Anons v The US Marines: Operation Bradical
p2pnet view P2P | Freedom:- Joseph Menn, the Financial Times reporter whose ‘scoop’ catapulted ex-HB Gary Federal boss Aaron Barr to instant fame when it ‘revealed’ the latter had supposedly penetrated the non-existent Anonymous inner ranks, says US law enforcement authorities are investigating the ungroup’s Operation Bradical meant to “disrupt activities at the Marine Corps base in Quantico to protest against the alleged rough treatment given suspected WikiLeaks source Bradley Manning”.
Read the whole thing here.
“As army private Bradley Manning suffers for his alleged megaleak of secret documents to WikiLeaks, one group of hackers seems determined to make sure that others feel his pain”, said the first clip in yesterday’s p2pnet world headlines.
Quoting Andy Greenberg at Forbes, it went on >>>
Over the weekend, the loose hacker collective Anonymous declared that it will go on the offensive against those who are currently detaining Manning in a Quantico military brig, keeping him in solitary confinement and forcing him to strip nightly and stand at attention naked each morning. In a crowdsourced document used to coordinate the group’s actions, Anonymous members name Department of Defense Press Secretary Geoff Morell and chief warrant officer Denise Barnes as targets and call on members to dig up personal information on both, including phone numbers, personal histories and home addresses. The goal of the operation, for now, is to “dox” the two officials, the typical Anonymous method of publishing personal information of victims and using it for mass harassment. “Targets established,” reads the document, before naming Morell and Barnes. “We’re in the ruining business. And business is good.” The group, which is calling its attack “Operation Bradical,” also lists demands as follows: “Manning must be given sheets, blankets, any religious texts he desires, adequate reading material, clothes, and a ball. One week. Otherwise, we continue to dox and ruin those responsible for keeeping him naked, without bedding, without any of the basic amenities that were provided even to captured Nazis in WWII.”
Menn, however, still doesn’t get it. “Members of Anonymous identify with WikiLeaks and see themselves as crusaders for the free flow of information”, he says in the FT post.
There are, of course, no members, no sign-up, no ‘group’, no nothing. Just Anons randomly working singly and together to put injustices to rights.
The Financial Times goes on >>>
But while WikiLeaks has merely published classified material, as have mainstream media organisations, Anonymous has become steadily more aggressive.
Merely? The US Marines wouldn’t agree. It’s why they’ve jailed Manning.
Menn continues >>>
First it [Anonymous] went after businesses with “denial-of-service” attacks, in which computers bombard websites until they can’t handle the load and become unavailable to the public. That brought some 40 law enforcement searches in the US and a handful or arrests in other countries.
Anonymous became more brazen last month, hacking into a US security firn that had boasted to the Financial Times of infiltrating the online group and identifying many of its leaders. Anonymous distributed thousands of internal e-mails from the company, HBGary Federal, among other things showing that HBGary Federal and two allied businesses had proposed planting fake documents on WikiLeaks to discredit that site.
Anonymous has, of course, been brazen since Day One.
Semper Fi
Marines “put a lot of stock in their reputation and image”, says Peterr on Firedog Lake, continuing >>>
Words like “honor” play a large part in Marine culture, as does the Marine motto “Semper Fi.”
The Marines’ recruiting website puts it like this:
Marines are held to the highest standards, ethically and morally. Respect for others is essential. Marines are expected to act responsibly in a manner befitting the title they’ve earned.
That may be the expectation, but the reality — at least insofar as the Marines are responsible for the conditions of Bradley Manning’s detention — is something else.
The conduct of Quantico Brig commander CWO Denise Barnes (upper right) in particular is not doing much to enhance the image of the Corps, but she’s hardly alone in that. Marines above and below her in the chain of command are at least as responsible for the abuse of the reputation of the Corps as she is.
What kind of Marine treats prisoners with disrespect, and plays petty, degrading, and humiliating games with them?
What kind of Marine overrules expert medical opinion for the care of those under his/her control and command?
What kind of Marine lies about his or her actions and stands in the way of legitimate legal processes?
What kind of Marine detains civilian visitors to the brig for no reason other than to prevent the prisoner from having visits by attempting to intimidate those who try?
What kind of Marine subjects prisoners in custody to conditions that the International Committee of the Red Cross would call a violation of the Geneva Conventions?
What kind of Marine? The kind found up and down the chain of command at the Quantico brig, apparently. If it is a military crime to “bring discredit upon the armed forces,” as Manning is charged with doing, then there are more than a few leathernecks who ought to be facing a military tribunal of their own.
Judge Andrew Napolitano of Fox News summed up the situation like this in January, and things have only gotten worse since then:
Regardless of whatever crime Private Manning may or may not have committed, he’s innocent until proven guilty. Both Mr. House and Private Manning have constitutional rights. These KGB-like government tactics are not only obscenely un-American, they are wholly unconstitutional and unlawful.
Barnes is not only not showing respect, but bringing the Corps into disrespect by her punitive approach to a prisoner in her brig awaiting trial. By not putting a stop to this conduct, Barnes’ superiors are joining her in bringing disrespect upon the Corps.
What kind of Marine sits by in silence as the reputation of the Corps is trashed?
They are The Few. The Proud. The KGB-Like.
