Coffin photos soon to grace the front page

[Bugs]

This one could turn out to bite Obama in the bum. The coffin count is likely to go down in Iraq, and up in Afghanistan – where Obama is ramping up the troop total.

I understand the desire of those in power wanting to limit this type of press coverage. Death tolls in an article sure does have a smaller impact on peoples psyche than an endless number of coffin photos. And of course the press (regardless of what they are covering) like to sensationalize what ever it is they are covering. So if the families do agree to allow for photos I would not be surprised to be bombarded with flag draped coffin pictures soon there after.


Pentagon: Families to decide on coffin photos - Military- msnbc.com

Families of America’s war dead will be allowed to decide if news organizations can photograph the homecomings of their loved ones, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Thursday.

Gates said he decided to allow media photos of flag-draped caskets at Dover Air Force Base, Del., if the families agree. A working group will come up with details and logistics.

The new policy reverses a ban put in place in 1991 by then President George H.W. Bush. Some critics contended the government was trying to hide the human cost of war.

"We should not presume to make the decision for the families — we should actually let them make it," Gates said at a Pentagon news conference.

"We’ve seen so many families go through so much," added Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He said the goal is to meet family needs in the most dignified way possible.

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said President Barack Obama asked Gates to review the policy of media coverage of the fallen returning to Dover. He said Gates came back with a policy consistent with that used at Arlington National Cemetery.

Gibbs said it gives families the final say and "allows them to make that decision and protect their privacy if that’s what they wish to do. And the president is supportive of the secretary’s decision."

Shortly after Obama took office, Democratic Sens. John Kerry of Massachusetts and Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey also asked the White House to roll back the 1991 ban.....

More in the link

[barbaro]

I don't care either way.

A photo is a photo. I agree that Afghanistan is a can of worms, and increasing troops is not a good idea and will lead to higher casualties.

[Rural Surin]

Certainly, 'permission' to access and display coffin photos has nothing to do with anything. In theory, a free press will judge appropriately and so forth. But in this case, the US corporate mainstream press is an extension of the establishment and a whore for the Pentagon. The only reason that you've never imbibed these things because the US government has ordered the 'free press' to exclude such graphics.

[barbaro]

These photos do not show the identity of the deceased.

If an American goes to a foreign country to get involved and they end up dying that's the way it goes. It's a part of the job.

These people (dead or alive) should not be elevated to higher or "special" status.

[raycarey]

it's way past time that the military stopped trying to hide these deaths.

[SEA Traveler]

Call it what you want or say what you want about this issue but the individual soldier and families of these returning soldiers serving their country deserve the utmost respect and courtesy.

There are freedom of information sources to acquire body counts so having the media involved (unless it is at the direct request of the deceased soldier’s family) there is no apparent need for exposure.

As for what political ramifications it may or may not have on the current administration…… “who gives a rats ass”. That is not what this issue should be about.

[dirtydog]

I think its agreat idea, might help the average American realise that loads of their own are being killed for something that has fok all to do with them in countries that most couldn't even pin point on a map.

[dirtydog]

Infact they should take it one step further and show the pictures of the dead with different bits of their bodies blown off, may help it sink home that most of these wars aint never going to be won and are a waste of time and lives.

[SEA Traveler]

I think its agreat idea, might help the average American realise that loads of their own are being killed for something that has fok all to do with them in countries that most couldn't even pin point on a map.

the average American knows only too well the sacrifices made, both past and current, by our brave and heroic men/women in uniform. the fact that they are serving at the pleasure of the President and Congress has no bearing on providing the deserved respect and courtesy to them and their families.

Won't argue with the point that most of the folks in the countries where our heros are being keilled couldn't pinpoint their location on a map. Heck many folks in the western world, especially those in the US are unable to pin point on a map.

Displaying the remains of the deceased soldiers is not honorable and is totally disrespectful. I would have expected more from a TDer regardless of political affiliation or feeling about the conflict. Honor and respect to the deceased is warranted in most cases.

[dirtydog]

The war in Iraq was started under false pretenses, the Americans and all the rest should just pull out, THERE ARE NO WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION IN IRAQ....
Yet every week more people are killed there, be they soldiers or civilians, it's not suddenly going to end all nicely and peacefully.

[Boon Mee]

it's way past time that the military stopped trying to hide these deaths.

Huh?

Who's hiding deaths, K. slow-learner? The statistics are up for everyone to see. Jesus H. Chocolate Christ on a stick...

[SEA Traveler]

The war in Iraq was started under false pretenses, the Americans and all the rest should just pull out, THERE ARE NO WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION IN IRAQ....
Yet every week more people are killed there, be they soldiers or civilians, it's not suddenly going to end all nicely and peacefully.

sorry dd. were talking about coffin photos, privacy of the deceased and family members, and whether or not that privacy should be hornored or not. The conflict in Iraq or any where else for that matter is irrelavent in honoring and maintaining the deceased. lets get with the program.

[dirtydog]

^They wouldn't be dead if they weren't in Iraq would they, I think if their deaths and the horrific way some of them die was filmed and stuck on the evening news every night most Americans etc would be all for pulling out of these crap countries fighting a war that is of no interest or benefit to them.

[barbaro]

^They wouldn't be dead if they weren't in Iraq would they....

Exactly. It's part of the job. They deserve no special status or treatment.

[Boon Mee]

No special recoginition? Give me a fuckkin' break!
Like Vets who save Euroweenies from having to speak German rest of their lives?

[barbaro]

No special recoginition? Give me a fuckkin' break!
Like Vets who save Euroweenies from having to speak German rest of their lives?

Equivocation, Mr. Boon.

Germany in WWII was a different situation, completely.

[Rural Surin]

American really tend to find themselves extraordinary and special

[sabang]

I don't think a photo of an anonymous coffin, or a row of them, violates anyones privacy.

War is a horrible business, and the fact is that it is generally the worst of all for the population that it is visited upon- given the modern preference for bombing the shit out of everything rather than wasting precious military lives, which is never going to be popular back home. The vast majority of soldiers do their tour of duty, are accomodated in aircon barracks and fed well, and have accesss to many of the comforts of home like electricity and running water, even the internet, Bud, Marlboro and so on. Then they go home. The locals have no such relief, and are left with shattered infrastructure, colossal death tolls and whatever internecine violence is unleashed by the whole operation. They have to live with it.

Politicians coat all this in Jingoism and drape everything in flags and pageantry, hyped up tales of heroism- and feel quite justified in doing so. They do not like the other, dark side being publicised- which is all the more reason that a free and independent media should do exactly that.

These could be anyones son:-



and so could these:-