Judge Orders Release of Abu Ghraib Photos

[CottonBear]

Judge Orders Release of Abu Ghraib Photos By LARRY NEUMEISTER, Associated Press Writer
9 minutes ago (Thursday Sept. 29)


NEW YORK - Saying the United States "does not surrender to blackmail," a judge ruled Thursday that pictures of detainee abuse at Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison must be released over government claims that they could damage America's image.

U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein ordered the release of certain pictures in a 50-page decision that said terrorists in Iraq and Afghanistan have proven they "do not need pretexts for their barbarism."

The ACLU has sought the release of 87 photographs and four videotapes taken at the prison as part of an October 2003 lawsuit demanding information on the treatment of detainees in U.S. custody and the transfer of prisoners to countries known to use torture. The ACLU contends that prisoner abuse is systemic.

The judge said: "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."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050929/ap_on_re_us/detainee_records

[AllyCat]

1. "could damage America's image"

Gee, you bloodthirsty feaks, maybe you should have thought of that BEFORE you started torturing people!!! Jeez.

I'm so glad to hear this is released, but you know they will come up with yet another argument.

[CottonBear]

7. What do you think the next argument will be?

Regarding damaged reputations, * has damaged the reputation of the USA almost beyond repair. It will be years before we will be able to restore our reputation and that will only be if we get rid of the Republican administration.

[AllyCat]

19. National Security--and we can't tell you what or that would...

...undermine national security! I think they've already tried that though. But they'll come up with some garbage reason. They'll probably manufacture increased violence against our troops once these go public to say "see what happens?". And then the next atrocity will not get people so lathered to see the actual truth.

What do you suppose are in those photos? Pictures of Tom DeLay, Rove, and others performing the actual torture? If there is no sex involved, they still won't be impeach/fired.

[MADem]

37. You got it--the National Security card

I've heard that they are HORRIFIC, and involve way more than what we have seen thus far. Brutality beyond imagination...nothing that can be mocked by the right as Frat pranks that caused no permanent harm.

The release WILL shred our already tattered reputation, but hey, the truth will set us free in the long run.

[paineinthearse]

103. They were flused down the memory hole months ago?

:shrug:

[The Stranger]

10. Forget the image -- the nation's soul has been damaged.

[SpiralHawk]

46. YES - it's the soul of the nation

Screw the Image BS. BushCo has its propagandist-in-chief Karen Hughes working on that.

America needs to deal with the ugly reality that we have a Skull & Bones Torture Freak serving as commander in chief*

[marmar]

73. Well said...

Her goodwill tour around the world seems to be going over like a lead balloon.

[ClintonTyree]

78. You're kidding, right?

Karen Huge is going to turn around this country's image in a New York minute. Just like Laura Bush took care of the country's gang related problems. What's that? Laura HASN'T taken care of our country's gang related problems? :wtf: How can that be? A Librarian is infinitely capable of tackling gang bangers, right? My gosh, you're not suggesting that we're.......being LIED TO? :wow: There's a possibility that Karen Huge ISN'T going to polish our tarnished image? OH NO! :cry:
I can't believe it. Our president has lied to us, what will we tell the children? :shrug:

[katty]

86. Karen Hughes is just another ass-licking bush moonie, she

will be around to watch and coddle her beloved sociopath into early retirement.

[Name removed]

108. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Trevelyan]

109. See Cathy O'Brien's TRANCE-FORMATION OF AMERICA

details her and her daughters abuse at the hands of Bush, Senior and Cheney. Paul Bonaci won a million dollar settlement from Larry King, Bush Senior had Mr. King, who stole money meant for minority businesses and ran a pedophile ring that Daddy Bush used for blackmail. http://www.Raven1.net and ACHES sites for personal testimonies of those Americans and Canadians tortured in similar ways to what is going on at Gitmo, Belmarsh, Abu Ghraib.

