Wikileaks is a scandal, but it is treason?

The recent scandal following the publication of documents on Wikileaks very sensitive to external relations has a lot of accusations of treason against the young American soldier who was responsible for the theft of a call, and then share classified data.

But it is treason? Let's look at the definition in the Constitution, Article 3, Section 3 watching.

"Treason against the United States is the only collection in the war against them, or the respect of their enemiestheir help and comfort.

"No one can be of treason unless on the testimony of two witnesses at the hearing to be condemned to the same law poster, or on confession."

The Constitution is very specific on the definition of treason. The soldier in question said he had copied the sensitive data on floppy disks during the period of service. There are two witnesses saw the same occasion the download of data? Will the soldier confessed to stealing the data in open court? If the answer is no to both questions,then it can not be convicted of treason.

According to Joseph Andrews of the Center for the teaching of the Constitution, have the traditional accusation of betrayal only in times of declared war level. Traitors are those acts that threaten the government in which the offender owes allegiance to overthrow, or to tell you that the government in the hands of a foreign power.

If this is the theft of classified information and subsequent release around the world, threatening to plunge the United StatesStates? He betrayed the U.S. in the hands of a foreign power?

The documents and the notes are certainly painful and problematic, the U.S. government, but it is unlikely that the government will be overthrown by the United States because of this event.

Another definition of treason "is the collection of a war against them (the U.S.) or the respect of their enemies, giving them aid and comfort". As tasteless as his actions are, the losses will not be prosecuted as an actthe war. And since the documents leaked damaging except for many of our governments, it is difficult to assess offender compliance with our enemies, or upload them aid and comfort in a time of conflict.

As we offended by the actions of this man to be, his behavior did not seem to fall within the definition of treason.

He betrayed his duty as an American, and as a member of the uniformed military. I am sure that his service will be established to address behaviorCode of Military Justice.

Acanthus Pattern