Jimmy Carter Disagrees With Obama Decision To Block Detainee Photos

In an interview with CNN's Campbell Brown, former president Jimmy Carter said he disagreed with President Obama's decision to oppose the release of photos depicting detainee torture. " I don't have the responsibility to deal with the consequences, but I think ... most of his supporters were hoping that he would be much more open in the revelation of what we've done in the past."

Campbell Brown: Weigh in if you will on the torture debate, what about prosecuting Bush administration officials who approved waterboarding and other harsh interrogation tactics. You know, there's a real split in your party about this issue. What do you think?

Former President Carter: Well, I think prosecuting is too strong a word, what I would like to see is a complete examination of what did happen, the identification of any perpetrators of crimes against our own laws or against international law and then after all that's done, decide whether or not there should be any prosecutions. But the revelation of what did happen is what I think I would support.

Campbell Brown: If you look at the US relationship today with the Muslim world, you could argue that there has been a lot of, of, -- had been a lot of other issues that have caused a lot of damage. One of those being the images of the prisoner abuse in Abu Ghraib when they became public. And now we are hearing or learning that there are more pictures of detainee abuse. Many arguing they should also be made public. President Obama wants to keep them under wraps. Do you agree with his decision?

Former President Carter: No, but I respect what his decisions are. I don't have the responsibility to deal with the consequences, but I think they, most of his supporters were hoping that he would be much more open in the revelation of what we've done in the past. But he's made a decision with which I really can't contend that he doesn't want to resurrect the past, he doesn't want to punish those who are guilty of perpetrating of what I consider crimes against our own laws and against our own constitution. And the revelation of those pictures might very well inflame further animosity against our country causing some harm to our soldiers, so I don't agree with him, but I certainly don't criticize him for making that decision.

Campbell Brown: But you don't agree with that point because he's made it, many in the military have made it -- that it does fuel anger at American troops and could endanger them more?

Former President Carter: Well I think it is hard to realize how much anger there already is based on the revelations that have already been made and any knowledgeable person within the Arab world or around the rest of the countries on earth know that these pictures exist -- they can now only imagine how bad they are and maybe the actual publication of them wouldn't exacerbate an already bad situation.

The full interview airs at 8 P.M. Eastern Time.

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Comments

[lesnouveauxpauvre]

BoshSpong. Thanks for telling the truth. Carter was a great president, he tried to save this country from itself. He failed in that aspect. People did buy into the propaganda of the Reagan revolution, and they are still in denial about it. It is really hard for Americans to accept the fact that they are the worlds biggest fools. We sat back and allowed these people to dismantle the greatest Democratic country that has ever existed on earth! Now these Obama supporters are no better than their Republican counterparts. They share the revisionist history that Carter was an inept fool, that Reagan saved the nation, that Reagan restored Americas place in the sun! It is the big nazi lie! It is exactly the opposite! That is what all good effective propaganda does. It conditions people through suggesstion and appeal to national pride to forfeit their heritage. This is what hitler did to the Germans. Its the same thing that has happened in this country.

[PeaceIsMyName]

I love Jimmy Carter. He's one smart man and I wish he would knock some sense into Obama.

Those photos need to be shown to the world and the covering up of the evidence is unjust. What if for every court case right now, someone argued that evidence shouldn't be shown because it might offend someone?! Please! Show the evidence!

And the worst part is that I get the feeling that those photos everyone's debating over - pales in comparison to what we don't even know exists....

[We-Are-The-Ones]

First, there is no "court case" involved, as yet. Let the DOJ do its work. The court of public opinion and public desires is irrelevant to the rule of law . . . even for the horrors of torture.

[Coastalthinker2]

I agree that the court of public opinion and public desires is irrelevant to the rule of law. However, the comment, let DOJ do its work...wel­l, President Obama has already stated that he thinks we should just move forward and I haven't heard Eric Holder mention that he plans on an investigation into the torture issue. Are they doing an investigation at DOJ that I'm not aware of?

[PeaceIsMyName]

What the heck are you talking about? Of course there is a court case involved and a lot of people are trying to force the Obama administration to release the photos. Yes, no one should be above the law and about time the criminals in the Bush administration are brought to justice.

