A Hollow and Horrible Equivocation
If I had the President's Blackberry, I would send this.
President Obama,
On Wednesday you reversed your administration's promise to finally release pictures of detainee abuse.
The release of the photos was won by ACLU lawyers who have fought to bring to light the full extent of the brutality and torture that U.S. Army and intelligence services have perpetrated against human beings in Iraq, Afghanistan, Guantanamo Bay and at CIA "black sites" around the world. Torture that was sanctioned and effectively legalized under the former administration, and that, if we are to be honest, most Americans knew -- or should have known -- was being carried out in our names.
Only now is the knowledge starting to give rise to the widespread outrage and calls for accountability that such crimes against humanity deserve. Growing numbers of citizens are demanding the independent investigation and prosecution of the members of the Bush administration responsible for the vitiation of fundamental legal principles like habeas corpus and the flagrant violation of both international and domestic laws against torture. The pundits, hacks and shills who dismiss these calls for investigation and prosecution -- integral to any serious definition of accountability -- disgrace themselves and their country.
The situation in which we now find ourselves is so bizarre, it's hard to fathom. New revelations continue to surface -- we learn that Vice President Cheney's office ordered and specified how a man was to be tortured, and mounting evidence suggests the United States tortured to extract false confessions that would justify preemptive war on Iraq. Yet a Democratic president leads a Democratic congress to whitewash institutionalized torture and in effect trash any conceivable notion of the rule of law, all in the name of "looking forward."
And now we hear that the administration will block the release of new evidence in this hideous criminal conspiracy. Now you, the president who came to power with promises of transparency and change, say you don't want to release the photos because they "will further inflame anti-American sentiment" and endanger U.S. troops fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The ACLU lucidly replies:
"It is true that these photos would be disturbing; the day we are no longer disturbed by such repugnant acts would be a sad one. In America, every fact and document gets known -- whether now or years from now. And when these photos do see the light of day, the outrage will focus not only on the commission of torture by the Bush administration but on the Obama administration's complicity in covering them up. Any outrage related to these photos should be due not to their release but to the very crimes depicted in them."
Maybe, Mr. President, you've succumbed to all the fear-mongering that the Bush administration and Republican Party sold for so long. Most Democrats have been silent enablers so consistently -- maybe we've all bought into it. We know the truth but we still can't admit it; just as for years signs and traces of torture performed in our name were there, we saw without seeing, and knew without knowing. When those first photos from Abu Ghraib were broadcast around the world five years ago, we told ourselves the sadism was the work of just a few maniacs. When we heard the privatization frenzy that spread like a cancer through the Bush years extended even to interrogation -- effectively making torture its own nightmarish "cottage industry" -- we looked away. And now our first official response is to let it all slide... and just move on.
If we do, we are truly lost. This kind of willful collective blindness must not endure, and it must never happen again. It's not enough to be against torture, in this new political moment when speaking out against it is suddenly in vogue. All the information now so readily available contradicts all the official narratives: that we didn't know, a few bad apples, that those responsible have already been investigated and punished. And then there's the outrageous substitute for a narrative, the debate about whether or not torture works. It's a question so insane, it probably makes bin Laden grin like a Cheshire cat.
So, if torture works, we should... perfect it and use it? Complete insanity.
We must finally be able to look at the photos and see and understand that the broken and humiliated bodies of men half-way around the world depicted therein represent not only the systematically applied U.S. policies, but also the horrible and likely inevitable ramifications of military occupations of other countries.
We hope, Mr. President, you will lead, but the Constitution doesn't allow you to obstruct justice... The Department of Justice must act with conviction and follow the law.
We understand the enormous pressures and complexities you confront everyday. But the old defenses for these crimes sound hollow and horrible coming from your lips. You are defending the indefensible.
Releasing all the photos depicting detainee abuse and initiating an independent inquiry and prosecution of those responsible at the highest level is the only way forward.
This is not an issue of partisan politics. It's a police matter... the investigation of a crime scene in which many more of us are complicit than is comfortable to recognize.
Sincerely,
Your name here.
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After viewing some Iraqi war footage and photos, I must recant my earlier remarks which stated that releasing the photos wouldn't solve anyhing. I was wrong, They would accomplish plenty. After much comptemplation I realized that fear was holding me back. Fear of the truth and this is the worst kind of fear. I was selfishly thinking only of my comfort. Did the photos and footage showing inhumane acts by American soilers anger me? Greviously. I understand Obama's wish to protect the soldiers as I was insensed and ashamed with their behavior. Then I remembered the government put them in a horrific situation. This does not absolve them of blame but it does merit some compassion. The photos made an impact that spirited me into action, urging me to do something to ensure that not a single incident of inhumane treatment ever takes place. Without viewing the photos, we will remain blind to atrocious behavior, we will know only half truths and we will not do all we an to eradicate future exploitation. The truth will no longer be hidden. Just being aware of the torture is not enough, we must witness injustices so that they are scar our soul in order that we never walk that shameful path again. After the pain, the healing begins.
Hello, I´m from Barcelona (Spain because we must not because we want), and I thing we´re not enough hard with all this people (Bush, Aznar, Blair,.), who changed the live of so many people (the live and the death), not because they´re presidents they can do what they want, then they should change their names for dictators, is how they were, and they should pay for their acts, it has a name: justice and democracy. I don´t know very much about democracy, because my country is too young on this, but I know very good, unfortunately, what it means to be a dictator, and their behaviour were like this, what to do?
Thank you for your fight, you talk clear, and that´s very democratic, like it should always be.
Obsession with viewing violence (a form of voyeurism?)
John, well written article with some valid points. Yes, the new paradigm or transparency and truth should be upheld, however what is the goal in demanding the release of the torture photos?
