President Obama just contradicts himself on national tv.

[dgibby]

Just now on CNN, Pres. Obama essentially stated that although the photos in question were not any worse than the ones already released, he felt it would endanger the troops to release them (paraphrazed).:wtf:
I, for one, am sick and tired of the government acting as our Nanny.

[derby378]

1. "You can't handle the truth!"

:mad:

[dgibby]

13. Yeah, I can. That's why I want them released!

We need to get this stuff out into the sunshine.

[lamp_shade]

2. Please explain how he contradicted himself. When did he say he was going to release the photos?

[dgibby]

16. Here ya go!

http://www.americablog.com/2009/05/obama-reverses-self-on-releasing.html

My point was that if the photos are no worse that the ones already released, then it's a very weak argument that it would somehow endanger the troops.

We are the only people in the world who haven't seen pictures of the "collateral damage" we've done.

[lamp_shade]

19. Thanks.

[dgibby]

20. You're welcome.

[NewJeffCT]

3. it's only here in the US that people don't know about them

I'm sure outside the US, most of the world knows exactly what is in the pics

[John Q. Citizen]

4. Joe Lieberman, Ben Nelson, Max Baucus, D. Fienstien all endangered the troops. Can we lock them up

too?

[Sebastian Doyle]

11. Yes we should. Permanently.

So they can be replaced by actual DEMOCRATS.

[pnwmom]

5. "Nanny state" is a favorite Rethug term used to denigrate

Medicare and other social programs. I'm always surprised when Dems adopt the term.

If there were a terrorist attack on U.S. troops after a release of new photos, Obama would get the blame. He's caught between a rock and a hard place, IMHO.

[GodlessBiker]

7. You don't think he'll get the blame whether he releases the photos or not?

[NewJeffCT]

9. Yes, the RW media machine will go into overdrive

blaming Obama for it, even though any terror attack on the US in the US in the next 20 years will likely be the result of Bush-Cheney policies.

[Echo In Light]

8. That's only a valid view if you don't understand that there is no "war on terror."

[dgibby]

18. I am NOT referring to entitlement programs.

There are many forms of "Nannyism". One is for the MSM, gov't, military industrial complex, and other war profiteers to decide what we can and cannot see/know/be aware of. If the American people were to actually see the damage we've done, do you think we'd still be in Iraq or Afghanistan?
The government has done far more to put and keep those troops in harm's way than those pictures ever will.

[pnwmom]

23. I know you weren't, I just avoid using the term Nannyism

because of the connotations that the word carries -- implying that the speaker is also against things most Dems support.

In this case, I'd also be careful about saying "the government," too. It was the BUSH administration that sent troops into Iraq, and the Bush administration that would have done that WITH OR WITHOUT ANY DEMOCRATIC SUPPORT. Some of the Dems went along with a compromise war resolution that they hoped would prevent Bush from attacking unless WMD were found -- because they knew that otherwise, the new incoming Republican majority would give Bush anything he wanted, with or without the Dems help. As it turned out, Bush ignored the parts of the war resolution that were supposed to limit him.

But, again, he didn't need an October resolution to attack Iraq; all he had to do was wait for the Rethugs to take office in January and he would have had a blank check.

[Parker CA]

6. They are appealing the ruling, He is indicating based on previous results that the photos will

be made public, just as the last batch were. He is doing the exact same thing he did last time, stalling with an appeal (this time on different grounds) until a judge makes an official ruling on the matter.

This same outrage happened a month ago, but this time around the reasoning from the WH is different and catching more heat from the left. Using recent actions as evidence, I have no reason to believe the ultimate ruling in early June will not overule the appeal attempt and that the photos will be released.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

10. I agree and expect to see the photos released

With this statement from Obama there's less room for the Republicans to blame Obama and/or his administration for any surge in violence these photos create.

I just wish they'd use the torture issue, and the ramifications US troops face due to it, to pull the troops out faster.

[Parker CA]

14. Lone, one step at a time. If he lets the concept sit for awhile, when he spins it back on the pukes

it will have an even greater impact.

[sandnsea]

12. All nice and legal, in the courts, not political

He's done everything that way. By the book. No future administration can ignore it as "politics" because the courts will have decided everything. He's actually protecting the Constitution, but don't expect the kneejerkers to ever get it.

[Parker CA]

15. I agree, Sand, and I'm one to believe these steps help Obama not only to abide by the rule of law,

but also to leave the constant drip, drip, drip, of the torture topic in the MSM and public discourse for as long as possible.

[iamtechus]

21. The waging of agressive war against Iraq is illegal

And everything that flows from that act is illegal. The occupation is illegal. The troops are there illegally. Get it? If they are endangered it is because they have not been withdrawn from where they don't belong, not because some photos are released.

[sandnsea]

22. If you want to get legal,

Like it or not, we've been there "legally" for a long time. This isn't the first UN sanctioned "agreement" that was made with Iraq. Further, either the Geneva Convention or UN Charter REQUIRES an invading country to provide security after their invasion. So even though the invasion was illegal, the technical legal responsibility after the invasion is to stay until the country is secure.

International Compact With Iraq
http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2007/note6078.doc.htm


http://www.un.org/News/dh/infocus/iraq/mid_year_progress_rpt.pdf
2007 Mid-Year Progress Report

2.1.1.2 Developing the capabilities of Iraqi security forces;
Over the last three years the security ministries have put an enormous effort in
accelerating the build up of security force resources by training and equipping over
300,000 members of the Interior and Defence Ministries. The Interior Ministry has
completed the build up of its forces and are now working together with Coalition Forces to
strengthen capabilities. While the Defence Ministry is currently working under the
command of the Coalition Forces, a deliberate program for transition is progressing,
which the Government estimates to be 85% complete.
To accelerate the build up of the security forces and the transitioning of command to the
Iraqi Government, an agreement was reached in January 2006 between the Prime Minister
of Iraq and the President of the United States. The agreement involves the formation of
nine working groups as follows:
• Training and equipping the Interior Ministry Forces;
• Development of ministerial resources to achieve security independence;
• Development of the Intelligence Services;
• Transferring security responsibilities in Iraqi provinces;
• Transferring operation command to Iraqi combat forces;
• Development of National Security structuring;

[PufPuf23]

24. An AHA!!! moment for me was when ...

I realized that the post-invasion chaos in Iraq was by design rather than stupid.

[sandnsea]

25. Very possibly

Especially right after the invasion with the artifacts being stolen, hospitals looted, etc. Yes if there was a disaster there it would be legally necessary for us to stay a long time to "fix it". I kind of think we need to dismantle the CIA and start over with something else.

[YOY]

17. Self Delete

n/t

[truedelphi]

26. I too am tired of having our government be a Corporate Nanny.

And a pickpocket picking Nanny at that!

[slay]

27. I'm getting sick of it too dgibby!

After the terrible secrecy of the Bush administration - and then to be PROMISED these photos, just to have OBAMA of all people yank them away from us is just unthinkable! This is not what I voted for - someone to help cover-up the crimes of the Bush administration! :banghead:

[MadMaddie]

28. I suspect there is more to not releasing the photos at this moment

We all know the Administration especially Hillary are trying to reach out to some of the questionable Middle-East countries, it is possible that if these photos come out at this moment they could jeopordize those negotiations.

There is also the fact that there are investigations that are starting, is it possible those photos are evidence?

Sometimes we try to simplify complicated issues. President Obama whether we like it or not has a lot of broken shit to fix and he has to get it right the first time. If by holding these pictures back for 1 or 2 more months would allow any prosecutor to build an airtight case would you be willing to throw away that opportunity for immediate satisfaction? Just askin...