Well, they're out there! The photos of prisoner abuse. According to The Daily Kos they were released by an Australian network. Truth be told, when I was looking for pictures for yesterday's post I saw many of them but thought they were among those already released.
I never bought into the argument that releasing them would show the world we mean it when we say no more. What it shows the world is what was done. No one is going to care which administration was in power when it happened. What will be remembered is that it's what the Americans did with their prisoners!
According to the article the channel SBS obtained the photos in 2006 after Abu Ghraib but were not among the photos distributed at the time and are believed to among those the President wanted to block. That hasn't been made totally clear, but there couldn't be much worse among any still unreleased. This photo is one I felt I could post. Even though I make points graphic when I feel it appropriate, there are some lines that even I won't cross. Take that as you may.
So what is it? Not only the Islamic world doesn't trust us; it appears that other countries feel it is their due to take decisions which should be ours, away from us. No, that isn't true. It isn't Australia. It's the Australian media. I have no doubt our media would have done the same given the opportunity. Has all the media succumbed to paparazzi mentality? Anything for a story; a scoop? The Australian media, nor it's country, had no part of the decision making process, they had no hand in the execution of the abuse nor were any of them victims of it.
Freedom of the press? If they've had these photos since 2006 why wait until now? Now, when a new administration is trying mightily to turn around the grievances of the past administration? Where's the responsibility? Is it strictly for the sensationalism of seeing men demeaned? Is it meant to embarrass the American government? What?
The article indicates there are more to come. This is a sorry day indeed. Our President was trying to do right by our soldiers and has been denied. Not by our Congress nor our media but by a foreign entity.
What is the world coming to? In early June Obama is scheduled to travel to Egypt to make a major speech. The photos are "out" there. This is the first time I've really had a queasy feeling in my stomach about the safety of our President on foreign soil.
I have no idea what the world is coming to. In time, it's senses, I hope!
