A SOLDIER'S PERSPECTIVE
THE WEB'S LEADING MILITARY BLOG SINCE 2004
There is a lot of talk on the right about Obama’s decision not to release additional photos of supposed torture at the hands of American troops. I applaud the President in making this decision and I don’t care what his reasons are. In making this decision, the President released the following statement:
It’s therefore my belief that the publication of these photos would not add any additional benefit to our understanding of what was carried out in the past by a small number of individuals. In fact, the most direct consequence of releasing them, I believe, would be to further inflame anti-American opinion and to put our troops in greater danger.
Moreover, I fear the publication of these photos may only have a chilling effect on future investigations of detainee abuse. And obviously the thing that is most important in my mind is making sure that we are abiding by the Army Manual and that we are swiftly investigating any instances in which individuals have not acted appropriately, and that they are appropriately sanctioned. That’s my aim and I do not believe that the release of these photos at this time would further that goal.
Now, let me be clear: I am concerned about how the release of these photos would be — would impact on the safety of our troops. I have made it very clear to all who are within the chain of command, however, of the United States Armed Forces that the abuse of detainees in our custody is prohibited and will not be tolerated. I have repeated that since I’ve been in office, Secretary Gates understands that, Admiral Mullen understands that, and that has been communicated across the chain of command.
Meanwhile, the talking heads on the news network are trying to read into this decision. The decision is simple: releasing them would result in the death of more troops. I don’t care that he flip-flopped and neither should his critics. The fact is that he did the right thing, regardless of his reasons for doing it. I’m glad that, like Bush before him, he is able to look at the other side of some arguments and recognize that he was on the wrong side of the issue of releasing these photos and changed course.
The worst of what happened years ago is behind us. Supposedly, the new photos were no worse than what’s already been put out there. The Obama Administration understood this and acted accordingly. Let’s not get hung up on the “why” of this decision and just support the end result.
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Donna
I agree with you CJ and applaud the president’s decision also. This is an answer to prayer that he decided not to release the photos. Bravo President Obama!
Mary
I agree. I am not a huge Obama fan, but this gives him a +1 in my book. He’s got a long way to go, but I’ll give him credit here.
Critical Facts
cj:
I agree! Great top post!
Critical Facts
Notwithstanding, I still think a photo or two of Dick Cheney being waterboarded would go a long way toward repairing the world’s image of America!
Mary
And what image is that, CF? I love this mythical “image of America” you all are continually talking about restoring and babysitting…there IS respect for our county out there, but I have a feeling those who respect the USA might not be the kind of people you yourself would respect or even relate to.
It’s not even 9am and I have already had it with people’s naivete for the day.
SSgtJ
Why is the left so hatefull?
Critical Facts
Because of what the right did to our country.
Mary
And why are they so….blame-y?
NY-David
Please, CF. While I’m no fan of Mr. Cheney, advocating anyone’s torture goes against what everyone is trying to get past here. I could really give a crap what the world thinks of us.
Strong Liberal deeds has made us a nation to be envied as well as sometimes deplored. Its not easy being us, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
NY-David
Critical Facts
Ah, come on, David. How about just once?
Cheney himself says waterboarding really isn’t torture anyway.
CJ
Ummm, because it’s NOT torture maybe! Of course, I don’t really expect a terrorist sympathizer to agree anyway.
JD
What Americans did to detainees at Abu Ghraib is illegal and wrong. The American people deserve to know how their tax dollars are being spent on Bush’s quagmire in Iraq.
Hoo-ahh to Janice Karpinksi! She is an example of a Great American!
CJ
Wow, we agree on something JD! What those few Americans did at Abu Ghraib was illegal and wrong. That is why I advocated the death penalty for those Soldiers found guilty on this very blog back in 2005/2006 when all this came out. You contradict yourself, though. The officer in charge of Abu Ghraib at the time is a “Great American”? She got off easy, only losing one rank and being able to retire.
The American already know how their tax dollars were spent in Iraq. What purpose will releasing more photos of the same thing serve, other than your desire to erode the image of the United State Military? As a former Marine, I would think you’d want to protect your brothers and sisters left behind to fight in “Bush’s quagmire in Iraq” and not further endanger their lives. Maybe you just don’t care how many troops die in Iraq since it will further bolster your argument and give you fodder for future ignorant statements like this one.
Critical Facts
“Maybe you just don’t care how many troops die in Iraq ….”
Rather cynical, cj, don’t you think?
SSgtJ
Didn’t we already prosecute those criminals?
JD
Let US not forget that we did illegally torture and abuse detainees, photographs not withstanding.
Peace and Semper Fidelis…
SSgtJ
JD, How can we forget? They keep shoving it down our throats. Like you or I (or my son or his cousin or their fellow soldiers) had anything to do with it …
Semper Fi … I pray for peace every day …
Mickey
I am in agreement with this one! Great post CJ!
Kitchen Dispatch
Don’t you wish the talking heads would just shut up?
It was the right call. I’m glad he made it.
BPT (Australia)
I agree that the photos should not be released. But to even think about releasing them sounds sick.
Photos or no photos – it wouldn’t change my personal views, however, it fuels hatreds across the world.
Speaking of which this reminds me of Julie Burchill’s essay from the Times (London):
Still, it was with some surprise that I found myself reacting to THAT photograph — Specialist Lynndie England, aged 21, looking almost wistfully at a naked man on a leash, the end of which she just happened to be holding — with the following thought: “Gosh, what a change to see a WOMAN treating a MAN like a dog in a Muslim country, rather than the other way around!â€
Many people agree.
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