Sour Grapes
Of course we're Fair and Balanced!

2004-05-05

Iraqis murdered, raped and tortured



I haven't blogged anything about this story [WARNING! These are the pictures themselves—by no means pleasant to look at!] mostly because I can't find the words to express appropriate outrage.



But there are secondary stories as well. For one thing, these kinds of incidents have been going on for at least a year. For another, CBS delayed reporting on these photos for two weeks [via NewsDissector weblog]. I didn't see the 60 Minutes II show that aired these pictures, but apparently at the end of the show Dan Rather said,




Two weeks ago, 60 Minutes II received an appeal from the Defense Department, and eventually from the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Richard Myers, to delay this broadcast — given the danger and tension on the ground in Iraq. 60 Minutes II decided to honor that request, while pressing for the Defense Department to add its perspective to the incidents at Abu Ghraib prison. This week, with the photos beginning to circulate elsewhere, and with other journalists about to publish their versions of the story, the Defense Department agreed to cooperate in our report.


Is CBS News a news-reporting organization or a public-relations branch of the Department of Defense?



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