What's Wrong with This Picture?

"A popular Government, without popular information, or the means of acquiring it, is but a Prologue to a Farce or a Tragedy; or perhaps both." -- James Madison

President Barack Obama yesterday changed his mind about releasing to the public hundreds of photographs that apparently document abuse of prisoners in Iraq and Afghanistan by American military personnel between 2001 and 2005. Mr. Obama apparently changed his mind after he was reportedly warned by top Pentagon officials that publication of these images might inflame anti-American sentiment in the region and therefore endanger American soldiers.

The President is right that the dissemination of these photographs might inflame anti-American opinion and possibly put our soldiers at greater risk. But he is wrong to focus on that risk rather than on the importance of these images to public debate in the United States - debate that is at the very core of our self-governing society.

We value free speech not because it is harmless, but because it is essential. The free-wheeling dissemination of ideas, images, and information causes all sorts of harm. The old adage that "sticks and stones can break my bones, but words will never hurt me," is dead wrong. Speech can offend, injure reputation, fan prejudice or passion, and ignite violence.

Critical discussion of the war in Iraq turned the American people against the war and therefore made it more difficult for our military leaders to achieve their goals. Certainly, criticism of the war in Iraq - including the criticism voiced so powerfully by then-Senator Obama, encouraged and emboldened the insurgents in Iraq and increased the danger to American soldiers, as many conservatives charged at the time. Did Mr. Obama silence himself? Of course not. Because he understood that public debate about even the most controversial and inflammatory public issues is the very lifeblood of American democracy.

If we were to take seriously President Obama's view that the government should not release information to the American public if doing so might increase the risk to American soldiers, then surely the government would also be right not to disclose to the American people that (a) American military personnel tortured enemy detainees; (b) American soldiers massacred innocent civilians; (c) American soldiers were defeated in a fierce battle and suffered huge losses; and (d) the American military is using outdated equipment that does not adequately protect our soldiers.

Mr. Obama might argue that all that is at issue here are mere pictures. The American people already know (sort of) about the abuses themselves. The value of these images to robust public debate, he might argue, is therefore relatively slight. Of course, the same can be said about the harm from release of the photos.

But the more important point is that visual images matter a lot in public discourse. Think, for example, about the response of the American people to such events as the Holocaust, the Mai Lai massacre, the use of fire hoses and riot police against peaceful civil rights demonstrators in the American South, and the photographs of Abu Ghraib. Without the reinforcing impact of those images, those events would never have had the effect they did on the American public. Here is another misleading adage: "What you don't know can't hurt you."

President Obama is wrong on this issue, and he is wrong in a big way.

Comments

[wonketteRAWKS]

Does anyone really think that those who are Anti-American are not doing their worse? Releasing these photos will what, increase their hate, hate that is probably alreday at its peak????

Obama knows these photos will eventually get out. It's a matter of Freedom of Information Request by the ACLU. All he is doing is delaying their release and attempting to get in the good graces of conservatives. The man starting thinking about re-election on Nov. 5, 2008.

[Reighben Labilles]

I'm not cynical as you are when it comes to Obama but you make a very good point. The retraction of the photos is a political move in submission to the conservative outcries. But I doubt he was thinking about re-election. He hopes, most likely, to appease them with the photo retraction. If he angers many Republicans now on this issue, it may be harder for him to get them on board for his future policies. With the US in crisis and many US sectors needing aid, he cannot afford to further anger a party who'll do everything to stall his actions.

[WarSkeptic]

They are leaking out anyway
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/barackobama/5325444/New-prisoner-abuse-photographs-emerge-despite-US-bid-to-block-publication.html

[jmpurser]

It was pointless as a means to "protect the troops" from the beginning. Obviously the people we're so concerned about becoming "inflamed" already live with the victims in the photos.

Clearly President Obama is lying. Whether he's doing it to protect the higher ranking torturers and enablers currently serving or because he doesn't want to spend his entire term of office in an investigation of the Bush administration I couldn't say.

But he's lying. The population he's trying to avoid arousing is the American people.

[FrozenNorthObserver]

absolutely. and just like Bu sh he using the tro ops as a poli tical shield to hide behind and cov er up for actions he knows are wr ong. It was a co war dly act when Bu sh did it and it's no different now. Thats pretty low where I come from. Shows poor character at the minimum.

[FrozenNorthObserver]

thank the diety of your choice for the net. It's making old politics much more difficult, fact checking is the great sat an to them.

[jlgcox]

If I had a love one serving right now, I would want my Commander In-Chief to change his mind if he/she feels publicizing photos may put servicemen and women in more harm. It probably was a hard decision for him to make; this proves he can pivot and reverse his decision for greater good even though he is taking flak for it.

[jmpurser]

The low ranking service members are already being killed in a fruitless war for nothing. And we've already scapegoated a few of them for show. President Obama is either protecting the upper echelons of the military and CIA or he's trying to avoid a massive investigation into the Bush administration.

Either way he's lying and it has nothing to do with protecting "the troops".

[ESerafina42]

This is what Obama said at the US Holocaust Memorial Museum's Days of Remembrance ceremony. What happened over the last eight years was dwarfed by what the Nazis did, but the principle is the same. He needs to apply it at home, or stand exposed as a hypocrite:

“I believe we start by doing what we are doing today -- by bearing witness, by fighting the silence that is evil's greatest co-conspirator.
“... My great uncle was part of the 89th Infantry Division -- the first Americans to reach a Nazi concentration camp...
“...General Eisenhower made a decision. He ordered Germans from the nearby town to tour the camp, so they could see what had been done in their name. And he ordered American troops to tour the camp, so they could see the evil they were fighting against. Then he invited congressmen and journalists to bear witness. And he ordered that photographs and films be made. Some of us have seen those same images, whether in the Holocaust Museum or when I visited Yad Vashem, and they never leave you. Eisenhower said that he wanted ‘to be in a position to give firsthand evidence of these things, if ever, in the future, there develops a tendency to charge these allegations merely to propaganda.’
“Eisenhower understood the danger of silence. He understood that if no one knew what had happened, that would be yet another atrocity -- and it would be the perpetrators' ultimate triumph."

