Sanitizing War and Occupation- ROBERT GATES "APPALLED" BY AP STORY THAT SHOWS IMAGE OF DYING MARINE

[Orwellian_Ghost]

Too Much Reality Appalls Robert Gates

by James McEnteer / September 5th, 2009

The decision of the Associated Press to run a photograph of a dying U.S. Marine drew fire from Defense Secretary Robert Gates. In a letter he released publicly, Gates called the AP decision “appalling. The issue here is not law, policy or constitutional right – but judgment and common decency.” The AP said it decided to make the image public because it “conveys the griminess of war and the sacrifice of young men and women fighting it.”

Gates is more upset about the image of a dying Marine gaining currency than he is about the multiple wars in which the U.S. is currently engaged. The Bush regime especially has been adept at controlling and sanitizing the images of war, prohibiting photos of flag-draped caskets or military burial services. As if war were a distant abstraction, without bloody, fatal consequences.

What is “appalling” of course, and beyond any rational “judgment and common decency” are the wars themselves,

in Iraq – built on lies – and in Afghanistan – purportedly in revenge against a Saudi guerrilla there. Neither conflict can be justified or withstand scrutiny – moral or political – but that does not bother Robert Gates. His brief is to run the wars, test the weapons, keep the military in fighting trim and try to minimize the psychic damage to the American soul. That was why he protested the photo. Psychic damage.

What we need is many more photos, of dead and wounded U.S. fighting men and women. But also of Iraqi and Afghani civilians. Why does AP not show us the torn and bloody children of our “muscular foreign policy”?

The American people are not nearly appalled enough by the wanton destruction committed in our name.

There is no strategy worth this carnage. Control of petro resources cannot justify this ongoing murder.

...

http://dissidentvoice.org/2009/09/too-much-reality-appalls-robert-gates/

Why does Robert Gates want to hide this photo from Afghanistan?

http://www.ap.org/fallen_marine/

Robert Gates protests AP decision as 'appalling'

By MIKE ALLEN | 9/4/09 9:38 AM EDT


Defense Secretary Robert Gates is objecting “in the strongest terms” to an Associated Press decision to transmit a photograph showing a mortally wounded 21-year-old Marine in his final moments of life, calling the decision “appalling” and a breach of “common decency.”

The AP reported that the Marine’s father had asked – in an interview and in a follow-up phone call — that the image, taken by an embedded photographer, not be published.

The AP reported in a story that it decided to make the image public anyway because it “conveys the grimness of war and the sacrifice of young men and women fighting it.”

The photo shows Lance Cpl. Joshua M. Bernard of New Portland, Maine, who was struck by a rocket-propelled grenade in a Taliban ambush Aug. 14 in Helmand province of southern Afghanistan, according to The AP.

...

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0909/26759.html

AP photo of dying Marine draws fire from Pentagon

By Matthew Shaer | 09.04.09


Defense Secretary Robert Gates has condemned the Associated Press decision to release a photograph of a US Marine wounded during a battle in the Helmand province of southern Afghanistan. The Marine, Lance Cpl. Joshua M. Bernard of New Portland, Maine, was struck by a rocket-propelled grenade in a Taliban ambush on Aug. 14. He later died of his wounds.

In the AP photograph, Bernard is pictured lying on his side on a sandy slope. The image is blurry, but Bernard appears to be bleeding; two other Marines stand over him, attending to his wounds. The caption, titled “Afghanistan Death of a Marine,” identifies the location as the village of Dahaneh. The photographer is Julie Jacobson, who also took the image at the top of this post. The AP reports that Bernard later died on the operating table at a nearby field hospital.

...

http://features.csmonitor.com/politics/2009/09/04/ap-photo-of-dying-marine-draws-fire-from-pentagon/

RIP Joshua M. Bernard

[Autumn]

1. Secretary Gates, I am appalled

that he died in this stupid immoral war. So fuck you. And it is a fucking shame this has been un reced .

[Diamonique]

2. I'm sick of the wars, too.

And we shouldn't be trying to hide or sanitize it.

But if the man's parents asked that the photo not be published, then the AP shouldn't have published it... period.

[northernlights]

3. +1,000,000,000

His parents asked them not to publish the picture. That was another disgusting breach of privacy by the msm. That is what is indecent.

[Autumn]

4. We know what the medias game is, when it

was bushes war they would not even allow the coffins to be shown. I agree the photo should not have been published , but that fucker Gates has no business being appalled.

[Political Heretic]

5. OG, the family specifically pleaded with AP not to run the photo.

I think that there wishes should have been respected.

It's not about Gates, or about the war. It's about a dead son of a grieving father who specifically stated his wishes. We should still have some respect for family's privacy in this country.

[Orwellian_Ghost]

7. Not buying it

I don't think Gates gives a shit about the kid who died and I know he and it seems most of America don't even register the deaths of the few million Iraqis, Afghanis etc. that have been slaughtered in their name over the last two or less decades.

So yes to respecting the parents wishes and no to giving Gates even the slightest benefit of the doubt.

The major irresponsible act by the media has been to avoid showing the bloodshed, also known as reality, of the wars and as we know from the archives this decision was made and enforced by the military and politicians post Viet Nam.

[Political Heretic]

10. Not buying what? The AP said the family requested they not run the photo

and that they chose to anyway. Not Gates.

Look, I'm with you on the broader point. You know that. But when the family specifically requests something, I think those wishes need to be respected.

[Canuckistanian]

6. But pictures of slain enemies are just fine with Gates

From the comments section of the Dissident Voice blog:

Of course, if you know where to go you can find all the ‘death porn’, collected by ghoulish US troops armed with digital cameras, that your twisted little psyche could ever desire. The Quakers, I believe, first stumbled on this amazongly depraved trade early on during the carnage in Iraq.

Of course, Gates has made similar protests about THOSE pictures, too, right?

[spanone]

8. i saw that story and thought it was about as sensitive as you can be in a war situation

[GrantDem]

9. The photographer was very respectful in her narration

of the events in this slideshow. It is a very realistic account from a warzone. I, however, have to agree, if the family didn't want the photo released the AP should have respected that.

CAUTION: Graphic.

http://hosted.ap.org/specials/interactives/_international/afghan_marine/

[TacticalPeek]

11. The photographer had promised not to publish it.

The AP asked permission from the parents and it was withheld.

They could have used some other picture.

Out of line.