Judge Orders Release of Abu Ghraib Photos
Thu Sep 29, 2005 23:11
64.140.158.58
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Judge Orders Release of Abu Ghraib Photos
Date: Thu, 29 Sep 2005 16:51:57 -0700
From: Darren [AvIntel & InfoEdge Groups] avintel@netzero.com
This is why our country should have, all along, truly been of character
and moral principle (but then we would not have warred against Iraq).
If we had truly walked our Christian talk, and treated prisoners within
the guidelines of The Geneva Convention of Warm,, then we would never
have had to ~FEAR~ BLOWBACK because of some photos soon to be released.
And this is potentially TERORRISIM BLOWBACK where Americans will finally
know that they were lied to about Iraq, and lied to regarding "fighting
them over there so we don't have to fight 'em here" adolescence
abstraction the president is gifted at appeasing the football fans with.
We should never treat prisoners of war, nor unlawful combatants, as if
they are of less value than one's self or less than the worst animal.
When we devalue ourselves to such behaviors, we are no better than the
most non-thinking animals, as evidenced by the Iraq war prisoner photos
of U.S. military staff stacking them up naked for photo opportunities.
Darren
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/29/AR2005092901009_pf.html
Judge Orders Release of Abu Ghraib Photos
By LARRY NEUMEISTER
The Associated Press
Thursday, September 29, 2005; 7:00 PM
NEW YORK -- A federal judge Thursday ordered the release of dozens more
pictures of prisoners being abused at Abu Ghraib, rejecting government
arguments that the images would provoke terrorists and incite violence
against U.S. troops in Iraq.
U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein said that terrorists "do not
need pretexts for their barbarism" and that suppressing the pictures
would amount to submitting to blackmail.
"Our nation does not surrender to blackmail, and fear of blackmail is
not a legally sufficient argument to prevent us from performing a
statutory command. Indeed, the freedoms that we champion are as
important to our success in Iraq and Afghanistan as the guns and
missiles with which our troops are armed," he said.
Hellerstein ordered the release of 74 pictures and three videotapes from
the Abu Ghraib prison, potentially opening the military up to more
embarrassment from a scandal that stirred outrage around the world last
year when photos of 2003 abuse became public.
The photographs covered by Thursday's ruling were taken by a soldier. A
military policeman who saw them turned them over to the Army. Some may
be duplicates of photos already seen by the public.
An appeal of Hellerstein's ruling is expected, which could delay release
of the pictures for months.
Gen. John Abizaid, commander of U.S. Central Command, said Thursday that
releasing the photos would hinder his work against terrorism.
"When we continue to pick at the wound and show the pictures over and
over again it just creates the image _ a false image _ like this is the
sort of stuff that is happening anew, and it's not," Abizaid said.
The American Civil Liberties Union sought release of the photographs and
videotapes as part of an October 2003 lawsuit demanding information on
the treatment of detainees in U.S. custody and the transfer of prisoners
to countries known to use torture. The ACLU contends that prisoner abuse
is systemic.
"It's a historic ruling, said ACLU Executive Director Anthony Romero.
"While no one wants to see what's on the photos or videos, they will
play an essential role in holding our government leaders accountable for
the torture that's happened on their watch."
The government argued that America's enemies might exploit the pictures
for propaganda purposes by saying the photos represent the attitudes of
all Americans toward the Iraqi people.
The judge acknowledged such a risk but said "the education and debate
that such publicity will foster will strengthen our purpose, and, by
enabling such deficiencies as may be perceived to be debated and
corrected, show our strength as a vibrant and functioning democracy to
be emulated."
Bridget F. Kelly, a spokeswoman for the U.S. attorney's office in
Manhattan, said her office was reviewing the ruling and considering its
options.
Gen. Richard B. Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, had argued
in court papers that releasing the photographs would aid al-Qaida
recruitment, weaken the Afghan and Iraqi governments and incite riots
against American troops.
But the judge said: "My task is not to defer to our worst fears, but to
interpret and apply the law, in this case, the Freedom of Information
Act, which advances values important to our society, transparency and
accountability in government."
The ACLU had sought the release of 87 photographs and four videotapes
altogether. The judge viewed the pictures and videotapes and ordered
some of them edited. Romero said those images apparently contained so
many redactions that they would have been unintelligible.
The judge said the pictures were important because they were the best
evidence of what happened and because they "initiate debate, not only
about the improper and unlawful conduct of American soldiers, `rogue'
soldiers, as they have been characterized, but also about other
important questions as well."
