ACLU strikes again!! Judge orders govt to release Abu Ghraib photos

[Bluebear]

"Activist" judge is again enforcing civil liberty on an unwilling White House.

====

NEW YORK (AP) -- A federal judge has told the government it will have to release additional pictures of detainee abuse at Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison, civil rights lawyers said.

Judge Alvin Hellerstein, finding the public has a right to see the pictures, told the government Thursday he will sign an order requiring it to release them to the American Civil Liberties Union, the lawyers said.

The judge made the decision after he and government attorneys privately viewed a sampling of nine pictures resulting from an Army probe into abuse and torture at the prison. The pictures were given to the Army by a military policeman assigned there.

ACLU lawyer Megan Lewis told the judge she believes the government has pictures of abuse beyond the Abu Ghraib images that sparked outrage around the world after they were leaked to the media last year....

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/D/DETAINEE_RECORDS?SITE=MNMAN&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2005-05-26-19-57-43

[saltpoint]

1. I betcha Ms. Lewis is right.

And the Pentagon is wrong.

[Bluebear]

4. You know it. n/t

[FreedomAngel82]

5. When has the Pentagaon been right

since Bush has been there?? :shrug: With Rummy running the place and all.

[saltpoint]

12. Good point on Rumsfeld -- and I believe historians will back you up --

-- on it, too.

You've just written their headline thesis for this adminsitration's assault on a sovereign nation, FreedomAngel82. At least I believe you have: Rumsfeld as deceitful architect of illegal war.

[FreedomAngel82]

23. Hey I can be in the history books ;)

Hmm think of the cash. ;) LOL speaking of Rumsfeld I was watching "West Wing" season one and this guy was doing some scandal thing with Leo and he was doing a conference and at the end was listing some great republican leaders and he mentioned Donald Rumsfeld. I was like "wha?" and wanted to fall out of my chair in disbelief. Rummy?! Oy!

[FreedomAngel82]

2. Kick

Another one for the ACLU! I love them. I can't see how anybody can hate the ACLU. :shrug: I guess if you like being ignorant and not like civil liberties for anybody except yourself and your ilk.

[saltpoint]

10. Can I second your motion on the ACLU? I love 'em, too.

[IChing]

3. thanks for sending it over here

I think if I remember what rumpfield said
that these will be even much worst than what were seen,
wonder if Amnesty and the Red Cross have seen them yet.

I don't think it's gonna be pretty.

[Bluebear]

6. Weren't the congresspeople shellshocked by what they saw?

I thought I remembered Jane Harman and some others commenting that they were unbelievably horrid in content.

[IChing]

27. Yes they suppose to be raw as compared to the

tame one's we saw.

[Shallah Kali]

56. Republican Sen. Lindsaey Graham said the photos show rape and murder

'Countdown with Keith Olbermann' for May 7
Read the complete transcript to Friday's show
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/4945202

MIKLASZEWSKI: Rumsfeld then dropped a bomb, revealing that there were more photos, even videos depicting abuses far worse than what has been seen so far.

RUMSFELD: There are other photos that depict incidents of physical violence towards prisoners, acts that can only be described as blatantly sadistic, cruel, and inhuman.

MIKLASZEWSKI: U.S. military officials tell NBC News, the unreleased images, show American soldiers severely beating one Iraqi prisoner to near death; apparently, raping an Iraqi female prisoner; acting inappropriately with a dead body; and Iraqi guards apparently videotaped by U.S. soldiers raping young boys.

SEN. LINDSAY GRAHAM ®, SOUTH CAROLINA: We‘re talking about rape and murder here, we‘re not just talking about giving people a humiliating experience, we‘re talking about rape and murder and some very serious charges.

[knowbody0]

7. Hersch warned that

what we did not see makes the ones we saw seem mild

[Name removed]

9. Deleted message

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[immoderate]

13. Sodomize can be so many things...

I wonder which...

--IMM

[Name removed]

16. Deleted message

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[immoderate]

40. I've been around --

and I like to think there's not much that shocks me. That the US military could perform these atrocities is ... inconceivable!

(Apologies to the Princess Bride) After a lifetime of emulating coolness, I'm not good at outrage.

--IMM

[Name removed]

41. Deleted message

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[immoderate]

42. Agreed.

I haven't gotten to Kill Bill yet, but I'm going.

