A big win for the New York Times (who loves writing about Abu Ghraib) along with the ACLU and a loss for the Bush Administration, via the AP:
NEW YORK — Pictures of detainee abuse at Iraq’s Abu Ghraib prison must be released despite government claims that they could damage America’s image, a judge ruled Thursday.
U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein ordered the release of certain pictures, saying terrorists in Iraq and Afghanistan have proven they “do not need pretexts for their barbarism.”
The American Civil Liberties Union sought the release of 87 photographs and four videotapes as part of an October 2003 lawsuit demanding information on the treatment of detainees in U.S. custody and the transfer of prisoners to countries known to use torture. The ACLU contends that prisoner abuse is systemic.
“Our nation does not surrender to blackmail, and fear of blackmail is not a legally sufficient argument to prevent us from performing a statutory command,” the judge wrote in his 50-page decision. “Indeed, the freedoms that we champion are as important to our success in Iraq and Afghanistan as the guns and missiles with which our troops are armed.”
If these photos and videos are made public, be ready for “Abu Ghraib, all the time” in the MSM.
Update (Chad):
Will protestors now be holding up signs saying “Hellerstein Gave in and Soldiers Died?” Of course not, but this ruling will set back the GWOT. If Hellerstein failed to grasp the rationale of the defense that the releasing of the pictures would put soldiers in harms way, he has yet to see even one Al Qaida recruiting video or read one communique from the group. In every single video that is not just of a roadside bomb or mysterious mortar launch, the group mentions Abu Graib often with pictures to accompany the wording.
Why the ACLU chose to pursue this case is another factor all together. It certainly is disgraceful that such abuse did go on, but it is almost just as disgraceful that an American organization sued for the release of images that in the long haul will end up killing Americans and restricting the same civil liberties in which the ACLU pretends to be the champions there of.
SactoDan Blog linked with Judge Orders Release of More Abu Graib Photos
Unpartisan.com Political News and Blog Aggregator linked with Judge: Release Abu Ghraib Photos
Loading ...
JAMIE WILLSON - 
gary - 
Lars - 
Chad - 
Harry F. Langhorne -
“…this ruling will set back the GWOT.”
The ruling won’t. It’s a triumph for freedom — something we’re trying to teach the Iraqis. Free speech isn’t always pretty. But that’s supposed to be what we stand for. As painful as it is, we’re a big enough country to deal with it.
What will set back the GWOT is the actions of the lame asses who were involved in the actions photographed. They are a disgrace to their uniforms.
Comment by Denny Hix — Thursday, September 29, 2005 @ 1:59 pm CDT
Good point, but it’s not just the advancement of freedom but how the images will be used. These newly released images will be used to kill Americans and other nationals accross the entire world. Freedom is nothing if you’re dead.
Comment by Chad Evans — Thursday, September 29, 2005 @ 2:09 pm CDT
you reap what you sow, and if you are the country that you calm to be you must admit when you are wrong, so how you were wrong and bare the consequences.
Its an awfulful truth that people (US, British and Iraqi to name a few) will no doubt be killed in retaliation for this.
Al Qeada will surely fill there DVD’s and propaganda with these images, trying to inspire more fanactical suport.
Its such a horrible situtaion, but America is strong and will not wilt in the face of potential retribution i’m sure.
This so called GWOT is propported to be in defense of freedom, since it started our freedoms have slowly been taken away.
Mail boxes taken off the street, so you have to go to a post office and be video taped posting your mail, is just a minor one. Look in England yesterday when a 82 year old man heckled an english politican and was arrested under anti-terror laws. People jailed without trial, legal assistance or even acknoldegement there are in cusody.
If were going to fight for freedom and the freedom of other, lets not take our own away. We’ll fight the good fight, and kill all who oppose. But when the boys come home from the war, lets make sure the country they return to is better. Not a country where you hide and cover up things when you are wrong. Where you every move is watched.
Comment by DMona — Friday, September 30, 2005 @ 4:57 am CDT
Ok, but the freedom in this case involves transparency in government. In the case of Abu Ghraib, the story was first reported by the U.S. military with select photos released. It went by for months without comment until CBS picked it up and ran with it. Of course we know several other media organizations ran with it after CBS “broke” the story.
We already know what happened and we are all ashamed of it. Transparancy of government has happened and will continue to do so, however releasing more photos and/or videos will only serve the function of inciting more people to rally with the jihad. There can be no good out of this decision because the freedom of transparency has already been given its due.
Comment by Chad Evans — Friday, September 30, 2005 @ 9:50 am CDT