[senseandnonsense]

well, then I suppose we don't really need to see more photographs of dead soldiers coming home in flag-draped coffins either. Lots of those out there already! Who needs more? It might just demoralize the soldiers still in harm's way. It might also encourage the enemy, who live to see dead soldiers... There is no end to this argument.

What we need is full disclosure! Let's see them all, but make sure it's all the photographs. Display our shame; denounce it; correct it. Prosecute those who deserve it. Redeem ourselves in the eyes of the world. We've had way too many secrets already in the past eight years! Let's stop that. Confession is good for the nation's soul! We can't move on without it.

[WarSkeptic]

My whole problem with these centrist democrats like Obama is why did they even bring it up when we all knew he was never really going do anything? Its the grandstanding that upsets me

All of you reading this knew there was a 0% chance that they were going to prosecute Cheney. And all the evidence clearly leads to him
The interrogators who perfromed the trorture aren't going to prosecuted, infact they aren't even going to be fired. They are still our interrogators. Except for what I believe were people who were in the reserves during the abu gharib scandal. Literally the lowest possible people on the chain. Not the warden, Not even full troops. reservists
And what's more you all know that this didn't start with Bush. And Obama isn't ending it. If you walked into one of our prisons in Afghanistan you would surely call it a dungeon.

[Middleclassvotingbloc]

The court will decide, let it rest.

[Middleclassvotingbloc]

"The President is right that the dissemination of these photographs might inflame anti-American opinion and possibly put our soldiers at greater risk. But he is wrong to focus on that risk rather than on the importance of these images to public debate in the United States - debate that is at the very core of our self-governing society."

Geoffrey, I love ya but you can't have it both ways. I think most of us will except the fact that for now, the soldiers on the ground are more important. If they say that they have real fears that the exposure of these pictures might put them in danger, I think it is best to understand those fears and to put ourselves, sons or daughter in their place, on the ground in harm's way---then it becomes much more real.

[Curandera]

I've been trying to figure out what could be worse than the devastating pictures already released. I have a very strong sense that these pictures are not simply of torturing prisoners but defiling the Koran.

To Americans, the torture of a human being is worse than just about anything and most certainly over a book. But to the Muslim world, the defiling of the Koran is the defilement of Allah himself.

If this is the case, the repercussions could be far worse than the effect of releasing previous pictures has been.

[jnah]

let them be reviewed in court, theres no need to make a circus out of this. make no mistake there will be backlash against our troops if those photos are released.

[GardenerNorCal]

I agree totally. The American public is aware they exist. That's all we need to know at this point. They don't need to be posted on YouTube.

[jmpurser]

The appropriate place to reveal these pictures would be at a war crimes trial however since we've abandoned the notion of justice in favor of "looking forward" there won't be a trial. Hence the need to come up with a lie about why the pictures can't be released.

[InOv8]

The question itself appears to be sufficiently complex that there should not be an immediate answer.. There are strong points to be made on both sides and they are not easily resolved. Investigations can proceed but protecting our servicemen and servicewomen who had nothing to do with the allegations is of paramount importance. I hope that this will be respected. I am grateful for their service to our country and I believe that we owe the innocent our responsibility for their safety.

[zull2]

If I were one of the guys being tortured in those photos, I wouldn't want them released. We all know the horrors of the torture that was committed by our own government, and by extension, ourselves. If we have to see pictures of it to feel outraged, then we are truly screwed.

The reason I wouldn't want those pictures seen is because the media wants them way too badly. They want to take all the pictures and put them on a big clickthrough on the front page of their respective websites, put a big "parental discretion advised" sign on top, and watch their hits blow up just like they did when they plastered the original Abu Ghraib pictures across the internet. More hits equals more ad revenue. Big media companies making money on torture.

[jmpurser]

Right. The "evil doers" here isn't the government who actually, you know, tortured people but "the media" who might you know, let the American people know what their government has done in their name.

And we're not releasing the pictures because of our tender concern for the TORTURE VICTIMS???

[wbgonne]

"The President is right that the dissemination of these photographs might inflame anti-American opinion and possibly put our soldiers at greater risk. But he is wrong to focus on that risk rather than on the importance of these images to public debate in the United States - debate that is at the very core of our self-governing society."

Dead wrong. The president would rightfully be impeached if he knowingly added to the risks against American troops merely to satisfy some fringe element's lust for torture porn. Thank god you aren't the president.

[Disdain]

So the lives of these wonderful men and women who risk their lives daily so YOU won't have to are expandable. Sweet!

[BeulahBell]

"Public debate", no matter how much you advocate it, is not worth the life of one single American (or Allied) soldier.

[rjhemh]

BeulahBell,
WELL SAID!!!

[Middleclassvotingbloc]

I agree completely--well said.

[1dogs2]

What IS worth the life of an American serviceman if not the fundamental values of our democracy, such as full and robust debate of the policies by which we are governed, such as the official government policy of torture?

[jmpurser]

The motto of a dictator. "It was all for the good of the troops!" "We can't AFFORD justice!" "The truth would be too dangerous!"

Haven't we excused enough in the name of cowardice?