Explaining Why the Abu Ghraib Images Should be Released

As I've noted previously, I believe it is wrong for the Obama administration to restrict the release of a another batch of images of prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib prison. Court rulings have cleared the way for the released of the images, which were collected during the military's investigation of the Abu Ghraib scandal. But President Obama has refused to have the images released, saying they might inflame enemies and thus put Americans at risk. The New York Times weighs in today with an article that looks back to when the Nixon administration tried to stop the release of the Pentagon Papers because of potential harm that might happen to Americans. A secret history of the Vietnam War, the Pentagon Papers contained images of U.S. atrocities, and the Nixon administration argued that their release might inflame enemies and caused added danger to American troops. The Supreme Court ultimately ruled that such danger was a vague potential, not immediate and concrete  The documents were released. The comparisons to the current controversy about the Abu Ghraib images is fascinating.--David Schonauer

Comments

[joe]

since you are now posting political comment and rubbish, the link to your blog, American Photo, and Pop Photo are now deleted from my computer.

Cheap shot pushing your agenda on people who love photography, but now we know your true intent.

Joe

[sagar rao]

sagar

Don’t force yourself to get to politics. Concentrate on photography.

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[mari gilbert]

I am a new subscriber and I want to say that I agree with you that the Abu Ghraib images should be released. I despise the government for deciding what we can and cannot see. I appreciate your article this month entitled "creation and consequence" for just that reason. Since the 9/11 tragedy I have been trying to find photos of the victims that the government decided at that time I was not allowed to see, or because of sensitivity issues I shouldn't see. That argument is garbage! We live in a democracy and as free citizens let me decide on my own what I can or cannot see. If I don't like it, I won't look at it. Why were celebrities allowed at ground zero but I wasn't? What possible reason does the New York police department have for allowing Julia Roberts to see ground zero that week, but I can't? 9/11 happened to all of us, not just New Yorkers. Why wasn't I allowed to hear the black boxes from 9/11? If it was too much for me to hear, I'll shut it off! Thank you for page 74 of this months issue and for Todd Maisel's work. And let the Abu Ghraib images get displayed wherever they can. I love your magazine.