Barack Obama is right and the ACLU is wrong. The ACLU’s legal battle to release torture photos of interrogation performed by order of the last administration is correct in its underlying convictions but wrong in its conclusions.
The underlying conviction of the ACLU is that we need to bring the atrocities of the past administration to light. In that they are correct. Under the Cheney administration our country lost its moral standing, abandoned the Geneva conventions, and tortured people. Calling something “extra special interrogation techniques” (as the press is still doing) does not change the fact that it is torture. As Senator John McCain said, we prosecuted the Japanese for water-boarding after WW2, the exact same practice supported by Cheney in 2009.
Fortunately, the ACLU and many other groups, including religious groups and many in the military and the CIA have forced us to acknowledge the terrible mistakes that were made. Even more fortunately, we have elected a President who has made it clear that the days of American torture have ended.
There is now no good reason for the ACLU to continue their battle to release these torture photos. The photos are assuredly shocking and horrifying, but we do not need new images to tell us that torture is wrong – and that is the only conceivable reason to release them. The bad effects will greatly outweigh the good. For one, the world largely is beginning to see America regaining our moral compass and we have a chance for a new beginning. The photos will only reverse this trend and incite anti-American feelings and give a boast to extremist recruitment. Our troops are still at great risk in Iraq and Afghanistan and they do not need more hurdles to building positive relations with the people of those countries. Plus President Obama will be going to Cairo soon and he does not need American torture to be spotlighted as the main focus of that trip.
The reasons for not releasing the torture photos definitely outweigh the reasons for releasing them and as a card carrying ACLU member, I urge the ACLU to stop this campaign.
Of course, Cheney and friends aren’t helping progressives like me in making our case to not release the photos. Cheney continues to promote torture and shows no signs of remorse or regret that he has degraded our country in such a fundamental way. Still, we shouldn’t let a failed vice president force the current administration to do what needs do be done to move forward and to make up for the sins of the past.
posted May 14, 2009 at 12:07 am
I agree that the photos should not be released. We have seen enough. God help us if and when Americans, either military personnel or civilian, are ever captured by the enemy. Their wrath will know no end. However, I would hope the cultivators of this abuse would be brought to justice. This is one more dark spot in our American history and it happened on this generation’s watch — we should all be ashamed.
posted May 14, 2009 at 5:56 am
The ACLU probably hopes to generate more public opposition to torture both to help push the current government to take further measures (i.e. legislation) to prevent torture in the future and to push for prosecutions of members of the previous administration at the highest levels.
posted May 14, 2009 at 6:50 am
I once had a professor who refused to look at photographs of war casualties because she felt it was a violation of their dignity. Perhaps we should also consider the dignity of the torture victims in these photographs and whether releasing them will be a further affront to it and a way of re-traumatizing these people. It serves no useful purpose.
posted May 14, 2009 at 11:19 am
The ACLU is right, we should release the photos-Obama cannot deny the court ordered release under spurious national security claims. The world already knows we tortured, if we actually began to rectify these crimes publicly and begin the legal process of accountability, THAT would put a cork in anti-american sentiment.
posted May 14, 2009 at 11:49 am
I have no objection to the release of more photos. The depth of the immoral crimes of the Cheney Administration need to remain in the forefront of the collective American conscience at least until a through investigation is done, all the details are made public, and the perpetrators are brought to justice.
It wouldn’t bother me in the least if some foreign government grabbed them and spirited them away to their own country to be prosecuted. After all, that is exactly what we were doing during those 8 dark years.
However, I won’t bet the farm any justice will be done. I can truly teach my grandchildren that if you work hard, become educated, go into politics and achieve a high level in a Republican White House (not a Democratic one), you are then above the law. You can do anything you want once you reach that level. You can even, with impunity, ignore the Constitution, spy on American citizens, blow the cover of CIA agents, lie openly, kill, and torture people. But if you remain an average citizen, and smoke a joint in public, or are caught stealing a loaf of bread, then you go to jail.
Our moral compass will never be completely reclaimed until we show the world we are a nation of laws, not outlaw Republicans.
posted May 14, 2009 at 3:20 pm
Release the photos: it’ll be easier to at look yourself in the mirror every morning if you do.
posted May 14, 2009 at 5:59 pm
Definitely release the photos. Hopefully it will cause a furor right where it needs to be caused, i.e. right here in the “good ‘ole USA”. No averting the eyes. People just want to keep their complacency and the illusion of the US being such a wonderful country. No more illusions. Reality. It’s tough, but heads must roll over this disgusting, immoral chapter in all of our lives.
posted May 14, 2009 at 11:33 pm
I agree with Paul. Certainly we need to air the truth, and face the truth. Neither the government nor we the citizens really want to do that but we must and, by grace, we will. And it is our responsibility to hold the government and each other accountable to this unpleasant task.
It does seem to me, however, that we have a situation not unlike reporting violent crimes in our communities. We don’t publish photos of rape victims. We don’t publish photos of mutilated bodies of murder victims. The argument for honoring the dignity of those who have suffered carries great weight. We need to air our dirty laundry and take responsibility, but we don’t have to show every gory detail in the process.
posted May 15, 2009 at 8:15 am
I agree with Paul, and I don’t always agree with Paul! Those who want the photos released – are you hoping to see Cheney behind bars? That won’t happen. There are enough layers of accountability to prevent that from happening. Some underling who thought they were just following orders will get pinned for it, and is that what you really want? This is not the time to demand blood. Obama has ended the torture and has made it very clear that it is wrong. Cheney will never change and will declare to his dying day that he’s never done a thing wrong. He’ll be dealt with by a higher power. Let’s move on.
posted May 15, 2009 at 4:26 pm
T, it isn’t about revenge. It is about showing the world that in the United States, no one is above the law, and that we consider who ever ordered the torture methods, broke the law.
I know Cheney will never pay for his crimes. But that does not stop me from voicing my opinion that he should pay, and hope that my voice, in some small way, will bring more citizens will to understand the depth of the crimes. At the very least, every crime should be made public, so if nothing else, we will know just how much evil was done in our names.
If there is to be no accountability, I can tell my grandchildren that you must obey all laws, unless you become a high official in a Republican (but not Democratic) White House, then you are above the law. Most of the democrats are basically complicit cowards. They won’t even enforce their own subpoenas. What a bunch of toothless clowns!
posted May 15, 2009 at 5:27 pm
“Even more fortunately, we have elected a President who has made it clear that the days of American torture have ended.”
I wish! Not according to the article below. Check it out.
Little Known Military Thug Squad Still Brutalizing Prisoners at Gitmo Under Obama
The ‘Black Shirts’ of Guantanamo routinely terrorize prisoners, breaking bones, gouging eyes, squeezing testicles, and ‘dousing’ them with chemicals.
By Jeremy Scahill, AlterNet
Posted on May 15, 2009, Printed on May 15, 2009
http://www.alternet.org/story/140022/
posted May 17, 2009 at 11:39 pm
This is about the rule of law, not the photos. A court has twice said they must be released. Under Bush and now under Obama, the executive branch keeps coming up with spurious reasons (See Dan Froomkin) why they can’t be released. But Presidents don’t get to obey only the laws they like; in fact, for this to survive as a democracy, Presidents must consider themselves subject to court order like anyone else.
Obama must not try to get around that.