Controversy and perspective
President Obama pledged to release pictures of torture and abuse of prisoners in overseas military prisons. He then reversed that decision and angered many supporters in the process.
The administration’s reputation will take a hit. Those in power obviously made a calculated choice that the confidence President Obama has generated since his inauguration can withstand the downside of not keeping such an emotionally charged promise.
Philip Gourevitch, who is co-authoring a book about Abu Ghraib, has an interesting perspective on the president’s decision, which he supports. He claims to have viewed many of the photos not yet published. And he says he has no plans for publishing any of them in his book. His explanation:
“Crime-scene photographs, for all their power to reveal, can also serve as a distraction, even a deterrent, from precise understanding of the events they depict. Photographs cannot show us a chain of command, or Washington decision making. Photographs cannot tell stories. They can only provide evidence of stories, and evidence is mute; it demands investigation and interpretation.”
If we know anything about Washington, D.C., the photos will eventually come to light. They always do. Let’s hope they also have the perspective that Gourevitch advocates.
Gourevitch’s entire op-ed from the New York Times.
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