NY Times: Don’t Hide Pictures Of American Torture
We’ve tortured people. There are pictures. Under a 2009 law, more than 2000 photo taken at American military facilities have been kept from view.
On Wednesday, the American Civil Liberties Union won an important victory for transparency when a federal district judge in New York City, Alvin Hellerstein, rejected the government’s blanket claim of privilege for all the photos. Judge Hellerstein ordered the government to show why the release of the photos would endanger American lives, and to show that it had considered each photo individually.
President Obama agreed to the photos’ release after taking office in 2009 but changed his mind after pleas from military officials and Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki. The 2009 law — the Protected National Security Documents Act — created a three-year exemption from the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act.
Judge Hellerstein accepted the government’s first declaration, made in 2009, that it would withhold the photos. But he was more skeptical of its decision to do that again in 2012 because, he said, the public-safety rationale may have grown weaker with the passage of time…
It may be fairly easy for the Obama administration to satisfy this order and continue to keep the photographs from public view, but that would not make it right. The government should end the secrecy and release the photos.
We need to be transparent about our own abuses.
Copyright 2014 Liberaland
22 responses to NY Times: Don’t Hide Pictures Of American Torture
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edmeyer_able August 31st, 2014 at 14:51
Either way this goes the GOP will have something else to blame on Obama. If they are released, and I hope they aren’t, they’ll surely be a tool isis will use to their advantage which could be crucial in Iraq.
M D Reese August 31st, 2014 at 15:30
Isis has been making a point of water-boarding hostages before they kill them.
fahvel September 1st, 2014 at 03:30
and you know this as fact how?????
M D Reese September 1st, 2014 at 13:46
Try googling “isis waterboarding hostages”. But here’s a starter link for you:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/captives-held-by-islamic-state-were-waterboarded/2014/08/28/2b4e1962-2ec9-11e4-9b98-848790384093_story.html
rg9rts August 31st, 2014 at 16:15
They blame him for the sun rising in the east.. This is from a party that thinks a genuine political agenda is NO
edmeyer_able August 31st, 2014 at 14:51
Either way this goes the GOP will have something else to blame on Obama. If they are released, and I hope they aren’t, they’ll surely be a tool isis will use to their advantage which could be crucial in Iraq.
M D Reese August 31st, 2014 at 15:30
Isis has been making a point of water-boarding hostages before they kill them.
fahvel September 1st, 2014 at 03:30
and you know this as fact how?????
M D Reese September 1st, 2014 at 13:46
Try googling “isis waterboarding hostages”. But here’s a starter link for you:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/captives-held-by-islamic-state-were-waterboarded/2014/08/28/2b4e1962-2ec9-11e4-9b98-848790384093_story.html
rg9rts August 31st, 2014 at 16:15
They blame him for the sun rising in the east.. This is from a party that thinks a genuine political agenda is NO
rg9rts August 31st, 2014 at 15:23
It is wrong…If you want to REALLY wear the white hats behave that way. Sadly we fill our children’s minds with one thing then behave in the exact opposite in practice… and when caught exclaim”how could this happen???” You reap what you sow.
edmeyer_able August 31st, 2014 at 15:28
Just remember to place the blame where it belongs.
rg9rts August 31st, 2014 at 16:13
Bush, Cheney, Murder Inc in the docket at The Hague ..for crimes against humanity.. World wide warrants to be executed on site out side of the US.
fahvel September 1st, 2014 at 03:29
perfectly said but such dreams seem to be unrealizable. Somehow scum always seems to float -whether military scum, big finance scum or political dregs – they are part of what the state is and will always be unless the people, without a solitary leader, ignore them.
rg9rts August 31st, 2014 at 16:21
I know from my war
rg9rts August 31st, 2014 at 15:23
It is wrong…If you want to REALLY wear the white hats behave that way. Sadly we fill our children’s minds with one thing then behave in the exact opposite in practice… and when caught exclaim”how could this happen???” You reap what you sow.
edmeyer_able August 31st, 2014 at 15:28
Just remember to place the blame where it belongs.
rg9rts August 31st, 2014 at 16:13
Bush, Cheney, Murder Inc in the docket at The Hague ..for crimes against humanity.. World wide warrants to be executed on site out side of the US.
fahvel September 1st, 2014 at 03:29
perfectly said but such dreams seem to be unrealizable. Somehow scum always seems to float -whether military scum, big finance scum or political dregs – they are part of what the state is and will always be unless the people, without a solitary leader, ignore them.
rg9rts August 31st, 2014 at 16:21
I know from my war
Chinese Democracy August 31st, 2014 at 16:10
cue the torture makes us safer .. and.. they torture so we should too arguments from conservatives.
Chinese Democracy August 31st, 2014 at 16:10
cue the torture makes us safer .. and.. they torture so we should too arguments from conservatives.