My other favorite movie line is Charles Bronson to asshole villain Al Lettieri in Mr. Majestyk, "I can see there's no getting on your good side."

Just found out the script is by Elmore Leonard.

--IMM

[Name removed]

43. Deleted message

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[immoderate]

49. I surprise myself that I haven't seen it....

since one of the ways I judge movies is the number of round house kicks. Here's to movies that move!:toast:

--IMM

[Name removed]

50. Deleted message

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[immoderate]

51. Thanks for da tip!

--IMM

[saltpoint]

15. tinanator, there you are again, making good sense as usual.

Sexual violence is much more violence than sex, and in this case (if it turns out to be true) the violence was done for the sole reason of humiliating adult Muslim detainees (the fathers), evidently to "get them to talk" and reveal the insurgents' whereabouts.

I completely agree with you that if there are photos to support that claim, the cry for Bush's head will ring loud and clear across the globe. Even the asshole fundies will have to support an impeachment proceeding for Bush as a war criminal.

[Name removed]

19. Deleted message

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[saltpoint]

21. I hear you, but I think that any photos would be on the global internet --

-- almost instantly, and that would be about it.

People like John Warner would simply not be able to support the president -- unless Dubya fires Rumsfeld maybe -- but even then...

God, I hope the photos don't exist. I hope the acts didn't occur. I don't want my political bias advanced at the expense of my country's torture policy of innocent people.

Jesus, do I ever hate this administration for putting us all in this position.

[Name removed]

30. Deleted message

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[saltpoint]

34. Strong point. The impeachment articles would have to be initiated by --

-- a bipartisan group of senators -- say, Warner, Specter, Bill Nelson, Ben Nelson, Lieberman, Gordon Smith.

A pretty conservative bunch.

If Jim Dobson thinks the GOP has abandoned him on stem cell research, he'd throw a major shitfit to see a bipartisan group introduce articles of impeachment of "his" president, on grounds of international criminal tyranny.

[Just Me]

48. Oh, please,...for the love of God and humanity,...I hope your line of,...

,...thinking is correct. The horror the BushCo regime had imposed on so many people,...must end.

[saltpoint]

53. Hi, Just Me. I'm dreaming a bit, I know. But that's the ideal --

-- circumstance. I want Dubya to be voted out (too late for that now) and barring that, I'd take impeachment.

If the photos of Abu Graib are as horrifying as they are rumored to be, SOMEONE is going to have to hang for it, and it won't be Lyndie England.

It's going to have to be a higher-up, and the Commander-in-Chief is going to have to do some fancy contortionist footwork to avoid blame.

In the year or two after the Nixon landslide over George McGovern, the Watergate indictments leaked out slowly, slowly, slowly, until finally they were a huge torrent.

I would like to see this administration held accountable for its numerous transgressions against others.

[bunny planet]

58. John Warner has already seen these photos. He was one of the Senators

who came out of the closed door session where they were all shown to the Senate and was quoted as saying he was sick to his stomach over the atrocities he saw in those photos. If that wasn't enough for Republicans not to support this President, I really don't know what it will take.

Our fearless leaders have already seen the photos, they do exist. Whether or not they will ever be released to the ACLU and to the public despite this judges ruling, is the question.

[FreedomAngel82]

24. Hopefully

It does envolve sex after all.... After all they did get Clinton over a BJ. War crimes? Nah. Stolen elections? Nah. Sex? Off with his head!

[saltpoint]

35. You know, that's exactly right about Clinton etc. When the --

-- Whitewater thing yielded no case, Starr went after the blue dress stain.

What an asshole Kenneth Starr is.

(with apologies to assholes everywhere)

[sinkingfeeling]

8. Thanks. I've got to send in my ACLU renewal tomorrow.

[Gloria]

11. good idea...

eom

[DistressedAmerican]

14. My Wife And I Were Just Discussing Sending Them Some More Money!

This clinches it!

They are doing all of the best work these days!!!

Sorry Moveon! Just lost another donation to ACLU!

[FreedomAngel82]

29. Right now I think

ACLU is more important to send money to then MoveOn. MoveOn isn't doing much these days and ACLU is doing a lot of hard work for us.

