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

[CharlesofPortAngeles]

I luvs-ya Jimmy, but you got to know that yObama is just being subtle. He has the intelligence and the finese of a tight-rope walking feline. I'm not worried.

[rcwblessed]

I totally agree.

[FrankenPC]

That's what I'm hoping for.

[jmpurser]

Maybe. It's a little too late now to do anything but pull a miracle out of his hat.

[williamg]

"Update and correction: Since my story on tor.ture photos posted Friday, Salon has accurately pointed out that the se.xually explicit photographs focused on in my story were first published by Salon in 2006, and that all the Salon photographs have in fact been released by the government. The 44 photos subject to the ACLU lawsuit and reviewed by President Obama do not contain se.xually explicit images. I regret my errors."

--Scott Horton, Daily Beast

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-05-31/torture-update-and-correction/

[JeffE]

Jimmy, you're entitled to your opinion and I respect the way you've conducted yourself since leaving the White House, but as far as giving advice on how to run a successful presidency­... I'm not sure you're the guy for the gig.

[Michael Valentine]

Ya it took the Republicans 12 years to clean up after Jimmy .... right?

[FrankenPC]

LOL! A humble peanut farmer.

[BoshSpong]

Carter stood up for human rights and against torture and oppression to our enemies or towards our so-called friends (right wing dictators); for this he was deemed a foolish idealist by the "liberal" media and by his own party.

He pushed for solar and alternative energy and conservation - he was deemed an unrealistic dreamer, Ronald Reagan’s first order of business was to dismantle the solar panels put up by Carter on the White House roof. Imagine if his policies had been pushed during the past few decades.

Carter pushed for American values and democracy, he fought for justice and fair play; he did not, however sell himself, he was under the erroneous idea that folks would make logical well thought choices. Instead the right wing chose Reagan to paint an idyllic picture of Americana in order to deceive the Nation and change course; a course that has arrived with the destruction of our middle class and our economy; by catering to greed and money worship. You must be joking, 12 years to “clean up”? What a job they did!

[rfshunt]

When Carter was president it was possible to raise a family, take vacations and put children through school on a single salary.

Then the disaster of Reaganomics happened.

Carter is absolutely the right guy for the gig.

[gopSTEALSyourTAXmoney]

That's telling 'em friend!

[regellner]

The release of the detainee photos has been a back and forth issue for me, but over the past few days I feel I have come to a reasoning in this issue. My biggest worry was that the release might compromise any future criminal investigations, but I do not think we will have any investigations unless thse are released.

Following is a related article on this detainee photo issue:

http://www.examiner.com/x-11326-Charlotte-Liberal-Examiner~y2009m6d1-Detainee-abuse-photos-must-be-released


Raymond Gellner – Charlotte Liberal Examiner at Examiner.com
http://www.examiner.com/x-11326-Charlotte-Liberal-Examiner

[JISantiago]

Torture is what terrorists, the worst scums on earth, apply against their captives.

The US that beats its chest as the leader in the fight against terrorism, competes itself with such terrorists by adopting their reprehensible tactics. How do you justify yourself to the wider world. You have lost the moral right to preach to the rest of the world about human rights and democratic principles.

Obama is right in condemning torture. But he is also equally wrong in refusing to expose the criminals who perpetrated this crime.

[williamg]

If you're talking about the Abu Ghraib pictures, the criminals have already been exposed.

[MemoryAlpha]

Important Note:
But the people who authorized and ordered the torture remain free.

[JoeSchmuk]

NOT so. Only the sadistic scapegoats who were following (and extrapolating) orders from on high. The policy makers, the people responsible for setting the torture tone need to be exposed, and pilloried for their part in implementing and condoning policy that was obviously and clearly against Geneva and internal conventions and laws, which to this day is and has always been clearly defined as torture.

[Oldtt]

This is the best example of a misleading headline that I have ever seen on HuffPost, which is saying a whole lot. Carter makes clear that - while he personally thinks there should be more transparency regarding the photos - he is not criticizing Obama for making the decision he made and acknowledges that Carter himself would not have to deal with the consequences. The headline sounds like Carter is being very critical of Obama when in fact his remarks were very tempered.

[pricespector]

Boy that was close call then! For a second there, I actually thought we may have found a difference between Ob ama and Ca rter. Nope...sti­ll exactly alike.

[bdaved]

People only see the things they think they want to see.

[williamg]

Funny.

[TooLooze]

Exactly.

[nbcesq]

Exactly right! I logged in to make precisely the same point. President Carter isn't "breaking with Obama" at all. Please, HuffPost, I expect better of you. You don't need sensational (and misleading) headlines to draw our attention. Kindly fix this a.s.a.p. -- and then apologize, please, to President Carter and to the Obama press office.

