Public Curiosity vs. Foreign Policy: Judge Orders Release of Abu Ghraib Photos
A Federal Judge has sided with the ACLU and numerous news organizations and ordered the release of additional photos of prisoner abuse at the Abu Graib prison.
The story which broke last year generated a firestorm of anger here and in the Arab world, when pictures of American Soldiers committing sexual abuse on terrorists being held at the facility were released.
U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein rejected the Government’s arguments that releasing the photos would incite violence.
he said the terrorists ”do not need pretexts for their barbarism” and that suppressing the pictures would amount to submitting to blackmail.
”Our nation does not surrender to blackmail, and fear of blackmail is not a legally sufficient argument to prevent us from performing a statutory command. Indeed, the freedoms that we champion are as important to our success in Iraq and Afghanistan as the guns and missiles with which our troops are armed,” he said.
Releasing these photos is akin to yelling fire in a crowded theatre.
The public’s right to know the Government’s actions was satisfied when the original story and photos were made public. There is no secret being kept.
The compelling interest should not be the public’s curiosity, or the ACLU’s twisted agenda, but to protect the lives of Americans on the ground in the middle east.
The Government should appeal this ruling.
September 30th, 2005 at 10:22 am
Judge: Release Abu Ghraib Photos
Pictures of detainee abuse at Iraq’s Abu Ghraib prison must be released despite government claims th
September 30th, 2005 at 10:33 am
Judge Orders Release of More Abu Graib Photos
The compelling interest should not be the public’s curiosity, or the ACLU’s twisted agenda, but to protect the lives of Americans on the ground in the middle east.
September 30th, 2005 at 6:38 pm
This ruling by Federal Dis. Judge A. Hellerstein and the ACLU with Prodding by News Organizations has one purpose: to attack and embarrass the Bush Administraton over it’s ongoing war in Iraq. These News Organizations and the ACLU have a hidden agenda - to reverse the Bush administations course in IRaq thru Damaging images of so-called prisoner abuse which they hope will shift public opinion decisively against the war. The release of this info is tatamount to aiding and abetting the enemy during wartime and should be treated as high treason.