SR_
Junior Member
I gave you my answer: the law requires it.
Now answer mine.
So if Obama wins in his attempt to keep the photos from being published you will support that... as the law requires it?
I find that hard to believe.
SR
I gave you my answer: the law requires it.
Now answer mine.
So if Obama wins in his attempt to keep the photos from being published you will support that... as the law requires it?
I find that hard to believe.
SR
Just like:The photos SHOULD be released BECAUSE they exist.....
Just like:
Bill Clinton's medical records;
Barack Obama's college records.
None will see the light of day.
Except that the voters should have the opportunity to see if the candidate is qualified. And we already have them disclose financial records.But the above are not public records subject to FOIA whereas the items at issue are public records. Moreover, were the above public records subject to FOIA, FOIA has a privacy protections that protect against the disclosure of such private records.
Apples and aardvarks my dear friend.
While I am not arguing for them to be held back... In the interest of logical debate: The same argument could be made in the other direction. If the world "already knows" then nothing can be gained through their release other than emotive response to graphic depictions that were otherwise only known mentally.
Except that the voters should have the opportunity to see if the candidate is qualified. And we already have them disclose financial records.
Laws are open for interpretation, no?OK. Well, there is what the law is and there is what the law ought to be. You are arguing about the latter. I'm telling you what is the former.
So, this just further proves what we did was wrong. Now we can not own up to what we have done because it will make the world angry.
Just hide it and hope it goes away...just let the people who caused this kind of trouble for America just get away with it all.
You are aware of the abuses are you not?
You are aware of the investigations into the abuses are you not?
You have seen photos of the abuses have you not?
People were prosecuted and disciplined where they not?
Changes were instituted were they not?
At what point has something or is something being hid? At what point was there hope that it would all go away without action being taken?
No one is advocating that anyone "get away" with something. There is nothing to be "brought to light" that hasnt already had shined upon and fixed.
The point being is that we DID own up to it. People are in prison BECAUSE of it. And change were made BECAUSE of it.
What possible gain is there to be had by releasing 2000 additional photos of what you already know about, now?
SR
So, this just further proves what we did was wrong. Now we can not own up to what we have done because it will make the world angry.
Just hide it and hope it goes away...just let the people who caused this kind of trouble for America just get away with it all.
You are aware of the abuses are you not?
You are aware of the investigations into the abuses are you not?
You have seen photos of the abuses have you not?
People were prosecuted and disciplined where they not?
Changes were instituted were they not?
At what point has something or is something being hid? At what point was there hope that it would all go away without action being taken?
No one is advocating that anyone "get away" with something. There is nothing to be "brought to light" that hasnt already had shined upon and fixed.
The point being is that we DID own up to it. People are in prison BECAUSE of it. And change were made BECAUSE of it.
What possible gain is there to be had by releasing 2000 additional photos of what you already know about, now?
SR
The gain is people tend to remember when they actually see something like the photos from Abu Ghraib. Anyone who has seen them remembers them.
It's the difference between being told about a car accident and actually seeing someone's head severed. One tends to remember the visual and that's what's needed.
It's needed because the average US citizen has to become so pissed off and outraged that it never, ever happens again. That's why Obama is concerned the pictures will cause anti US sentiment. That shows that just knowing is not the same as actually seeing.
If it was one isolated case, one sadistic prison guard, then I'd say they shouldn't be shown. But that's not the case. There was a policy of "enhanced interrogation". An acceptance of looking the other way.
Have you heard Cheney talk about water boarding during interviews? He had no problem with that, at all. It gives the impression he wouldn't have a problem with other things that most people would consider torture.
The things that happened and the frequency can not lead one to believe anything other than top people knew and either directed it or turned a blind eye to it. The people have to become outraged enough to ensure any successive government doesn't dare let that happen on their watch or they will be held responsible.
I support the administrations efforts to keep the photos from being published because there is demonstrable negative effects with no positive benefits to publishing them.
The existence of the photos proved helpful in the investigations of those who perpetrated abuses on detainees. These investigations were not secret. The fact that the abuses occurred were not secret. The results of these investigations are not secret. The American people as well as the world are already aware of the abuses that occurred. Publishing photos several years after the fact, DURING on ongoing campaign in 2 theaters of war that serves no purpose to enlighten, educate, or incur change in the United States of America and does further damage to the efforts at hand (of which we have made progress), and endangers military personnel serving abroad as well as civilians on the homefront... isnt wise.
I dont imagine there is anything in these photos that you do not know about, nor is there any beneficial purpose to be served by releasing them.
If I was in the position of a senior military commander in either Afghanistan or Iraq I would want to continue to make progress, not absorb the consequences of 2000 photos of actions that happened several years ago to re-inflame a situation that is calming down. Especially in Iraq. There is no doubt that the Abu Grahib photos caused American Military casualties due to the recruiting and igniting effect that those photos gave to insurgent and terrorist groups in Iraq. Not to mention the effect in the region in regards to American standing. This was well documented, and I would argue, expected.
The breaking and making public of those photos shed light on a disturbing set of actions undertaken by some military members. It led to investigations and systematic changes in addition to successful prosecutions of those involved. This was made public and positive changes occurred. These latest rounds of photos are evidence of those actions taken back then, we have since made progress in keeping these incidents from happening. Releasing these photos now has none of the previous effect of the original Abu Grahib photos.
With nothing to gain and with so much to lose, especially with the national security and the security of our deployed Military personnel at stake, there really are no reasons to advocate for their release. Im hoping that the President is successful in this effort.
SR
"Demonstrable" doesn't mean what you seem to think it means.
SHUT UP! You should really try engaging your fried remnants of a brain before opening your mouth. The photos in question are nothing more then additions to what have ALREADY been made public. They would serve NO other purpose other than to inflame. Obama gets that, but stupid jaw flapping idiots just can't seem to connect the obvious dots.
There is no outrage to effect changes that have not already occurred.