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President Obama’s former Constitutional law professor at Harvard, Lawrence Tribe, has joined hundreds of legal scholars in condemning the conditions of Private Bradley Manning’s detention. Manning is the alleged source of the Department of Defense’s documents to the website Wikileaks. Professor Tribe called Manning’s treatment “not only shameful but unconstitutional.” The letter he signed goes as far as to say that the “degrading and inhumane conditions” that he is being held under could amount to torture. Private Manning is being held at a Marine Base in Virginia in solitary confinement for 23 out of 24 hours every day. He is checked on every 5 minutes, stripped naked each night and forced to wear an anti-suicide smock to bed. About a month ago, State Department spokesperson P.J. Crowley publicly characterized the detention conditions of Private Manning as “ridiculous, counterproductive and stupid.” He resigned a few days later over his words, but has since stood by them. President Obama was forced to, for the first time, address the issue in response. This past Monday, during the State Department’s daily briefing, the Acting Deputy Department Spokesman Mark C. Toner was confronted by journalist Matthew Lee about Bradley Manning and the fact that the U.S. was not allowing the U.N. Special Rapporteur private access to Manning as per standard international practices. Toner struggled to explain how the U.S. is any more transparent than, say, China on its human rights record.

GUEST: Ray McGovern was an Army infantry/intelligence officer and then a CIA analyst for 30 years; during the 80s, McGovern briefed top White House officials and the Secretary of State one-on-one with the President’s Daily Brief. He was among the first to condemn the use of faulty intelligence to justify the war on Iraq and is on the Steering group of Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity. On February 15, he stood in silent protest with his back to Secretary Hillary Clinton during a public address about internet freedom. McGovern was violently dragged away by security officers, bruised, and jailed.

Local Events for Ray McGovern:

April 13, 2011 @ 3-5 PM
RAY McGOVERN, MICHAEL NEEDHAM and LISA HAJJAR
Discussion, Q&A
University of California, Santa Barbara – Multicultural Center Theater
552 University Road
Santa Barbara, CA 93106
805.893.8000
Open to the public
Free admission (donations accepted)
Co-sponsored by Human Rights Group at UCSB, U.S. Tour of Duty, Veterans For Peace – Chapter 054 and The Veterans Project

April 13, 2011 @ 7-9 PM
RAY McGOVERN, SUSAN ROSENBERG and MICHAEL NEEDHAM
Discussion, Q&A, book signing
UFCW Orchid Room
816 Camarillo Springs Road
Camarillo, CA 93012
Admission: $10 at the door
Proceeds will benefit The Veterans Project and U.S. Tour of Duty
Co-sponsored by CODEPINK, Veterans For Peace – Chapter 112, U.S. Tour of Duty, The Veterans Project, LA Progressive, LA Jews for Peace and Interfaith Communities United for Justice and Peace.

April 14, 2011 @ 1-3 PM
RAY McGOVERN, MICHAEL NEEDHAM and SUSAN ROSENBERG
Discussion, Q&A, book signing
San Diego City College – Faculty Lounge
1313 Park Boulevard
San Diego, CA 92101
619.388.3400
Open to the public
Free admission (donations accepted)
Co-sponsored by U.S. Tour of Duty, The Veterans Project, Veterans For Peace – Chapter 91, and San Diego City College (Peace Studies, International Relations Group, BEAT Club and SDCC Student Veterans for Peace)