Editorial

By Marjorie Cohn

Bradley Manning has pleaded guilty to 10 charges including possessing and willfully communicating to an unauthorized person all the main elements of the WikiLeaks disclosure. The charges carry a total of 20 years in prison. For the first time, Bradley spoke publicly about what he did and why. His actions, now confirmed by his own words, reveal Bradley to be a very brave young man.

Read more: The Uncommon Courage of Bradley Manning

By William deB. Mills

First day on the job and Sec Def Chuck Hagel says the U.S. "can't dictate to the world." Whether you like the remark or not, you must admit that it does not sound like the Neo-Cons. It does, on the other hand, "sound" like Obama, but it does not match up too well with U.S. foreign policy during Obama's first term. So, is Hagel just matching Obama's "change" rhetoric, or does he actually have fundamental foreign policy reform in mind?

Read more: Washington and the World

By Lawrence Davidson

Emotionally Moving Pictures

Some images move us, or at least should move us, to sudden insight into the consequences of our actions. Images of innocent victims of violence, particularly children, should have the capacity to penetrate the most hardened defenses and touch our hearts. However, the truth is that this does not always occur. Skewed information environments, operating over time, may condition us to react with compassion only to images depicting the suffering of our own community.

Read more: On Great Photographs and Their Impact

By Ben Tanosborn

Will US politicians kick the can down the road once again? Need we ask? Of course they will, except each time that happens, the can gets heavier and travels fewer and fewer feet, giving us an indication that soon the can might be so heavy that they’ll bust their toes. Or will they?

No, it won’t be politicians but the people who’ll find themselves with the can cemented to the road. It is the people who’ll bust their toes as finally they will be facing a long deferred economic doom.

Read more: US Economic Intelligentsia Oblivious to Deferred Doom

By Lawrence Davidson

What is War?

In the halls of Congress and confines of the Oval Office, the perception is that the U.S. is at war with an enemy called al-Qaeda. Is this actually the case or is the claim an exaggerated piece of propaganda that has conveniently captured the minds of leaders whose abuse of power has become institutionalized?

Read more: War and Institutionalizing Abuse