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Obama Administration Reverses Promise to Release Torture PhotosToday, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs announced that the Obama administration will not release the photos depicting the abuse of detainees in U.S. custody, reversing an earlier Defense Department statement to a federal judge that it would release a “substantial number” of photos in response to a court ruling in a long-standing ACLU lawsuit. ACLU Executive Director Anthony D. Romero said in a statement this afternoon:
ACLU staff attorney Amrit Singh blogged about the importance of the release of these photos in March on Huffington Post: The public value of these images is considerable. As visual records, they convey what words could not possibly communicate. As evidence of abuse at locations other than Abu Ghraib, they undermine the Bush administration’s claim that abuse was aberrational. The disclosure of these images is critical to help the public understand the scope and scale of prisoner abuse as well as the extent to which such abuse was caused by policy decisions. Disclosure is also crucial for assessing official responsibility for the abuse. You can learn more about the lawsuit at www.aclu.org/torturefoia.
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May 13th, 2009 at 2:02pm
May 13, 2009
ACLU,
Keep up the good fight. President Obama must reverse his decision, yet again, to hold the torture photos open to the public! This nation is not a monarchy, not a communist regime, we are a government by the people, for the people!
May 13th, 2009 at 3:08pm
I am surprised and delighted!
May 13th, 2009 at 3:17pm
Yes the fotos should be release. Probably the only ones that do not know the horrors are the US people. We should know what our leaders do so we know why we have reverses...Dont hide the facts with the excuse to protect us. It is hipocritical, face the facts so we can correct them, Grow up.
May 13th, 2009 at 3:18pm
I agree 100% with Obama's decision. He was smart to do what he did, and it is a out time.
ACLU I'd like you all to dry up and blow away!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm so sick of you guys I could throw up!
May 13th, 2009 at 3:23pm
ACLU and our schools. You guys are the reason our schools are in the bad shape they are in today.
You have destroyed our value system, and made it so difficult for teachers to teach.
Have you seen the movie 187? I dare you to watch it. It should shake up your decisions to give kids so many rights in school.
Kids come to school for one reason...to learn. Not to carry a cell phone, not to talk in class, not to disrespect teachers, and if they need to be paddled, then paddle them, if they need detension, and the parents need to come pick them up or they walk home, so be it.
You ACLU idiots like Amrit Singh, should be kicked out of this country. Love what our forefathers gave us, or LEAVE!
I bet you won't post this will ya?
May 13th, 2009 at 3:34pm
This is a war. These soldiers are over there protecting us, the people of The United States. These pictures are nothing we need to worry about. The soldiers did not kill these POWs. They may have humiliated or even beat up these POWs but that is not a reason to demand these photos be released. These people are our enemies, remember September 11th. I guarantee these POWs are being treated 100 times better than our own troops would be treated as POWs of our enemies. If the ACLU really wanted to help America, they would raise money to support the disabled veterans returning from these wars. However, the ACLU is content assisting our government in wasting money with frivolous lawsuits over photos.
May 13th, 2009 at 3:39pm
ACLU get it through you thick one minded heads IT SAVED LIVES OF AMERICANS!!!!!!! Let it F-n go.
May 13th, 2009 at 3:54pm
releasing this photos serves no real purpose other than to provide web site fodder for insurgents, lose potential allies amoungst the native populations in the Midlle East, and to put our troops at risk. Give it up!
May 13th, 2009 at 4:09pm
I believe President Obama is taking the right course of action. If the photos are for a case then they generally don't need to be shown to the public. And for Ms. Singh, a mockery is showing the kind of demeaning activity that took place to the whole world. Get off your personal agenda and understand how the Muslims would feel about seeing themselves dehumanized.
May 13th, 2009 at 4:16pm
And if these photos are released by the government, how will we find an unbiased jury to sit on the trial of the people who allegedly committed these crimes? Doesn't Obama's decision today move the ball toward the appointment of a Special Prosecutor, who can review the evidence and bring forth charges, or not, against those who committed, and ordered, and authorized, the crimes claimed by those who seem to be in the know?
