They who control the media....

[sarettah]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/artic...-2004Apr22.html

Photos of Soldiers' Coffins Revive Controversy

By Blaine Harden and Dana Milbank
Washington Post Staff Writers
Friday, April 23, 2004; Page A10

The Pentagon lost its tight control over the images of coffins returning from Iraq as about 350 such images were released under the Freedom of Information Act and a Seattle newspaper published a similar photo taken by a military contractor.

After Dover Air Force Base, the main port for returning remains, released hundreds of government photos of the ceremonies, the Defense Department ordered yesterday that no more photographs be released. In addition, two employees for defense contractor Maytag Aircraft were fired after the Pentagon complained about a photo of flag-draped caskets taken by one of them that appeared in the Seattle Times.

In March 2003, on the eve of war in Iraq, the Pentagon ordered an end to all media coverage of ceremonies for the returning remains of soldiers killed overseas. Although Dover already had such a policy, the Pentagon action enforced a military-wide ban on images of flag-draped caskets that dated to late 2000 but had not been followed.

With few exceptions, the ban had remained in force until recent days. But last week, about 350 photos from Dover were released under a Freedom of Information Act request by Russ Kick, a First Amendment advocate who runs a Web site called the Memory Hole (www.thememoryhole.org). Dover recommended that Kick's request be denied, but officials at Air Mobility Command headquarters at Scott Air Force Base in Illinois authorized the release on appeal. After Kick posted the photos, they appeared on other Web sites, including the Drudge Report.

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[Fletch XXX]

[SykkBoy]

Originally posted by Fletch XXX@Apr 22 2004, 10:53 PM

I think Ted Bundy was kind of a wuss compared to John Wayne Gacy and Ed Gein....

[RawAlex]

This is another one of those things, like "embedded journalists" that shows a very concentrated attempt to keep the media showing one side only of the conflict, the side the government wants shown.

It is spin control, but it is even more because they are attempting to cover up scenes that affect how everyone feels about the war. A plane load of flag draped coffins is a plane load of sons and daughters that aren't coming back to their families except as memories. It is a reminder to everyone of the downside of the current policies and military actions. Release of these images in an election year just isn't a good thing.

It is a sick concept that this is tolerated in the "land of the free".

Alex

[gonzo]

Originally posted by SykkBoy+Apr 22 2004, 11:08 PM-->