[nana4g]

Well, if "prosecution" is too strong a word, then, we do not need to see the photos. And he needs to keep quiet.

I am 66 yrs old, but, I am sick and tired of all of these old white men secondguessing and criticizing the President as if he were a young kid. They have children of their own that they can demean and criticize all they want.

Leave this man alone. He knows what he is doing and why he is doing it and he doesn't need old has beens telling him every move to make. He'll call you if he needs you. Your time has come and gone, including Cheney, who is now pontificating on every issue under the sun, as if we care what he thinks about gay marriage, torture, or anything else. He should have taken a stand on gay marriage when he had a forum and the position to influence. Instead, he accused people of low blows whenever they tried to discuss his gay daughter with him.

Why don't they all go fishing or find something else to do. I'll admit, it's hard to be retired, but, surely, with all their money, they could travel....­.I guess Cheney cannot without the threat of being arrested if he goes overseas, but, even if they traveled, they cannot keep their mouths shut. It's a fine line we all walk after age 60yrs, between being helpful and being intrusive and clinging to the past!!

[iceage7]

Obama said this Obama said that. Stop whining like children. Do you always get what you want. Oh i forgot Americans are so damn spoilt they get whatever they want if they don't they start whining. get a life!!

[iceage7]

Leave Obama alone let him do his job. All you critics why don't you run for president and lets see what you will do. We will all be here blogging and criticizing at every move you make.

[jmpurser]

We hired him. We get to deliver performance reviews.

[We-Are-The-Ones]

Performance reviews are rarely done 4 months into a 4 year term. It is premature.

[Coastalthinker2]

Are you saying we should no longer voice our 1st amendment rights as U.S. citizens if we don't agree with the President? We should just go along with whatever a President decides because they automatically know what is best by virtue of their job?

[We-Are-The-Ones]

I think you should wait to see what the courts will decide on the photos. I think you should wait to see if the DOJ will decide to investigate and prosecute. I think you should wait to see if Congress will enable a Truth Commission.

Express yourself, but at least have enough patience to make an informed expression. Carter lacked an informed expression and since he is a former President some credence is given to what he says. He should have remained silent or spoken privately.

[superstition]

Greenwald:

"What kind of a country passes a law that has no purpose other than to empower its leader to suppress evidence of the torture it inflicted on people? What makes all of this even worse is that it is part of a broader trend whereby the Government simply retroactively changes the law whenever it decides it does not want to abide by it. 

Other than creating an illusion of transparency and accountability, what's the point of having laws that purport to restrict what the Government can do if political officials just retroactively waive those laws whenever they want?

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/

Given that anything which reflects poorly on our Government can be said to endanger our troops and American citizens, why stop here? That isn't how open government works.  The burden isn't on citizens to prove that there is value in disclosure­.  Everything that government does is supposed to be transparent to the public unless there is a compelling reason for secrecy."

[Kache]

"unless there is a compelling reason for secrecy"

And THAT is what we are disagreeing over. Period.

Greenwald's charge that Obama and Cheney are bossom buddies torturing people down in the basement every night is ludicrous and leaves Greenwald in the closet hugging Limbaugh.

[Coastalthinker2]

Where does Greenwald state that Obama and Cheney are bossom buddies torturing people? A valid point is that if we don't rectify a situation, there is nothing to stop it from happening in the future. Although I don't think Obama would allow torture, I also remember former President Bush making statements about how we are not a country that permits torture while he actively promoted it. President Obama has also flipped on statements, so, please allow some leeway for those of us who might be a little skeptical about what is "said" and what is "done" by a President.

[bilmardre]

Exactly, we live in a country of laws. The Obama administration cannot order the pictures not be released, they can only ask the courts not to release them. The courts will decide. If they decide to release them, you will get to see your pictures. If they find ample reason not to release them, they won't be released.

[superstition]

You're missing the point of the legislation. It's designed to short-circuit FOIA.

[iceage7]

People read...Car­ter said"I don't have the responsibility to deal with the consequences" in other words if i was president i would not release them. Dah!!!

[jmpurser]

Except that's not what he said "in other words".

[We-Are-The-Ones]

Basically, he can express an opiniion without knowing any of the facts, factors, or consequences. That did not stop him from expressing an opinion.

