Trump Pardons Soldier, Contrasting with Obama [OPINION]

President Trump has granted a full pardon to an Army officer convicted of killing a terrorist. President Obama released an Army soldier who committed espionage.

According to NPR, "President Trump has granted a full pardon to former Army 1st Lt. Michael Behenna, who was convicted by a military court in 2009 for killing an Iraqi prisoner suspected of being part of al-Qaida."

The terrorist "was killed during questioning about a roadside explosion that had killed members of a platoon under Behenna's command."

President Trump made his decision with plenty of time for the American people to decide if he did the right thing. By granting this pardon in his first term, he has allowed the voters to consider this important action when they vote in 2020 for the next president.

President Barack Obama freed a traitor who became a woman while in prison for espionage. He did it in the last weeks of his presidency and once he was free of the judgment of the American voters.

NBC News reported "(Chelsea) Manning's 35-year sentence for leaking an enormous trove of military intelligence records was commuted by President Barack Obama in January.

At the time, the White House said Manning had accepted responsibility, expressed remorse and served time."

Traitor Manning gave national security secrets to Wikileaks. President Obama knew that Wikileaks was being at least used, if not controlled, by the Putin regime in Russian to conduct active measures against the United States and other western governments. Private Manning, the traitor, had been working with this Russian government outlet to embarrass and harm the American government. Despite knowing this collusion with Russia, President Obama freed the traitor.

Elections have consequences. The difference between who the elected president frees using his power to pardon and grant clemency is a solid measure of the man in the Oval Office and the past and future occupants of that office.

It would be instructive to ask the candidates running for president now how they feel about these two different actions to free American soldiers by two different presidents.

Elections have consequences.

Chris McCarthy is the host of The Chris McCarthy Show on 1420 WBSM New Bedford. He can be heard weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon. Contact him at chris.mccarthy@townsquaremedia.com and follow him on Twitter @Chris_topher_Mc. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.