Reid Backs Up Obama: "We've Had Quite A Few Pictures -- I'm Not Sure We Need Anymore"

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) is tentatively standing by President Obama's decision to withhold photos of U.S. personnel reportedly torturing detainees.

"We've had quite a few pictures. I'm not sure we need anymore," he said in response to a question from the Huffington Post in the hallway off the Senate floor.

"I haven't seen the pictures," he added.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), chair of the senate intelligence committee, isn't sure if she's seen the photos. If they are the unreleased photos from Abu Ghraib, then she has seen them, she said, and doesn't think they need to be released.

"I don't know what the point of releasing them would be, other than to have an enormous cataclysmic reaction. We saw the Abu Ghraib photographs," she said.

Her committee is currently investigating Bush administration torture. As part of the inquiry, she said, the panel should have access to the photos. "I think the intelligence committee should obtain these photographs," she said.

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Comments

[grata2ude]

If releasing even one of those photos risks the life of one of our brave men and women in uniform then it is not worth it.

We know they are there. What greater purpose would it serve to put more photos out there?

[Wiseup2Day]

Obama tell the ACLU and the Left to eat dirt..finally..

[Reighben Labilles]

The release of the photos was a purely political move. Current investigations into Bush-era military activities would not have been possible if not for the anti-torture outrage caused by the disclosed photos. With enough public dissent against the torture procedures, the Administration had then gained legitimacy to pry on the past administration's actions. The Obama Administration's decision to rescind on the previous order for disclosure came to pass because the desired effect has been reached. And, perhaps, internal pressure for the rescinding had reached the point where it cannot be ignored anymore.

[k6007]

I'm as blue as they come. BUT, I see no value in ripping off the s.cab. EVERYONE already knows what went on.

[blairtone]

Isn't this the same Harry Reid who said 'we've lost the war in Iraq'? Such a staunch supporter of the military!

[Rog49Thomas]

Maybe instead we could release the audio tapes of the victims screaming?

[lwaxanatroi]

Yeah, you've seen one torture picture, you've seen them all. Yawn.

The only justification for not publicizing them is that they are part of an ongoing investigation. So, Mr. Attorney General, Mr. Majority Leader, Ms. Speaker--you want the pix suppressed, start an investigation and have the investigator subpoena them. Only please make it a real investigation, not a black hole where evidence goes to die.

You know, this is just as important to future generations as fixing the economy. We need to fix our moral compass just as badly as we do Wall Street.

[blairtone]

In order to have a 'real investigation' you have to think you have a 'real crime' - what is the crime? Waterboarding? It has never been defined as torture so that's out. What else?

[fisher65]

just look what bush and cheney did to our world, sad isnt it.

[Leftfield321]

Nothing like playing politics with national security.
This whole mess is disgusting and embarrasing.

[JanSP1971]

It is disgusting and very embarrasing what the Cheney White House did to our country. I don't know if all the pictures need to be shown or not but I am going to trust that President Obama is doing the correct thing for the American men and women serving over seas. He has proven he is going to do what ever he can with in the LAW to keep all Americans safe.

[sueno]

We're all stuck between a "rock" and a ""hard" place-
If we release the "fotos" then we risk the lives of our soldiers overseas,
if we don't then the "full" truth isn't told.
What has to be pushed is a court case and
that has to come from Eric Holder.
As citizens, we also have a responsibility to protect our servicemen and women.
It is clear that the "fotos" will cause an up-tick middle-east violence
and we have more to lose than gain in this situation .
I agree that the Obama administration needs to be "pushed"
but it needs to be done through Eric Holder.

[DWP]

There is a Court case. Can Obama Administration win the Court case we will see. But certainly there is a case for not just releasing more and more pictures. Unless there is something new what is to be gained>

[Helzapoppin]

Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum.

I've never voted for a Republican. And I never will. But the Dems are no longer an alternative to me. Whether it's incompetence or blatant corruption no longer matters. They simply aren't serving the people anymore.

[speechlessinillinois]

Obama is running circles around the Republicans again. He has skillfully punted this issue to the Supreme Court. All he has changed his mind about is his previous decision to appeal the lower court ruling that ordered the release of the photos. Regardless of the Supreme's decision, he comes off as defending the troops. The Rs look ridiculous again.

[WTF1956]

#1
That's the foundation of being a Great Leader, one's ability to "Pass the Buck", eliminating one's self from actually making the decision or being responsible for the decision. "Present"
#2
After all realty is based on perception, isn't it?

[tailgateshirts]

Hmm you realize Mr McCain wasnt even around to vote present on about 90% of votes during his campaign while Obama got to way more of them.

That Present argument is a buncha BS

[WTF1956]

“Just weeks after announcing he would make the images public, administration officials said the president had told his legal advisers that releasing the photos would endanger troops.
Mr Obama said: “The most direct consequence of releasing them I believe would be to inflame anti-American public opinion and to put our troops in greater danger.”

Really? The President and his henchmen are just now figuring this out? I can just imagine what damage their actions over the past eight years have done to our brave young men and women in harms way?

I’m sure this bolstered our enemies moral when this came out in April, 2007.

“Reid: Iraq War lost, U.S. can't win”
updated 12:35 p.m. ET, Fri., April 20, 2007
WASHINGTON - Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Thursday the war in Iraq is "lost,"……….

I could go on and on about the left, but I'm sure you get the picture.

I’ll bet our troops appreciate a Commander in Chief who cares so much for them. He probably figured there was now way the read English when he released the Torture memos so that doesn’t count.

[ExxonMcBushCo]

Much larger game being played here, but 99.9% of folks don't know it.

Photos = evidence

Obama knows what he's doing. Bank on it.