US Veterans Urge Release of Detainee Abuse Photos

July 1, 2009 by Border Explorer

Three military veteran organizations are calling on the Obama Administration to release photographs that depict the abuse of detainees in U.S. custody. Veterans For Peace, Iraq Veterans Against the War and Veterans for Common Sense jointly composed a letter to President Obama that states that they believe that releasing the pictures is crucial to U.S. national security, to upholding international law and to safeguarding domestic democracy. They ask veterans to co-sign this letter online before it is sent to the President. The text of the letter is available on the Veterans For Peace website.

Their letter rejects the contention that the photos’ release will do more harm than good. The letter quotes Harith al Obaidi, the head of the largest Sunni Muslim bloc in Iraq’s Parliament and the deputy chairman of the Committee on Human Rights, saying “The people who want to express their opinions through violence are already trying their best to do so. Showing them a few pictures wouldn’t make them any more able to do it.” Al Obaidi continues to say that keeping the pictures secret will augment suspicions that the American government is suppressing evidence of more widespread abuse.

President of Veterans For Peace and former Navy Corpsman, Mike Ferner said, “The biggest threat to our service members and our Republic is that we forget what has happened and do it again.” He continued, “Withholding these photographs makes it more likely that the people of our country can push these horrendous acts to the edge of our collective memory. This will not serve our nation well.”

According to information provided by the three groups, Veterans for Common Sense Executive and Gulf War veteran Director Paul Sullivan asks for the photos to “be turned over to a special war crimes prosecutor. Never again should our nation’s leaders order torture with impunity.”

“Being open about our mistakes by releasing these pictures is not only a way to ensure this dark episode in our history will not be repeated, but also a crucial step in our healing process as a nation,” stated Iraq War veteran and Board Chair of Iraq Veterans Against the War Camilo Mejia.

As part of their efforts to have the photos released Veterans For Peace has launched www.picturenomoretorure.org. This initiative asks the public to take photos of themselves with messages indicating their support of ending torture and releasing the torture photographs. The project will deliver these photos to the White House.

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