http://www.topekadiy.com/xfsection+index.category+8.htm

Politics Makes STRANGE Bedfellows! Jeff Gannon / J :
The BUSH Files, The Jeff Gannon - James Gukkert conspiracy and more
Henry W. Vinson~the Ivanwald "Family"~~I'm guessing that this whole thing leads back to Richard Armitage, recently retired from the Pentagon, and noted as Colin Powell's mentor in a Parade magazine interview a few years ago. Another Eberle may be involved too.

http://findmissingkids.com/SpotlightJoshuaAdams.htm
~~Strange that Offutt was one of the two stops made by Air Force One on its still-unexplained zig-zag chicken run, September 11, 2001. ~~See more Dave McGowan at The Center for Public Information, http://www.davesweb.cnchost.com

Bill Mahr
http://www.theforbiddenknowledge.com/hardtruth/satanic_subversion.htm
http://www.centredaily.com/mld/centredaily/10887859.htm
http://web.archive.org/web/20040213162508/www.theconservativeguy.com/WHOisFP.htm
~~http://www.johnnygosch.com/chap.pdf

[politick]

87. I think the soul of the nation has long been damaged

but the image of an intact soul is shattered, and now we have to deal with the truth... and we all know how painful that can be.

[Pachamama]

41. Gee, I thought the * administration had done a fine job damaging the US

image with everything else they have done....And like you said, shouldn't they have thought about "America's image and reputation" (not to mention morals, principles and our soldiers' and citizens safety in the world) BEFORE they went ahead and tortured people?

:grr:

With the Grand Jury indictments of Tom Delay and now this ruling, I still have some hope that Justice and the Constitutional Rule of Law will stop these corrupt cronies, torturers and fascist Neo-cons from their destruction of the United States.

[AllyCat]

45. Yeah, but maybe CJ Roberts will come to * rescue

He seemed to like him an awful lot in 2000...I'm sure he'll return a favor or five to BushCo.

[malaise]

71. The photos can damage the image

but of course there is no damage in Iraq because of the MSM block out. These fugging people are lunatics.

[0007]

74. I expect to see James A. Baker III argue this case in front of

the Supreme Court.

[saigon68]

2. I CAN'T WAIT TO START POSTING

SEE YA MYERS, YOU F---ING ASS CLOWN





Myers: "If terrorism wins in Iraq, the next 9/11 is right around the corner."
By Lawrence Jackson, AP

Air Force Gen. Richard Myers, who will leave his post as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the end of this week, said the United States must win in Iraq because "the outcome and consequences of defeat are greater than World War II."

[AFSCME girl]

9. Me either, saigon68...n/t

[rodeodance]

23. twenty days to appeal

[mike_c]

40. this will go all the way to the SCOTUS....

No way DoD will obey this order. Not now, when the neocon's masturbatory war is already in trouble. They will STONEWALL forever.

[saigon68]

43. The Sheep Don't care

They only care if the Yankees or Cardinals win the pennant

[Trevelyan]

104. Please get involved and write to prisoners who have nearly been driven

insane by the torture at Britain's Belmarsh. I don't know if Gitmo is allowing letters or even the nationality of those who have been "detained" for more than 3 years. Yahoo had a story about an Australian who will be the first to go on "trial" military tribunal, no rights guaranteed, Yahoo news had a photo of his poor father looking terrible, angry at Australia for not defending their own and stating his disbelief that his son could get a fair trial.

[Trevelyan]

105. This site is very important for helping those who can still be helped

http://www.cageprisoners.com/articles.php?aid=4603
WRITE TO THE FORGOTTEN DETAINEES (updated)Date: 07-Jan-2005

It takes little imagination to visualise life in a prison. The confined cell, the bare walls, the silence, and most of all, the feeling of isolation. Many have no family members in the UK and as a result they have become despondent and desperate. In one case, a detainee was actually seeking permission from a scholar to commit suicide until he began to receive letters from the public, which renewed his desire and motivation to live.

