The U.S. military finally released Associated Press photographer Bilal Hussein after holding him for more than two years, AP reported. About time. Hussein was part of AP’s team that won a Pulitzer Prize for photography in 2005. The military detained him and claimed that he had ties to insurgents but never filed any specific charges. AP denied any improper contacts and said Hussein was doing the normal work of a photographer in a war zone. “I have spent two years in prison even though I was innocent,” Hussein said after being freed.
-
Registered?
Commenting on WE Blog now requires you to be a Kansas.com member. Use the links above to register, if you haven't already, or to log in. -
Contact us
Daily Archives
-
Recent Comments
- Phantom on Open thread 10/13
- Phantom on Three trillion-dollar strikes and you’re out?
- Phantom on Three trillion-dollar strikes and you’re out?
- Phantom on Overheard from the 2nd District campaign
- Phantom on Overheard from the 2nd District campaign
- Maggotpunk on Open thread 10/13
- Phantom on Open thread 10/13
- Phantom on Open thread 10/13
- Phantom on Open thread 10/13
- Phantom on Three trillion-dollar strikes and you’re out?
60 Comments
Well in Repub world a name is all the guilt one has to have. Remember the right wing emphasis on Barak Obama’s middle name?
Shouldn’t this guy be owed something from the U.S. government for wrongful imprisonment? Get him a trial lawyer, pronto.
I think if Gonzo volunteers this guy should decline.
The guy is clearly guilty by word association! Waterboard him, and get the truth our of him!
GWB
StevenEDavis
Posted April 16, 2008 at 12:51 pm | Permalink
Shouldn’t this guy be owed something from the U.S. government for wrongful imprisonment? Get him a trial lawyer, pronto.
Naw, he’s not entitled to anything because he was an enemy combatant before he wasn’t an enemy combatant in Bush Bizarro World.
Better make that an ILLEGAL enemy combatant or you’ll get a long lecture from Paul / Econ / Franklin. It seems to all be in the semantics.
Thanks Linda…it is an absolute fact and everyone knows it that he was an illegal enemy combatant…etc.
And its all the fault of libs and greens that the military kidnapped him and held him for 2 years.
Seems that together we’ve covered ALL the bases but semantics being what they are I won’t be surprised when one word is taken to task and to he!! with the meaning of the entire post.
I swear, we need a Paul Harvey type voice to come on this blog and say:
“And that is the rest of the story”
Because the editors sure only give us about half of the story if we are lucky.
Bilal Hussein was being held pending a case against him for aiding insurgents in Iraq. The case was under the Iraqi’s Court system.
The US Military released him upon order of the Iraqi court because of an amnesty law the court found.
Bilal was hardly being held without reason or charge by the US military just because as you liberals and the Editors would love to imply.
Get your facts straight.
[Sarcasm]
I mean, why would we ever suspect someone who is taking pictures of an Insurgent mortar team attacking US forces?
[sarcasm]
“But the Pentagon said Hussein will be held until it reviews the Iraqi amnesty ruling and also said it reserves the option to ignore the decision and keep Hussein in custody.”
http://tinyurl.com/2jrbax
“The US military says it will recommend criminal charges against an Associated Press photographer detained in 2006 on suspicion of helping Iraqi insurgents.
The Pentagon says additional evidence has come to light proving Bilal Hussein is a “terrorist media operative” who infiltrated the news agency.
The case will be passed to Iraqi judges who will decide if he should be tried.”
http://tinyurl.com/22qshq
“Hussein was arrested in Ramadi on April 12. The military has said he was in the company of two alleged insurgents, in an apartment where there were bomb-making materials, and that his detention was for “imperative reasons of security” under U.N. resolutions. His “strong ties” to insurgents go beyond the role of a journalist, the military has said.”
http://tinyurl.com/y2wnoe
There are many more. Where are the links for your version, Nathan?
Bilal was hardly being held without reason or charge by the US military just because as you liberals and the Editors would love to imply.