May 13th, 2009 at 4:27pm
Please consider the safety of our troops and our nation! Stop pushing this agenda!!
May 13th, 2009 at 5:14pm
The new boss is looking a lot like the old boss. These pictures must be bad. Very bad.
May 13th, 2009 at 5:34pm
Good job OBAMA dont listen to the Anti- American ACLU
May 13th, 2009 at 5:57pm
Your response to President Obama's decision not to release the torture photos is a major overreaction. I don't want to see the photos and it doesn't do anygood for the nation to see them either. The president made a mature and realistic decision. This nation is trying to move on from this issue, why don't you. To release the photos would damage foreign relations. ACLU is overstepping its boundaries.
May 13th, 2009 at 6:08pm
I heard Ms. Amrit Singh's comments today regarding treatment of terrorists. She makes assumptions that I do not and I make assumptions that she does not. For me, terrorists deserve whatever treatment their targets deem fitting. They are not soldiers. They do sometimes combat soldiers, but more often they kill innocent civilians. Their targets include someone's daughter, someone's wife, someone's mother, someone's grandmother. And they hide in their own grandmother's house, store their rockets in her bedroom and launch firefights from her parlor window. These are not human beings. In all the wars past, I believe combatants out of uniform were summarily shot or hanged on the spot of their capture, unless they could be coerced to give information. So, Ms. Singh's assumption that these things deserve good treatment is her mistake. I wouldn't inflict harsh treatment, generally, even on these things unless I thought I could get information and in that case, there is no cruelty they do not deserve. If and when they capture our soldiers, we know what they do with them, don't we? If they are so inclined they don't hesitate to torture if it could possibly serve their purposes and when they're through with that, they generally cut off their heads. And this behaviour is not random nor rare. It is their method. I will pray for their souls, but in their present incarnation, I would choose to use them as best they might be used to our purposes, then either stow them away in dark holes or simply lob off their heads, slowly with a bamboo saw. I am glad that my society is not as cruel as I might be. Most of us are gentle and kind, but we don't have to be naive dupes wringing our hands over the fates of monsters. Ms. Singh makes that mistake. They are not soldiers, they are monsters. Kill them. You might read, "To Kill a Mockingbird," for the lesson of what is the proper treatment of mad dogs and the proper answer to unprovoked assault on innocents.
Sincerely,
Hal
May 13th, 2009 at 6:21pm
I almost always understand and support ACLU positions, but I hope you will drop your suit concerning the torture photos. President Obama has made a reasonable decision and I completely support that decision.
May 13th, 2009 at 7:10pm
I saw Anthony Romero on Hardball tonight. I want him to know how I feel.
PLEASE READ THIS PERSPECTIVE ON TORTURE.
Some Americans are so afraid that we are piling debt on our children and grandchildren that they will never be able to pay....Well, that is just money!
The real bankruptcy going on is the moral bankrupty of our children and our grandchildren if we do not get to the bottom of this torture issue. We will never, ever be respected again in the world, and we will remain in just as much danger as we are told we are in now; maybe more, if we as a nation refuse to look the ugly truth head-on and start to come to terms with it.
I cannot be a proud American again until torture is surgically removed from the American mind, heart, soul and government.
Only then will we leave our posterity a moral nation purged clean of this damage and darkeness.
This is beyond party affiliation, beyond fear of retribution from other countries, which I believe is imminent anyway, and beyond the military protection issue, I am sorry to say.
This is about the moral health and well-being of our children and our nation, What will this country be like in 20 years if our children grow up learning that torture is acceptable? Just imagine a generation of adults who accept and use torture! Goodbye, America if that should happen.
