Poll: Should Obama release detainee abuse photos?
The Times' editorial board in the coming days will most likely address President Obama's decision to block the release of new photos showing alleged abuse of prisoners by U.S. personnel in overseas prisons. The administration's policy is a reversal of the Defense Department's previously stated position on the issue.
Here's the administration's position:
"The president was concerned about harm to the troops," White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said Wednesday afternoon. "The president, as you all know, met with his legal team last week because he did not feel comfortable with the release of the photos."
Gibbs added, "the president reflected on this case and believes that they have the potential to pose harm to the troops. ... Nothing is added by the release of the photos."
Click here to read reaction from other blogs, newspapers and the like.
Before we weigh in, we're interested in hearing what you have to say. Tell us what you think by taking our unscientific poll, leaving a comment or both.
Credit: Win McNamee / Getty Images
The photos should not be released. Releasing them would not do any good for our country. I strongly believe that these people fighting for the release of subject photos are either oblivious of the consequences of the past evil attacks suffered by our countrymen, or are people belonging to the other political party who are trying to put down the democratically elected people. They should instead do positive actions for the benefit of our country - first.
Posted by: Cherri Villaver | May 15, 2009 at 12:05 PM
Releasing the photos puts all of us at risk. Are you willing to put your own family at risk to further the "rights" of those who were detained?
The treatment of some detainees was clearly wrong and unlikely to happen again.
They will hate us no matter what because they believe it is their mandate to KILL all of us infidels.
Don't these people remember 9/11? The terrorists are acting outside of the "rules of engagement.'" Like any murderer, they negate their rights when they negate ours.
The people who advocate the release of the photos are ignorant of the dangers facing this world from extremists who use suicide bombers, the denigration of women and chidren and other truly evil means to persue their religious fanaticism.
Why on earth would we support those whose actions are based on doing harm to others? We must protect ourselves, because the bottom line is that our national pursuits are based on liberty and humanity.
Posted by: Laura | May 15, 2009 at 10:30 AM
My mistake. I referred to a quote over my name. He is jojo, not GOJO,
Posted by: GOJO | May 14, 2009 at 07:43 PM
It's hard for me to believe that , according to your poll, over half the readership of LAT have the good sense to realize the danger to our military by releasing the photos.
Anyone who does not realize they would help Taliban recruitment is living in a dream world. Do we hate the previous Administration enough to jeopardize our own safety,
I remember the effect Jane Fonda had on military morale . I was there -- a proud U.S. Marine.
I notice the following is posted with my name:
"why are pictures ever taken if not to be seen by everyone?
oh yeah....PORN"
I DID NOT submit that. In fact the pictures were taken by Military Investigators, & those involved have already been
disciplined.
Posted by: GOJO | May 14, 2009 at 07:35 PM
It is photos like these (and the people and policies that engendered them) that have lost us the right to refer to ourselves as "the good guys."
Posted by: Anthony Levintow | May 14, 2009 at 05:34 PM
I did not support President Obama but I applaud his decision in this matter. How many of those on the LA times editorial board have sons or daughters serving in Iraq or Afgan? None I'd bet. The president must protect the lives of our sons and daughters in the military. Islamic fanatics will use any excuse to target the nearest American. Why... because as the leader of the Taliban in Pakistan recently said, " Islam is incompatible with democracy". Allegations of "torture" are blown way out of proportion by the naive media. True torture is beheading or severing appendages not humiliation or s;eep deprivation. Let's get real here !!!
Posted by: Chuck Anderson | May 14, 2009 at 04:53 PM
Unfortunately, bush and cheney are unlikely to ever be prosecuted for their crimes.
The truth of their behavior does not need to be hidden, it needs to be exposed to the light of public scrutiny.
It is not surprising that many would like the shameful truth to remain hidden, many Germans wish that history could be re-written as Ahmedinajad would. Fortunately a wise American president insisted that the photographs of Auschwitz and other Nazi atrocities be recorded for all of humanity to be aware of and hopefully learn from. Brave jounalists around the world have risked and given their lives to bring the truth of many more crimes, atrocities and disasters to the world's attention. Secrecy and censorship are not the hallmarks of freedom and justice!
Americans, please take your heads out of the sand so that you can hold them high again with pride.
A friendly Canadian.
Posted by: Robert Kerr | May 14, 2009 at 02:03 PM
My personal opinion is that the photos be released. I disagree with the decision to withhold the photos, but I can see the argument. However, the second choice (releasing some photos) is out of the question.
The presumed purpose of releasing only some of the photos is to prevent putting our soldiers in danger and to prevent an international backlash. But if we release only some of the photos, there will be the equal backlash and danger to our soldiers. The world will be asking why other photos are withheld and whether there is a cover up. We will be in the same position we will be if we withhold all. A partial release will satisfy no one. It will only make the world much angrier and then some because they will have seen some of the horrible things done - all the while knowing that the worst is being hidden.
No -either release the photos or not. Do not selectively release them.