Get your facts straight.
*****
NATHANiel–
He was held without trial and that is unconstitutional.
Founder Robert Yates wrote in the Federalist papers that “We find they have, in the ninth section of the first article declared, that the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended, unless in cases of rebellion.”
Fifth Amendment of the Constitution:
“No person shall be . . . deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law;”
Throwing someone in prison to rot for two years “without due process of law” is unconstitutional.
Nathan, why do you hate The Constitution?
And please don’t give me the mind-numbing inaninty that “he’s not a US citizen so he’s not entitled to Constitutional protections.”
If that were true, then you or I could be thrown into prison and left to rot indefinitly trial without under the laws of any other government and according to you, it would be perfectly justified.
Jefferson wrote in the “Declaration of Independence” of divine rights, given by The Creator, among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
Liberty is a right bestowed by our Creator, not by our political system of laws.
That would apply to any man of any country.
Why was he held two years without any sort of hearing or trial? And now it’s suddenly “oops, nothing there”?
“If that were true, then you or I could be thrown into prison and left to rot indefinitly trial without under the laws of any other government and according to you, it would be perfectly justified.”
No capn - then we would call it a kidnapping and being held hostage.
From what I saw went I used THE google, you could go to the source you respect the most and never find anything that supports the version Nathan posted. There seems to be no disagreement on the circumstances.
Maybe Nathan will post something other than his opinion or identify it as such.
“CapnAmerica
Posted April 16, 2008 at 3:35 pm | Permalink
Jefferson wrote in the “Declaration of Independence” of divine rights, given by The Creator, among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
Liberty is a right bestowed by our Creator, not by our political system of laws.
That would apply to any man of any country.”
THat may be, but haven;t you argued before that since somehting was in Declaration Independence and not the Constitution, it had no effect of law? That essenstially, it didn;t count? And if it does, does it not make the point that the US, by proclomation, states that there IS A CREATOR?
I could be wrong on your position, and if so, I apologize in advance. I may or may not be here later.
I don’t know about now, but in the first Gulf War, Bosnia and etc - a reporter had to swear (oral agreement) that they would not do camp hopping from U.S./allies to enemy camps.
One reason is that they could be tortured for information revealing the locations, size, strength and etc. of U.S. Forces/Allies.
I can imagine a bunch of pissed off Marines finding Hussein with insurgents who just had been lobbing mortars at them and yanking him into the next century. They wouldn’t care if he was a Congressman at that point.
Reporters or not, you don’t get to play both sides of a fence in a combat area - it’s a big no no.
McCluer loves the thought of Marines going all Rambo on some civilian.
Warms the cockles of his heart.
“I mean, why would we ever suspect someone who is taking pictures of an Insurgent mortar team attacking US forces?”
I speak con. Let me translate.
Journalism is TREASON!
The only images we should see in the news are HAPPY images of American troops being greeted with flowers and candy!
Well there Clark, the guy is lucky. He could have been eating a Hellfire Missile from an Apache trying to get a good story/photos.
er trying to get “his” good story/photos
LittleJohn–
I think what I argued in the past was that the United States was not founded on Christian principles and that the Founders thought the United States should in no way be thought of as a Christian nation.
That’s why there’s no reference to God in the Constitution, for example.
Using the term “endowed by their Creator with certain rights” does not identify the country as a Christian country. It simply means we human beings have rights that cannot be taken away–they are innate to our being.
Reguliar may be right that combatants don’t like reporters crossing the lines.
But that still doesn’t justify the US government throwing someone in prison for two years without trial.
More Bush hypocrisy.
Sometimes you have to destroy the Constitution to save it.
I agree that it does not identify the country as a “Christian” country, but it does explicity state that they are endowed by our creator. And while it may be speculaiton, I don;t think they were talking about Mom or Dad. However, the statement is still not part of the “law”, as I would see it. Anyway, I think those captured at the least should be treated in accordance with the Geneva Convention. That we are signatories to. Ending with a preposition, bad. Oh well. Tired and out of here for the night.
