Despite earlier indications that there would be a release of detainee photos, President Obama has ordered that the photos been withheld in defiance of a judicial ruling. I discussed the development on this segment of the Rachel Maddow Show.
The Defense Department was set to release hundreds of photographs showing alleged abuse of prisoners in detention facilities in Afghanistan and Iraq. However, the White House has announced that the President has yielded to demands to withhold the pictures, citing the safety of U.S. troops are the reason — the very same reason given by the Bush Administration.
White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs stated “the president reflected on this case and believes that they have the potential to pose harm to the troops. … Nothing is added by the release of the photos.” Well, there is that transparency in government thing. There is also showing the world that we are going to come to grips and take responsibility for our actions. It is hard to accept responsibility for acts that you will not disclose to the public. The value is to show that the United States will not hide its abuses or hide from its responsibility.
The Administration also ignores that enemies already have sufficient photos for recruiting. What they also have is the argument that we are a nation of hypocrites who engage in torture when it suits us — only to resist investigation of those war crimes. Concealing our abuse of detainees only reaffirms this message.
Obama’s comments come directly from the Second Circuit opinion rejecting the very arguments that he made in the press conference. The court rejected the attempt to use FOIA as “an all-purpose damper on global controversy.” Obama himself pledged in January not to allow agencies to withhold material under FOIA that would embarrass the government. To add insult to injury, he also said that the release might interfere with “future investigations” — like the investigation his administration has blocked into torture.
Here is the Second Circuit opinion, acluvdod_photodecision
For the full story, click here.
Bron98:
Given my avatar, I can’t argue with that quote!
“A nation can survive its fools, and even the ambitious. But it cannot survive treason from within. An enemy at the gates is less formidable, for he is known and carries his banner openly. But the traitor moves amongst those within the gate freely, his sly whispers rustling through all the alleys, heard in the very halls of government itself. For the traitor appears not a traitor; he speaks in accents familiar to his victims, and he wears their face and their arguments, he appeals to the baseness that lies deep in the hearts of all men. He rots the soul of a nation, he works secretly and unknown in the night to undermine the pillars of the city, he infects the body politic so that it can no longer resist. A murderer is less to fear. The traitor is the plague.”
M. T. Cicero
hmmmm sounds like democrats and republicans, anyone for a third party that actually thinks about the people?
CCD:
“I’d like to drag you kicking, screaming and clawing onto a national ballot!”
**************
You’d have to do that. Those people in DC are scary, and obviously much brighter than me. Hey I could be our first blogger President. Yippee!!
I don’t buy any of the arguments that the administration is making. This is all a concentrated effort to sweep the entire torture issue under the rug.
mespo:
I’d like to drag you kicking, screaming and clawing onto a national ballot!
Thanks for all of the above.
CCD:
I don’t see the two as incompatible though I did type first and think about it later in my second post. While the general principle is true, it hinges on the trust we have for the leadership in place. I had none from the outset in the previous Administration, knowing that its head was an ideologue and buffoon. One speech should have convinced anyone caring to listen.
The current Administration is a different matter. I believe Obama understands the issues and tries to adhere to principle as evidenced by his moves to reverse numerous Bush policies. His flip-flop seems more a bow to the principle of protecting the lives of servicemen and women than aiding in the Bush cover up. Elsewise why we he bring it up in the first place. While I agree that releasing all the pictures would point to a larger and higher conspiracy to install torture as policy under Bush, I do not agree that it has to occur when the troops potentially affected thereby are in harms way of an enemy who seizes every opportunity for propaganda to recruit suicide bombers. I would agree with many of you here and our host if no pictures were in the public domain, but they are and I don’t.
Finally, I agree that justice requires that the information–all of it–come out, but I believe that, while the delay to protect American lives, might deny the full measure of justice, it may be like vengeance in this instance and best be supped cold. Principle is likewise cold comfort when explaining to a grieving parent of a true patriot why their son had to die just months short of their return home to pay homage to the gods of justice. I think it wise here and in this instance to wait a while. There will be time for justice for the Bush-Cheney crime family, but I wouldn’t sacrifice one more life to get it.
Obama is one of the largest if not the biggest LIAR of all times.
OBAMA = NOTORIOUS LIAR, WAR CRIMINAL
Obama is synonymous with liar. If you say someone is an Obama that means he or she is a liar.
