Harkin says President Obama got the wrong advice on release of detainee photos

[struggle4progress]

Thursday, May 14, 2009, 11:47 AM
By Darwin Danielson

Iowa Senator Tom Harkin, a Democrat, disagrees with the President Obama's decision to reverse his course and not release photos allegedly showing U.S. personnel abusing prisoners.

Obama had originally said he would release the photos, then changed his stance saying the photos would influence anti-American opinion and endanger troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Harkin says the photos should be released as the public has a right to know what was done by government officials and says "it's especially true when it concerns official government policy that was in direct conflict with our most basic values and where laws were broken" ...

http://www.radioiowa.com/gestalt/go.cfm?objectid=4006E3A1-5056-B82A-378D582BEE2F3F38

[atreides1]

1. Thank you Senator Harkin

[Frustratedlady]

2. I'll give it the 5th rec. - I think more congress persons should speak up.

It appears foreign papers have some of the photos and/or are writing about them. The Bush administration should answer for what they have done.

More and more people are coming forth to voice what they have seen and heard, so it may just explode.

Perhaps that's what Obama was thinking would happen, which would keep him above the fray.

[FiveGoodMen]

3. And why did he TAKE the wrong advice?

[slipslidingaway]

4. Feingold Rebukes Obama For Detainee Photo Reversal

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=8405474&mesg_id=8405474

"Senator Russ Feingold became one of the first elected officials to criticize Barack Obama for his reversal on releasing of detainee abuse in a statement Wednesday afternoon. Saying he saw no "compelling reason" to object to the release of the images, the Wisconsin Democrat said:


"I am generally opposed to keeping the American people in the dark for no other reason than to shield misconduct, avoid embarrassment or other reasons not pertaining to national security. From what I've heard so far, I'm not convinced there is a compelling reason these photos shouldn't be released."


The remarks come just hours after the White House explained that it would be exploring an additional legal avenue to delay or potentially block the release of the detainee photos. Spokesman Robert Gibbs explained, during Wednesday's briefing, that the administration had not sufficiently explored the extent to which the publishing of these images could do damage "to our troops and our national security."

"That is the case that the legal team will now make," he added. "The Department of Justice will now seek to look for different avenues and, as I said earlier, will likely seek a stay."

Advocates for the release of the photos scoffed at the argument, noting that the administration had agreed to their release as recently as late April.

"We are extremely disappointed," said the ACLU's Alexander Abdo. "Understandably we believe this change in position is inconsistent with the promise made by Obama at the end of April. It is also inconsistent with his promises of transparency."

[slay]

5. Feingold is cool - and good for Harkin!

They are saying the exact same thing I was argueing with other DU'ers about yesterday! I was shocked to see so many Obama cheerleaders and TORTURE apologists trying to excuse that crap. Glad to see some of the leadership come out and back up my arguements - maybe some of the "cheerleaders" will now realize that IT'S OK TO DISAGREE WITH OBAMA WHEN HE IS WRONG!

Thanks for posting this slipslidingaway. :hi:

[slipslidingaway]

7. Glad they are not remaining silent on the issue...

and I agree with the ACLU.

http://www.aclu.org/safefree/torture/39455prs20090423.html

"...include images from prisons in Iraq and Afghanistan at locations other than Abu Ghraib.

"These photographs provide visual proof that prisoner abuse by U.S. personnel was not aberrational but widespread, reaching far beyond the walls of Abu Ghraib," said Amrit Singh, staff attorney with the ACLU. "Their disclosure is critical for helping the public understand the scope and scale of prisoner abuse as well as for holding senior officials accountable for authorizing or permitting such abuse."


:hi:

[slay]

9. Yes indeed - the ACLU makes the best argument of all for the release of the pictures

"These photographs provide visual proof that prisoner abuse by U.S. personnel was not aberrational but widespread, reaching far beyond the walls of Abu Ghraib," said Amrit Singh, staff attorney with the ACLU. "Their disclosure is critical for helping the public understand the scope and scale of prisoner abuse as well as for holding senior officials accountable for authorizing or permitting such abuse."

Yep, that about says it all. The ACLU rules - LOVE those people!

[Why Syzygy]

8. Ask them if

they criticized Obama when he said he would release them. Was he wrong then, now or never? :hi:

[bertman]

6. Recommend and kick.

[Wednesdays]

10. K&R

:kick:

[IndianaGreen]

11. Hell, we still got several Bush holdouts in the Pentagon

and some of them slithered into civil service positions just before Obama took office.

[MasonJar]

12. Kudos to Senator Harkin, a true statesman. And Obama may get bad

advice, but he does not have to accept it.