You all have a great evening.
At least this guy didn’t get hit with a missile “accidently on purpose” like Al Jazeera’s headquarters in Kabul did, completely destroying it.
Al Jazeera in Iraq was also hit “accidentally on purpose” on April 8, 2003 which killed reporter Tareq Ayyoub and wounded another. Al Jazeera, in order to avoid coming under US fire, had informed the U.S. of the office’s precise coordinates prior to the incident.
Sami Al Hajj, an Al Jazeera cameraman, continues to rot in Gitmo Prison for since 2001 without trial.
On November 22, 2005, the UK tabloid The Daily Mirror published a story claiming that it had obtained a leaked memo from 10 Downing Street saying that U.S. President George W. Bush had considered bombing Al Jazeera’s Doha headquarters in April 2004, when U.S. Marines were conducting a contentious assault on Fallujah.
(Information from Wiki)
#
bth
Posted April 16, 2008 at 3:36 pm | Permalink
Why was he held two years without any sort of hearing or trial? And now it’s suddenly “oops, nothing there”?
——————–
Just a wild guess, but the Military probably suspected Hussein was getting in good with the insurgents, because of the “coincidental” locations of the insurgents knowing when and where U.S. Forces were to be attacked.
Maybe it’s true, but maybe it’s not.
I bet some General advise them, “Let’s keep this guy on ice for a couple of years,” that way, any information he might have had would be obsolete.
Pretty safe to do it that way, but not very popular with the ACLU tree huggers.
However, in a combat zone, not too far out of the ordinary. It happens often with civilian suspects in all wars. You get suspected of something, you will be kept in prison until time and resources are available to tend to you. And those time and resources will be liberally construed.
The message is, “Go journalistic with known enemies of the U.S. and you become an enemy or at the very least complicit to the enemy’s cause.”
This was also practiced in WWII, Korean War, Vietnam and every other conflict. The U.S. is not amused when it comes to ‘non-classified’ enemy observers.
Well, why can’t we just err on the side of human rights?
He is/was an Iraqi citizen. He should have been turned over to the Iraqis at some point.
I’m sure the Military was more interested in the message sent to would-be journalists who think that they are mini-Switzerland’s in a combat area.
It’s an unrealistic expectation by the journalist to think they are not considered suspects in aiding the enemy when they report/shoot photos from an enemy combat position.
If it were me, I wouldn’t bet my life that Hussein was telling the truth about his involvement with the insurgents. I don’t know the guy or his contacts - his very actions dictated his own fate.
Life and death situations merit different evaluation scenarios.
Reguliar doesn’t let a little thing like The Constitution of the United States get in the way of what his neo-CON pals are doing–stealing Iraqi oil with your tax dollars.
#
CapnAmerica
Posted April 16, 2008 at 5:43 pm | Permalink
Reguliar doesn’t let a little thing like The Constitution of the United States get in the way of what his neo-CON pals are doing–stealing Iraqi oil with your tax dollars.
———————-
Totally irrelevant to the topic.
You may want to put your life in the hands of an Iraqi AP Photographer who takes photos from insurgent combat positions, but I’m very sure the Marines, Soldiers and other newsmen on the Iraqi/American side do not want to jeopardize their lives by gambling that Hussein is not an informant for the insurgents.
You’ve got to give it to those vindictive Israelies (who Paulie considers civilized), they know how to handle a Reuters’ Reporter (and anyone else they chose to make a victim of payback)!
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080416/wl_nm/palestinians_israel_dc_8
Reguliar doesn’t let a little thing like The Constitution of the United States get in the way of what his neo-CON pals are doing–stealing Iraqi oil with your tax dollars.
———————-
Totally irrelevant to the topic
**********
Thanks reggie, the constitution is totally irrelevant. We knew that. Go see if Hank Price is interested in the woody you have for his hands and wrists. Dumbass….