It is not enough that we feel sorry for what they are going through. It is not enough that we shed a few tears when we sit and think about what they are experiencing. Nor is it enough that we lay back and wait for others to take on the responsibility of reaching out to them. We must not fail them at this critical time. We must hasten to comfort them, and support them at a time when they need us most. We must write letters that give them hope, help strengthen them and motivate them to persevere in remaining patient. We must be their link to the outside world, a link that shows that they have not been forgotten.

Such letter-writing campaigns have proved to be hugely successful –with the 8 Belmarsh detainees receiving 60 letters each in the week that the campaign was first launched and with Babar Ahmad receiving over 50 letters in his first week in prison. Therefore we urge you all to make it a regular practice to write to at least one prisoner a week and to encourage all your family members and friends to do the same.

The letters can be as short as a paragraph, preferably written in your own handwriting as it is more personal, or if you do not have time to write a letter, you can buy a set of 'Thinking of You' cards. The content of the letters should be encouraging them to be patient, reminding them to have hope and that they have not been forgotten. This should not take more than half an hour and should not cost you more than £3. However, it may give hope to a prisoner for whom half an hour is like half a year.

For more information on why you should write and for ideas on what to write, click here. If you have included your name and address preferably a stamped addressed envelope) it is probable that the risoners will write back to you and you can find out exactly what heir situation is like inside. If you still prefer not to leave your ame and address, then please write to them anyway.

Please ensure that the prisoner addresses are written exactly as they appear below. PRISONER ADDRESSES UK HMP BELMARSH(Note: the detainees cannot receive books, tapes, clothes etc; money can help prisoners buying extra food and other items but should be sent via special delivery)There are more addresses on the cgeprisoners site

Detainee `E' (FF9416)
HMP Belmarsh,
Westernway,
Thamesmead,
LONDON SE 28 OEB

Detainee `K' (HP5668)
HMP Belmarsh,
Westernway,
Thamesmead,
LONDON SE 28 OEB

Detainee `S' (GF6440)
HMP Belmarsh,
Westernway,
Thamesmead,
LONDON SE 28 OEB

[zanne]

49. Is there ever a "last word"?

For an administration that claims it doesn't like lawyers, they sure use alot of them. How far can they go with this? Do they ever have to comply, or can they just keep appealing?

[leftchick]

31. me either saigon

I tell you this has been the worst fucking month for this misadministration since they were installed.
And I AM LOVING IT!

:)

[saigon68]

34. Images like this won't go away

[marmar]

75. They're only going to get worst, methinks...

It's time for the karma check to be cashed.

:nopity:
:nopity:
:nopity:

[0007]

76. Me too!

[DemsUnited]

3. Thought this case was already ruled in favor of the Pentagon.

Glad to be wrong.

[stubtoe]

62. That's what I thought too.

Glad to be in good company!

[Quakerfriend]

4. OMG! This should be posted in CAPS!

We sooooooo needed for these heinous crimes to come out!

[tavalon]

42. You might want to change that to need, not needed

It will be a long, long time before these come out. Appeal after appeal will be coming. The government doesn't care if this is a lost cause, they will continue to fight it..............with our tax money.

[Trevelyan]

111. There are some new hideous photos out now

Americablog had some of them with some of the worse redacted and in the comments the site without the redaction.