[atp2007]

I saw this interview, Carter went out of his way not to be negative about Obama's decision, but just to say that he had a different opinion on the issue and that he resoected Obama's opinion. It was not as controversial as you are trying to make it out to be.

[iceage7]

For those calling release of photos...G­o to iraq, send your kids, husbands, wives, friends to iraq then obama will release them while you are there. Oh i forgot you all are bloggers too scared to go to iraq.

[MemoryAlpha]

Note:
Photos are getting leaked to the press anyway.

Perception that Obama is covering up for the Bush administration, and going back on promises he made about ending Bush era practices:
Might lead the rest of the world to conclude this sort of thing is /still/ going on.

[Coastalthinker2]

I would prefer that we weren't in Iraq. period. Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11 and we as a nation were mislead because those with power didn't do the right thing and have an intelligent discussion about going to war in the Middle East. Most journalists were to fearful of investigating. So what did we get as a result...m­ore fear.

Although releasing the photos may not be the best thing to do, are we as a nation going to ignore that torture was performed on prisoners in our name? Is President Obama going to ignore the issue of torture for political expediency? Since the discussion has recently changed to keeping the troops in Iraq for another 10 years or maybe forever, at what point can this issue be faced and dealt with?

[iceage7]

Obama always said before you do something put yourself in other peoples shoes. In this case put yourself in the troops shoes with the release of these photos. Obama is always 100 times ahead of everyone else.

[NSeagle78]

I agree with you because I get upset with him often only to find that I am wrong again. During the bush years I was right a 100% of the time and they were wrong a 100% of the time. It is so refreshing to be wrong.

[goingnow]

Are you then suggesting that the rapists and sexual torturers should just be released back here into the streets of America to commit further heinous crimes while everyone shies away from all vets, not knowing the criminals from the good because their crimes were not brought to justice?

[MorpheusXNYC]

I've got to say, I'm with Obama on this one

The torture didn't happen on his watch, but if he releases the truly horrifying ones (trust me, Ive heard they are far worse than anything we've seen yet) then the fresh rage that they will stir up will unleashed upon our troops.

Obama's slowly turning public opinion of the U.S. around in the Middle East. He's actually making some headway now, but putting those pics out there now would only serve to fan the flames of anti-American sentiment just as they are starting to emberize.

[MemoryAlpha]

Hiding the photos, continued inability to prosecute those who ordered the torture:
Worse than the consequences of hiding the photos in a man-sized safe.

Continuation of former administration's policies of "trust us" secrecy:
Unwise.

[jmpurser]

He's already announced that he has photos too horrific to show anyone AND that he's not going to prosecute.

What could possibly stir up more "fresh rage" than that in Iraq?

This isn't about Iraq. This is preventing America from pursuing justice for the war criminals.

[MorpheusXNYC]

Oh, I totally want us to go after the people who perpetrated the torture and have the photos shown to the jury in closed courtroom sessions, but just not leaked to the press.

[bilmardre]

If I could put aside the possible danger to our troops for a second and just look at a political reality, it would be a politically boneheaded move to release those photos. The generals on the ground have expressed the opinion that releasing could put our troops in danger. If Obama was to release the photos now, and if an attack followed, the Republicans and the media would go into a frenzy. "Why did you release the photos when your own Generals recommended against it?" "Obama puts the troops at risk" "Obama doesn't care about the troops". "Obama hates the troops". It would go on for months. They would drive a wedge between our President and our military. It would give the corrupt Republicans and the corrupt media exactly what they want.

Now I know my liberal friends who suppose they have the moral high ground will say it doesn't matter because truth trumps politics. I would say look at cost and benefit. We already basically know what is in the photos. What is the benefit in releasing them. The cost could be possible danger to our troops and political suicide.

[MemoryAlpha]

Important Note:
At least sixty of the photos have been leaked to the press /already/.

Important Lesson:
Cover-ups get you nowhere.

[bilmardre]

They will probably all get leaked. Another reason why it would be politically boneheaded for Obama to release them.

[Kache]

Wise post, bilmardre. Thank you.

[kalidescopemind]

The more heat that is generated by the left, the easier the President's job will be. Keep talking President Carter.