C 2005 The Associated Press
Subject: Judge Orders Release of Abu Ghraib Photos
Date: Thu, 29 Sep 2005 16:51:57 -0700
From: Darren [AvIntel & InfoEdge Groups] avintel@netzero.com
This is why our country should have, all along, truly been of character
and moral principle (but then we would not have warred against Iraq).
If we had truly walked our Christian talk, and treated prisoners within
the guidelines of The Geneva Convention of Warm,, then we would never
have had to ~FEAR~ BLOWBACK because of some photos soon to be released.
And this is potentially TERORRISIM BLOWBACK where Americans will finally
know that they were lied to about Iraq, and lied to regarding "fighting
them over there so we don't have to fight 'em here" adolescence
abstraction the president is gifted at appeasing the football fans with.
We should never treat prisoners of war, nor unlawful combatants, as if
they are of less value than one's self or less than the worst animal.
When we devalue ourselves to such behaviors, we are no better than the
most non-thinking animals, as evidenced by the Iraq war prisoner photos
of U.S. military staff stacking them up naked for photo opportunities.
Darren
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/29/AR2005092901009_pf.html
Judge Orders Release of Abu Ghraib Photos
By LARRY NEUMEISTER
The Associated Press
Thursday, September 29, 2005; 7:00 PM
NEW YORK -- A federal judge Thursday ordered the release of dozens more
pictures of prisoners being abused at Abu Ghraib, rejecting government
arguments that the images would provoke terrorists and incite violence
against U.S. troops in Iraq.
U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein said that terrorists "do not
need pretexts for their barbarism" and that suppressing the pictures
would amount to submitting to blackmail.
"Our nation does not surrender to blackmail, and fear of blackmail is
not a legally sufficient argument to prevent us from performing a
statutory command. Indeed, the freedoms that we champion are as
important to our success in Iraq and Afghanistan as the guns and
missiles with which our troops are armed," he said.
Hellerstein ordered the release of 74 pictures and three videotapes from
the Abu Ghraib prison, potentially opening the military up to more
embarrassment from a scandal that stirred outrage around the world last
year when photos of 2003 abuse became public.
The photographs covered by Thursday's ruling were taken by a soldier. A
military policeman who saw them turned them over to the Army. Some may
be duplicates of photos already seen by the public.
An appeal of Hellerstein's ruling is expected, which could delay release
of the pictures for months.
Gen. John Abizaid, commander of U.S. Central Command, said Thursday that
releasing the photos would hinder his work against terrorism.
"When we continue to pick at the wound and show the pictures over and
over again it just creates the image _ a false image _ like this is the
sort of stuff that is happening anew, and it's not," Abizaid said.
The American Civil Liberties Union sought release of the photographs and
videotapes as part of an October 2003 lawsuit demanding information on
the treatment of detainees in U.S. custody and the transfer of prisoners
to countries known to use torture. The ACLU contends that prisoner abuse
is systemic.
"It's a historic ruling, said ACLU Executive Director Anthony Romero.
"While no one wants to see what's on the photos or videos, they will
play an essential role in holding our government leaders accountable for
the torture that's happened on their watch."
The government argued that America's enemies might exploit the pictures
for propaganda purposes by saying the photos represent the attitudes of
all Americans toward the Iraqi people.
The judge acknowledged such a risk but said "the education and debate
that such publicity will foster will strengthen our purpose, and, by
enabling such deficiencies as may be perceived to be debated and
corrected, show our strength as a vibrant and functioning democracy to
be emulated."
Bridget F. Kelly, a spokeswoman for the U.S. attorney's office in
Manhattan, said her office was reviewing the ruling and considering its
options.
Gen. Richard B. Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, had argued
in court papers that releasing the photographs would aid al-Qaida
recruitment, weaken the Afghan and Iraqi governments and incite riots
against American troops.
But the judge said: "My task is not to defer to our worst fears, but to
interpret and apply the law, in this case, the Freedom of Information
Act, which advances values important to our society, transparency and
accountability in government."
The ACLU had sought the release of 87 photographs and four videotapes
altogether. The judge viewed the pictures and videotapes and ordered
some of them edited. Romero said those images apparently contained so
many redactions that they would have been unintelligible.
The judge said the pictures were important because they were the best
evidence of what happened and because they "initiate debate, not only
about the improper and unlawful conduct of American soldiers, `rogue'
soldiers, as they have been characterized, but also about other
important questions as well."
C 2005 The Associated Press
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