"good questions. In the case of the Abu Ghraib scandal, it took one soldier who had refused to go along with what he saw, and handed over the evidence. It still comes down to the differences in the minds of certain people. Military or otherwise, there will always be some who can cross a line that others won't even go near.
~~~
These pictures sadly remind me of those disgusting lynching pictures popular in the US early last century, in which you had all of these white smiling faces around the burned out or hanged corpses of some poor African-American.
~~
As much as I hate to admit it, I think you may have a point. I can't think of any other explanation. It would also explain the high incidence of PTSD among Vietnam vets. I don't think it was just the fact that they were greeted with contempt (or apathy) when they
returned. I think it has something to do with how much better we've gotten at killing people.

War has always been hell. But technology has made it more hellish.

One wonders what nightmares will follow these soldiers home.o those (few) folks who like to blame ALL soldiers for the idiocy of a few... this is from Andrew Sullivan today...

McCAIN MOVES: The latest horrifying torture revelations give his proposed anti-torture legislation a push. This is a real war within Republicanism right now: the decency and honor of John McCain and Lindsey Graham versus the incompetence and brutality of Cheney and Rumsfeld. And in army captain Ian Fishback, we have a real American hero. In his words: "We are America. Our actions should be held to a
higher standard. I would rather die fighting than give up even the smallest part of the idea that is 'America.'" That's the real voice of the U.S. military. And it abhors the brutality this administration has sanctioned and covered up.

-- You know Democratic Underground has banned discussion of the Iraqi pics for web porn story.

Dunno if it is a word that came down from DLC or what but if more sites keep on repeating this story it is just going to incite people to stop supporting the troops. Not to mention that it just gives the enemy more propaganda.

---The average 70kg male has about 5.8L of blood in him. You can reasonably expect to pump 60% of that volume out before losing vital signs. So yes, there is that much blood.

Those soldiers are going to bring that attitude back with them. People will then be wondering why they shot their spouses, or are living on the street...---Was she following orders or wasn't she?

So many horrifying results from an unjustified war.Impeach and Indict.

http://www.haloscan.com/comments.php?user=katsiva&comment=11277644170
4139293

We are liberating these people from what again? We are liberating these people from who and what again?

We call ourselves a "Liberating Force"? How about a "Killing, Raping, Torturing, Plundering, Force” It seems more appropriate and honest.

How could it get worse for the Iraqi people? What would/could be worse for the Iraqi people? How does this not make every single Muslim in the world not want to kill every single American they see?

If these were your family members what would be your next steps?

Please either write or call Congressman Conyers about this story. oh my best advice is to send the porn for pictures stories to ongressman john conyers of michigan. John has always stood up on the hard issues even when no one else would. Hes a man of honor and integrity. Here is his contact information. Please call or write him, hes not one to shy away from hard issues.

This is an official web site of the U.S. House of Representatives
The Honorable John Conyers, Jr Representing Michigan's 14th District
[e-mail] 2426 Rayburn Building Washington, DC 20515
[phone] [phone] Fax http://www.johnconyers.com/
http://www.conyersblog.us/

[Judi Lynn]

5. Good for him, he didn't back down! He's a hero.

I hope, like the poster before me, his judgement will be allowed to stand, and not kicked up to the new, even more _Bush-friendly Supreme Court.

[Tight_rope]

6. Hot Damn...As though Bushco didn't have enough problems..n/t

[bluestateguy]

8. I am not in the slightest bit holding my breath

The government WILL attempt some other bullsshit stall tactic with their scumbag lawyers.

[me b zola]

27. Yep

IMO, the judge, like the last judge, should have ordered that the photos be present in court at the time of the ruling so that the pictures could be handed over immediately. Just make sense to me.

[pacalo]

11. The judge's "blackmail" reference is interesting.

I know he was referring to the government's claim that terra-ists would avenge the photos, but I'd love to think it was also a dig at this controlling administration, too.

I love the wisdom of this judge: "Terrorists in Iraq and Afghanistan have proven they 'do not need pretexts for their barbarism.'"

[Rose Siding]

21. No kidding!

