as if the puppet has the Emperor over a barrel, bending him to do his bidding. Maliki was installed by and serves at the pleasure of the USA.

Military planners built massive permanent bases all over Iraq – they know the plan is to stay, neither referenda nor SOF to the contrary notwithstanding.

Maliki going ballistic has about as much influence on foreign policy decision making in D.C. as a barrage of faxes from the Netroots: none.

How many divisions does a referendum have, again?

No, obviously, such photos were suppressed under Bush as part of the domestic propaganda effort to keep Americans oblivious to the horrible human costs of war.

Same with these images of torture, Obama is fighting to keep them suppressed so Americans will continue to support his continuations of Bush/Cheney policies.

The whole ‘protect the troops’ he-said/she-said issue is a sideshow.

Wars of aggression are deemed the ’supreme international crime’ because they contain within them the seeds of all other such horrors.

When the United States helped craft the Nuremberg standards, everyone knew that.

I’m afraid that I agree with the two Generals … the photos will confirm all the stories and then some.

I can see why they need to see the photos, but does the rest of the world? Right NOW?

I’ve wondered about this also. As someone who wishes to see this tragedy drawn down with the minimum of violence to anyone, I’m not convinced releasing them right now is the best thing to do.