[MemoryAlpha]

Logic of this statement:
Inconclusive.

[Coastalthinker2]

In the future, when we have lost the moral high ground as a country to the world, we can directly trace it back to this point in time when nothing was done about torture. We turned a blind eye to what we have done as a country. I have read numerous posts about how President Obama is intelligent and has a plan. Well, the only plan he has stated is that he doesn't want the photos released and doesn't want to prosecute anyone involved with torture. Why is this considered intelligent if we want to truly look towards the future and regain some of our moral stature in the world. Have our citizens become so fearful that we don't want to face the facts or do the right thing and are willingly going to give up what it means to be an American?

Former President Carter has done many things since leaving office as a humanitarian and to promote peace and (The Carter Center) and help those in need (Habitat for Humanity) than any other former president. Those who attack him probably know very little about what he has done or grew up in the era of "greed is good" and really don't care.

[zaz33]

coastalthinker2

For loyal Bush supporters, he could do no wrong.

Most Democrats will be the same with Obama.

[MemoryAlpha]

Veracity of this statement:
High, unfortunately, given personal experience.

[bilmardre]

well, I think if we didn't lose the moral high ground with slavery, or inflicting the Indians with small pox, or dropping two atom bombs, or fire bombing Dresden, or interning our Japanese citizens in prison camps, or propping up brutal dictators, or,well I could go on, but the point is I don't think this will cause us to lose the moral high ground.

[MemoryAlpha]

Logical Conclusion:
Because we never /had/ it in the first place...?

[Kache]

This situation does not exist in a tidy little box in your mind. It exists in a larger context.

Win both wars WITHOUT resorting to torture and torture will never be used by a soldier or president again.

The GOP has already suffered far worse than a silly impeachment or a few show trials could ever accomplish - rejection by 75% of the electorate.

[Coastalthinker2]

You are assuming that future presidents will always take the high ground. We fought other wars without resorting to torture in our name and that didn't stop former President Bush from using it. This needs resolution once and for all so that it ISN"T used in the future. As for the GOP, they are becoming irrelevant which is a shame because I believe we need more than one relevant party. It's good for democracy to discuss the serious issues. If one party is so far to the extreme, people stop listening to them.

[Nostrodamus]

In his older days , Jimmy just wants to see some kinky stuff.

[KayDGee]

This is like car racing. Everyone goes to see the accident - But won't admit it. Is it really necessary to produce photos for us to believe the extent of inhumanity?
While Obama is trying to extend an olive branch in the mideast, the press will hyperfocus on the photos of the very atrocities that they glazed over while it was happening. (Even with the GM coverage is designed to inflame... Suddenly they wax nostalgic about 57 Chevy's.)
It's not a matter of transparency - It's a matter of not pouring gasoline on an incendiary situation.

[jmpurser]

So, it's your theory that President Obama is trying to extend an olive branch by telling the world he has photographs to horrific to see AND that he's not going to investigate them as war crime evidence.

Odd branch that.

[MemoryAlpha]

Lucid Observation:
The branch seems to be catching fire.

[nk007]

jmpurser:

I don't think that is what KayDGee is saying. What he/she is saying that we already have evidence of what happened so why further inflame people in the middle east. Yes people may know these photos exist and all of us suspect they are ugly, but probably they are as ugly as the ones we have already seen; they should have been the focus of the media when the abuses were going on. I think a reasonable person can understand why there might be a significant issue of our troops' security because visual images tend to inflame people's passions even though they may be depicting things we already know. Personally I would like to see progressives put more focus on pressuring Obama to end the wars. Once out troops are back home safe, then I say open up everything and let the chips fall where they may. I just think we should easily dismiss the issue of troops' safety.

[KayDGee]

So it's important to polarize the country - probably the world - by publishing photos (Haven't the religious tenets of tvictims and their families already been encroached on eougth?) and launching another Nuremburg trial. Would it be in the world court, the US court, or the court of public opinion? We are just one more radio loud-mouth away from an ethnic cleansing of sorts in this country. Arm already snarling domestic factions with the rhetoric this will produce and you have a recipe for disaster. Sometimes you have to pick your battles. Obama certainly has a laundry list to choose from. Too bad Solomon wasn't available to run for office.