Very wise:

"...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"

:wow:

[leesa]

65. Whose barbarism??? The US has behaved more barbarically

than any other terrorist. We just do it from afar by melting them with white phosphorous or napalm or bombing them to bits from 1000's of feet up.

[RSchewe]

12. This is the material Seymour Hersch has been talking about for a while now

Let's see what is done to prevent them from being released. There is no doubt that this will eventually have to come before the Supreme Court. I doubt the chances that they will be released are that good.

This would be just another sandbag added to an already sinking Republican Titanic.

[The Stranger]

24. They will certainly appeal, but they ave to get an order from the circuit

court before the 20 days expires. Otherwise, the photos may be obtained and released anywhere and everywhere and by any means necessary.

[othermeans]

113. Wouldn't they have to frame it in the context of a Constitutional issue

before it went to the SCOTUS?

[bunny planet]

13. Can the Repukes delay this further by kicking this up in the courts and

bringing it before the Supremes with Roberts presiding?

[Stinky The Clown]

17. Yup

[progressoid]

14. Now the shits gonna hit the fan.

In lots of ways.

[IChing]

20. Damn great minds think a like eh?

[IChing]

15. nominated the shit is gonna hit the fan.

Just wait for the right wing neo-fascist media pundits talk about this.

[berni_mccoy]

16. Judge Rules on ACLU FOIA Request (Breaking on DU)

It appears he rules in favor of ACLU. A DUer posted the link to the ruling, just released here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4924653

The news source is the Court itself.

[deminks]

18. Here is the link to the ruling from another post

http://www.nysd.uscourts.gov/courtweb/pdf/D02NYSC/05-05912.PDF

here is the other post:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=4924653&mesg_id=4924653

The judge uses Smirky's own words:

In its most recent discussion of FOIA, the Supreme Court commented that “FOIA is often explained as a means for citizens to know what ‘their Government is up to.’ The sentiment is far from a convenient formalism. It defines a structural necessity in a real democracy.” Favish, 541 U.S. at 171-72. As President Bush said, we fight to spread freedom so the freedoms of Americans will be made more secure. It is in compliance with these principles, enunciated by both the President and the highest court in the land, that I order the
government to produce the Darby photographs that I have determined are responsive and appropriately redacted.

[rodeodance]

22. says both sides has 20 days to appeal (from GD board)

[rodeodance]

26. karen hughes has a big job ahead of her!!!

[Rose Siding]

25. Thanks! The ruling is posted in that thread

http://www.nysd.uscourts.gov/courtweb/pdf/D02NYSC/05-05912.PDF

[rodeodance]

28. not on the news yet (neither are the 5 killed troops)

[pacalo]

35. Brilliant!

"As President Bush said, we fight to spread freedom so the freedoms of Americans will be made more secure. It is in compliance with these principles, enunciated by both the President and the highest court in the land, that I order the government to produce the Darby photographs that I have determined are responsive and appropriately redacted."

The People have the freedom to know when its government has been corrupted; the People have the freedom to demand that the government follow the law.

[klook]

70. That's "fiefdoms"

They must've typoed it.

[CottonBear]

48. Thank you for posting these links deminks.

It will be interesting to see how much coverage this story will get in the Corporate Media. This is indeed bad news for the BFEE but I fear that they will, once again, appeal the ruling.

[babylonsister]

29. Yes! Talk about a bad month for the BFEE! Now, Fitz... nt

[Matariki]

30. hmmm, maybe Robert's confirmation will be just in time.

blah.

[Czolgosz]

32. Release of the photos "could damage America's image"? No! The conduct

depicted in the photos has damaged America's image. That's a great quote from the ruling. Maybe this will be Chief Justice Roberts's first case.

[truebrit71]

33. I hope not...at some point this has to be brought to the masses...

....what is the government trying to hide, and SHAME the bastards into revealing what we've known all along....

[nookiemonster]

36. Do it, NOW!!

The judge said: "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."


Good or bad. The truth must be revealed.

America will have to deal with it. It sucks.

We need the truth.

[tex-wyo-dem]

82. This is a very profound statement...

and sums up what releasing these photos REALLY means:

The judge said: "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."

