Suppose that the American public only supported the wars because it believed some of the lies that the cables revealed to be false.
If that were the case, then all the collateral damage caused by the wars happened against the will of the American people while at the same time it was done in the name of the American people.
So if Manning believed that to be the case, then he acted heroically. If you don't believe that to be the case, then it's reasonable that you don't consider his actions heroic.
I suppose that if the sort of leak Manning did isn't a good reason to risk life in prison, nothing is.
If that were the case, then all the collateral damage caused by the wars happened against the will of the American people while at the same time it was done in the name of the American people.
So if Manning believed that to be the case, then he acted heroically. If you don't believe that to be the case, then it's reasonable that you don't consider his actions heroic.
I suppose that if the sort of leak Manning did isn't a good reason to risk life in prison, nothing is.