US spokesperson quits after describing Wikileaks' source treatment “ridiculous”
US state department spokesman PJ Crowley has resigned after calling the treatment of the man accused of leaking secret cables to Wikileaks "stupid".
Crowley was speaking to an audience at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology about new media and foreign policy when he delivered the controversial remarks.
He was asked by a participant about the way the Wikileaks issue was being handled by the government and how the US army is "torturing a prisoner in a military brig" (referring to US army analyst, and Wikileaks source, Bradley Manning).
"I spent 26 years in the air force," Crowley reportedly replied. "What is happening to Manning is ridiculous, counterproductive and stupid, and I don't know why the DoD [Department of Defense] is doing it. Nevertheless, Manning is in the right place."
His remarks were revealed in a blog by the
In his subsequent resignation letter, Crowley said: "Given the impact of my remarks, for which I take full responsibility, I have submitted my resignation.” He said his comments were on the record, though he later added that they were his own opinion.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said she accepted Crowley's resignation "with regret". She said he had served his nation "with distinction", "motivated by a deep devotion to public policy and public diplomacy".
Private Manning is being held in solitary confinement at a maximum security US military jail. He has been on suicide watch at the Quantico marine base in Virginia and is shackled at all times.
He faces 34 charges relating to the leaking of 720,000 diplomatic and military documents.