May 13th, 2009 at 7:49pm
In all fairness if these photos are released then I want to see video of atrocities that were done to American contractors, Daniel Pearl,Nick Berg and others. If Islamic terroristic beheaders are to be inflamed, then it is only fair that the American public be able to see what these pigs did to our citizens. Then they can decide for themselves what is torture and what isn't. The fact that the ACLU and the far left do not want this shown on the mainstream media is telling. The fact that the ACLU could care less that releasing any more photos could put Americans at risk is also telling. The ACLU does nothing for the good of Joe Taxpayer. You are doing what you can to aid and abet the enemy. Be fair. Make sure that if one set of photos are released, that the beheading videos are released and mandated to be shown to all voting age taxpayers. They are graphic but at least there will be a sense of fairness and not a sense of stabbing the American military and military personell in the back.
May 13th, 2009 at 9:20pm
President Obama disappoints at times --voting for the FISA bill, hesitancy in camcelling the gays-in-military standoff, temporarily continuing the Military Commissions and, now, this. It's especially galling in that the photos were being released in response to a court order. Hope you can keep the pressure on to further this action and make them available.
May 13th, 2009 at 10:28pm
What is wrong with you people!!!
why are you so up in arms about what you call such horrible torture that some of our men did to the Iraq terroist. it is nothing more then what our special forces had to go through for their training for gods sake!
Why are you not up in arms about the torture they have done, how they be head our people,torture them and drag them through the streets beating them to death!!!
you are a shame to our country and our soldiers!!!
stay the hell out of the war, frankly i finally agree with something our leader has done! you flipping bleeding hearts care nothing about your own country why don't you leave and go over there and take care of the poor terroist you worry about them so much more!!
you make me so sick!!! you un american idiots
there has been so much more good our soliers have done over there and there is so much horror they have done to us and their own people but you ignore that! wake up you fools
May 13th, 2009 at 10:29pm
The ACLU should not be sticking their nose into anything related to Gitmo. There are no Americans being held in this prison. Why are you worried about these people? They are determined to destroy this country. The President has gotten this right, and you are wrong. The information that we got from these people saved lives. Do you care about that? Again, these people are not Americans. Your words say on this web site say: "The ACLU is our nation's guardian of liberty, working daily in courts, legislatures and communities to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties that the Constitution and laws of the United States guarantee everyone in this country." The Constitution is for AMERICANS. No where does it say anything about citizens of other nations. Leave them alone. They hate us and are just using the ACLU to get out of prison to kill more Americans. Releasing these photos will bring more hatred on this country. It will get more Americans killed. Do you want that on your heads??? I would not.
May 13th, 2009 at 10:47pm
Freedom, Transparency, needs not be defined. We the people have the right to make a intelligent decision based on facts. To have the freedom to see the pictures displays the facts to what waterboarding is. It gives the transparency to the actual & factual behavior of Americans war policies for the U.S. citizens to make an acurate decision. Peace, King Ayettey Zubaidah
May 14th, 2009 at 12:30am
The only way the pictures of the prisoners should be shown is if their countries will give us all of the pictures and videos of them punishing our prisoners.
I don't know of anyone dying and putting the ACLU in charge of the country or world.
I think the ACLU needs to butt out of other peoples business. The country should be run according to the constitution and not give the ACLU the chance to cause a problem. Our country operated really well before your group was formed.
May 14th, 2009 at 2:39am
Jonathan Turley (contributor to Rachel Maddow) describes Obama's vacillation as:
"Hamlet on the Hudson"
The president's actions are ambiguous and confusing. The issue isn't.
May 14th, 2009 at 6:00am
I believe that Obama’s administration is doing the right thing with not releasing these pictures. I am in the Arm forces and I do not want any more of my brother or sister killed over these pictures. I do believe it would be used to fuel the forces that are fight against our troops. I do believe there should be transparences in our government but when it comes to putting our troops in harm way I am against it. If you support our troops you would be behind our President.
May 14th, 2009 at 6:37am
I cannot understand the involvement of the ACLU in pushing to release photos that will only cause damage to our country in a number of ways. We need to change the way things were done with respect to captured terrorists but don't benefit from dragging ourselves, our country through the muck over and over again. The people allegedly hurt while in captivity are not Americans and as such do not civil liberties under our laws.