[DistressedAmerican]

32. Although I'll Admit That Their Senator Frist Star Wars Ad Was GREAT!!!

[Coexist]

17. Personally, I don't know if I can look at them

from what I have heard about how horrible they are, but the truth should be out there.

It took the painful photos of what was happening in Vietnam (the young girl in the napalm photo) to wake people up. I am afraid for Americans living abroad when they come out.

But atrocities should never happen in the name of our country. We are better than that. We need to get back to where our government remembers that.

How can Rumsfeld, Cheney and Bush sleep at night.

I am involved in youth sports (football) and I can tell you, if the coach let's little "infractions" slide without reprimanding and reminding the boys about the rules of playing fair - the cheap shots escalate quickly. Leadership is top down.

This is all at the feet of the unholy three. They didn't care, they wanted quick and dirty results, no matter what the human cost, and the attitude slid downhill.

With good leadership, this never would have happened, or needed to have happened. I feel intensely sorry for the soldiers who will take the fall for the filth at the top.

[Bluebear]

18. Really a stunning post.

I echo your sentiments.

[Coexist]

25. thanks - I had a heavy heart when I was writing it

I hate that things like that happen.

[saltpoint]

37. Tip'o'the hat to ya on this post, FLDem5.

When we finally impeach the "unholy three" can we put you in charge?

Just a terrific post. Thank you for it.

[DistressedAmerican]

20. Nominating In The Name Of The Hard Fighting ACLU!

[ailsagirl]

31. What would we be without those wonderful organizations?????

ACLU, you ROCK

:yourock:

[mike_c]

22. this is a dupe

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1503399

[IChing]

28. I know blue said he would take over here for me

the news one needs to be nominated too for people to see.
where i first posted it.

[DistressedAmerican]

38. Well Not Exactly. Your's Is In LBN. Some Of Us Stay Here.

Thank you for the local dupe. It was new to me!

[IChing]

44. well don't let the orginal be buried thanks

[lateo]

26. Ruh roh Reorge

[Straight Shooter]

33. Oh, I can't wait to hear Rush spin like a tornado on these photos.

Rove is probably prepping him now, giving him the talking points. Too bad they've already used up the "fraternity prank" excuse.

Sodomy. The entire bush administration and its mouthpieces should all be turned into pillars of salt for encouraging, and then deceptively denying, this atrocious behavior.

Remember bush? "Rape rooms! Rape rooms! Rape rooms!"

Well, there you have it. The man loves to hurt people, whether he does it himself or through his power.

[Warren DeMontague]

36. It's about fucking time.

I thought I was the only person who even REMEMBERED that there was "worse, far worse" evidence being held back.

[Catfight]

39. They're still sticking with the 'abuse' instead of 'torture' rhetoric? nt

[Disturbed]

45. 60 Miniutes2 had sveral weeks to pick out...

the least offensive photos from around 2,000. The Military requested that they hold off for several weeks after the photos were actually available.

Now will most Amerikans be dulled to the next batch?

[mopaul]

46. what the hell are they trying to do, piss off the whole arab world?

oh yeah...nevermind

[insane_cratic_gal]

47. Working over time

On this Admin's watch aren't they!

They need a nice set of raises

[Liberal_Dog]

52. Somewhere, Bill O'Reilly...

is pulling the last few remaining hairs out of his head. :evilgrin:

[Auntie Bush]

54. The people have the right to see the pictures but I really worry about

what kind of reaction the world community will have. We think we're hated now...but you ain't seen nothing yet! We'll have the whole Muslim world out to destroy us. I'm thinking Jihad. Those countries are going to go nuts!

Maybe even the Muslims in this country won't be able to take it anymore. I can see car bombings on the streets of America!
Damn, I'm :scared: Maybe we better just keep those pictures in the closet...as much as the administration deserves to have them made public

[Bluebear]

55. I worry too...

But something has to finally outrage OUR own people to wake up to this administration. As Laura Bush said "those pictures really hurt our reputation"...not worried about the ACTS but just the photos. It's a fine line but something has to give.

[LibertyorDeath]

57. Can't happen soon enough, put them on the big screen in Time Square

on a loop let everyone bare witness to the evil perpetrated

by the most corrupt government in American history.

They are war criminals the entire World knows it now they should see it.

Shine a light on it for all to see.

[Coexist]

59. when are these supposed to be released?