Chelsea Manning's sentence had been commuted

[RhuBarbarella]

Breaking news, I'm so happy! Chelsea Making its going to be freed in May, on the 17th. One of Obama's last acts as a president before the Trump takes over.
It's obvious to me that this was a life or death decision, there is no way she was going to live much longer in jail. It was an over harsh verdict anyway.
Freedom!

[Foldedtshirt]

I'm delighted even as a Terf

[RhuBarbarella]

Ha ha Folded I'm glad you're delighted! All inclusive!
Without Chelsea we would know less than we do now about how our governments behave in war and conflict. She paid a very hefty price for that, where she could and should have been protected as a whistle blower.

[KateAdiesEarrings]

I'm waiting to see how Julian Assange argues his way out of returning to the US. He seems to have said that he would go back if Chelsea's sentence was commuted but I have a funny feeling he will suddenly find some loophole (like he had his fingers crossed behind his back when he said it)

[RhuBarbarella]

Well, maybe with Trump in the White House and not Clinton, he is expecting clemency.. It could happen. Interesting! I didn't expect this.

[SpringerS]

I'm so relieved for her. She broke the law but only to do the right thing in an attempt to help the more vulnerable. And the punishment she received for that would absolutely have killed her. I hope she can find acceptance and happiness in her future as a free woman.

[ChazsBrilliantAttitude]

I am very pleased by this. Her original detention and trial were not carried out to acceptable standards. So, whether or not you think what she did was in the public interest (which I do), her conviction was not reliable in my view.
I am waiting for Julian Assange's next move too.

[BarbarianMum]

[roseshippy]

Wikileaks have said

twitter.com/wikileaks/status/821528189625372672

"Assange lawyer @themtchair on Assange-Manning extradition 'deal': "Everything that he has said he's standing by.""

Trump won't do anything to him.

[Pluto30]

I'd rather see Assange released.

[weasle]

Assange could walk into the street whenever he wants! He's not in prison so can't be 'released'.

[Pluto30]

Well, obv. But he'd be arrested immediately.

That's what I mean.

[ClaryIsTheBest]

I am very glad.

Solitary confinement for extended periods of time of a psychologically ill person (not because she's trans but because she tried to kill herself twice)? That's torture imo.

Plus, 35 years was very harsh by US standards compared to other whistle blowers.

Well, Obama had to do something right...

[ArcheryAnnie]

I think this was a sensible and humane move by Obama.

Eh, and Assange has gone back on his promise, to nobody's surprise at all. America didn't particularly want him anyway (and Trump had gone from a hater of wikileaks to a fan, after they cosied up with him during the election), but at least if he'd left the embassy to get on a flight then he could have been arrested and packed off the Sweden to answer the rape charges.

[APlaceOnTheCouch]

Archery yy that was the point I made to DH about Assange. I've no idea how Assange thought he would get from the embassy to the US

[squishysquirmy]

I wonder if he could get deported from the US to Sweden to face the rape charges? That would be the opposite of what he claimed he was worried about.

[APlaceOnTheCouch]

The US is unlikely to extradite him but if he steps outside the Embassy, the UK can extradite him to Sweden, regardless of whether he wants to go to the US or not.

[Pluto30]

Assange has gone back on his promise, to nobody's surprise at all.

Where are you reading that? I'm seeing the exact opposite.

He'll first be extradited to Sweden and then Sweden can choose whether or not to extradite him to the US. But they've not rejected an extradition request from the US in a long time (if ever).

[APlaceOnTheCouch]

Pluto do you have a link? The last article I read, Assange said he wasn't doing anything until Chelsea was released but would discuss it in the meantime. I haven't read anything about him agreeing to go to Sweden.

[ArcheryAnnie]

Ooh, Pluto, if he does submit to justice (as he should have done right at the start) I will be VERY HAPPY to be proved wrong!

After Manning's sentence reduction, I saw on twitter that Assange's lawyer had said that it hadn't fulfilled the requirements for Assange to leave the embassy, but now I see on twitter that Assange says he will "stand by his promise". We will see. He's not exactly World's Most Reliable Person.

What Assange doesn't seem to realise is that he - like anyone else accused of a serious crime - will not be the one in charge the instant he sets foot outside the embassy. I hope he's arrested before his heels hit the pavement.

[squishysquirmy]

I want to see Assange stand trial in Sweden for the rape.

Releasing Manning was a compassionate thing to do, but it was also a genius move of Obama's.
I imagine that Assange is quite a polarising figure among Trumpers- there will be those who view him as a hero who can do no wrong, and the more conservative supporters who view him as a dangerous enemy to the US. If Assange gets extradited to the US, Trump will have to decide which of these groups he wants to piss off.

[Natsku]

Very glad Manning had her sentence commuted, whistle-blowing should be protected, not prosecuted.

I'd like to see the charges against Snowden dropped next.