*sigh* "The US will release dozens of pictures depicting prisoner abuse by the American military and intelligence agents after the Obama administration dropped an appeal to block a Freedom of Information Act request by the ACLU."

What is the point of doing this now? Oh yeah... transparency. I just don't understand what is to be gained by doing this now. Last time this happened in 2004, a firestorm of hate against the U.S. military around the world happened because of a small group of imbeciles, even though the military had already acted to clean up the problem. The damage done to the Army's reputation in particular has never been undone.

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Calling the ACLU push to release the photographs “prurient” and “reprehensible,” Dr. Mark M. Lowenthal, former Assistant Director of Central Intelligence for Analysis and Production, tells ABC News that the Obama administration should have taken the case all the way to the Supreme Court. Lowenthal said the president’s moves in the last week have left many in the CIA dispirited, based on “the undercurrent I’ve been getting from colleagues still in the building, or colleagues who have left not that long ago.” “We ask these people to do extremely dangerous things, things they’ve been ordered to do by legal authorities, with the understanding that they will get top cover if something goes wrong,” Lowenthal says. “They don’t believe they have that cover anymore.” Releasing the photographs “will make it much worse,” he said.

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalp...-adminis-3.html

If abuses occur, hell yes we should take care of them. But WTF... I'm not justifying but there has never been a war when they DIDN'T take place, it's just that now these instances are being made part of the public mainstream for political reasons of moral authority, and it's sickening. More jihadi recruits to follow. Our entire military is about to get besmirched again, and for what?

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Originally posted by The17sss *sigh* "The US will release dozens of pictures depicting prisoner abuse by the American military and intelligence agents after the Obama administration dropped an appeal to block a Freedom of Information Act request by the ACLU." What is the point of doing this now? Oh yeah... transparency. I just don't understand what is to be gained by doing this now. Last time this happened in 2004, a firestorm of hate against the U.S. military around the world happened because of a small group of imbeciles, even though the military had already acted to clean up the problem. The damage done to the Army's reputation in particular has never been undone.

Your ignorance on this is astounding.

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Last time this happened in 2004, a firestorm of hate against the U.S. military around the world happened because of a small group of imbeciles, even though the military had already acted to clean up the problem.

That is COMPLETELY incorrect. We prosecuted soldiers at Abu Ghraib for taking pictures of what they were supposed to be doing. "The only person ranked above staff sergeant to face a court-martial was cleared of criminal wrongdoing. "

Read this, it's an amazing piece:

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/...currentPage=all

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http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalp...-adminis-3.html If abuses occur, hell yes we should take care of them. But WTF... I'm not justifying but there has never been a war when they DIDN'T take place, it's just that now these instances are being made part of the public mainstream for political reasons of moral authority, and it's sickening. More jihadi recruits to follow. Our entire military is about to get besmirched again, and for what?

Because there is a difference between a few bad apples mis behaving, and STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE, which is where these abuses lie.

If our military is concerned about its image it should be concerned about what it allows its soldiers to do.

No high ranking officials, people who allowed the situation at Abu Ghraib entirely, have ever faced any repercussions from the whole affair.

I think it would be nice if we went over that again.

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Originally posted by ******** Seplling don't demonstrate intelligence and educatoin - knowing does.

17sss, is there ANYTHING about Obama that you like / dont mind him doing? i.e. did you like that tie he was wearing today and/or yesterday?

Instead of all this criticism of Obama decisions why don't you just get straight to the point to make it all clear. No more beating around the bush. Like, seriously.

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Whenever you go and buy something, you are affecting someone somewhere, be it environment, a person, or a community - you're making a statement with what you buy. So make it a smart choice ... Its a big picture

It's sad that you focus on these pictures being released instead of the actual torture taking place.

