New photos from Abu Ghraib

abu grahib new pics.jpg

No wonder they love us everywhere we go. And no wonder Bush is fighting so hard to keep these photos secret. I feel so proud to be an American.

Link via Oliver Willis.

Update: Video, too. Shocking.

The Discussion: 15 Comments

hmm…

I noticed there weren’t any explanations behind the photographs. I mean, were these individuals abused for no reason? Were they inciting unrest? Resisting authorities? What is the story behind each photo?

February 15, 2006 @ 8:41 am | Comment

Hahaha!

Yeah. If you were “resisting authority”, you are allowed to have your head to be kicked in. This ain’t ameriKa. Oh. maybe it is…

February 15, 2006 @ 11:55 am | Comment

>> I mean, were these individuals abused for no reason?

Yeah, because we all know that as long as you have a good reason, it is OK to torture and abuse prisoners.

That sums up the difference in this debate.

February 15, 2006 @ 12:28 pm | Comment

Gordon, if you knew any of the history behind Abu Ghraib, you’d know most of the prisoners were there by accident and were nearly all released without charge – once the scandal broke. That’s how terrible of a threat they were.

February 15, 2006 @ 5:24 pm | Comment

I know the history behind Abu Ghraib, Richard. But that doesn’t mean the photo of every single prisoner with bruises was roughed up for nothing.

Because of the history behind Abu Ghraib, it would be easy for the media to post photos of any prisoner with with cuts and bruises with the claim that it was done at the hands of US soldiers when in fact that may not be the case. I mean, it’s not like some within the media are above such stunts….

February 15, 2006 @ 5:43 pm | Comment

what I can say for our Chinsese students??? no study in USA, stay away from there or go euro…

————————————-
Dear International Students,

International Student and Scholar Services has learned of a change in the rules governing the issuance of Texas driver’s licenses. The change occurred last Friday, February 10, 2006. According to the new rules, the Department of Public Safety (DPS) can no longer issue a Texas driver’s license or a Texas identification card to anyone who does not have a “facially identifiable document” issued by Department of Homeland Security. This includes F-1 students, J-1 students and scholars, and H-1B employees. Under the new rule, the only two categories that are eligible for a driver’s license are F-1 students on OPT with a valid EAD (Employment Authorization Document) and J-2 dependents with a valid EAD.

Our office, along with other schools and employers around Texas, is advocating for a workable change to this policy. We are hopeful that we will be successful in our efforts but for now we ask that you do not apply for a Texas driver’s license or identification card because the DPS office will not accept an application for either card. This new rule applies only to those who do not yet have a valid Texas driver’s license or identification card. If you already have a Texas driver’s license or ID, you can continue using them. You can also continue using an International Driver’s License, if you have one. As soon as we receive any additional information about the Texas driver’s license or identification card rule, we will let you know by email.

Best wishes,

International Student and Scholar Services

February 15, 2006 @ 5:48 pm | Comment

Gordon, no one in the military has ever accused the media of faking or misrepresenting the photos. But maybe you have some special source you’re not telling us about…?

February 15, 2006 @ 5:56 pm | Comment

As much as I’d be comforted to think that these photos are manipulated, show isolated incidents, that the prisoners somehow deserved what happened to them…well, it just isn’t so. The torture and abuse of detainees by American forces has been systematic. It started with a program at Guantanamo (the New Yorker has a great series of articles that covers this, or check out the Frontline documentary at PBS.org) and spread when Sanchez & Miller were sent to “Gitmo-ize” Abu Ghraib. There are documented incidents at Camp Mercury, at Bagrahm AF Base in Afghanistan – and I am just rattling this off the top of my head. The directions came down from the Pentagon and the White House, within a legal framework drawn up by Gonzales, Yoo and…Bybee (?).

These photos are the results of deliberate policy decisions of the Bush Adminstration.

Of all the things they’ve done, I can’t think of anything more shameful than institutionalized torture.

February 15, 2006 @ 5:58 pm | Comment

Gordon, you had better read this before you continue your whacko argument. Oops, better try a new tact.

February 15, 2006 @ 6:06 pm | Comment

But Lisa, Dan Rather, Dan Rather! He manipulated the news, therefore all news is suspect!

Well, that’s a dumb argument, too. Rather believed his material was accurate. He was so certain, he posted it on the CBS web site, and the rest is history. He was stupid, he was careless, he was unprofessional. But he never manipulated the evidence – he was given maniulated documents and took them at face value without performing due diligence. A far different crime from forgery and manipulation.

February 15, 2006 @ 6:08 pm | Comment

Now wait a minute here. I didn’t say anything about the photos being doctored. I was just pointing out how they could be used to mislead.

Take the photo posted on your blog for example. That photo could from anything from the remains of a homicide bomber to just about anything. It could be used to paint whatever picture the person using it wanted…kind of like the way you used it..

February 15, 2006 @ 6:29 pm | Comment

>that photo could from anything from the remains of a homicide bomber

Yeah, there are a lot of ‘homicide’ bombers blowing themselves up inside prison cells these days. And the other photos, like a soldier standing over a naked prisoner with blood gushing out of his leg, really that could be just anything. Maybe the soldier’s blood dripped on the prisoner’s leg. Maybe the prisoner is naked because he was hot and took his clothes off. Maybe it is all a scene from the Abu Ghraib production of “Julius Caesar.”

Oh well, I guess the liberal media will just distort everything and anything.

February 15, 2006 @ 7:24 pm | Comment

If these photos are real… I smell Clinton!

February 15, 2006 @ 9:01 pm | Comment

Reminds me of that iconic photo from Vietnam where the Head of Police in Saigon blew away a Vietcong’s head. Everyone condemned the guy and made is remaining years hell, but no one knew that the dead man had just shot his best friend and slit the throats of his wife and six kids.

February 15, 2006 @ 11:16 pm | Comment

>>but no one knew that the dead man had just shot his best friend and slit the throats of his wife and six kids.

Yes, exactly. And when you are in a PRISON with naked POW’s, one of them could have just called a guard a bad name. And these naked POW’s are all bad men. So, of course, torturing them is justified. I just think it is ridiculous that liberals and terrorists wanted to let Saddam torture Iraqis — torture, do you hear? TORTURE!! He was clearly torturing people for all the wrong reasons. Our reasons are so much better. And if 90% of the prisoners in Abu Gharib were just random civilians and cab drivers who shouldn’t have been there in the first place, well, shit happens. (Anyway, who is really innocent over there?)

Remember 9/11 and so forth.

February 16, 2006 @ 6:36 am | Comment

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