Robert Gates Bars Release Of Torture Photos

Mother Jones:

Defense Secretary Robert Gates has used powers granted to him by a controversial new law to block the court-ordered release of numerous photos of detainee abuse, government lawyers revealed in a court filing Friday evening.

Gates' new authority comes from a law, signed by President Barack Obama last month, that gives the Secretary of Defense the power to rule that photos of detainees are exempt from release under the Freedom of Information Act. Gates' action on Friday was the first use of the new FOIA exemption since it passed Congress last month.

Read the whole story: Mother Jones

Comments

[Chipher]

...America's Finest Hour: http://i47.tinypic.com/o6mu4k.jpg

[JDM73]

Once again, the president takes his base for granted. If this trend continues--and there's no reason to believe that it won't--then 2012 will not be a good year for Obama.

[johnboy2001]

hey! come on now! we KNOW there is abuse of authority by the US. we as citizens are guilty of the abuse as well because we are citizens of this country. whether or not the pictures now in question are released or not is not the issue. the issue is... abuse occurred. the military, quasi-military or Para-military is guilty so get over it. the thing that needs to happen is: BEFORE any torture is implemented, those in charge need to double check to be certain of who their detainees really are. we are so ready to blast, cuss-out, criticize and what ever those who torture our people and yet turn around and last, cuss-out, criticize and what ever our people who torture others - FOR THE SAME REASON.
I was in Vietnam (yeah) and I can say that Mei Lei (My Lei) massacre was only ONE of many similar incidents during our occupation. all due respect to Colonel Henderson.

[scottpot]

The Junta is in charge. Go shopping.

[PrairieView]

Is there any real intent within the military to end torture of prisoners? It seems not. Is our government just a bunch of torturers? Then what are we fighting for anymore?

[PrairieView]

More of Obama's "transparency in government"? Or more secrecy like Bush?

[jws2346]

What is so hard to understand that you don't need to inflame the rock ape intelligence enemy when your people are in the path of danger????­??????????­???

[Chipher]

...especially with all the high bandwidth cable TV and internet piped into their Himalayan caves!!

...and let's not inf|ame financial markets by revealing the trvth to Americans about Wall Street!!

...and let's not je0pardize US retail food sales by food ingredient and product origin warn|ngs!!

...oh, and no more SATs! We don't want the rest of the world to know how stvpid Americans are!!

[jws2346]

Some of these peeps have got to get off their self righteous, pious soap boxes. I don't think Gates is trying to deny the atrocities of torture (the hiding the truth crap). I don't think he's trying to say the United States wasn't complicit in this wrong doing (denying culpability). I think what Gates is trying to do is not give the Middle Eastern terrorists any more excuses to harm our brave military.

[Chipher]

...it's all about evidence tamper|ng and World Court tribunals, don't get your panties in a bunch...

[v eyepete]

I am sorry to hear about this new law, which does seem to continue policies I had hoped a new administration would correct. As for putting Americans in jeopardy, why permit photos to be taken in the first place? In the second place, I am thinking the US gov. is worried about war crimes trials initiated by foreign powers. In the third place, I have seen some of these photos all over the INTERNET. If there are photos worse than that, we all need to hang our head in shame. We have destroyed international treaties that our Americans initiated in the first place. I suppose that was long ago and Americans were different then.

[Abraxas79]

Is America already a Fascist state ? Here is Britt's 14pts. You decide.

1) Powerful and continuing nationalism. The old red, white and blue. Flags everywhere.
2) Disdain for the recognition of human rights. No comment needed here
3) Identification of enemies/Scapgoats as a unifying cause: Al-Qaeda, Taliban, War on Terror, War
Drugs, Communism, Islamofascim.
4) Supremacy of the military. US spends more on military expenditure then the whole world combined.
5) Rampant Sexism. A pass on this one.
6) Controlled mass media. All major MSM/Newspapers corporate controlled.
7) Obsession with national security. Homeland Security anyone ? FISA, Patriot Act, Military commissions act. I can go on for infinity on this one.
8) Religion and Gov't interconnected. Pass on this one. If anything Religion is on the wane.
9) Corporate Power is protected. Wall street bailouts, lobbying, Too big to fail etc
10) Labour Unions suppressed. Not many left in the US.
11) Restrict Intellectuals. Most intellectuals tow the official line so suppression really not needed.
12) Rampant Cronyism and corruption. With the greatest financial crisis since the great depression how many people have been held accountable ? How many sent to jail ?
13) Fraudulent elections. As the two parties have complete control of the political system, there is no need to fix elections, although Bush managed to steal two of them. If the day comes that ballot stuffing is needed, these electronic machines are easily manipulated and up to the task.

[v eyepete]

Our founding father's roll in their grave. What a beautiful dream America was when it began.

[Chipher]

8) But not _r.eligiou$ _s.ymboli$m or _r.ad|cal _f.undiei$m tied to unaudited, unfunded $pending.
10) Labor unions all being _o.ffshored, except m|l.g0v employee unions getting 8% raises, no lie!!!

[robwriter]

New motto for American to replace "land of the free, home of the brave": When you can't make it good, make it look good. Much more in keeping with our current standards.

[Chipher]

...kinda like Lindsay Lohan...

[Abraxas79]

I wonder if people realize that the Obama administration hasn't released any information regarding torture, rendition etc except by court order. FOI requests were easier to obtain under Bush. How pathetic is that ?

The hypocrisy of the liberal press amazes me. The brought bush to task and rightly so and yet they give Obama a free pass when he carries on the same policies and covers up for previous crimes.

You wonder why the cover up ? I will tell you why. The same people that control the republican party, also control the democrat party. Therefore, you will never see any change will the two party duopoly.

[Pwoink]

Well said!

[ConnieInCleveland]

If the liberal press actually brought Bush to task, he would probably be in jail. The so called 'liberal press' moved us along to the crimes of George W. too. Everything for the last 8 years, was judged in the 'court of public opinion', then we just moved along. If the liberal press was as hard on George W. as you are portraying, they would not have 'moved along'. They would have kept the light on disturbing facts, which illustrated how low they could go.

President Obama knows the actions of George W. and his acceptance of torture, was shameful. We all look shameful, when they shame George W. We allowed it to occur, without accountability and shame. The use of torture makes us all look pathetic. Democrats and Republicans walked away from accountability, for fear of shame. That's pathetic.

[gatos1014]

ConnieIn Cleveland, Please give me the name of the liberal Press.

[charon]

When the truth becomes the enemy, as it has for the American government, you know something is seriously wrong.

[NYkid]

very good comment.

[Johnson345Texan]

This is basically called covering their asses, and trying to get away with it.

[Gucci Mane]

Good Decision. Releasing those photo's would have been another excuse for terrorists to blow up American's.

Before screaming about why they should be released think about what would be gained by releasing them? Nothing.

[robwriter]

Think the content's a mystery? To you maybe.

[v eyepete]

Most of the photos are already on the INTERNET. Do you think this has escaped the knowledge of the hate mongers recruitment practices?

[Chipher]

...yeah, like permanent occupation of your country by a Western army isn't enough reason...