Chelsea Manning

Chelsea Manning is a renowned Whistleblower and Activist who gained international attention for leaking classified documents to WikiLeaks, a non-profit organization founded by Julian Assange. Born in Crescent, Oklahoma, United States, Manning's life took a dramatic turn when she enlisted in the United States Army and was deployed to Iraq, where she had access to sensitive information about the Iraq War and the War in Afghanistan (2001-2021). Her actions have been widely debated, with some hailing her as a hero, like Daniel Ellsberg, who leaked the Pentagon Papers during the Vietnam War, while others have criticized her for putting national security at risk, as argued by Robert Gates, the former United States Secretary of Defense. Manning's story has also been compared to that of Edward Snowden, who leaked classified information about the National Security Agency's Surveillance state programs.

● Early Life

Manning was born on December 17, 1987, in Crescent, Oklahoma, to Susan Manning and Brian Manning. Her family moved to Wales when she was young, and she spent part of her childhood in Haverfordwest, where she attended Tasker Milward Voluntary Controlled School. Manning's early life was marked by struggles in school and at home, which led her to move back to the United States to live with her father in Oklahoma City. She attended High School in Oklahoma City and later enrolled in Potomac State College of West Virginia University, but dropped out due to financial difficulties. During this time, Manning was influenced by the Anti-war movement and the LGBT rights movement, which were prominent during the George W. Bush administration and the Barack Obama administration. She was also inspired by the work of Noam Chomsky, a prominent Linguist and Public intellectual, and Howard Zinn, a Historian and Activist known for his book A People's History of the United States.

● Military Service

Manning enlisted in the United States Army in 2007 and was assigned to the 10th Mountain Division as an Intelligence analyst. She was deployed to Iraq in 2009, where she had access to classified information about the Iraq War and the War in Afghanistan (2001-2021). During her time in Iraq, Manning became disillusioned with the War on Terror and the actions of the United States military, which she believed were in conflict with the Geneva Conventions and the United Nations Charter. She was particularly troubled by the Baghdad airstrike and the Abu Ghraib torture and prisoner abuse scandal, which were widely condemned by Amnesty International and the International Committee of the Red Cross. Manning's experiences in Iraq were also influenced by the Surge strategy implemented by General David Petraeus, which aimed to reduce violence in Iraq through increased United States military presence.

● Imprisonment

In 2010, Manning was arrested and charged with leaking classified documents to WikiLeaks, including the Collateral murder video and the Afghan War Diary. She was held in solitary confinement at the Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia, where she was subjected to harsh conditions, including Sleep deprivation and Sensory deprivation. Manning's treatment was widely criticized by Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and the American Civil Liberties Union, which argued that her conditions were in violation of the United Nations Convention Against Torture and the Eighth Amendment to the United States Constitution. In 2013, Manning was convicted of Espionage Act violations and sentenced to 35 years in prison, a decision that was criticized by Daniel Ellsberg and Edward Snowden, who argued that Manning's actions were justified and necessary to expose the truth about the War on Terror.

● Later Life and Activism

In 2017, Manning was released from prison after serving seven years of her sentence, which was commuted by Barack Obama in his final days as President of the United States. Since her release, Manning has become a prominent Activist and Public speaker, advocating for Whistleblower protection and Transgender rights. She has spoken at events organized by The Guardian and The New York Times, and has written for The Intercept and The Guardian. Manning has also been involved in the Democratic Socialists of America and has supported the Bernie Sanders presidential campaign, 2020, which aimed to promote Social democracy and Progressivism in the United States. Her activism has been influenced by the work of Naomi Klein, a Journalist and Activist known for her book The Shock Doctrine, and Glenn Greenwald, a Journalist and Lawyer who worked with Edward Snowden to expose the National Security Agency's Surveillance state programs.

● Legacy

Manning's actions have had a significant impact on the Whistleblower movement and the Freedom of information movement, inspiring others to come forward and expose wrongdoing, such as Edward Snowden and Jeffrey Sterling. Her legacy has been compared to that of Daniel Ellsberg, who leaked the Pentagon Papers during the Vietnam War, and Mark Felt, who exposed the Watergate scandal as Deep Throat. Manning's story has also been the subject of several books, including The Manning Files by Timothy Douglas Webster and Private: Bradley Manning, Wikileaks, and the Biggest Exposure of Official Secrets in History by Denver Nicks and John Cook. Her actions have been recognized by The Guardian and The New York Times, which have awarded her the Guardian Award for Journalism and the Pulitzer Prize, respectively. Manning's legacy continues to be felt, with many regarding her as a hero and a symbol of resistance against government secrecy and Surveillance state programs, as argued by Noam Chomsky and Glenn Greenwald.