Petraeus wants to release all photos of detainees in Iraq and Afghanistan

[Farnan]

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009...nee-treatment/

I know its fox news, but this is another change in policy by the General. He already ended the "Everything is Perfect Everywhere" mantra from Rumsfeld, and is now being as open as possible. As I stated in my paper this is extremely good counterinsurgency wise.

[Aldgarkalaughskel]

Well, good luck with that. If those happen, I sense a major international scandal, protests and turmoil in the Middle East and an uprising of USA-bashing. But I don't think those photos will be revealed, as they contain classified information. What would be the purpose of revealing them anyway?

[Farnan]

Well, good luck with that. If those happen, I sense a major international scandal, protests and turmoil in the Middle East and an uprising of USA-bashing. But I don't think those photos will be revealed, as they contain classified information. What would be the purpose of revealing them anyway?

Two reasons:

1) It ends the whole argument over releasing photos so we don't have to deal with that anymore. There is no more lawsuits there.

2) Generates trust. By releasing these photos and being open and honest, when Petraeus or Gates say "Trust Us" or make a speech then people will trust what they are saying to be honest. If people assume they are lying then it makes their ability to do what they need is very much reduced.

[Heinz Guderian]

Are they going to release the video where US soldiers repeatedly rape an Iraqi woman held in prison?

[Farnan]

Are they going to release the video where US soldiers repeatedly rape an Iraqi woman held in prison?

Probably not on the internet, sorry Heinz

But yea, watching a speech by him to Harvard. He says that the military has to break the story first, and they have to be honest. If there is a bad day, they need to go on the microphone and say they are having a bad day.

[Heinz Guderian]

Probably not on the internet, sorry Heinz

i dont find the rape of an iraqi female prisoner by US soldiers to be particularly funny. the video was watched by US Pentagon officials as well as Rumsfled. They said they were going to release it, but it never was.

But yea, watching a speech by him to Harvard. He says that the military has to break the story first, and they have to be honest. If there is a bad day, they need to go on the microphone and say they are having a bad day.

Aren't the US being forced to do this by a Freedom of Information Lawsuit rather than Patreus being astute?

The Obama Administration is to release up to 2,000 photographs showing the abuse of prisoners in Iraq and Afghanistan, a move that will intensify pressure on the White House to back the prosecution of Bush-era officials for authorising alleged torture.



The release of the pictures, forced on the White House by a freedom of information lawsuit lodged five years ago, will complicate President Obama's desire to move on from the abuse issue, which has begun to bedevil his presidency. The images are proof that the brutal treatment of detainees went far beyond the Abu Ghraib prison scandal in Iraq. They must be made public by May 28.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/new...cle6164753.ece

[Aldgarkalaughskel]

Two reasons:

1) It ends the whole argument over releasing photos so we don't have to deal with that anymore. There is no more lawsuits there.

Wouldn't it give cause to even more lawsuits?

2) Generates trust. By releasing these photos and being open and honest, when Petraeus or Gates say "Trust Us" or make a speech then people will trust what they are saying to be honest. If people assume they are lying then it makes their ability to do what they need is very much reduced.

I don't see how it would generate trust, it would only enhance the conviction that the USA did some very nasty things, namely crimes against humanity in those wars. And of course, if the USA wouldn't declare its immunity to major international treaties, it would lead to prosecutions of US officers / other governmental personnel before the International Criminal Court. No wonder why the "greatest country on the face of Earth" (as Bush liked to put it) didn't sign the Rome Statute, that basically every civilized country signed and applies.

[Stavroforos]

In my opinion, it shows accountability. The US government and armed forces recognize that crimes may have been committed, and by bringing them out to the open instead of ignoring them or denying their existance, they show that it is not what the US stands for.

This is probably a better PR move for Westerners than it is for the Muslim world though.

[Babur]

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009...nee-treatment/

I know its fox news, but this is another change in policy by the General. He already ended the "Everything is Perfect Everywhere" mantra from Rumsfeld, and is now being as open as possible. As I stated in my paper this is extremely good counterinsurgency wise.

This is good news but long overdue

[Каие]

That it, he's been outed. Patreus is a liberal.

[Hilarion]

I support anything General Petraeus does/says, mainly because of how awesome his name is.

[mrmouth]

drop the ing act Heinz. you're only crying about this because it was the US.

