Dead Soldiers
 

is it in bad taste to show pictures of flag draped coffins? or does the public have the right to see reality of war?

the Pentagon and the administration thinks you shouldn't have the right to see these photos...

hmmm...it's hard to square that argument since the fallen soldier pictured, and the affected family, are completely anonymous. seems equally likely the administration would like to sanitize the war as much as possible. some of the most powerful images from Vietnam were the ongoing procession of flag draped coffins arriving at Dover Air Force Base...they had an impact on public opinion, as well they should.

publishing these photos oughta be required, imo...the public should be continually reminded that, under all the flag waving and gung-ho rhetoric, it still comes back to cannon fodder. the adminstration is unwilling to come clean on the cost of this war - financial or human.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3652171.stm

Those are great pictures and i have no problem with them being seen. I'm not the Pentagon tho...

This whole issue has been blown out of proportion IMO

This isn't something new the rules have been in place for awhile. If the media chooses to use the Freedom Of Information act to access these pictures, would it not be easy enough for the DOD to just stop taking pictures?:PO:

the DOD didn't take these pics - it was a contractor in Iraq who took the pics and was subsequently fired. agreed that it's much ado about nothing, but if pictures exist, the DOD shouldn't be able to stop them from being published.

i think if we're willing to send kids to their deaths we ought to be willing to look at em returning. the war department’s being too coy by half. these caskets are anonymous in the extreme - making the "violation of privacy" arguments hollow. it's definitely a bush thing. bush I instituted the rule for the first time, while clinton actually publicly received them returning (as did reagan), now bush II continues it at dover and for the first time at other receiving stations as well. as usual in many things surrounding war, the decisions aren't protecting the soldiers as much as protecting the so-called leaders, by shielding them from continued embarrassment, the basis of the “dover rule.” as the mother of dead us soldier recently said, “we need to stop hiding the deaths of our young.”

- js.

....but the Prez has no problem running a campaign ad that shows a flag-draped coffin being removed from the ruins of the WTC. :RE:

Same principle but not the same issue. I distinctly remember watching the news media cover the WTC search and rescue and seeing the same thing:RE:
Regardless of how people feel about this rule using it as a political leverage point is wrong! If someone wants it changed they should start writing letters to congress and the senate, not pointing fingers.:m:

Nice picture, do you have one using the dead from the WTC making the face of Bill Clinton? Hey maybe you could do one of LBJ with the dead soliders from the Veitnam War. Think the Liberal Bush Hating BBC would do one? Or maybe the NY Times could do it....."????"......

i don't, but feel free... there would be six images.

- js.

every pic looked quite respectable and honorable

not necessarily posed...i hope

why don't they post full face pics every day for a week

oh, that's right, they were nobodies

no Tillmans anyway :MAD:

i think i'm a hero cuz i'm staying alive trying to change some shit at the root :S:

i firmly believe in the very selfish nature of human beings

even do gooders get to feel good....hmm....feelgooders :D