Bradley Manning Dream

Bradley Manning Dream


While I was editing Bradley Manning transcripts this evening, my mom called to see if the Ft. Meade Garrison Commander was going to allow me back on base. Soon after our conversation my eyes grew tired, and I fell asleep for a short nap.

During my slumber I had a very vivid dream that journalists Alexa O'Brien, Kevin Gosztola, Adam Klasfeld, and Nathan Fuller were at a party at my home where I grew up in rural Missouri.  Also in attendance were everyone that I knew personally from my childhood who served in Iraq.  This included my brother, my high school sweetheart's brother, and several guys I was in Boy Scouts with, played football with, and had graduated with.  Oddly the local high school marching bands were parading down the old country road where I spent my youth learning to ride a bike.  There were fireworks, sparklers, and American flags everywhere so I am assuming it was the Fourth of July.

Soon after the firework display, a lively debate about patriotism and Bradley Manning sparked into a heated argument. The veterans ambushed us with questions about the harm caused by Manning's leaks."How many soldiers died because of him?"

"None" Adam said shaking his head.

"Actually many lives were spared because of his leaks." Nathan added.

"Oh yeah? Where did you hear that?" questioned my brother.

Alexa reached into her bag and pulled out her laptop. She began reading her tweets from the sentencing hearing this week.  She turned her computer around to show them.

Meanwhile Kevin added that because of CIDNE-I SigActs and the Collateral Murder video that US Troops lost legal immunity against war crimes in Iraq after January 1, 2012.  He explained that Obama had no choice but to bring the troops home, ending an 8 year occupation that should have never started in the first place.

The vets' faces went blank with that stare we commonly associate with PTSD.

"You were lied to." I told them. "We were all lied to. Bush lied to us so that we would have to go to Iraq. Bin Laden was not in Iraq. There were no weapons of Mass Destruction. There was only oil. Then Obama told us he would close Gitmo and end the wars in the Middle East. They lied and said WikiLeaks were the new terrorists and that they had blood on their hands the same way they lied to us about why we needed to go to Iraq. The only people who got blood on their hands were you. I knew all of you when you were kids.  You guys were good guys.  You all went to church and followed the Ten Commandments.  You would never lie, cheat, steal, or kill. The lies of our government made you break all of your principles. Those lies ruined your lives, but at least you are still alive"

They began to cry, turning their heads to wipe the tears.

I continued, "Bradley Manning stood up for what you all knew deep in your heart was true. No one knows how long we would have stayed in Iraq. Hell we are still in Afghanistan. No one knows how many lives would have been lost if it were not for Bradley Manning - both US troops and innocent Iraqi civilians."

Alexa put down her laptop and gave my brother a big hug.

Then I awoke.

People often ask me why I care so much about Bradley - my mom in particular.  I am very grateful for all the friends I have made throughout my life. I am so lucky that they are all alive and safe. I cannot begin to imagine all of the Iraqis and Afghans who have lost friends and family by US forces in the past 12 years. The SigActs cables published by WikiLeaks are only the tip of the iceberg.


Thank you for reading this.
Clark