Quite a change from who it was the LAST President showed clemency for, isn’t it?
Army First Lieutenant Michael Behenna, was charged for ‘accidental manslaughter’ when he shot an Al Quaeda prisoner in 2008.
He served his time as a ‘model prisoner’, was released in 2014 and was expecting to face ten years of parole after that. Many among the officer class have been advocating on his behalf. And the circumstances surrounding his trial were ‘of concern’.
A military court originally sentenced Behenna to 25 years for unpremeditated murder in a combat zone. However, the Army’s highest appellate court noted concern about how the trial court had handled Behenna’s claim of self-defense, Sanders said. The Army Clemency and Parole Board reduced his sentence to 15 years and paroled him in 2014, as soon as he was eligible.
Behenna acknowledged during his 2008 trial that instead of taking prisoner Ali Mansur home as he was ordered, he took the man to a railroad culvert, stripped him, and then questioned him at gunpoint about a roadside bombing that had killed two members of Behenna’s platoon.
Source: CBSNews
After he served his time, the parole began.
That’s where Trump’s clemency is coming into play.
White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders cited “broad support” for Michael Behenna, of Edmond, Okla., “from the military, Oklahoma elected officials, and the public” — including 37 generals and admirals, along with a former Pentagon inspector general — as the reason for Trump’s clemency grant. Sanders also said Behenna had been a “model prisoner” while serving his sentence.
“In light of these facts, Mr. Behenna is entirely deserving of this Grant of Executive Clemency,” Sanders concluded.
Source: FoxNews
A soldier who — over an incident that occurred while overseas and while fighting Al Quaeda — served his time, was a model prisoner, and had long since been let out on parole was shown clemency by the Commander-in-Chief.
That’s quite a stark contrast to the handling of Bradley/Chelsea Manning’s case, isn’t it?
The next time a Democrat tries to complain about collusion because of Trump and Wikileaks, remind them that Manning, Not Assange, was the one who violated the Espionage Act in dumping Classified information to Wikileaks.
And Obama commuted Manning’s sentence.
You don’t get it both ways: you can’t cheer for Manning — who in a different age would have been awarded for that activism with a noose — at the same time as you stand and condemn Assange.
Manning has betrayed his own country.
Assange is an Aussie. Whatever you may think of his actions, or how they may have hurt US interests, could never be said to have betrayed a nation to which he never had an allegiance.
And Obama commuted Manning’s sentence.
Between Trump and Obama’s use of clemency… which was the better example of real leadership?
Trump's v. Obama's use of clemency: which showed better leadership?
