Manning, Assange and Snowden
January 18 2017 By Abiodun Giwa
The news of the pardon of Chelsea Manning by President Barack Obama hit the news wave on Tuesday. The planned release of the former military personnel, who was jailed for espionage, has drawn praises and criticisms,
Many people wonder about why Manning has been pardoned, considering the nature of the offense of espionage, while others think that the president has the power to pardon whoever he decides to pardon.Manning, who has earlier been slated to be released in 2045, will now walk free in May 2017.
Against Manning's fate is that of Edward Snowden and Julian Assange, both of who have been accused of espionage against the United States. But unlike Manning, Snowden, a former employee of the NSA,whose offence releasing information about how government harvest Americans' information - unknown to Americans, has been on the run and he is living in Russia, where, The Mail newspaper's report says he has an extended permanent residence.
While Assange, being sought in Sweden for a different offence, is believed to be wanted in the U.S for espionage offences, and that his being declared wanted in Sweden for sexual offence was meant to get him to the U.S,. to face espionage charges.
Assange has not hidden or deny that as the publisher of Wikileaks that he has published secret U.S documents considered as classified, and that he is now ready to be extradited to the U.S., following Manning's pardon, according a report by The Mail. Manning was Wikileaks' source. It is thus being considered by curious observers that if Manning has gained freedom, the publisher of the information that he harvested too deserves forgiveness. But Obama's press secretary, Ernest, has pushed against the idea of comparing the cases of manning, Snowden and Assange. According to him, Manning faced trial, sentenced and understands the gravity of his offence, unlike Snowden and Assange, who have been on the run
Assange has been holed in the Ecuador Embassy in London dodging arrest for fears of extradition to the U.S. Unlike Assange, who is still living in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, Russia is reported to have extended Snowden's permanent resident's status in that country for many years. .
Many people wonder about why Manning has been pardoned, considering the nature of the offense of espionage, while others think that the president has the power to pardon whoever he decides to pardon.Manning, who has earlier been slated to be released in 2045, will now walk free in May 2017.
Against Manning's fate is that of Edward Snowden and Julian Assange, both of who have been accused of espionage against the United States. But unlike Manning, Snowden, a former employee of the NSA,whose offence releasing information about how government harvest Americans' information - unknown to Americans, has been on the run and he is living in Russia, where, The Mail newspaper's report says he has an extended permanent residence.
While Assange, being sought in Sweden for a different offence, is believed to be wanted in the U.S for espionage offences, and that his being declared wanted in Sweden for sexual offence was meant to get him to the U.S,. to face espionage charges.
Assange has not hidden or deny that as the publisher of Wikileaks that he has published secret U.S documents considered as classified, and that he is now ready to be extradited to the U.S., following Manning's pardon, according a report by The Mail. Manning was Wikileaks' source. It is thus being considered by curious observers that if Manning has gained freedom, the publisher of the information that he harvested too deserves forgiveness. But Obama's press secretary, Ernest, has pushed against the idea of comparing the cases of manning, Snowden and Assange. According to him, Manning faced trial, sentenced and understands the gravity of his offence, unlike Snowden and Assange, who have been on the run
Assange has been holed in the Ecuador Embassy in London dodging arrest for fears of extradition to the U.S. Unlike Assange, who is still living in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, Russia is reported to have extended Snowden's permanent resident's status in that country for many years. .