The military prosecutors were overly punitive in their efforts to get Bradley Manning convicted of aiding the enemy. I am glad that the judge acquitted him on that charge. He will be doing at least 15 years in prison, possibly more, and that is a more than an adequate deterrent to future leakers of classified information. I think it’s actually excessive as far as justice is concerned. Manning has already endured mistreatment and imprisonment, and the stress of having to be a defendant against a very hostile government. I hope some future president considers commuting some of his sentence.