[Heinz Guderian]

drop the ing act Heinz. you're only crying about this because it was the US.

Srsly? Is that srsly all you got?

If there anything like him they are either spending their lives at Fort Leavenworth or facing the death penalty.

i'll await the pictures. I'll wait to see if i can pick out any people i know.

Evidently you missed "She told us, 'We have daughters and husbands. For God's sake don't tell anyone about this.'" of your link. They dont want to be identified, it can be done if these guys are guilty (since when after all is guilt established by a news article and not a trial be it Gitmo detainees, Americans or whoever) without releasing something that would further harm the women.

I bet there are a few americans out there that are praying that you are right as they uneasily watch fox news.

[danzig]

I bet there are a few americans out there that are praying that you are right as they uneasily watch fox news.

Do you have a point here or are just ranting for the sake of ranting?

[Heinz Guderian]

Do you have a point here or are just ranting for the sake of ranting?

you normally follow a thread quite well. But since your getting uncomfortable with the subject matter much like Barnaby (omg you are just saying this cos you hate 'merica!) Jones, then i will reaffirm my point.

If no pics are forthcoming of american rape and torture of women (and we know that they exist according to a Pentagon panel) in this attempt to be more open and trustworthy "we srsly dont rape and torture" american military, then its a BS attempt by Patreaus to try to gain the moral high ground.

Also, you ****ed up big in Iraq and i love telling you about it.

[Trey]

you normally follow a thread quite well. But since your getting uncomfortable with the subject matter much like Barnaby (omg you are just saying this cos you hate 'merica!) Jones, then i will reaffirm my point.

If no pics are forthcoming of american rape and torture of women (and we know that they exist according to a Pentagon panel) in this attempt to be more open and trustworthy "we srsly dont rape and torture" american military, then its a BS attempt by Patreaus to try to gain the moral high ground.

Also, you ****ed up big in Iraq and i love telling you about it.

Remember who this ing deals with, grow up. If all the women want the pictures released, show them ALL. If they don't want the pictures released, don't ing show them. Many people who are sexually abused don't even bring it to trial because they can't bear to rehash the events, and they aren't forced to-why do it with these women?

And stop sounding like a bitter old man.

[Arjun]

@ topic


this is really great news! and would further help the congressional push for the prosecution of these abusers. Time to take a long hard look the previous administrations policy of torture and abuse of prisoners. as much as i hate taliban or the al-qaida; the last thing i want is some idiotic politicians and their military lackeys tainting the rest with their personal crusade involving torture and rape. Anyone who watched the movie "Taxi to the dark side" knows how innocents were tortured and even killed.


In other words; thanks to such idiotic policies; people who would have been pro american are now pushed to swell the ranks of the al-quida. the last 8 years was nothing but a HUGE "shoot our own foot" fest.


PS: also the release of these pics would make a lot of Americans who just go on with the "we are patriots" BS some politicians give as a blanket excuse to sweep all this into under the carpet. Let everybody see the results and then decide about what we first set out to do; and how much it has been derailed by the agendas of certain politicians.

[Farnan]

I think this is the face you'll see...

And he was sentenced to 10 years of Leavenworth. He is also receiving a DHD which means he will never get a job anywhere ever again...

[Gumpfendorfer]

I would argue that revealing all the dirt is most important for America itself. So there can be absolutely no doubt whatsoever about the damage done by 8 years of Bush, who slowly but steadily moved towards a country which had little do to do with democracy. It is clear that general P cares about the Army too much to have its reputation tarnished over and over again. He just wants to make sure it never happens again. Smart man he is.

[Aetius]

Hey Heinz, I am the one who insult-repped you very recently, and I admit, you deserve all of it.

First off, stop insulting us Americans like we are the representatives of the Bush Administration(no such thing as guilt by association). There are 300 MILLION of us in this country, all with varying opinion with little real control of our out-of-control government.

The invasion of Iraq was built upon lies, which we did not vote on, our congress did. Now after many years of our finincial suffering (which we will pay for decades to come) Iraq has gained a semblance of stability. Iraqi suffering is also tremendous, what happened is terrible but finger pointing does NOTHING now.

Patraeus is one of the best men in our government, and releasing these photos shows his credibility toward the ideals of our nation being open and free.