Let Manning out

The conviction for espionage of US Army private Bradley Manning, who leaked thousands of classified documents to Wikileaks, was a perverse verdict and a travesty of justice.

Manning’s only crime was to expose the criminal nature of the US wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The US ruling elite were particularly affronted by the leaking of footage showing US forces killing unarmed journalists and children in Iraq.

US President Barack Obama said before Manning’s trial that he was guilty.

While proclaiming Manning’s guilt Obama himself is guilty of numerous crimes. He has sent drones around the world to kill people on the basis of suspicion.

Manning did what he was supposed to do and exposed wrongdoing. He will now spend the rest of his life in prison for daring to do what journalists do every day, namely hold the powerful to ­account.

He should be pardoned and ­released right away.

Alan Hinnrichs

Dundee