The Responsibility of Torture

The torture issue is now focused on numerous photos that the Obama Administration was to release in compliance with a court order. These photos show the abuse of detainees by American captors during interrogations. Now due to pressure from those who have been in support of the right to torture, the Administration will not release the photos to the public. The argument put forth by Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Joe Lieberman (I-CT) is that releasing these photos could inflame potential terrorists and "will serve no public good."

Ali Frick at Think Progress has another perspective:

The photos of torture aren’t the root of the problem. After all — if you don’t torture, you don’t have torture photos.

It’s not the pictures that recruits suicide bombers; it’s what the pictures depict. Torture — ordered by Bush and Cheney — damaged America and increased the risk of another terrorist attack, and revealing the truth of what happened doesn’t change that fact.

The issue isn't to release or not to release. The issue isn't to torture or not to torture. The issue is whether as a nation we can accept responsibility for our actions. If Sens. Graham and Lieberman accept and support these interrogation techniques as necessary in their War on Terror, then why are they afraid of showing what these interrogations truly represent?