No surprise that after the Iraqi government laid off 1,300 soldiers that he got released. American taxpayer money is financing the insurgency. We provide them with training, a uniform, weapons and a paycheck.
Oops, I mentioned the wrong reporter. I guess the one held by the Iraqis isn’t as important. Oh well, the AP reporter probably experienced more torture under the thumb of the Americans.
Thanks reggie, the constitution is totally irrelevant. We knew that. Go see if Hank Price is interested in the woody you have for his hands and wrists. Dumbass….
GOOD one Steven!
I think they have already admitted they made a huge OOOPS on this reporter… But Regular’s arguments read like somebody who might have given the order to “hold him” LOL
Ahhh yess always the expert on everything…
#
StevenEDavis
Posted April 16, 2008 at 10:05 pm | Permalink
Reguliar doesn’t let a little thing like The Constitution of the United States get in the way of what his neo-CON pals are doing–stealing Iraqi oil with your tax dollars.
———————-
Totally irrelevant to the topic
**********
Thanks reggie, the constitution is totally irrelevant. We knew that. Go see if Hank Price is interested in the woody you have for his hands and wrists. Dumbass….
——————————————-
Excluding your middle school remarks, explain to me how the U.S. Constitution is applied to an Iraqi citizen in a combat zone where only U.S. Combat military rules apply.
Explain your comments as to Hank’s hands and wrists and smile there James.
Creepy.
Aw, c’mon guys! Why are you people complaining so much?
They’re just following the Supreme Court mandate that suspects have to be arraigned within 2
daysyears. Move along, nothing to see here!Sheesh, you’d think they were imprisoning journalists with no charges all the time . Huh? What? Damn it!
“He now joins a growing list of journalists detained in conflict zones by the U.S. military for prolonged periods and eventually released without any charges or crimes ever substantiated against them,” said Simon. “This deplorable practice should be of concern to all journalists. It basically allows the U.S. military to remove journalists from the field, lock them up and never be compelled to say why.”
Well, but, hey, he must have done something wrong! Everyone knows that accusation brings a legal presumption of guilt (Huh? What was that?—presumption of innocence??)
Reguliar–
He should have a speedy trial–war zone or no war zone.
If you don’t think so, then you can’t complain when foreign gov’ts do the same thing to Americans.
Yep, McCluer, why don’t we just sink to the level of all the low-life governments throughout the world.
Hell, we could have beheaded him, like our good friends the Saudis would have done. Maybe we should have tortured a confession out of him like our friends Turkey.
Let’s just give up any pretense to the higher moral ground and just run the sons of bitches through a wood chipper.
What the Hell, they are just journalists, after all.
Let’s just give up any pretense to the higher moral ground and just run the sons of bitches through a wood chipper.
Can’t do that, Clark. Or official raping. Paul declared those beyond the pale.
Everything else is cool! :)
Next, we are going to hear a lecture from McCluer about how he is the only one that KNOWS anything about military justice and he would tell us more about it, but it is classified.
Then we are going to hear that our ATTITUDES are putting our troops in harm’s way and it is all the fault of the Democrats that 4,000 Americans have died in Iraq.
Then we will hear a lecture as to why civilians and politicians should just allow the military to do whatever they want, because they know better than us.
Then, it will be more, yada, yada, I am ex-military and I know everything, but it is classified so I can’t say anything.
Yada, yada.
Hussein is not nor has he been an American citizen and was captured and imprisoned in Iraq. So, once again, tell me how the U.S. Constitution applies.
Also, it is worth noting that Hussein was released by an Iraqi Judge who used the same Amnesty law that released other Iraqi insurgents.
Note that Amnesty usually indicates that someone must have done something wrong legally, before Amnesty is applied.
According to the Iraqi Judge that gave Hussein Amnesty there was wrong doing by said prisoner, otherwise it would be unconstitutional in Iraqi law to apply Amnesty where none is needed.
Toooooo funnnny Clark!!! ROFLMAO!!!!
