Should new photos of detainees being abused be released by gov?

[MessiahDecoy123]

Defense Secretary Robert Gates blocks the public release of photos showing detainees being abused by U.S. soldiers. He claims the release of such photos put soldiers at risk. Is it just part of a cover-up or does he have a legitimate point?

http://news.aol.com/article/defense-secretary-robert-gates-blocks/502866

 

[Oddzball]

The more secretive we are about what was done, the more likely it is to be both forgotten about and then repeated.

If "I was only following orders!" is a legitimate defense now, we owe a lot of convicted Nazi War Criminals apologies and if possible, restitution.

I for one have no desire to aplogize to the war ciminals of half a century ago.

 

[dnno1]

For national security reasons, I don't think we should release the photos. If the rest of the world knew what we did it would only justify more harsher measure taken on our own soldiers and citizens abroad. Maybe 50 years from now me might get to see a couple of them, but not today.

 

[Nivek]

No, all it is going to do is pi$$ off more people who are looking for an excuse to spread more hate about this country. They should only be used if we do bring Bush Administration officials like Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld to trial for violating basic constitutional principles. But even in those cases, photos just need to be shown in the courtroom.

 

[hippie_hunter]

I agree the only way those photos should be shown is in a courtroom and nowhere else.

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

Hiding the photos makes the government look like accomplices rather than arbiters of justice.

 

[Gilpesh]

Hiding the photos makes the government look like accomplices rather than arbiters of justice.

Hiding the photos and bringing the soldiers who committed abuses against detainees to justice aren't mutually exclusive.

 

[Marx]

I do not believe that these photos should be released. (Unless it is in a courtroom.) Releasing these pictures in any other way would only damage this country and be used as propaganda by our enemies.

 

[Nivek]

Hiding the photos makes the government look like accomplices rather than arbiters of justice.

No, it just gives the people we are fighting against more reasons to recruit because some of our leaders felt 9despite military and national law) that it was okay to cross the line on our nations timeclock. That's why I feel we need to punish in our Courts, by our nations laws, the people who green lighted the torture. No one, even Dick Cheney, is above the law. Their ego has caused more soldiers to get killed, and put our nation at greater risk.

 

[Tally Man]

I can see the logic from both sides on this one. This shouldn't have happened in the first place and covering up the photos just makes us look worse. At the same time I don't think anybody really wants to see the things turn up on any terrorist websites or other avenues as cannon fodder for their cause. Its a tough choice but I'm leaning more towards the side for releasing the photos because there is already so much out there in terms of our screw ups and frankly it seems like the government is trying to avoid further embarrassment.

 

[dnno1]

They should be released if they're happening. If that kind of stuff is going down whoever is committing it, be it on a personal or organisation/body level should be prepared for the consequences at least.

No need for photos to be found guilty as charge. Just a simple admission will do.

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

The public deserves to know what we're doing right to fight terrorism and what we're doing wrong. It is important to our democracy that Americans know why and how are name and credibility gets soiled overseas. A discussion needs to be had and the abuses need to be addressed in a public forum. A picture is worth a thousand words and the outrage and discourse over prisoner abuse is healthy for our democracy.

Sweeping these problems under the rug does not save lives in the long run because if prisoner abuse continues another terrorist mastermind will be born.

I suppose you guys feel that media should never report immoral actions by someone in our military out of fear of retaliation. What if a pilot bombs civilians. Would you prefer the military suppress the story or have the military release an apology and have the president denounce it for the world to hear.

 

[Marx]

The american public has already seen abuse photos from abu-ghraib. Is it really necessary to release even more? I don't think so.

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

If the abuses exist then there needs to be a current, public discussion until those in charge of these prisons understand it is completely unacceptable.

Without the outrage the photos would produce people may not be held accountable and these abuses will continue in our name.

 

[Kurosawa]

I have mixed feelings about this issue. One one hand, I feel releasing them will continue to feed the hatred radical Muslims have towards us, and on the other I feel that their hatred is so strong that it doesn't matter what we do. All I know is either way we lose.

 

[ChrisBaleBatman]

Doesn't really matter to them, I think. They'll keep using Abu-Ghraib against us for decades.

It can't be any worse than those were. Can't be...right?