Pentagon Moves to Cover Up War Crimes

ꕤ Article SOURCE as marked WikiLeaks source | @WikiLeaks Sputnik Article http://sputniknews.com/analysis/20151230/1032476128/pentagon-whistleblowers-crackdown.html Pentagon Plans Legal Change to Crack Down on Military Whistleblowers 02:36 30.12.2015(updated 03:21 30.12.2015) After a year marked by repeated cyberattacks into US government databanks, the Department of Defense is tightening up its Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) to prevent future breaches and leaks, legal and cyber [attacks], analysts told Sputnik. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Former CIA counterterrorism officer and whistleblower John Kiriakou told Sputnik on Tuesday that the change in the Code seemed focused on bringing military legal procedures up to date to deal with the burgeoning field of cybercrime and cyberespionage. "It may be that the law was outdated and didn't include ‘cybercrime," Kiriakou said.   The Defense Department has proposed a reform in the US Code of Military Justice to introduce punishment for specific computer offenses for the first time. Retired US Army Major Todd Pierce, an author and expert on military law and civil liberties, told Sputnik the reform seemed to be focused on serving military personnel who became whistleblowers such as Chelsea Manning, rather than on civilian contractors such as Edward Snowden. "I think it is more related to Manning as Snowden wouldn’t have come under the UCMJ as a civilian," Pierce pointed out.   Chelsea Manning, originally Bradley Manning, was a US Army soldier who was convicted in July 2013 of violations of the Espionage Act after disclosing to WikiLeaks nearly 750,000 classified or unclassified, but sensitive military and diplomatic documents. In August 2013, Manning was sentenced to 35 years in prison, and will only be eligible for possible parole from August 2020. Pierce said the proposed changes in the UCMJ would make it easier for the US military to prosecute and convict future whistleblowers like Manning, who felt compelled to leak classified or sensitive material for the public good. "I presume the offenses and the elements which will need to be shown for conviction will be made easier to prove than relying on General Articles and the incorporation of federal statutes," Pierce stated. Independent Institute Director of the Center on Peace and Liberty Ivan Eland agreed that the Defense Department was belatedly reacting to the embarrassments it suffered from the successful data leaks and exposures by Snowden and Manning. "The [proposed] Code revisions seem to be a reaction to the Snowden leaks. However, Snowden was a civilian and they are likely plugging leaks in the Code to deal with similar actions by military personnel," Eland noted.   Edward Snowden is a former CIA employee and former contractor for the US government who leaked classified information from the National Security Agency (NSA) and the British Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) for public disclosure. The information revealed many global surveillance programs run by the NSA and by the "Five Eyes" alliance of US, British, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand electronic intelligence and surveillance agencies. http://sputniknews.com/analysis/20151230/1032476128/pentagon-whistleblowers-crackdown.html Best Comment to WikiLeaks Stanely Cohen, Lawyer US Political Activist Source | Stanley Cohen Law ---------------------- ꕤ ---------------------- COMMENT The Americans weren't merely 'embarrassed' by the leaks attributed to Chelsea Manning:  US and allied war crimes were exposed. Therefore the Americans would be adjusting their military legislation to ensure that currently undisclosed (and future) US military war crimes remain hidden from public knowledge and that wrongful deeds remain immune from consequences such as the threat of prosecution, following potential whistleblower exposure. Summary notes re US military law: US Military Law Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) (1950) Link | Post COLLATERAL MURDER WikiLeaks VIDEO | IRAQ (2010) | here WikiLeaks A U S T R A L I A N JOURNALIST JULIAN ASSANGE POLITICAL PRISONER BRITAIN https://govwaste.co.uk/ SUPPORT Justice4Assange WikiLeaks Site WikiLeaks Twitter BOOK:  The WikiLeaks Files (2015) Link | here Uh-oh ... once I get onto the large fonts, they keep getting bigger and bigger.      lol ꕤ

US Military Law

ꕤ Info /Reference SOURCE Wikipedia (various pages), mostly: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uniform_Code_of_Military_Justice Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) (1950) foundation of military law (USA) 1775 - 69 Articles of War to govern conduct of Continental Army established by Second Continental Congress 1788 - Article I, Section 8 granted US Congress power to regulate land & naval forces 1806 -  101 Articles of War *no significant revision for over century Articles for Government of the Navy (aka 'Rocks and Shoals') Articles of War evolved first half 1900s 1916 - amendment Articles of War 1920 - amendment Articles of War 1948 - substantial amendment Articles of War ## Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) signed into law by President Harry S Truman 1950 effective 1951 consistent application to all armed services in place of earlier: Articles of War Articles of Government Disciplinary Laws (of individual services) Following relevant laws evolved in step with federal civilian criminal justice system: 1. Rules of Court Martial (military equivalent of 'Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure) 2. Military Rules of Evidence (military equivalent of 'Federal Rules of Evidence') UCMJ ahead of changes in civilian criminal justice system, in some ways: eg.  rights-warning (Miranda warnings equivalent) -- required in more contexts than civilian sector -- applicable only to custodial interrogation -- introduced 15 years before Supreme Court ruling re Miranda (1966) eg.  provision of all accused with defence counsel at earlier stages than civilian: 1948 Articles of War guarantee: qualified defence counsel to be provided to all accused irrespective of financial need-based factors US Navy 1948-1951 military justice continued to operate under Articles of War for Government of Navy 1951 - Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) effective Court Martial officer panel hearing coveted from:  board of inquiry/review presiding over trial converted to:  jury of military service members conducted under:  UCMJ review by:  convening authority (discretionary powers wide) Appeals intermediate court review applicable if: death penalty bad conduct discharge dishonourable discharge dismissal of officer confinement 1-year-plus Appeal courts - x4: Army Court of Criminal Appeals Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals Coast Guard Court of Criminal Appeals Further Appeals: Supreme Court of USA *since 2007 - legislation expanding accessibility to Supreme Court Parties Jurisdiction court's jurisdiction over PARTIES to lawsuit versus SUBJECT-MATTER jurisdiction (ie over law & facts) rulings & decrees cannot be enforced without personal jurisdiction (save for 'comity' / legal reciprocity - mutual legal recognition) (eg. US Constitutional Law entitlements & immunities re citizens of several states) UCMJ allows personal jurisdiction over all members uniformed services of US: Air Force Army Coast Guard Marine Corps Navy NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps (scientific agency, earth measurement, satellite, navigation etc) Public Health Service Commissioned Corps Selective Service Act of 1948 (Elston Act) - military draft reg'n ie. Military Selective Service Act (1948) aka 'Elston Act' major revision of Articles of War (US) established implementation of 'Selective Service System' (SSS) Selective Service System 'independent' agency of US government registers/monitors all US citizens & immigrant non-citizen males - between 18 & 25 years for military draft purposes 2010 - GAO report: 92% registration - names & addresses over 16.2 million men on file Forced Draft Registration US federal programs, benefits & student loans, jobs training, federal employment & naturalisation requires registration for US military draft source Wikipedia (various pages), mostly: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uniform_Code_of_Military_Justice Legislation http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/ucmj.htm ---------------------- ꕤ ---------------------- COMMENT More interesting information, which I'll probably soon forget. Had no idea that Americans had to register for draft purposes.  Wow, a potential force of 16.2 million sounds impressive (but they're not combat ready or experienced).   Wonder what China and India have got. ꕤ