Bradley Manning is Acquitted of Aiding the Enemy

Both Politico and the Huffington Post are reporting that Bradley Manning has been acquitted of aiding the enemy. This was the most serious charge facing him. It was also the charge which could have sent him to prison for the rest of his days. The Huffington Post is also reporting that he was found guilty of the lesser charges.

My understanding is that Manning will be sentenced next week. He has been held in solitary confinement since 2011. While I am sure that he will be staying in prison (given the other charges), I hope that the acquittal on the most serious charge is a sign that Manning will be shown leniency in his sentence. I also hope that this means he will be treated more humanely during the remainder of his time in prison. Time will tell.

Is Bradley Manning a hero? Is he a villain? Or somewhere in between? Let me know what you think.