Update: Soldier Involved in Wikileaks Case Moved to More Humane Prison

Earlier this week, I wrote about Private Bradley Manning, the soldier accused of leaking State Department files to Wikileaks, and his ongoing mistreatment at the maximum security brig in Quantico, Virginia.

Just yesterday, Department of Defense Counsel Jeh Johnson announced that Private Manning was being transferred from the Quantico brig, where he has been held in isolation, to the Joint Regional Correctional Facility at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. At Fort Leavenworth, Manning will be permitted to congregate with other detainees, will no longer be deprived of sleep and will have reasonable opportunities for exercise. In a striking example of governmental doublespeak, Johnson's announcement reassured the public that Manning's treatment at Quantico complied with "military and legal standards"--he want so far as to "salute" the Quantico officials in charge of abusing Manning--but explained that the move was "appropriate" because of the length of the anticipated pretrial proceedings in Manning's case.

There's no doubt it would have embarrassed the government again if Manning had the bad manners to lose his mind under prolonged exposure to the regime at Quantico.