To all you RW lurking idiots who think this will "damage our image" and "put our troops at risk", everyone in the world already knows that our government is condoning torture, much of the world already hates us, and, believe it or not, much of the world is nervously watching us as not only a superpower, but a fascist and possibly dictatorial superpower. What releasing these photos will show the world is that even the highest powers of our government are not above the law or the Geneva Convention and that democracy truly does win in the end -- and that's the most important message we could possibly send at this point.

[jsamuel]

38. WOOT - Culture of Corruption

[VolcanoJen]

39. Can anyone update... where does this stand now?

So, is this the "final" ruling, or can another appeal be filed, or some kind of motion that would further block the release of the photos?

What happens next?

[BadGimp]

44. wow - this is not shaping up to be a good week for the BFEE

I am still feelin a profound sense of elation that justice has finally reached the doorstep of Mr DeLay.

wow...

[FeloniousMonk]

47. God, this is so great! I wanted to post it, but somebody did already. eom

[LibertyLou]

50. Unfortunately, this is just ONE reason why SCOTUS has been

such a big battle. It will be appeaked, delays will drag on, etc. SCOTUS has been fixed. CJ Roberts is compromised.

Remember Kelo v. City of New London? That was pre-Roberts. It's going to get much, much worse.

IMHO.

[FVZA_Colonel]

51. 'It could damage our image'

Sounds like a pretty shitty defense, if you ask me.

[UpInArms]

52. US ordered to release more Iraq abuse photos

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,7374-1803950,00.html

The United States is bracing itself for further criticism over the treatment of Iraqi detainees after a judge ordered the release of another batch of photographs of alleged abuse at Abu Ghraib prison.

The American Civil Liberties Union has sought the release of 87 photographs and four videotapes from Abu Ghraib as part of a lawsuit demanding information on the treatment of detainees in American custody.

The Pentagon has resisted the application, saying that the images would cause an intensification in the attacks against United States forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.

District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein today dismissed these claims. He said that terrorists have proved that they no need "pretexts for their barbarism".

Several images of the abuse at the prison have already been widely distributed, but the lawsuit covers additional photos not yet seen by the public.

...more...

[hiley]

53. Do you think

this time they might actually release the evidence?
It would be about time..

[UpInArms]

54. have they run out of Appeals?

then and only then and then after more delaying tactics...

[hiley]

56. I hope so..

but with this administration they might pull something out of their asses.. again.

[Jim__]

58. Accordingto AP - more appeals

The ruling was expected to be appealed, which could delay a release for months. - more

[hiley]

55. I think they are coming out this time..

The judge said: "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."

General Richard Myers, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, argued against publication saying in court papers that releasing the photographs would aid al-Qaeda recruitment, weaken the Afghan and Iraqi governments and incite riots against American troops.

But Mr Hellerstein said: "My task is not to defer to our worst fears, but to interpret and apply the law.

[TankLV]

101. I hope the incite riots here against the criminals in OUR White House

and Congress!

[grumpy old fart]

57. Will these back up Sy Hersh's horrific claims of child rape, etc?

http://www.boingboing.net/2004/07/15/hersh_children_raped.html

"Some of the worst things that happened you don't know about, okay? Videos, um, there are women there. Some of you may have read that they were passing letters out, communications out to their men. This is at Abu Ghraib ... The women were passing messages out saying 'Please come and kill me, because of what's happened' and basically what happened is that those women who were arrested with young boys, children in cases that have been recorded. The boys were sodomized with the cameras rolling. And the worst above all of that is the soundtrack of the boys shrieking that your government has. They are in total terror. It's going to come out."

[drb]

59. I do not believe these will ever be released.

The Pentagon will fall on their swords before they let this stuff out. All the photos will be destroyed even if someone ends up doing time with Tom DeLay.

[Seansky]

60. yeah, we are having another thread about this here

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=4924996&mesg_id=4924996

[hiley]

61. expected to be appealed

snip--