Your actions in defense of Americans are often open to question, but agree or not, you suggest that you are acting on behalf of disabused American citizens. In this case your actions are working against the welfare of Americans both in uniform and civilians.
Get off this one.
May 14th, 2009 at 7:00am
While it's true that a picture is worth many words, in this case isn't it enough to simply know that such photos exist. Do we really need to satisfy our morbid voyeuristic curiosity by gaining access to and publishing these photos?
The victims in these photos have already been humiliated and scarred physically and emotionally. What is to be gained by further violating their privacy by making the photos public?
It is enough that we finally have an administration willing to admit to this behavior and to take steps to prevent it from reocurring.
I think Mr Romero has fired a cheap shot at the President. Less than four months into the most transparent administtration we've seen in a long time, his "stonewalling tactics and opaque policies" line betrays an extremely short-term memory.
The notion that only by viewing these photos can we "move forward" is absurd.
The abuses purpetrated in these photos and "the path of criminality and immorality" that led here can be fully tracked by means other than making the photos public. The release of the "Torture Memos" has done far more toward explaining the culture that existed in the last administration that allowed the precipitation of this behavior.
While the Freedom of Information Act is an important part of the fourth estate and vital to an open society, it can also, by focussing over much on one document or another, distract both the public and politicians from real stories and policies. The FIA is something that should be used responsibly.
May 14th, 2009 at 7:18am
My income has gone down the tubes lately, but the ACLU is the one subscription that I've continued to hold, because I hold the principles of the organization most dear. But, I've got to tell you, I'm do not support this action. I see the point of opening governement and working for transparency, but I've got to side with Barack on this one. We know there was torture. And we know why. It's spell War Criminals Bush and Cheney, et. al. The flashing of these gross pictures is not necessary and possibly counter productive. I'm not saying fighting torture is unimportant. To the contrary, it's extremely important. But flashing these pictures worldwide is not necessary. We should be using our energy and resources in more valuable ways.
May 14th, 2009 at 7:25am
Have you folks literally lost your mind? Releasing of the pictures is NOT a good idea and the detainees are actually war criminals intent upon our destruction! I would have Jack Bauer interrogate and use methods that are barabaric in order to protect our country- obviously the word Patriot has no meaning to you- re-read the stories of the men who signed the Declaration of Independence- who lost their families fortunes and lives to give you the right to voice DISSENT against the govt.- NOT TO ENDANGER -OUR Countrymens lives by the releasing of these pictures. Notwithstanding, the Bush administration did successfully protect us from any further attacks and you want to vilify them? Like a deposed S. Am. dictator would?- get a life- better yet- join the military and put your butts on the firing line and discover what partiotism actually is instead of trying to defend those that would destroy us- "critical to help the public understand the scope and scale of prisoner abuse as well as the extent to which such abuse was caused by policy decisions. Disclosure is also crucial for assessing official responsibility for the abuse." is Amrits blog regartding this- did she not see the pictures of them cutting off that man's head! And you want to release those pictures?!? Do you want to see more Americans beheaded??? I am 54 yrs. old and have never been driven to respond to your antics until now- you disgust me-
May 14th, 2009 at 8:15am
I resent my tax dollars going to fund your anti-American organization. This is a ridiculous issue. Water boarding is not by any means comparable to beheading and some of the other methods employed by THE ENEMY. To put our men and women in service in danger by releasing these tapes should not even be discussed. The ACLU is a joke. And how long will you ride that "It was all Bush's fault" wave? By the end of this four years, our nation will be completely ruined. Where are you in some of the power-grabs currently happening?
May 14th, 2009 at 8:15am
The aclu is an anti-american organization that is full of scumbags and mindless dweebs. Shame on you all if one life is lost because of your fanatical furver. It is time that americans stand up and stand on your necks, you sicken me, if you don't love our country, GET THE HELL OUT AND LEAVE US ALL ALONE!!!
