Admiral's e-mail on photos of Osama bin Laden's corpse: 'Destroy them'

[steve2470]

http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/11/politics/e-mail-photos-destroyed-osama-bin-laden/

(CNN) -- Within two weeks of the raid that killed Osama bin Laden, the head of U.S. special forces issued orders that all photos of the body be either turned in or destroyed, a newly released document shows.

In an e-mail dated May 13, 2011, then-Vice Adm. William McRaven wrote the following: "One particular item that I want to emphasize is photos; particularly UBLs remains. At this point -- all photos should have been turned over to the CIA; if you still have them destroy them immediately or get them to the [redacted.]"

The e-mail was obtained by the conservative activist group Judicial Watch, which has called for the public release of photos of the raid in Pakistan that killed the al Qaeda leader. The e-mail, which was almost entirely redacted, was released under a Freedom of Information Act request.

Days before McRaven's instructions, Judicial Watch had filed a FOIA request for such photos, and hours before, they filed a lawsuit, according to the group's president, Tom Fitton.

[MADem]

1. Photos would be inflammatory. McRaven was right to insist that they all be destroyed or turned over

and those right wing nut jobs at JW are just going to have to get over it.

The people who would get upset at a picture of a dead body are the same people who go ballistic and kill people over a cartoon representation of the Prophet.

[steve2470]

2. completely agree with you ! nt

[geek tragedy]

3. entirely appropriate to order troops to dispossess themselves of any trophy photos. nt

[dballance]

4. That was a good decision

I think they made the right call on this. Of course the neocon cranks at judicial watch would like nothing more than to inflame things worse so we get more wars for the military-industrial complex. They have a vested interest inflaming Muslims. It's good for the bottom line.