After Abu Ghraib, they at least still felt the need to present a scapgoat.

[howard112211]

It appears that we are even past that now. We are officially no longer even going to pretend that we don't murder and destroy as we please.
What other explanation to the aftermath of the wikileaks video can there be? There you have the indisputable proof of warcrimes being committed, and the pentagon says there will be no investigation. Instead the book is thrown at the whistleblower. And the crimes are not even swept under the rug anymore. We simply state that we are within our right to behave in such a way, and proceed to do so.

I am to young to have known a different United States very well, but from tales I hear that there were times where such a release would have caused embarrassement. It kind of reminds me what people say about Nixon and the watergate scandal. Back then politicians actually tried to hide their crimes. They don't even find that necessary anymore today.

[unhappycamper]

1. Besides never liking Tricky Dick, I detested Henry the K.

My most memorable Tricky Dick moment: Cambodia.

Peace With Honor my ass.


on edit to add: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4444638.stm

[EFerrari]

2. I tend to agree with you however

our armed forces have more or less always behaved in this way in other countries. The difference today is that the public has more immediate access to that information.

The reason Manning will be punished, at bottom, is because George the Elder shut down free media access in combat zones and Manning is disturbing that arrangement.