May 14th, 2009 at 8:17am
Hooray for Obama. He has finally done something right. In spite of what talking heads like Chris Anders say, the posting of those pictures will benefit no one and can, and probably will, have dangerous consequences for our military men and women.
People who call waterboarding torture have no frame of reference on what torture really is. Torture takes off pieces, breaks things and doesn't let up when the subject feels he is being abused.
May 14th, 2009 at 8:22am
The ACLU is completely in an area somewhere outside this universe. If you only knew of technigues used to extract information during the Veitnam conflict by Mil. Intel, DOD operatives, and CIA, you would realize that the antics used during the present conflict are nothing by childhood pranks. Check it out.
Nuff' said.
May 14th, 2009 at 8:23am
This is horrible, You folks are over the top!!!
I would love for you idiots to join our armed forces in the middle east and actually do something for our country.
All I ever read with you folks is how you can destroy this country. Your theories are flawed and very short sighted.
I recommend the ACLU actually get out into the US and see what people think. You would be surprised how hated you are. Your reputation is that as a very low class idiot who can not see reality.
You are safe because of how our country protected you. Just think if your offices were in the world trade centers or the Pentagon. Your families would be missing you. So if we turn a blind eye and do not protect ourselves, what will be next.
Maybe next time it will be you buildings, then what?? Do we continue to be lambs for the slaughter???
How about not trying to get headlines and actually serve this country and make it safe for all. Not just your pet projects.
May 14th, 2009 at 8:24am
The ACLU is completely in an area somewhere outside this universe. If you only knew of technigues used to extract information during the Veitnam conflict by Mil. Intel, DOD operatives, and CIA, you would realize that the antics used during the present conflict are nothing by childhood pranks. Check it out.
Nuff’ said.
May 14th, 2009 at 8:30am
ACLU
leave it be!!!!!
May 14th, 2009 at 8:33am
For the first time in about 50 years as an ACLU member (National, Sate, and Local), I write about an ACLU stand with whch I don't agree: Obama is building credibility and maintaing support he has sought and earned. He has not changed his opinion about torture, and will, I'm sure, at the appropriate time and in the proper venue follow through on his promise. I think that it would be a bad move to follow through with his campaign promise at this time and with other urgent current concerns. He is well advised with his many fine and diverse advisors. He must fix other things first and under current conditons. I am confident that he will do everything he can at the proper time and, if he acts on certain volatile issues now, he may lose the support he needs to achieve his long term, varied, and important humanitarian and equally important (and linked) economic and government control goals. In other words, I do not agree with your opposition to his action on this issue at this time. Peter E. Black
May 14th, 2009 at 9:07am
I have to commend President Obama and putting our military and country first. I agree with him wholeheartedly on his decision not to release the photographs.
May 14th, 2009 at 9:17am
I find the pursuit of the torture pictures dangerous at best. Bringing out the full scope of what Cheney and Bush manipulated should be done, and please give the American public some credit for being intelligent enough to see these things without pictures...
They should be brought to task for any illegal actions during the Bush administration, but please stop looking at everything in black and white. The world is made up in shades of color. The public release of these pictures will do more than just prove what Bush, Cheney and their cohorts did; it will put our soldiers at higher risk as well as any American travelling. I found the comments made by the ACLU representative on the Chris Matthews show the other day as one who was singlemindedly set toward a goal without thought of the consequences. How different is that from what the Bush administration did? The total consequences of ones actions has to be taken into consideration, as well as how many it will affect. I found the rep to be frightening. The protection of our freedoms and rights is extremely important...otherwise I would not believe in some of the pursuits of the ACLU, however it sounded to me as the rantings of any other extremist group.
