On not releasing those photos and here is why...
Here are some facts:
- The news broke and a set of photos were released on Abu Ghraib in 2004.
- Seven soldiers were charged with dereliction of duty, aggravated assault, maltreatment, and battery.
- Two of those soldiers were sentenced to 10-year prison sentences.
- This incident was covered extensively first by "60 Minutes" and the MSM.
- We already know that Runsfeld, Cheney & Co. were directly involved in pushing for this harsh treatment/torture and subsequent debacle.
So let me ask a simple question: What does releasing this set of photos ADD to the debate that's going on right now on torture? And what happened during the Bush administration?
Here is my answer: ABSOLUTELY NOTHING
Obama made the right call. He's right now trying to win the hearts and minds of Muslims. Al Qaeda is scared shitless of Obama and his outreach to Muslims. We're in a very difficult fight in Iraq and especially Afghanistan/Pakistan. We're sending 20,000 additional troops to Afghanistan.
I know and I think you know why you really want to see these photos released and it's NOT because you have not idea what went down. You already know. The American people know. The media knows. Congress knows. The world knows.
You also know the content of these photos. How different can they be from the photos that were released from Abu Ghraib? At least in substance.
Congress today started holding hearings on torture. The Attorney General is about to release new torture memos that contradicts Cheney's statements on outcomes that saved, "...hundred of thousands of lives..." The Attorney General will also release recommendations about the torture memo authors who hopefully will face disbarment or worse.
You already have seen the photos from Abu Ghraib and if they didn't shock you then these new set won't do it either. But if you felt outraged then these photos will not add to that feeling, it will just bring you pain. And more pain right now is something that the nation can do without.
Obama made the right choice. He's responsible for protecting the lives of all the soldiers that are serving overseas and releasing these photos will only made their work/fight more difficult.
UPDATE: misspelled "muslims," sorry.