[HyperInfluential]

Whenever there is a gruesome crime, the police take all kinds of extremely disturbing photos for use in the court. These photos are not released to the newspapers, because there's no public benefit in everyone having to look at such grisly material, as long as the jury looks at it for us and renders a fair verdict. This spares the victims and surviving family members the pain of seeing such things in the newspapers, but justice is still done.

I agree these photos should eventually enter the historical record, unretouched and complete, so that history will have every fact needed to make sure these things never happen again, but during the lifetimes of the victims, it should be up to them whether or not the photos of their abuse should be made public or saved only for a grand jury.

Of course, keeping the photos classified so no jury can see them is right out. Obama should clarify his position on that.

[jmpurser]

I was rather under the impression he had "clarified" his position on that. He's "forward looking" remember? Apparently he doesn't have time for trivia like justice.

[lessbs]

Carter-nice guy but really poor at picking key staff and cabinet positions. This allowed Reagan to be elected who is the major cause of the horrible downward spiral we have been in. We can only hope that we can turn this mess around--if Obama pulls it off, he will go down as the greatest President in history.

[pricespector]

He could just as easily go down as one of the worst.

[jmpurser]

Only if the right wing gets to write the history books. And that's not looking easy lately.

[kamachanda]

I don't mind that they are withholding the photos, I just wish they were being held to be used as evidence in the war crimes trials of Bush, Cheney, Rumsfield and the rest of that vile lot.

[Lion24]

Worst presidents in US history.

Bush II
Bush I
Nixon
Reagan
Clinton
Hoover

[Coinyer101]

Thank you. that is an honest list.

[tomsowell]

for poor people...R­eagan and Clinton gave us 20 years of wealth creation..­.if you missed that boat its your fault

[Democrab]

Best two presidents in history:

1. Bill Clinton First Term

2. Bill Clinton Second Term

[FrankenPC]

Actually, Clinton cut so many basic research funds, that the entire system for fundamental sciences was destroyed. That ruined America. The rest of the world is now in charge of technology research. He went overboard.

I understand he was trying to balance the budget, but he ruined America's technology edge in the process. Not good.

[FrankenPC]

Pretty good list. I would swap Hoover and Clinton. But that's me.

[MBFLA]

I personally have no need to see the photos as long as an independent prosecutor does and determines whether or not there is justification for war tribunals. It's time for some accountability and not for just the "few bad apples". Cheney is obviously terrified. Let the truth come out!

[jmpurser]

But we appear to be hiding the photos in order to avoid prosecuting anyone for anything.

[Ish11]

The weakest Dem ever has spoken. I will go with my POTUS, he is right and he is the POTUS hello.

[MemoryAlpha]

Reaction that you are unaffected by Obama reneging on a campaign promise to you:
Surprised.

[Coinyer101]

Carter is right, and has the gonards to say it. The President? He has been ambivilant, at best.

[christymaryann]

I think most people that insult Carter must know little about him.

[ModernTimes1]

Scoreboard--failed President. Naive politician, single handedly responsible for wholesale suburban plight to the Repugs which ushered 12 years of Reg/Bush and the Supreme Court re-alignment. Sanctimonious and humorless closet fundamentalist.
That's enough. to know.

[Oldtt]

Jimmy Carter goes all the way back to the '70s, when many HuffPosters were not yet born. Others just go off on anyone who gives the slightest hint of criticizing Obama for anything. The rest are playing follow-the-leader.

[vet64]

Colonialism. What is the definition of Colonialism. Did Colonialism have anything to do with the murder of 3,000 American Citizens on 9/11? Did Colonialism have anything to do with the senseless deaths of over 4500 dead American Soldiers in a country that had nothing to do with 9/11? That we went into on a everchanging basis of lies, deceit and manipulated intelligence?
Colonialism. And the photos show how the policies of Colonialism are resulting in torture of people with the intent of forcing any confession to justify the theft and murder the Neo Con conglomerates are guilty of.
Treason is Treason and anyone who iscommitting conflict of interest and collusion for the profits of the Neo Con owned conglomerates is guilty of Treason.

[GayGrandpa]

Well it is easy to second guess the President.­...I would not want to have to ride that bronco.

[tomsowell]

The second worst Democate President ..giving advice to the worst Democrat President

[Lion24]

S t u f f it.

[tomsowell]

you wont even know when it hits you

[mick7191]

blah, blah, blah. Carter was 1 helicopter away from kicking Reagan's a-$-$.

[Oldtt]

Or one cynical decision by the French government to release Ayatollah Khomeini while the Shah of Iran was out of the country for medical treatment.

[FrankenPC]

It's almost as if the enemy had advance notice of the operation. Isn't it.

[MemoryAlpha]

Advice to neocon:
Don't you have another war to lie us into and another couple thousand American soldiers to cause to die meaningless death for your lies?