It wasn’t always like this, you know. I have a feeling that PFC Guy Gabaldon, USMC (Reserve), would not be impressed (emphasis added):
The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Guy L. Gabaldon (517054), Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps (Reserve), for extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty while serving with Headquarters and Service Company, Second Marines, SECOND Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Saipan and Tinian, Marianas Islands, South Pacific Area, from 15 June to 1 August 1944. Acting as a Japanese Interpreter for the Second Marines, Private First Class Gabaldon displayed extreme courage and initiative in single-handedly capturing enemy civilian and military personnel during the Saipan and Tinian operations. Working alone in front of the lines, he daringly entered enemy caves, pillboxes, buildings, and jungle brush, frequently in the face of hostile fire, and succeeded in not only obtaining vital military information, but in capturing well over one thousand enemy civilians and troops. Through his valiant and distinguished exploits, Private First Class Gabaldon made an important contribution to the successful prosecution of the campaign and, through his efforts, a definite humane treatment of civilian prisoners was assured. His courageous and inspiring devotion to duty throughout reflects the highest credit upon himself and the United States Naval Service.
Approved by the Secretary of the Navy on November 23, 1960
“Aren’t there any Marines like PFC Gabaldon around today?” – Peterr asks on Firedog Lake.
instant fame – Financial Times reveals Anonymous hierarchy, February 6, 2011
Forbes – Anonymous Hackers Target Alleged WikiLeaker Bradley Mannings’ Jailers
Firedog Lake – The Few. The Proud. The KGB-Like., March 7, 2011
First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win ~ Mahatma Gandhi
World War III will be a global information war with no division between civilian & military participation ~ Marshall McLuhan
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March 8th, 2011 at 12:26 pm
It’s always funny reading ignorant stuff like this from people who have obviously never hung out around the marines of today or even read one of the many world war 2 memoirs available to the public. I would have thought the sexual abuse scandal’s in the church would have made Friar Peterr more aware about the dangers of over generalizations but maybe he was just too busy eyeing all the little boy’s in his flock to actually take the time to write an informed article!
Manning chose to take an oath and enter a culture that plays by certain rules. If he had done what he did back in Guy Gabaldon’s time he would have received a gunshot wound to the back while the squad was out on patrol. Having to endure the same treatment as any other maximum security prisoner seems like getting off pretty easy to me.
March 8th, 2011 at 1:22 pm
There is a few extra step that they are taking with Manning compare to “any other maximum security prisoner” because he was evaluated as been suicidal. Could you imagine the flack that these people would get if Manning would manage to kill himself ? OMG.
Manning put himself in that situation, he has nobody but himself to blame.
March 8th, 2011 at 2:11 pm
@ Captain555:
Do you mean if people put themselves in harm’s way hoping that, by doing so, they’ll help others, tough shit if they get hammered for it?
Cheers!
March 8th, 2011 at 3:04 pm
Otis:
“Manning chose to take an oath and enter a culture that plays by certain rules.”
One of which is that you don’t follow unlawful orders. Manning had balls enough to do what apparently every other serviceman in his position was too much of a coward (or blind nationalist) to do. Put a freaking medal on the guy.
March 8th, 2011 at 4:09 pm
Jon Said: “Do you mean if people put themselves in harm’s way hoping that, by doing so, they’ll help others, tough shit if they get hammered for it?”
How did he put himself in harm’s way ? Then he didn’t do it to help others, he was deliberately trying to hurt his country, he said so himself. Is what he did help anybody ? I haven’t seen it. Beside pleasing all those chest stumper that like to say “Now we know”, who did that help ? Well beside Assange that is making tons of money with this. OTOH he did put a lot of people in danger.
There is a reason why some documents get classified. Yes there is maybe some that shouldn’t be, but you gets to decide ? There is a process in place, put there by duly elected congressmans and senators, and execute by the administration of duly elected presidents. And don’t forget that all classified documents will eventually be declassified AT THE RIGHT MOMENT.
March 8th, 2011 at 4:26 pm
Every person that joins the Armed Forces, takes an oath to defend the Constitution. Manning may have been wrong in what he did, but the reasons he did it are fairly clear. His treatment, suicidal or not, is far worse than what common criminals get. The Uniform Code of Military Justice, just happens to prohibit this kind of treatment.
Laws have been broken; but which ones reflect just how far our society has fallen? Whether you agree with what Manning did, his treatment GOES AGAINST THE UCMJ PERIOD. It is NOT up to the Brig Cmmdr to decide punishment, that is for the a COURT MARTIAL to determine, if it determines he committed a crime. Anything else, is frankly, MORE WRONG than Manning’s original actions.
@Otis: before you jump at me about service, I have served my country, and seen ‘deckplate justice’ at work. Mannings treatment is nothing more than that, deckplate justice. DPJ wasnt right during Vietnam, the first Iraq war; nor is it right now. Let the Court Martial deal with him, you arent on his tribunal, but have an opinion without all the facts. Uninformed justice equals injustice, no matter how much you yell; or wish a fellow humanbeing harm.
JTK
March 10th, 2011 at 3:18 pm
@Captain555:
“Manning put himself in that situation, he has nobody but himself to blame.”
Ok!
Nobody believe your bowls-hit.
If you think that this is cool to trample the constitution and torture Manning you can leave for north Korea to kiss the ass of Kin jong. Because here this is the land of the free. We don’t need asshole like you and your friends there and we will enforce the constitution. Tell them to prepare to go to jail for violating the law of the land. And if you are in it you shall prepare go to.
March 13th, 2011 at 10:15 pm
To those who think Manning got what he deserves:
Are you so proud of your country, that you get completely blind?
A country that sworn it will never use methods that are common in China, North Korea, Lybia, Soudi Arabia and others?
It is not about whatever Manning is guilty or not, it is about ethical behavior…
Get down soldiers, and act like these soldiers that were proud to fight the nazies down…
Or have you forgotten what they were fighting for?