Torture Photos Depict Sex, Rape - Despite denials from Pentagon (Scott Horton)

[jefferson_dem]

Torture Photos Depict Sex, Rape
by Scott Horton

Despite denials from the Pentagon, the Abu Ghraib photos Obama doesn't want you to see depict explicit sexual acts, including rape and sodomy, reports The Daily Beast's Scott Horton.

The Daily Beast has confirmed that the photographs of abuses at Iraq’s Abu Ghraib prison which President Obama, in a reversal, decided not to release, depict sexually explicit acts, including a uniformed soldier receiving oral sex from a female prisoner, a government contractor engaged in an act of sodomy with a male prisoner and scenes of forced masturbation, forced exhibition and penetration involving phosphorous sticks and brooms.

These descriptions come on the heals of a British report yesterday about the photographs that contained some of these revelations—and whose credibility was questioned by the Pentagon.

The photographs differ from those already officially released. Some show U.S. personnel engaged in sexual acts with prisoners and each other. In one, a female prisoner appears to have been forced to expose her breasts to be photographed.

The Daily Beast has obtained specific corroboration of the British account, which appeared in the London Daily Telegraph, from several reliable sources, including a highly credible senior military officer with first-hand knowledge who provided even more detail about the graphic photographs that have been withheld from the public by the Obama administration.

A senior military officer familiar with the photos told me that they would likely provoke a storm of outrage if released. The well-informed source confirmed, just as reported in the London Daily Telegraph, that many the photographs are sexually explicit, including those mentioned above. The photographs differ from those already officially released. Some show U.S. personnel engaged in sexual acts with prisoners and each other. In one, a female prisoner appears to have been forced to expose her breasts to be photographed. In another a prisoner is suspended naked upside from the top bunk of a bed in a stress position.

<SNIP>

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-05-29/torture-photos-depict-sex-rape/

[patrice]

1. SOMEBODY told those soldiers that Political Compliance could be achieved through Blackmail.

So you, in addition to other things about breaking folks down, you had a wholesale Blackmail Mill going on there, hence, all of the photographs.

[underpants]

2. I hate to think about how much the "government contractor" charged us for that

[mmonk]

4. I would like to see an accounting of torture contracts.

I would also like to see an investigative report on the use of the Guard for war crimes.

[Psychic Consortium]

3. With all the picture taking, it is almost as if the torturers were proud of their work.

Proud of the horrors they created.

[patrice]

5. Torture is Hideous Enough! But the Picture Taking is just off the scale!

You're saying Pride; I'll bet there was quite a bit of that. I think also that they expected the pictures to be useful in organizing neighborhoods behind selected political "leaders".

There probably are other explanations, so what other explanations might there be for these amazing photos?

[Psychic Consortium]

7. The photos are extraordinary on many levels. Criminals don't usually take pictures of their crimes.

They obviously felt protected from prosecution.
And seemed to have a need to document their work.

Many possible explanations for these photos:

Some sort of compensation for each photo produced?
Used for recruitment?
Blackmail?
Pride?
Sale for pornography?
Private titillation?

Edit for spelling

[patrice]

9. For Sale probably figured BIG too. I wonder who the potential or actual buyers were?

Folks back home AND _________________________________ . . .

[Psychic Consortium]

14. Multiple reasons for all the pics.

And yes money most likely involved somehow.
Who are the buyers, very good question.

[global1]

10. I Asked The Same Question Yesterday In A Post - Here's A Like To The Answers......

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=5736688&mesg_id=5736688

[merh]

8. The torture involved activities that are sins and taboo

The photographs were the coercive tool, not only were these people physically and emotionally harmed during the acts. They were shown the photos as a reminder of the harm that can come to them or others were shown the photos and warned it could happen to them next. Also, I would imagine the victims were told that the photos would be posted in the public squares.

[Psychic Consortium]

12. Yes this is quite likely. Used as threats to others.

And a further way to humiliate and control the population.

[Octafish]

6. Enhanced terrorgation yields actionable intelligence.

Smirko's Formula.

[Soylent Brice]

11. looks like the levees are about to break all over again...

...here comes the flood.

[okieinpain]

13. well now you know why president obama did not release the photos

something like that would get a lot of our troops killed.

[Justpat]

15. mostly it would kill any remaining sense we citizens have

of being the moral and legal light of the world.

Our country can no longer criticize other regimes for crimes against humanity when we have evidence that we are at the bottom of the moral barrel.

They need to be released so that everyone can see what was done in our name. Are you alright with it? If not, we need to demand that Obama
hold those who did this accountable, starting at the top with the demented Rumsfeld, Bush and Cheney who catapulted us to these depths
of depravity in the name of national security.


A loud and clear voice demanding accountability needs to start with us and not stop until this is dealt with.

[okieinpain]

16. I've always told my kids when they ask why people hate the u.s.

we don't know what's been done in our name. I kinda think they should be released too, to shut some of these over the top patriots. but at the same time our people are over there just trying to stay safe. you have to admit that if there are pictures showing what is being said in this post, people are going to die.

here in Oklahoma city we just had a shop owner get caught on tape shooting a robber that was knocked out. the first thing the police said was they would not tolerate people seeking revenge against the store owner. so if Americans can possibly riot against other Americans, I would imagine the situation in Iraq would be 1000 times worst.

[Karenina]

18. "A loud and clear voice demanding accountability...

( A RINGING, PIERCING THROUGH BULLSHIT, COLLECTIVE VOICE OF AMERICAN CITIZENS)

...needs to start with us and not stop until this is dealt with."

P.S. BTW, Jonathan Turley sucks elephant balls. :evilgrin:

[NNN0LHI]

17. What? The Iraqis don't know what we were doing to them already?

It was done to them and they don't know what happened? Is that what you are suggesting?

Seems to me the only people that don't know what we did to the Iraqis are American citizens.

Don

[Psychic Consortium]

21. You are correct. The rest of the world knows what happened.

Americans are the only ones with their heads in the sand.

[leftstreet]

19. Wait a minute

Some show U.S. personnel engaged in sexual acts with prisoners and each other.

Uh...the 'sexual acts with prisoners' is what we call Rape and Sexual Assault.

This article's phrasing is hinky.

[Psychic Consortium]

22. Yes these are pictures of crimes. nt

[Steely_Dan]

20. It Is Clear To Me...

1) Our enemies already know what the pictures show.
2) Obama is afraid of what might result from the release of the pics.
3) Not seeing them leaves it up to the imagination, which could be far worse than the actual pics.
4) The sun is the best disinfectant.


THESE PICS NEED TO BE RELEASED AND WE AS A COUNTRY NEED TO SHOW THE REST OF THE WORLD THAT WE WILL NOT TOLERATE SUCH ABUSE IN OUR NAME.

-P

[Psychic Consortium]

23. These are clearly pictures of crimes committed by US citizens.

Obama needs US court back up before releasing them.
He must go thru the legal system or the evidence is damaged.

The truth will come out.