Here is link to just one of his many betrayals;
http://www.fpif.org/fpiftxt/5492
Nate,
Hold out both your hands, I am going to fill one with shit and the other with wishes. Ok, which one fills up the first? The Government is full of wishes and shit. With Obama, I am betting that wishes will be filled up first, but the other hand is getting mighty heavy.
That is all.
I will be joining the army shortly. I feel compelled to shoulder the burden no one else wants.
After discovering this latest turn of events, my heart sank. For the first time in my inner self, I felt suspicion towards my new president.
A little time passed, and the thought surfaced that among those Americans that are most hurt by our country’s failures (those on the front lines where I will soon be), this latest decision will prevent their burden from increasing. And then I believed Obama when he said he’s doing this for them.
I eagerly await the day our past administration will stand trial. I’ve personally forgiven them, but justice must still be served.
“When tyranny comes it will march under the banner of “public safety” as it always has done.” mespo
“I am sure the military intervened to convince the President that the timing was poor and that it could cost lives. If that is the case, it is a tough call, JT’s eloquence notwithstanding, and though our enemies already have pictographic motivation enough to hate and kill us, I would not want the blood of one more serviceman or servicewomen on my hands if I could achieve my purposes by other and less provocative means.” mespo
I clearly subscribe to the second…and owning many bobble heads sold at the wordpress store, are these statements compatible? Zikes!
Keeping Bush’s secrets
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/#30733246
Henry:
“What could be motivating Obama?” Indeed, investigating the DOD, DOJ, Congress and the Executive Branch, conspiring to commit war crimes in our name. Fractional Reserve Banking is broken, thanks in part to the banksters. The economy has been in a recession since 2006. Housing bubble will still unwind 20-30 percent of value. The worlds oil based economy begins to decline/breakdown. An our exponential debt based money system needs to get replaced, with what?
Hey Binx!
“…I don’t see it as the sine qua non either. As I said before we invest our leaders with discretion to fulfill their duties, and they are apt and encouraged to exercise it. I am sure the military intervened to convince the President that the timing was poor and that it could cost lives…”
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Great minds, mespo, great minds….
I agree – there is still much to be said for ‘timing’…
mespo,
No, I went to Morningside College, then law school at the University of Iowa, clerked for the 8th Circuit, taught in Australia, and now practice in Des Moines.
JW
Rafflaw,
The pictures would speak a thousand words to keep the pressure on to make our system work and would be consistent with demonstrating our commitment to getting the truth out and dealing with it ourselves. Governments that we do not (or should not) aspire to emulate would never do such an “embarrassing” thing for the sake of justice — we would definitely set ourselves apart by such a shining example.
Jonathan Turley is on the mark, consistently. We are either for the rule of law, and ALL that it entails (however shameful in the short term), or we’re not.
JW
One thing is for sure – after skipping past the weapons-grade spam herein, there were a number of posts with very stimulating intellectual challenges. It is Raflaw though, that I think states the position that I’m most comfortable with right now. It seems to me (and I am a self-proclaimed half-wit) that I don’t have to second guess every move Obama makes.
What I have noticed – not that there haven’t been some eloquent, fair and rationale contradictory points of view (and you know who you are)I simply just think it’s too early to get out the spray paint and marching shoes. I will though, immediately join the protest – when it is clear that the current actions aren’t in the best interest of the country.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/#30733246
Video
BTW, Jonathan Wilson did you attend William & Mary undergrad, and now practice in Atlanta?
rafflaw:
I doubt that, but if somebody thinks that, who cares? I would rather be the man who discovers the oil field than the guy who pretty’s up the oil derrick. Kudos to the founders and the originators. Hey Bron how’s that for invoking Ayn Rand!!
JW,
I agree with your eloquent statement. I just do not think we need these pictures to achieve that end.
The best (and most unique) way that we can distinguish us, our culture, our values, our way of life, and our system of government, is to make sure that ours is a system of laws and to be courageously willing to hold our own accountable when there is wrong-doing that’s been done. If we are going to be true to our best selves, we will not rely upon some judge in Spain, or at The Hague, to do that job. We will do it ourselves. We will let the wheels of justice (our own justice) grind, albeit slowly, but exceeding fine. In the process we will serve reconciliation and enhance our reputation — as well as setting a remarkable example — throughout the world.