Posted by: Stephen J | May 14, 2009 at 11:23 AM
Most of the comments posted here today don't care for the rule of law and taken responsibility. They commentators would make great WWII Germans.
Posted by: david | May 14, 2009 at 09:12 AM
I am surprised that Obama finally made a correct decision. Liberal groups will find that they voted for the wrong candidate.
No one likes the liberal kooks.
Vito
Posted by: uncle_vito | May 14, 2009 at 04:01 AM
Let's win the wars to which we we should be committed. Let's worry about the prisoners of war after we have won. Our military, like any organisation will have trade secrets. Exposing them for all to see will only weaken us. Release the prisoners to their countries of origin, or general population in any of our prisons. Period.
Posted by: John yang | May 14, 2009 at 12:28 AM
Release the silly pictures. Why not. They all hate us anyhow. Right? Flying passenger jets into icons justifies torture, doesn't it. And remember Bush say they did it because they hate our freedom and how better to show how free we are than allow the goverment to hide it's activities behide troop protection reteric. The goverment is what put them in this fix to begin-with. The whole world knows the 9/11 hoax was put together by Cheney and his type. This picture thing is just another distraction. Let's waterboard the real terrorists on the news at 7:00 to see if they give us information that makes the world safer.
Posted by: Mike Mahoney | May 13, 2009 at 11:16 PM
Obama and everyone who doesn't want the photos released are confirming that we as a nation have something heinous to hide. By releasing the photos, you indeed are proving what those opposing us are claiming. It doesn't matter whether the photos are released or not. The truth is the truth. And it will out... indeed.
Posted by: Sophie | May 13, 2009 at 10:33 PM
Finally, the leftist liberal country is doing something right! I can't believe it even makes it into the LA times...
Now lets see if Obama will go ahead with the missile shield in Europe instead of trying to be friends with China and Russia.
ACLU is horrible as well.
Posted by: Due diligence | May 13, 2009 at 09:11 PM
why are pictures ever taken if not to be seen by everyone?
oh yeah....PORN
Posted by: jojo | May 13, 2009 at 06:54 PM
Obama is no different than Bush right now with better grammar, it is disheartening...
Posted by: inspire | May 13, 2009 at 06:46 PM
Obama made the right decision. The net effect of releasing the photos is that OUR SOLDIERS would pay for the crimes committed by Bush and Cheney. Bush and Cheney are the guilty ones -- they're the ones who should be dumped into a dark pit and left there to rot. Thanks to Bush and Cheney, we are still in a wartime situation, and until that ends, some things still need to be kept private, no matter how galling and bitter the taste. But meanwhile, isn't there some way we could shove a gag over Cheney's fat lying mouth? That creature -- I won't dignify him with the term "man" -- is just plain EVIL and VILE. Ironic that the religious right doesn't recognize the anti-Christ when he's flapping his mouth right in front of them.
Posted by: Joy A | May 13, 2009 at 05:21 PM
No, don't release the photos because it may inflame sentiments against our troops. While we are at it, don't release any Abu Graib pictures, don't release any info about extraordinary renditions, don't acknoledge anything, deny any wrong doings by American forces or intelligence services, because any of that may create ill will against American. Deny, deny, deny.
Why did we have an election? Why did Obama win the election? Why did we bother ?
Posted by: George Singer | May 13, 2009 at 05:18 PM
Let's see, terrorists want to destroy us, Israel, and the rest of the Western world. Yeah, let's release the photos. Great idea: it'll put our troops in greater harms way, create greater instability in Iraq, and make the US a target of extremists ... all in the interest of "the people's right to know."
Posted by: David on the Westside | May 13, 2009 at 05:05 PM
glad to see Barrick hussein standing up against effiete liberals with no combat experience. Semper FI!
Posted by: a former marine | May 13, 2009 at 04:30 PM
Turn all the photos over to the International Criminal Court
Posted by: Sequoia | May 13, 2009 at 04:28 PM
Obama is just a darker version
of Bush. Obama has been
taken over and is run by neocons
now.
Change my arse.
Posted by: Pat Tillman | May 13, 2009 at 04:27 PM
He's right about the harm that will befall our troops, as we saw during the increased casualties after the Abu Ghraib disclosures. It will not only further endanger our troops but also help Al Qaeda and the Taliban recruit and further unnerve our allies in Afghanistan and Pakistan. For what? A few political points? He made the right call, and that in no way endorses the actions of the previous administration, nor forestalls the investigation into their wrongdoings.
Posted by: OZ | May 13, 2009 at 04:26 PM
How are we ever going to know the ugly truth about what our government did in our name? If it was your son tortured under direction from our nation's leaders wouldn't you be demanding justice? I'm very disappointed with Obama's decision - it brushes the war crimes of the prior administration under the rug.
Posted by: Don | May 13, 2009 at 04:14 PM
Was this question polled at the time the administration announced it would release the photos? How did people feel back then?
Posted by: J Henson | May 13, 2009 at 04:10 PM