Arborealus wrote:Ermmmm a POW in an arguably degrading photo...ermmmmm, the military is aware of the Geneva Convention aren't they?
Yes. And that's why they aren't happy about it. At least publically.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7917696
U.S. investigates tabloid's Saddam photos
Bush weighs in, military says they might violate Geneva
Updated: 12:59 p.m. ET May 20, 2005
BAGHDAD - The U.S. military acknowledged Friday that a photo of ousted Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein in his underwear, which a British tabloid newspaper published on its front page, was real and said it was "aggressively" investigating how it could have been taken and by whom.
The photo and others also published not only angered the U.S. military, which issued a condemnation rare for its immediacy, but were expected to further fuel anti-American sentiment in Iraq and other parts of the Middle East.
President Bush said Friday that he did not think the photos would re-energize insurgents in Iraq. “I don’t think a photo inspires murderers,” Bush said when asked by reporters at the White House. “I think the insurgency is inspired by their desire to stop the march of freedom."
The White House earlier said Bush "strongly supports the aggressive and thorough investigation that is already under way."
“The president wants to get to the bottom of the investigation, it would be premature to make any sort of suggestions or speculation about the source or the motivation,” Duffy said.
Duffy declined to say what decisions news organizations should make about disseminating the photos. “That’s your job,” he told reporters.
Source: Idea to weaken insurgents
The Sun newspaper said it obtained that and other photos from "U.S. military sources," adding it would publish more photos on Saturday.
Those sources, the Sun stated, said they were handing over the pictures “in the hope of dealing a body blow to the resistance in Iraq.”
The Sun's front-page photo Friday shows Saddam clad in only his underwear. Other photos inside the paper show Saddam washing clothing by hand and sleeping in bed.
Lawyers for Saddam, who is being held at an undisclosed location, said they intended to sue the newspaper and possibly the U.S. military.
Reaction in Iraq
Iraqis gathered in coffee shops in Baghdad and elsewhere in Iraq watched as some Arab satellite networks showed the photos.
May 20: The U.S. military is investigating and has condemned the publication of pictures showing Saddam Hussein in his underwear. NBC's Jim Miklaszewski reports.
“This is an insult to show the former president in such a condition," said businessman Abu Barick, 45. "Saddam is from the past now, so what is the reason for this? It is bad work from the media. Do they want to degrade the Iraqi people? Or they want to provoke their feelings.”
In northern Kirkuk, Marwan Ibrahim, a 31-year-old civil servant, said the pictures were a “humiliation for a man who in the near past was the leader of Iraq and a top Arab leader in the region.”
Others, however, were not so kind.
“Saddam Hussein and his regime were bloody and practiced mass killing against the people, therefore, whatever happens to Saddam, whether he is photographed naked or washing his clothes, it means nothing to me. That’s the least he deserves,” Hawre Saliee, a 38-year-old Kurd, said.
Photos may be year old
The U.S. military said in a statement that an investigation was under way.
"The source of those photos is unknown at this time. It is believed the photos were taken over a year ago," the statement said.
"We take seriously our responsibility to ensure the safety and security of all detainees," the U.S. military said. "This lapse is being aggressively investigated to determine, if possible, who took the photos, and to ensure existing procedures and directives are complied with to prevent this from happening again."
The military also said the pictures may have violated the Geneva Conventions and U.S. military regulations on treatment of prisoners.
"These photos were taken in clear violation of [Department of Defense] directives and possibly Geneva Convention guidelines for the humane treatment of detained individuals," the statement said.
"The specific issue here is that these images are against policy. It’s not the content of the photo that is the issue at hand, but it is the existence or release of the photos,” U.S. military spokesman Staff Sgt. Don Dees elaborated later.
He added that the military would question the troops holding Saddam as part of its investigation.
The International Committee for the Red Cross, which is responsible for monitoring prisoners of war and detainees, said the photographs violated Saddam’s right to privacy.
“Taking and using photographs of him is clearly forbidden,” ICRC Middle East spokeswoman Dorothea Krimitsas said. U.S. forces are obliged to “preserve the privacy of the detainee.”
Source explains reasoning
The Sun quoted one military source as saying that the photos show that "Saddam is not superman or God, he is just an aging and humble old man.”
“It’s important that the people of Iraq see him like that to destroy the myth," the source added. "Maybe that will kill a bit of the passion in the fanatics who still follow him."
“It’s over, guys. The evil days of Saddam’s Baath Party are never coming back — and here’s the proof,” the source said.
The newspaper said the pictures were taken at a top secret location where Saddam was being held in a 12-foot by nine-foot cell, watched 24 hours a day on closed circuit television by special forces and military police.
Awaiting trial
Saddam, 68, was driven from power by a U.S.-led invasion in April 2003 and captured by American forces in Iraq the following December. He is facing charges that include war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity stemming from nearly 25 years in power.
Specific allegations against Saddam include the gassing of minority Kurds in 1988, the invasion of Kuwait in 1990, and the crushing of rebellions by Shiites and Kurds in the aftermath of the 1991 Gulf War. He also stands accused of killing domestic political rivals.
It is unclear when Saddam’s trial will begin formally, as the pretrial investigation is still under way.
One Iraqi judge on the tribunal has been assassinated.
Saddam’s Jordan-based defense team includes lawyers from several countries across the Arab world, as well as Europe and the United States.
It is not the first time there has been an outcry over images of Saddam.
Pictures and video images of Saddam being examined by a medic after his arrest were widely criticized — even by the Vatican. A top Vatican cardinal said at the time that American forces treated the captured Iraqi leader “like a cow.”
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
