EMERGENCY: I need info on the torture scandal!

[oxbow]

I am going to be a guest on the Open Source radio show this Wednesday. We will be talking about the Pentagon's blocking of the Abu Ghraib photos. There is a host,Christopher Lydon, who talks to guests and callers and is the voice of the show.

My problem is that I have been on vacation/looking at colleges in CA this week, and have not spent enough time on DU to be as comfortable as I need to be with the issue. Therefore, I'm asking y'all to post any links that will help me cram before Wednesday, when I am going on the program. Anything that you think the people NEED to know about, please post in this thread.

I plan on talking about why this shouldn't be a partisan issue, why all Americans should be against torture AND the coverup of torture by our government. I have a lot of passion and heart to contribute, but I would also like to have some facts to back them up with when I go on.

Thanks in advance, DU!:hi:

[Robbien]

1. This is the best response I've seen so far

from new DUer PSPS

Let's face it, hiding the evidence only perpetuates the facade that the media tries to maintain domestically. The rest of the world is far more aware of the true nature of all of this.

Any chance for the US to regain any of its former standing in the world has to begin with the release of everything, regardless of how depraved and shameful it is. Until that happens, people will simply continue to believe that we are trying to "get away" with something.

Further, your assumption that releasing the photos & videos might "cause another terrorist attack and have people or soldiers dying over it" doesn't have to be so at all. How? Very simple. Show the world that the people who did this will not get away with it. Italy strung up the lifeless corpses of their fascists on lamp posts for the world to see. In this present-day case, that's probably not necessary. But I'll tell you one thing: with bush and his cabal continuing to "get away" with these war crimes, you are guaranteed the present state of affairs will "cause another terrorist attack and have people or soldiers dying over it."

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=4189334&mesg_id=4190024

[lildreamer316]

2. keep kicked;

morning crowd will get on this for ya.

[Carolab]

3. Go to the ACLU's website.

http://www.aclu.org/SafeandFree/SafeandFree.cfm?ID=18811&c=206

[fooj]

4. Here's a good source.

Pentagon Blocks Release of Abu Ghraib Images: Here's Why

By Greg Mitchell

Published: July 23, 2005 6:00 PM ET

NEW YORK So what is shown on the 87 photographs and four videos from Abu Ghraib prison that the Pentagon, in an eleventh hour move, blocked from release this weekend? One clue: Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld told Congress last year, after viewing a large cache of unreleased images: "I mean, I looked at them last night, and they're hard to believe.” They show acts "that can only be described as blatantly sadistic, cruel and inhumane," he added.

A Republican Senator suggested the same day they contained scenes of “rape and murder.” No wonder Rumsfeld commented then, "If these are released to the public, obviously it's going to make matters worse."

Yesterday, news emerged that lawyers for the Pentagon had refused to cooperate with a federal judge's order to release dozens of unseen photographs and videos from Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq by Saturday. The photos were among thousands turned over by the key “whistleblower” in the scandal, Specialist Joseph M. Darby. Just a few that were released to the press sparked the Abu Ghraib abuse scandal last year, and the video images are said to be even more shocking.

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_di...
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Good luck!

Peace.

[Warren DeMontague]

5. Bunch of Threads in GD

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=4191559&mesg_id=4191559

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4192858

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4168527