The ruling was expected to be appealed, which could delay a release for months.

ACLU Executive Director Anthony Romero called it historic. "While no one wants to see what's on the photos or videos, they will play an essential role in holding our government leaders accountable for the torture that's happened on their watch," he said.

The U.S. attorney's office in Manhattan, which argued the case for the government, did not immediately comment.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/abu_ghraib_photos
bullshit again, it will be forever before we see this.

[Busshianic]

63. 87 photographs?? There were THOUSANDS of photos... (nt)

[Opusnone]

64. What makes neocons cry?

How disgustingly filthy and obscene would an act have to be to make the veep or limpballs or * or wolfie or rummy, et al cry? How bad would it have to be to make them (any of them) finally say "Enough! I give up. We were wrong"

[klook]

72. Nothing

I think they could justify any act, no matter how cruel, by telling themselves it's "stopping the spread of terrorism."

[Jose Diablo]

66. This has already been appealed and gone to the SCOTUS and came back

Now ruling on another issue brought-up after going up and down previously.

The government in now in contempt of court. It is time for the judge to rule a contempt of court and put the lawyers for the pentagon and the generals in jail until the photos are released.

Using a never ending appeal process would be just like the pentagon.

[democrank]

67. The deranged George Bush

damaged our image a long time ago. Let`s lay it all out in the open so we can see what kind of "freedom" Bush is spreading in Iraq and elsewhere.

[xxqqqzme]

68. kicking it up 2 the supremes - roberts will make certain

those pictures R never released.

Get it now?

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

69. "they do not need pretexts for their barbarism."

Nor do we, as will be evidenced from these and other photos we've already seen.

[Trevelyan]

112. Keep writing CNN and Congress - It is a way to indirectly support Fitz

Rep. Conyers, Rep. Barbara Lee, Rep. Lautenburg, Rep. McKinney. They need our help by using our voice. They are under terrible attack from obscene and racist phone calls. Someone at Kos said she was told by members of the Black Caucus after she thanked them for standing up after seeing a televised meeting that cut away and the persons who answered the phone said she was the only one who called to thank and that they had been getting really sick and frightening calls. Please support the people who stand up against the BFEE. They CANNOT DO IT ALONE!!!

Check out this excellent detailed timeline on prisoner abuse:

http://cooperativeresearch.org/ p...s_torture_abuse

Well, as I posted over at Digby, let's wait and see what verification brings to light.

i wonder why americans wonder why the world hates them.

[AlinPA]

77. Those pictures define the Rove-Bush** administration's values. They

also are the values of the US conservatives and most republicans like Limbaugh, Hannity, O'Reilly, Coulter and that crowd. The world will be further angered if they come out. I doubt very much that the Pentagon will release them. Their top republican lawyers and their Supreme Court will stop the release.

[pimpbot]

81. CNN WHORING FOR THE ADMIN ON THIS ISSUE

Right now on Wolf Blitzer, they have two pro war guys arguing that it will sustain al quida recruitment. Wolf pretty much is leading them right down the script. HOLY CRAP I'm about to puke.

[Julius Civitatus]

84. How about NOT TORTURING PEOPLE? Is that too radical?

Those two pricks on Blitzer' show should consider the benefits and moral standing of... NOT TORTURING PEOPLE!! How's that for innovative?

:banghead:

[brainshrub]

79. The truth will be painful for many Americans.

It's hard to admit that your own people are committing atrocities. The torture going on in Iraq is widespread and well-documented.

[redqueen]

80. Again?

Hope it'll work this time... we can't allow L. England to be the scapegoat for abuses that were allowed to happen.

[Charlie Brown]

83. Wow. A sane judge

They're becoming a rarity these days.

[Alpharetta]

85. Time for another landmark SCOTUS embarrassment

Up there with landmark cases such as Dred Scott, affirmation of slavery and apartheid, the US Supreme Court will affirm defacto Pentagon control of media, justice, and foreign policy.

[zara]

88. What an inspiring judge!

Appellate neocons may shut him down.
Otherwise, New Chief Justice Roberts has shown his stripes on this kind of issue already. In case of national security, administration wins. ; (
A sad thought.

[beingthere]

89. bravo, Judge Hellerstein; go ACLU

[Gregorian]

90. I wonder if our letters made a difference.

His ruling seemed really complex to me.

I wrote him saying that the truth was what we were after. The truth.
