Possible motive for Manning's actions surface

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Internet conversations from the man accused leaking classified documents to WikiLeaks were released Wednesday afternoon by San Francisco-based Wired.com. For the first time, we're getting a glimpse of a possible motive behind the top secret leaks.

Army Sgt. Bradley Manning had Internet exchanges with the man who eventually turned him into authorities for allegedly releasing hundreds of thousands of top secret U.S. Military documents to WikiLeaks. The Internet logs give insight into Manning's life during the time the government says he turned over the classified documents.

Identifying himself with the username "Bradass87" Manning writes:
(10:19:59 AM) bradass87: I've had an unusual, and very stressful experience over the last decade or so.
(10:20:53 AM) bradass87: Yes... questioned my gender for several years... sexual orientation was easy to figure out... but I started to come to terms with it during the first few months of my deployment.

Wired.com Sr. Editor Kevin Poulsen says they withheld Manning's personal revelations for more than a year, but released them Wednesday only after New York Magazine published the same information first.

Manning writes:
(11:49:51 AM) bradass87: and I already got myself into minor trouble, revealing my uncertainty over my gender identity... which is causing me to lose this job... and putting me in an awkward limbo

"Transgender Americans cannot serve openly and that's current and that's even with the effect of Don't Ask, Don't Tell," said Jamie Rafaela Wolfe, the TransGender San Francisco vice president.

Transgender San Francisco advocates for transgender people. Rafaela Wolfe, would not comment on the manning case, but says transgender people have fewer rights than gays or lesbians in the military.

"Gender identity disorder, as defined in the DSM, is automatic disqualification for a transgender American," said Rafaela Wolfe.

WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange has denied any involvement with Manning, but Manning writes:
(2:05:58 PM) bradass87: It took me four months to confirm that the person I was communicating was in fact Assange.
(02:19:39 AM) bradass87: Assange offered me a position at wl [WikiLeaks]... but I'm not interested right now... too much excess baggage.

Manning's treatment in the Army could give prosecutors a reason for his motive to give away those classified documents. He's awaiting court martial in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, facing at least two dozen charges.

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military, wikileaks, san francisco news, alan wang

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