I read an article written in “The Australian” online newspaper. This article titled, “No Middle Road for Barack Obama in Banning Torture Photos” by Geoff Elliot discussed Obama’s decision to ban the release of torture photos to the U.S. public press. These photos are allegedly photos of U.S. troops abusing detainees in the Iraq war. Obama stated he thought the photos would endanger the U.S. position and would endanger U.S. troops overseas. The author of this article compared the photos to the 2004 detainee abuse photos from “Abu Ghraib” the Iraqi prison. The author reports the photos inflamed anti-American Sentiment amongst Muslims.
I am not sure how I feel about this issue. I support intellectual freedom and feel we are entitled to access to these photos. However, should we endanger the troops in Iraq just to publish these pictures? Can we wait until the war is over? I honestly do not think it will matter. The anti-American sentiment will continue regardless of a few photos. I think we should be able to view photos from the war and be well aware of troop behavior. I feel information should be available regardless of how I feel about the situation. I may support or disagree with the troop’s behavior but I still think the information should be available. I went to Ireland in 2005 and saw images on television I had no idea existed. The images I viewed of Iraqi families running for their life with their children made me understand the situation in Iraq a little better. I do not understand why Americans are not given the same images on our news. All I had even seen in American was pictures of the bad guys and the American troops saving little Iraqi kids and women. What is going on here? I disagree with Obama’s decision to ban the release of these photos and think he is exercising a right he should not have.
URL: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25482297-2703,00.html

Hello, this blog is for my class on intellectual freedom. I look forward to hearing from everyone.
Emily