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More Images of Abu Ghraib
By Ari Berman
The Nation
Monday 22 August 2005
There's a new batch of photos from Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison, and these
are reportedly far worse than the sickening originals. Naturally, the
Pentagon is trying to block their release.
The ACLU filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request in October
2003 to make public 87 photographs and four videos depicting prisoner
abuse in Iraq. The Pentagon originally argued that releasing the images
would violate the Geneva Convention rights of the detainees; a supreme
irony considering that the US originally denied these very prisoners
Geneva Convention protections. The ACLU agreed that the Pentagon could
black out "identifying characteristics," but a federal judge in New
York
ruled last week that DoD must explain publicly why it's concealing the
images. "By and large, I ruled for public disclosure," said US District
Judge Alvin Hellerstein. A final ruling is expected on August 30.
In court proceedings, General Richard Myers argued that releasing the
pictures and videos would give aid to the enemy: boosting Al Qaeda
recruitment, destabilizing governments in Iraq and Afghanistan and
inciting riots throughout the Muslim world. But a number of high-ranking
officers and civil libertarians countered by noting that much of what
Myers predicts is already occurring on the ground, fueled in large
measure by past and present US behavior. "The attacks will continue
regardless of whether the photos and tapes are released," testified
former US Army Colonel Michael Pheneger. Myers, he said, "mistakes
propaganda for motivation."
Last May members of Congress sat in a dark room and viewed the images.
Their responses begged for further elaboration. "It was disgusting,"
said Texas Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson. "There were new ones that we
hadn't seen before, and they're bad. I mean there's no doubt about
that." Bad enough to show to Congress apparently, but not the American
people.
The NewsHour's Ray Suarez said the images reportedly depict "assault,
coerced sexual activity, rape, even dead bodies." Some may have
originated outside of Abu Ghraib. Rep. Jane Harman said she saw videos
of a prisoner banging his head against a wall and a group of men
masturbating. "Some of the videos are more disturbing than the still
photos that you've seen," added Sen. Bill Nelson.
Far from endangering American national security, the release of the
horrific images could provide new impetus to the stalled Congressional
investigations into prisoner abuse, and the Pentagon's failure to hold
any high-ranking officers accountable for Abu Ghraib. An independent
counsel with subpoena power is what's needed most right now to prevent
images like these in the future.
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