Is it to prove that the U.S. committed the senseless acts of torture? Or is it to petition for prosecution of the individuals who ordered and committed the acts. Or is it to show the world, that we humans even in the 21st century are savages who continue to worship the pagan god of money. (interesting that in U.S. history Native Americans were labeled as savages...hmm...)
Yes, I agree whe should bring the darkness to light, shake the dirt that has accumulated under the rug. Again one needs to look at what is your goal. If you are trying to create "shock and awe" with the release of the photos, it will be a short fuse, as Americans tend to have short attention spans even shorter without the sound (just watch a scary movie without the sound). The photos will leave a lasting impression on the people who have actually lived through violenceof war and its everlasting effects. Most people are obsessed with viewing violence yet desensitized to it.; it is just another show. If your intention is to rally the masses to have justice upheld, words can be very effective. Yes, we should demand justice. How it is done is just as important.
The photos will come out in the US. European countries already have the photos and some are posted at the "underground" in London.
What will it gain to see pictures of torture, RIGHT NOW. it seems to me some can't wait. "without
santuary " are some picture's of torture you can view, RIGHT NOW.
One should realize that to release the photos will result in the deaths of many more Iraqis and Afghans.
After all, we all assume that the release of the details will likely increase attacks against U.S. military personnel.
And we all should know that we will respond with a lethality an order of magnitude greater than that used against us. It's roughly true that we've killed 40,000 "terrorists" in Iraq for the 4,000 dead U.S. servicemembers.
I discuss this, and more, on my blog (I really, really like this post, so I hope you read it):
http://brilliant-blue.blogspot.com/2009/05/trying-on-new-moral-framework.html
You assume people in the Middle East have the same level of information available in the pampered West. They've seen worse.
I suspect that this type of censorship has become routine.
All it requires apparently is for some government official to claim that its too provocative to show the truth or tell the truth because it might endanger our troops or President/Vice-President/Defense Secretary.Attorney General/Supreme Court Justice etc. etc. etc.
Obama's decision and alignment with tyranny has disappointed me too.
I agree with John Cusack. However, Lefty83, I'm really tired of hearing "how stupid and lazy people in this country are." Knock it off, it's not helpful to the discussion at hand.
Mr. obama disapointed me with his waffles on nominating tax cheats and lobbiets..he is further disapointing me reagrding the release of the photo's , if the courts have sai they should be released then guess what "we are a nation of laws" and "none should be above the law". Obama seems to be hell bent on entrnching the notion that thereis privilage where there is power and wealth. Obama does not have a big butt, but we know what they say about big butts and smiles..never trust them!
John Cusack -- I've followed your articles...am intrigued with you and your thoughts and ideas. I'm inclined to agree with you.
Please take the time to read the blog below--not that you've made a comparison--just food for thought.
http://open.salon.com/blog/saturn_smith/2009/05/16/better_angel_or_bushian_demon_is_obama_another_w
John's statement at the end summed up why the photos shouldn't be released: It's a police matter. For the most part the police don't release crime scene photos during an investigation.
As a (supposedly) free people it is imperative that we see what has been done to helpless detainees, in our names.
There is no active investigation of war crimes based on the photos in question... the ACLU has been asking for this batch for years now.
George you've been watching too much TV! LOL!
I think that the one thing that everyone-including Pres. Obama- is forgetting is that the terrorists and everyone else in the world have seen the first batch of photos and KNOWS that the torture and humiliations did not start or end with them.Who in their right mind believes that the suppression of other photos will placate those who wish us harm?Does anyone really think that the terrorists and have forgotten or will forget whatever their motivations were just because we don't publish more pictures.I think that the only ones who might forget are the one who most need to remember THE AMERICAN PUBLIC. But then I guess that's who the torturers (the bushies and sympathizers) hope forget that we are supposedly a nation of LAWS.
Thank you for the words, Mr. Cusack.
Every day I'm amazed that some people are able to justify the atrocities that were committed "in our name". There's supposed to be something that separates "us" from "them".
I strongly agree that the past needs to be addressed despite the apologists and that can only happen when we are armed with all the facts.
Where is your outrage on this form of torture Mr. Cusack? http://www.annoy.com/sectionless/beheading.wmv
Oh please bobbydigi, you're really not skimming that shallow are you? I don't have the time to skim this list for you: http://www.don-lindsay-archive.org/skeptic/arguments.html
But given your fondness for doling out URLs in place of arguments, you'll be willing to skim it yourself? My quickest guess is that your making the "Tu Quoque" error in your argument. But I'm sure it goes even deeper than that.
Just because Cusack didn't come out against beheadings, is there some question in your mind that Cusack is FOR beheadings somehow? Not making a statement about every outrage, besides, doesn't in any way negate the validity of the one.
Jackster,
First off two wrongs do not make a right and if you checked your facts not one of these terrorist were killed by waterboarding. Waterboarding is a scare tactic. A harsh one but a tactic none the least. What Bobby is saying is that we did not kill. We used a tactic to scare an individual. Through this we have gained intel that has saved many americans both here and abroad.
What Bobby is saying that everyone here mostly has a post condeming a scare tactic where Daniel Pearl was brutly slane in the name of Alah and this is old news. Nothing more to say about it.
We know nobody here is for beheadings but the simple fact is that so much time is being spent on a tactic that has saved lives instead of speaking out against ones that have taken lives. Oh and yes, making a statement about a brutal assigination and condeming it does negate the fact that a scare tactic was used to save my and my fellow americans lives. Maybe it does not in your book but that is the great thing out living in America is that you can have your view and I can have mine.
We elected Obama, and when there is disagreement, we should trust his judgement. With the lives of soldiers in the balance, the photos can be revealed at a later time. Would you choose to endanger American lives?
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