Link: http://action.firedoglake.com/page/s/bradleymanning?source=em20110120

Julian Assange and Wikileaks have been getting all kinds of publicity in the mainstream media. That's all well and good, and would be even better if the media would focus on the content of the "leaks" rather than the persecution of the "wiki".

Clearly though there is another important side to this story that is not getting enough or the right kind of coverage. That Bradley Manning, the "suspected" whistle-blower for these leaks, is being held, without charge, and in 23 hours a day solitary confinement by our military government. And has been for the last six months.

Read the article below from firedoglake and see how hypocritical his confinement really is. Then please sign onto the letter there written on his behalf.

Oliver North’s Pre-Trial Conditions For UCMJ Violations Dramatically Different Than Bradley Manning’s

By: Jane Hamsher Thursday January 20, 2011 8:47 am

I will drive down to Quantico this weekend with Bradley Manning’s friend David House when David delivers petition signatures to the Commander of the Quantico brig. The petition urges an end to the inhumane treatment of Manning during his pre-trial confinement.

Sign the petition

Today David C. MacMichael, former Commander of Headquarters Company at Quantico, writes to the Commandant of the Marine Corps protesting Manning’s conditions.

MacMichael was involved in the Iran-contra affair and notes the dramatic difference in the treatment of Oliver North and Bradley Manning. North was also accused of violating the Uniform Code of Military Justice:

"At that time, I wondered why Lt.Col. Oliver North, who very clearly violated the UCMJ—and, in my opinion, disgraced our service—was not court-martialed.

When I asked the Navy’s Judge-Advocate General’s office why neither North nor Admiral Poindexter were charged under the UCMJ, the JAG informed me that when officers were assigned to duties in the White House, NSC, or similar offices they were somehow not legally in the armed forces. To my question why, if that were the case, they continued to draw their military pay and benefits, increase their seniority, be promoted while so serving, and, spectacularly in North’s case, appear in uniform while testifying regarding violations of US law before Congress, I could get no answer beyond, “That’s our policy.”

This is not to equate North’s case with Manning. It is only to suggest that equal treatment under the law is one of those American principles that the Marine Corps exists to protect. This is something you might consider."

When many people hear about Bradley Manning’s confinement, they believe that his conditions simply reflect the way in which the military deals with those who violate the UCMJ. But Oliver North was ultimately convicted of three felonies, which were only vacated due to an immunity agreement granted for his pre-trial testimony before Congress — with the help of the ACLU.

David House is the only person aside from Bradley’s lawyer who visits him regularly. He recently wrote about Bradley’s conditions here at FDL, which include severe restrictions on his ability to exercise, communicate or even sleep. Manning has not been convicted of any crime, nor is there a date for any court hearing. The New York Times recently reported that these techniques are being used to induce Manning to flip on Julian Assange and Wikileaks.

I don’t recall Oliver North being subjected to anything like that while he was awaiting trial.

Over 30,000 people have signed the petition. We’d like to get it up to 50,000 by the time David delivers them. I promise to be a faithful videographer and bring back video of David’s experience with the petitions, to the extent that it is allowed on the base.

Can you sign the petition and forward it to your friends?

I watched the "Iran-Contra Affair" hearings on C-SPAN, and "I don't recall" that he was subjected to anything remotely like Manning either. In fact the whole thing was treated like a circus show with the American citizen as the collective clown. It was a mockery that did nothing to bring justice to crimes that were just as much Ronald Reagan's as they were the US Military, Pentagon and CIA.

Watching those hearings you'd have thought that Congress was on trial for having called their actions into question in the first place. And of course you can tune into FOX and see him (North) there making tons of money with his own show. Do you think Manning will be able to look forward to such celebrity?