Get Ready for Abu Ghraib, Act II

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1897203,00.html?iid=tsmodule

By Mark Thompson / Washington
Monday, May. 11, 2009

Are you ready for Abu Ghraib, Act II?

Five years ago, people around the world were sickened by photographs that surfaced showing U.S. troops abusing Iraqi inmates at Abu Ghraib prison in Baghdad. Act I resulted in an avalanche of congressional hearings, 15 Pentagon probes and courts-martial. More than 400 U.S. troops — but no senior officials — went to jail or were otherwise punished. Congress passed the Detainee Treatment Act to try to prevent future atrocities.

But now a new batch of photographs, perhaps hundreds of images, of prisoners being abused is about to be made public. It comes at a time when the debate over prisoner mistreatment is still roiling America's political and public conscience. The new photographs are being made public in a victory for the American Civil Liberties Union. And the Pentagon, after fighting, and losing, three federal court reviews of the matter, has waved the white flag and is now preparing to release the pictures. Some of the photographs are official; some, like the original Abu Ghraib collection, taken informally by soldiers. "We know this could make things tougher for our troops," a senior Pentagon official says, "but the court decisions really don't leave us with any other option." (See pictures of the aftershocks from the Abu Ghraib scandal.)

Two senior Senators on the Armed Services Committee beg to differ. Democrat Joe Lieberman of Connecticut and Republican Lindsey Graham of South Carolina have written to President Obama, urging him to fight the release. "We know that many terrorists captured in Iraq have told American interrogators that one of the reasons they decided to join the violent jihadist war against America was what they saw on al-Qaeda videos of abuse of detainees at Abu Ghraib," the pair wrote Obama May 6. "The release of these old photographs of past behavior that has now been clearly prohibited can serve no public good, but will empower al-Qaeda propaganda operations, hurt our country's image, and endanger our men and women in uniform." They have urged him to reverse the Pentagon's decision, which was made with the backing of the Justice Department, and, if necessary, appeal the case to the Supreme Court. (Read about the Army Field Manual.)

[SpiralHawk]

1. Lieberman - the right-wing toady - wants to cover-up the truth

typical

[annabanana]

2. I would be willing to forgo the release of additional torture pics IF

We could get an independent prosecutor and full-out investigation.

[fasttense]

3. Hmm, Gates, a bush appointee, seems to differ with the Republicons.

Gates is head of the Defense Department.

But really, Mr. Lieberman and Graham, if you didn't want pictures floating around that showed the horrible abuse of prisoners in American custody, shouldn't you have done something to stop the abuse and murder of prisoners? If you didn't want more people supporting Al Qaeda, maybe you should have done something to stop the torture of prisoners by Americans.

[Sal Minella]

4. So suppressing the photos is supposed to make everyone in the world FORGET

that the PRESIDENT of the United States of America approved the torture?

How is that supposed to work, exactly?

[ConcernedCanuk]

5. Only the US voters will forget - the REST of the world won't

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As long as the USA administration can fool their voters/taxpayers,

they don't seem to care what the rest of the World thinks.

Just keep them tax $$ coming to feed the War-Machine.

It's that simple methinks;

(sigh)

[Sal Minella]

6. Afraid you're right. And meanwhile, our RightWingers will be assuring

everybody that Abu Ghraib was A LONG LONG TIME AGO IN THE DISTANT PAST, and it was just "a few bad apples" and it needs to be forgotten now....whereas memories of Bill's blowjob will be kept fresh and new, ever uppermost in the thoughts of the faithful.