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Added: Friday, 15 May, 2009, 11:20 GMT 12:20 UK

At the moment it seems as if the Pentagon behaves like the Vatican City State in Rome: Lies & secrets.
Come on guys! Why are you so anxious for showing the world what happened during the Vietnam War or the War in Iraq? There is nothing more reputational destructive than to hide the truth. I am convinced the best way to regain an adequate proportion of reputation is to admit the atrocities and then let the public discuss and study the historical wrongdoings. That's the process of civilisation!

Carl Marzipan Pritzwalk, Bremen, Germany

Added: Friday, 15 May, 2009, 11:04 GMT 12:04 UK

1. Gitmo not going anywhere
2. Tribunals coming back
3. No pictures to drag through the mud
Oops...sounds like reality time. Nothing to deflect the reality that genocide is a European tradition as recent as 1999 in Bosnia.

Square-root Minus-one, Hereabouts, United States

Added: Friday, 15 May, 2009, 11:03 GMT 12:03 UK

I think Obama is right. We know what the US was up to - and the present administration is trying to do something about it. Do we really need more photos to fuel anti American feelings and possibly put US (and UK) troops at risk - even if we do feel they should not be there in the first place? Many many regimes and terror groups use torture, often for no reason at all. Who demands that photos of their atrocities should be released?

DD, Nicosia

Added: Friday, 15 May, 2009, 10:43 GMT 11:43 UK

Interesting to see that most Americans want the photos suppressed....why I have to ask when cruel images of the holocaust are part of most countries education policies, what makes the USA so special they can act like this and not have to stand trial for it

The USA needs to face the charges of the abuse openly in public

carl Vincent, Buckingham, United Kingdom

Added: Friday, 15 May, 2009, 10:40 GMT 11:40 UK

I am often puzzled how an otherwise democratic country, allows and becomes a dictatorship to hide crimes committed in their countries name?? What is the logic, can't be secruity or is it the fear that their leaders may have a lot to answer for, in which case when the democractic elected countries voice concerns at other dictatorship and regime changes this has absolutely no standing

Rajiva Govil, Aberdeen, United Kingdom

Added: Friday, 15 May, 2009, 10:35 GMT 11:35 UK

yes. People need a wake up call on how these evil people are treating human beings like animals. not saying the people that they detin are angels either.

Alan Nicholls

Added: Friday, 15 May, 2009, 10:32 GMT 11:32 UK

Any abuse of prisoners was carried out by personnel of the rear echelons and they have been dealt with.... front line troops have other things on their mind than taking photos. Soldiers serving in Iraq now had nothing to do with the abuses and have been making good progress in restoring normality and equipping/training the Iraqis to look after themselves. They deserve support, not to be put in danger just to please civil rights activists. Now he is President, Obama has smelled the coffee.

[archoptimist], United Kingdom

Added: Friday, 15 May, 2009, 10:00 GMT 11:00 UK

Let those pictures of American victims/casualties of war be publish... it will make them think twice of any thoughts that may arise about the war.

US would not publish them either.

Solomon Buyco, General Santos City, Philippines

Added: Friday, 15 May, 2009, 09:37 GMT 10:37 UK

By not attempting to block the publication of photographs showing the abuse of prisoners by US soldiers, US president Obama would do a great deed towards humanitarian activities and that may add to his popularity in and outside US.

A R Shams, Pakistan

Added: Friday, 15 May, 2009, 09:33 GMT 10:33 UK

The trouble with the US is that it still regards itself as the moral supremacy in the democratic world ! from the illegal war to the corrupt banking moguls you have shown the world , despite protests to the contrary that you are the biggest threat to world stabiltiy imaginable .The lies that have come out your leaders regarding torture are legion. without trial , without lawyers, you regard it ok to act this way ! Cos we are the home of the "brave etc ! the end does not justify the means !!

keith ridgers, cobham, United Kingdom

Added: Friday, 15 May, 2009, 09:18 GMT 10:18 UK

"Anybody who WANTS to see these pictures is a ghoul, the kind of person who enjoys gawping at car crashes.
No thanks. Not me. A written description is MORE than enough."
[Darkseid], rejected for having a sense of humour, United Kingdom


Are we to assume you've never seen pictures of WWII POW camps or Auschwitz or even the films of those aeroplanes hitting the Twin Towers on 9/11 ?

These pictures should be released so that we never forget what our governments have been doing in this war.

[Secratariat], Liverpool, United Kingdom

Added: Friday, 15 May, 2009, 09:05 GMT 10:05 UK

This is torture from who , from the 1 country which is always shouting of freedom and personal believe , what they did including torture the prisoners in Iraq and Guantanamo clearly show the double face of America

Mohammed, Tripoli

Added: Friday, 15 May, 2009, 08:43 GMT 09:43 UK

It is clear Obama is another puppet, U turn springs to mind, and I think we will see more and more of this. Environmental issues put to one side, protectionism back up there, dodgy military strikes, destabilisation of Middle East. Obama will become the most unpopular president for a long time, peoples expectations are quickly being eroded, all talk, propaganda and spin, another typical western politician!

zed walker, lancaster

Added: Friday, 15 May, 2009, 08:42 GMT 09:42 UK

Is it right or wrong? It doesn't matter, what is clearly important is that he doesn't want the photo's published. Interestingly the MP's didn't want there expenses published... QED He is obviously ashamed of them, good what the USA has done is evil and now Obama has to face up to this past under Bush and turn it around. Will he manage it? Time will tell.

Martin Clark, London, United Kingdom

Added: Friday, 15 May, 2009, 08:39 GMT 09:39 UK

Obama is obviously an honest man and wanted to come clean on the way the American military abused 'prisoners of war'. But like every president before him, however good their intentions, the system has 'ganged up ' on him to 'toe the party line', 'don't rock the boat' etc.

There are too many people in the 'system' with too much to lose, all protecting their own interests, for him ever to be allowed to do the right thing.

[Enuf_Zed], Unpublished is the new rejected, United Kingdom