicing the outcome.

The trial - if it happens - is expected to begin in about two months.