And that the photos will leak. The previous ones did.

I doubt any of our comments meant a thing. But it would be nice to think they did.

[centristo]

91. i really hope

that i don't get killed because of what these ass-clowns have done. I live in that giant bullseye called Manhattan...


And what kind of moron blames the pictures for inciting anti-Americanism over the actions that were captured on those pictures? The pictures need to be released and America as a country needs to face the music so we can clear our name and restore our reputation.

I was embarrased to be an American when Bush got re-elected...just wait until those pictures come out...This country has got a looooong way to go to get back on track. It's up to us to make it happen.
:patriot:

[savemefromdumbya]

92. ghastly child abuse

can this government stoop that low to condone the tactics of child abuse in foreign prisons or elsewhere? This is a disgrace. Bush and Cheny should be imprisoned for this. They are ultimately responsible Commander in chief

[Geek_Girl]

93. Does anyone know when these pictures will be released?

Or if the government will file some other reason for not releasing them.

[goodboy]

100. Yeah when? (nt)

[stevietheman]

94. I'm ready for the national catharsis... release them now! n/t

n/t

[acmavm]

95. Seriously, those photos and videos are NOT going to be released.

But hell, just go to the porn-for-gore site. That's pretty bad shit.

[skooooo]

96. Judge Orders Release of Abu Ghraib Photos

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050930/ap_on_re_us/abu_ghraib_photos;_ylt=Ap532s14O0Q7drf2BfURorGs0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3b2NibDltBHNlYwM3MTY-



NEW YORK - A federal judge Thursday ordered the release of dozens more pictures of prisoners being abused at Abu Ghraib, rejecting government arguments that the images would provoke terrorists and incite violence against U.S. troops in Iraq.

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U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein said that terrorists "do not need pretexts for their barbarism" and that suppressing the pictures would amount to submitting to blackmail.

[bettyellen]

97. thank you judge-

:bounce:
america is going to wake up!

[converted_democrat]

98. Will the DOD now take this to the SC, or will they just release them??n/t

[AllyCat]

115. They've got the SC in their pocket. I suspect that's where they will go

Now that they have Roberts in there to rubber-stamp everything for the BFEE (remember when he said, "Gosh, I am just awed by the amount of trust Bush* has in me. I'll just have to do my best"?). They'll find a way to stop this. Just really makes you wonder WHO is in those photos that they are hiding this so heavily.

[proud2BlibKansan]

99. Hip hip hooray

These pictures need to come out.

[paineinthearse]

102. DU needs to take a moment to reflect on the reporting...

done by lala_rawraw.

[Judi Lynn]

106. BBC article: "Abu Ghraib images 'must appear' "

Last Updated: Friday, 30 September 2005, 07:05 GMT 08:05 UK

Abu Ghraib images 'must appear'

The images shocked the world (AP Photo/Courtesy of The New Yorker)
A judge in New York has ruled that pictures of Iraqi inmates abused by US troops should be released.
The judge made the order after a request by the American Civil Liberties Union for access to 87 unseen images.

District Judge Alvin Hellerstein rejected government arguments that this could fuel anti-US feelings.
(snip)

In a first reaction, the head of US Central Command, General John Abizaid, said publication of more pictures could distort reality.

"When we continue to pick at the wound and show the pictures over and over again it just creates the image - which is a false image - that this is the sort of stuff that's happening anew, and it's not," Gen Abizaid said.
(snip)

"Certainly I would be concerned but I would be equally concerned... that the pictures had not been released and you allow then any opposition to say 'but there is more'," Janis Karpinski told the BBC's Today programme.
(snip/...)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4295324.stm

[Guaranteed]

107. This is going to really, really hurt.

The truth, I mean.

It's going to knock some people the fuck out.


I think this could end up being the biggest thing to happen to our country in a long...LONG...time.

Cuz it pretty conclusively proves that WE'RE the bad guys.

[Carolab]

110. When does Roberts report for work?

Per the BBC's article:

"The ruling represents a huge potential embarrassment for the US administration, says the BBC's Jeremy Cooke in New York.

The government has 20 days to consider an appeal."

[pinniped]

114. This country's image is already down in the toilet thanks...

to jr. and the rest of the repigs.

Nice try, a-holes.