Reply #16: With all due respect Nance we have been considering this issue for literally years now. [View All]

This is not a new issue that just cropped up yesterday, we have known these photos existed since at least 2004 and many of us have been pushing for their release for over five years now. Up until yesterday it seemed that virtually all of DU would have supported the release of the photos, but then as soon as Obama went back on his promise all of a sudden people seem to be changing their positions for the sole reason that he changed his position. I know that I certainly didn't hear any complaints on this site when Obama said he was going to release the photos, now it may be possible that there were some people who were concerned but just didn't speak out about their concerns although I am willing to bet that at least half the people on this site who oppose the release of the photos today supported their release up until yesterday.

We have considered this issue very thoroughly, and just because we are firm on our stance that does not make us extremists. I think we can both agree on who the real extremists are, the extremists are the people who support torture. These people have been trying to convince Americans that their acts of torture are not only noble but necessary to protect this country, and sadly enough many Americans have fallen for their disgusting rationalizations. Because so many Americans have bought into their lies, it is imperative that we expose those lies and show people the true reality of the crimes that were being committed. We need to make sure that these sorts of atrocities never happen again, and if we have a sizable chunk of Americans who actually believe that torture is not such a bad thing it will happen again. These photos need to be seen, I have been calling for their release for over five years and I am not going to change my position just because Obama changed his.