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Originally posted by Magnetonium 17sss, is there ANYTHING about Obama that you like / dont mind him doing? i.e. did you like that tie he was wearing today and/or yesterday? Instead of all this criticism of Obama decisions why don't you just get straight to the point to make it all clear. No more beating around the bush. Like, seriously.

I think he'd be cool to smoke a cigar with and watch a basketball game... I think he's an interesting person. I just despise his politics.

Krypton: I'm focusing on the fact that we've been down the photo road already, and releasing more will unleash another wave of hatred for our military around the world. Why now? What's the point of doing this? Viewing such photos alone removes some of the context and creates more anti-americanism than provides valuable information. If investigations need to be had, by all means. If disciplinary action needs to happen, by all means. You have to question the motive of this happening now.

Then I'd have to agree. Don't release the photos.

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Originally posted by The17sss I think he'd be cool to smoke a cigar with and watch a basketball game... I think he's an interesting person. I just despise his politics. Krypton: I'm focusing on the fact that we've been down the photo road already, and releasing more will unleash another wave of hatred for our military around the world. Why now? What's the point of doing this? Viewing such photos alone removes some of the context and creates more anti-americanism than provides valuable information. If investigations need to be had, by all means. If disciplinary action needs to happen, by all means. You have to question the motive of this happening now.

Because the people need to know what the military has allowed to happen in the name of this country.

Most people are completely oblivious...

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Originally posted by ******** Seplling don't demonstrate intelligence and educatoin - knowing does.

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Originally posted by Krypton Then I'd have to agree. Don't release the photos.

I'm lost for words. Seriously. Krypton and Kevin are friends again!

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Originally posted by Clovis Because the people need to know what the military has allowed to happen in the name of this country. Most people are completely oblivious...

If you say the words Abu Ghraib, I can't think of many that aren't aware. We're not talking about releasing new photos from new atrocities here.

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Originally posted by The17sss If you say the words Abu Ghraib, I can't think of many that aren't aware. We're not talking about releasing new photos from new atrocities here.

"aware" but as in your case, pretty much oblivious to what actually happened.

As I said in the other thread, if the military is concerned about this then it should stop allowing it to happen and perhaps think about altering SOP and disciplining or prosecuting those who have condoned this type of behavior.

The police have strict rules on how to handle suspects for a reason. They don't want a lawsuit. They want to operate within the law. The same reasoning applies here.

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Originally posted by ******** Seplling don't demonstrate intelligence and educatoin - knowing does.

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Originally posted by Clovis The police have strict rules on how to handle suspects for a reason. They don't want a lawsuit. They want to operate within the law. The same reasoning applies here.

Right... but some police officers obviously don't go by the book and they are (usually) reprimanded appropriately without their story being spread all over the country. We then don't look at the nationwide police force as a whole being a corrupt outfit when corruption happens in a particular precinct.

Look what happened with Rodney King. You think that video being blasted all over the country for months helped everyday good police officers in their own communities? Nobody saw the context... that he was speeding, high as fuck, and attacked the officers; they only saw the beatdown from the video. That did serious damage to police reputations all over the country needlessly, the same as doing releasing these photos will do to our military people all over the world.

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Originally posted by The17sss Right... but some police officers obviously don't go by the book and they are (usually) reprimanded appropriately without their story being spread all over the country. We then don't look at the nationwide police force as a whole being a corrupt outfit when corruption happens in a particular precinct. Look what happened with Rodney King. You think that video being blasted all over the country for months helped everyday good police officers in their own communities? Nobody saw the context... that he was speeding, high as fuck, and attacked the officers; they only saw the beatdown from the video. That did serious damage to police reputations all over the country needlessly, the same as doing releasing these photos will do to our military people all over the world.

The difference is that those are police officers acting outside the line of duty and these are soldiers who aren't.

Unfortunately for the soldiers, so far the blame has been placed squarely on their shoulders.

I don't know how many more ways I need to say it...

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Originally posted by ******** Seplling don't demonstrate intelligence and educatoin - knowing does.