Ah,yes, the same depraved Bushite “logic” we’ve been hearing over and over. It’s a nice little shell game: Keep your eye on the bouncing prisoner! U.S. law? Nope, he’s in Iraq! Iraqi law? Nope, he’s in U.S. custody!
The Fifth and Sixth Amendments apply to all criminal prosecutions, so let’s. . .not prosecute! We might have to prove something!
Geneva Convention? Not a prisoner-of-war! But it’s in a war zone, that’s why we’re doing it!
If all else fails, rationalize after-the-fact. Well, he musta done something wrong–he agreed to amnesty after only 2 years in nightmarish limbo! .
It takes practice to master the subtle art of blackwhite . Regular obviously practices frequently.
And all the clocks are striking thirteen.
And now we have heard from the Blog’s resident expert on everything, including, get it now — Iraqi Law!!! ROFLMAO!!!!
If he was held by Iraqi’s, and RELEASED, then there should have been NO reason for the Military to hold the man for two years!!
I agree that it does not identify the country as a “Christian” country, but it does explicity state that they are endowed by our creator.
littlejohn,
Have you had a chance to watch any of the HBO series, John Adams? I’ve only caught a little, but what I did see was a very interesting exchange between Jefferson, Franklin, and…I forget, and it’s late. It was specifically about the use of the term “Creator” and also pertaining to a discussion on how slavery would or would not be addressed, considering most of the men were or had been slave owners. Of course, it’s a “guess” by the writers, but I would also “guess” that there was a lot of research, and the exchange/discussion was taken from papers written at the time by those three men. Jefferson’s original wording (according to the mini-series and other things I’ve read) was quite different, but Ben Franklin suggested the “endowed by their Creator with certain (inalienable) rights” for the express purpose of NOT relating to any religion and meant only that these were rights given for just being born and living.
Badly explained, but I’m hoping to catch all the “parts” of it on On Demand.
#
Rage
Posted April 17, 2008 at 12:33 am | Permalink
Ah,yes, the same depraved Bushite “logic” we’ve been hearing over and over. It’s a nice little shell game: Keep your eye on the bouncing prisoner! U.S. law? Nope, he’s in Iraq! Iraqi law? Nope, he’s in U.S. custody!
The Fifth and Sixth Amendments apply to all criminal prosecutions, so let’s. . .not prosecute! We might have to prove something!
Geneva Convention? Not a prisoner-of-war! But it’s in a war zone, that’s why we’re doing it!
If all else fails, rationalize after-the-fact. Well, he musta done something wrong–he agreed to amnesty after only 2 years in nightmarish limbo! .
It takes practice to master the subtle art of blackwhite . Regular obviously practices frequently.
And all the clocks are striking thirteen.
—————————–
Show me case law where what you claim applies?
If you can’t then you are arguing peanuts over peanut shells.
test
Okay, judges, can we have your decisions?
Judge number one–
“Regular got his ass kicked. I rule for Rage.”
Judge number two–
“Regular’s got nothing. Rage totally wins.”
Judge number three–
“Regular’s defense of his position was completely refuted by Rage’s superior arguments. No contest.”
*****
There you have it, folks. A unanimous decision shows once again, the reich-wing’s got nothing.
Thank you for playing and don’t forget to pick up your “LOSER!” tee-shirt on the way out . . .
http://www.freesamialarian.com/media/media191b.html
Crapn’s post 7:38 once again shows that Libs think this is a contest, not an opinion blog.
The Iraqi that was detained, Hussein, was hanging around and consorting with Al Qaeda insurgents. And none of the Libs see nothing wrong with this?
Are these same Libs willing to put their lives on the line that this Iraqi reporter was not indeed passing information to Al Qaeda?
Hussein was granted amnesty after he was released because he had violated the Iraqi law of consorting with known terrorists. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have qualified for amnesty being not guilty.
How can one get amnesty for nothing? The answer, you can’t.
He was taking pictures of insurgent military placements in a war where intelligence is so utterly limited and mostly false? This guy should have been given a medal!