Kerry: Detainee Photos Could Be Terrorist Propaganda, But Truth Is Important

[ProSense]

Kerry: Detainee Photos Could Be Terrorist Propaganda, But Truth Is Important

Senate foreign relations committee chairman John Kerry said on Friday that he was concerned the release of photos depicting the abusive treatment of detainees in U.S. custody could become "propaganda tool" for terrorist organizations.

In an interview with the Huffington Post, the Massachusetts Democrat was asked to respond to news that the Department of Defense would be releasing 44 photos pertaining to the harsh handling of detainees at prisons in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"I think showing the truth is always important," said Kerry. "But I do think it will be used as a propaganda tool and have some damaging impact. But this didn't happen under Obama, it happened under Bush and every one understands that."

Kerry stressed in the interview that this was not a decision made by the Obama administration. "They are not releasing them because they want to, but because there was a FOIA request and a judge is ordering them released," he said.

He also stressed that Obama had put an end to these interrogation tactics, which would, in due course, eliminate a galvanizing tool used by these same terrorist cells. "We are trying to move to a new place," he said, "and we have ended these policies." But he did concede that the pictures "will be used as a tool... as were the other photos (from Abu Ghraib)."

<...>

"They should have fought it all the way; if they lost, they lost," said Dr. Mark M. Lowenthal, former Assistant Director of Central Intelligence for Analysis and Production. "There's nothing to be gained from it. There's no substantive reason why those photos have to be released."

link

(edited to add emphasis)

Like the Abu Ghraib photos, "there's nothing to be gained" from releasing them, that is unless it's to prosecute rank-and-file soldiers to cover up the war crimes of top officials.




h/t beachmom for HuffPo link.

[ProSense]

1. Abu Ghraib is an important reminder:

Abu Ghraib head finds vindication in newly released memos

(CNN) -- She said she was a scapegoat. She said she was just following orders. She said she was demoted unfairly.

Now, retired Army Col. Janis Karpinski can say: I told you so.

Karpinski was one of two officers punished over the aggressive interrogations at the notorious Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. Pictures of detainees caused outrage around the world when they were leaked to the news media in May 2004. The photos showed naked prisoners stacked on top of each other or being threatened by dogs or hooded and wired up as if for electrocution.

Throughout the ordeal, Karpinski maintained that she and her troops were following interrogation guidelines approved by top brass. Today, Karpinski has found validation in a few Bush-era memos released last week by the Obama administration.

"The outrage was over the photographs, because the photographs were living color of what those top-secret memorandums authorized," Karpinski said in an interview Wednesday. "So, it is unfair ... the soldiers may have moved through system, but they never had a fair court-martial. Not any one of them, because they were condemned as one of the 'bad apples.' "

<...>

The Abu Ghraib photos (warning graphic) were released on Bush's watch.

[AtomicKitten]

2. There is nothing more important than the truth

especially when some are working overtime trying to spin it squishy.

Senator Kerry is dead-on here: "They are not releasing them because they want to, but because there was a FOIA request and a judge is ordering them released," he said.

K&R

[ProSense]

7. Yup. Kerry is

turning the Republicans' lame argument back on them while emphasizing that the truth is still more important.







edited typo.

[ProSense]

3. Oh, the hypocrisy. Lindsey Graham:

Sen. Lindsey Graham, also a member of the committee that heard Rumsfeld's testimony on Friday, said the Bush administration needs to make public the additional photos as soon as possible. "If there's more to come, let's get it out," said Graham, R-S.C.

"For God's sake, let's talk about it because (U.S. military) men and women's lives are at stake given how we handle this," he said.

Previously released photos, depicting the torture and sexual humiliation of prisoners, have led to worldwide condemnation and led to calls for Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's resignation.

link

GRAHAM: I appreciate his service, but Abu Ghraib got out of control under his watch, the war in general got out of control under his watch. And it's not time to blame people, but his criticism is a bit astounding to me given his role in the war itself.---They were poorly trained. They got overwhelmed by circumstance. And we certainly didn't have situational awareness on his watch.

link

(emphasis added)

[beachmom]

4. Yeah, and what is sad is that Lindsay Graham is one of the better R's.

The others are even worse.

[ProSense]

5. Republicans like to pretend that they can handle the truth. n/t

[Egnever]

6. Lindsay graham is one of the better R's ?

Sorry but that dog wont hunt. You must have never watched him kiss ass in any of the hearings during the bush admin. While all of my colleagues on the left are sure to attack you today I just want to say what a great job you are doing blah blah. Fuckwit apologist through and through nothing good about that puke.

[wisteria]

8. He is correct. I just hope no one loses their life over this. n/t

[mmonk]

9. Right now, the only people in the world that don't really know

or grasp what has taken place live in the USA.

[karynnj]

10. Note the subtle difference caused by the title changing the sentence structure

Kerry said:

"I think showing the truth is always important," said Kerry. "But I do think it will be used as a propaganda tool and have some damaging impact.

The title says:

Kerry: Detainee Photos Could Be Terrorist Propaganda, But Truth Is Important

Now Kerry did make both points, but the order does make a difference. In addition, Kerry's "will", even prefaced with I think is stronger than "could".

[lunatica]

11. Propaganda is the manipulation of language to control thought

So is poetry, but without the intent of planting falsehood as fact. I love language and how rich it can be and how the creative use of it can swell the heart and bring a tear or anger and compel to action. But to use it for self-serving nefarious ends to cripple the spirit gives it a criminal taint.