Obama Reverses Pledge to Release Detainee Abuse Photos

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President Obama will oppose the release of several dozen photos depicting abuse of detainees held in U.S. military custody abroad, reversing his previous position on the grounds that the photos could inflame anti-American sentiment and endanger U.S. troops.

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In announcing the shift today, the White House said in a statement that Obama “strongly believes that the release of these photos, particularly at this time, would only serve the purpose of inflaming the theaters of war, jeopardizing US forces, and making our job more difficult in places like Iraq and Afghanistan.”

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Justice Department officials told a federal judge late last month that the U.S. government did not intend to fight a court order to turn over a total of 44 photos, which were sought by the American Civil Liberties Union under a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit.

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A U.S. attorney was unequivocal in a letter to the judge on April 23: “The parties have reached an agreement that the Defense Department will produce all the responsive images by May 28, 2009.”