State department spokesman P.J. Crowley was forced to resign after his controversial comments about suspected WikiLeaker Bradley Manning, according to multiple reports.
The abrupt resignation came after he criticized the Defense Department‘s treatment of Manning, who is being held in a military prison accused of giving classified documents to WikiLeaks.
Speaking at an MIT seminar last week, Crowley said Manning was being “mistreated”.
“What is being done to Bradley Manning is ridiculous and counterproductive and stupid on the part of the Department of Defense,” he said.
An 11-page letter from Manning’s lawyer released last week detailed treatment of the Army private that included him being stripped naked, held in solitary confinement and allegedly harassed by prison guards.
Crowley did say that Manning was in the right place.
“There is sometimes a need for secrets,” he said.
Crowley, who operated a popular Twitter feed, last tweeted about the emergency in Japan on Friday.