May 14th, 2009 at 9:52am
Dear ACLU we already have all the information on the torture and abuse of the detainees I do not think we need to release the photos.We all know who approved these acts (Bush,Cheney),but the congress will not act on this information as congressman Kucinich has tried to do,Pelosi has said it would be a waste of the taxpayers money to bring them to justice.I for one would rather see my money go for that than to the banks.Also I would not want to be the first American prisoner to be captured after these torture photos are shown to the world and the Taliban.
May 14th, 2009 at 10:56am
I disagree completely with your stance on releasing the torture photos. The President said he would release the pertinent memos. Sometimes it seems the ACLU can't see the forest for the trees. You could use less rhetoric and more gestault. The nation, with President Obama's stellar leadership is on a path of healing.Violent images spread violence. We can read the memos & hear the news to know all that is necessary about the torture that went on and was sanctioned by the previous devious administration. This president is the epitome of honest, forthright and constitutional. Please, don't waste your time on releasing violent degrading photos..this is NOT an appropriate freedom of information cause in my view. Thank you for opportunity to respond.
May 14th, 2009 at 11:55am
Romero knows full well that the release of those photos would put American lives in danger. Our troops would not be the only ones, what about those who work in the oil fields,or those who are involved in humanitarian work in other nations? I commend our president for considering the safety of Americans abroad over the ACLU's ego.
May 14th, 2009 at 12:06pm
I LOVE IT!!!!! Pelosi is shaking in her boots! She and the ACLU are stupid for going a head with this.
May 14th, 2009 at 12:21pm
Obama's decision of no releasing detainee pictures undermines the little credibility gained around the world during his administration. The world knows that a country that is unabled to confront its past is definately not ready to begin a new future. No doubt that there will be backslash from the release of the photographs, and this is necessary for the country to implement changes that will prevent history from repeating. Obama's decision makes the country less safe, and will not prevent abuses from the military o other gobernment organizations from continuing.
May 14th, 2009 at 5:33pm
I sooo agree with most of these comments. As you can see Mr. Chris Anders, it is an extraordinarily stupid decision to release these photos. Maybe all who support the ACLU should be our front line in Afghanistan??? Any takers?? How about sacrificing "your" children, fathers, brothers, husbands??? Huh, how about it?
And as someone else mentioned....let's have the big ACLU view what was done to our soldiers??? Then when we view, if we do, let's view all of them at the same time, k guys? That sounds fair to me, and let's just let our military take care of military issues k Chris???
Let's go back to the office and type....
May 14th, 2009 at 6:39pm
Please stop with this ignorant agenda ACLU. I was thinking of joining you before I realized what policies you are pushing.
May 14th, 2009 at 10:20pm
ACLU has went to far. The people that is putting their lives on the line for you and what do you do to thank them. Turn the world agenst us. War is bad and some americans as well as other around the world do things that are wrong. You want to take the worst of these war issues and release photos so our enemies can use them agenst us.
ACLU is no longer a respected American group. And I don't think you speak for all of your members. American is still shows the most respect for human life in the world. We are doing something to make these things even better and I hope the rest of the world will follow our lead. I love our country and the people defending it. I wish ACLU felt the same. God Bless America. Shame on you for what you are doing.
May 15th, 2009 at 9:01am
Did anyone honestly think there was going to be this great CHANGE!?! He never had any new tricks up his sleeve. He was just tickling everyone's ear. Somethings should be on a need to know basis and this is one of them. What are we the public going to get out of knowing this information? Wake up folks, he can not reinvent the wheel and with his lack of experience, there is nothing under the sun that he will CHANGE, unless it's for the worst!
May 15th, 2009 at 10:03pm
Just another example of an un-American group masquerading as one...it's sad that brave men and women die for this country so groups like this can tear it all down.
May 15th, 2009 at 10:30pm
You guys at the ACLU are a bunch of morons. You are working diligently to bring down the very system that has given you the liberty and safety to run around like the screaming petulant brats that you are.
If you succeed in turning this country into the socialist utopia you seem so much to want, your dumb asses will be the first to go under the chopping block in the new order.
What a bunch of putzes you are.