P.J. Crowley resigns over Manning remark (Dept of State)

Politico ^ | 3-13-11 | Mike Allen, Josh Gerstein

[STARWISE]

State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley has resigned after publicly crossing swords with the Pentagon over the treatment of an Army soldier accused of leaking hundreds of thousands of classified military reports and sensitive diplomatic cables to WikiLeaks.

A deputy secretary for public affairs, Crowley had been on the outs with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and rarely accompanied her on her travels abroad.

Michael Hammer, President Barack Obama’s NSC spokesman, had been sent to State earlier this year, with the plan for him to succeed Crowley, sources said.

[STARWISE]

Clapper next ?

[STARWISE]

“The process to replace him was accelerated in the past 72 hours, however, after Crowley appeared at a Massachusetts Institute of Technology seminar on Thursday and reportedly called the Pentagon’s handling of Pfc. Bradley Manning, who is detained at the brig at Quantico,“ridiculous and counterproductive and stupid.”

Crowley’s public criticism angered some at the Pentagon and others across the administration because it put him directly at odds with Defense Department officials who have spent weeks trying to defend Manning’s treatment. The soldier is being detained under near-constant lockdown, and he filed a formal complaint about being forced to strip each night at bedtime.”

[gorush]

I wonder if John Sevice or Lauchlin Currie are still available.

[Sacajaweau]

Let’s find out who “encouraged” this Manning creep. I’m sure there is a “group” behind it.

[CondorFlight]

I agree with Crowley.

Manning gets worse treatment than prisoners at
Gitmo.

(And he is likely only a small fry...)

[AnotherUnixGeek]

I agree with Crowley.

Manning gets worse treatment than prisoners at Gitmo.

The prisoners at Gitmo are foreign combatants. Manning is a traitor. He deserves worse treatment.

(And he is likely only a small fry...)

That isn't an argument in his favor.

[arrogantsob]

Looks like they want him to give up the big wheels.

[paddles]

I’m sure George Soros and John Podesta will give PJ his old job back at the Center for American Progress.

[Coldwater Creek]

Manning SHOULD get worse treatment than those at Gitmo. He’s a traitor of the worse kind.

[csvset]

Manning gets worse treatment than prisoners at Gitmo.

Some men you just can't reach. So you get what we had here last week, which is the way he wants it... well, he gets it. I don't like it any more than you men.

Manning made remarks about suicide. The staff has to take action. If the guy doesn't like the way he's treated, he should mind what comes out of his mouth.

The brig staff is professional and they are responsible for Manning's well being while he's confined there. Manning shot off at the mouth and now he doesn't like the results of his actions.

[STARWISE]

Ditto!

[Former Proud Canadian]

Gitmo prisoners ARE NOT "foreign combatants" or "enemy combatants". They do not wear uniforms. They do not have a country that they fight for. Their organization did not sign the Geneva Convention.

They might be pirates, brigands, thugs, criminals, terrorists, guerrillas, or even freedom fighters depending on your point of view. They are not "foreign combatants"

[Bean Counter]

Losing Crowley is not an enormous loss to America in my view, but when someone as senior as he is and who has been at Foggy Bottom for as long as he has steps down like this, it is a big kick in the crotch to someone pretty high up the foodchain.

More to follow?

[Gator113]

Well said.

[mewzilla]

FWIW, I wonder if the Manning thing’s really the reason he’s outta there.

[norge]

FWIW, I wonder if the Manning thing’s really the reason he’s outta there.

I think you nailed it. The guy has been a disaster.

[mountainbunny]

Manning gets worse treatment than prisoners at Gitmo.

Manning is still a soldier. Just like any other soldier, the Army can tell him how, when and where to sleep, dress, eat, and everything else. The Army can tell him what he can and cannot read if the material is unrelated to his case, just like any other soldier.

If he didn't like those rules, he shouldn't have joined the US Army. But he did join, and he agreed to follow their rules.

It's impossible to feel sorry for him when he'll get 3 hots and a cot today. Plenty of his fellow soldiers are putting themselves in harm's way for our nation, with not enough sleep, crappy food, and no centrally heated room to sleep in.

(And he is likely only a small fry...)

That doesn't make him immune to following the same rules that the other small fry follow.

What stems from not following the rules is probably not going to be to his liking. But he knew that coming in, didn't he?

[Anti-Christ is Hillary]

“ridiculous and counterproductive and stupid.”

Sounds kinda like Crowley to me. I love how these narcissistic know it all jackasses keep opening their better than thou mouths and oops we’re fired. They used to check themselves in to rehab now they just say “that’s not who I am”, and expect all of us stupid plebes to accept that.

[windsorknot]

narcissistic know it all jackasses

Seems to be a plethora of those in the current administration.

[AnotherUnixGeek]

Gitmo prisoners ARE NOT "foreign combatants" or "enemy combatants".

As of 2009, you're right. The Obama administration dropped the usage of the term "enemy combatants" which the Bush administration had used as part of it's argument that these people aren't prisoners of war.