It is welcome news that the Obama administration is lifting the 18-year ban on allowing news photographs of flag-draped coffins arriving at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. Cameras reportedly will be OK in cases where the families of the returning war dead have given their approval. This seems a reasonable way to respect privacy concerns, while finally acknowledging that Americans need not be spared the sight of this fact of war and even arguably need to see it.
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
Follow us
Daily Archives
-
Recent Comments
- cosmos_originally on Open thread 11/22
- Daniel on Open thread 11/22
- Rage on Open thread 11/22
- Rage on Open thread 11/22
- BlueJay on Open thread 11/22
- American_Way on Open thread 11/22
- Rage on Open thread 11/22
- American_Way on Health care reform would save state money
- American_Way on Health care reform would save state money
- American_Way on Open thread 11/22
31 Comments
“Americans need not be spared the sight of this fact of war and even arguably need to see it.”
Here here and about time. Of course appropriate discretion with respect to the families should be a high priority.
Yeah, let them publish the photographs.
Great propoganda tool……..
For the enemy….
When publishing the truth is good for your enemy and bad for you, it’s time to rethink your position.
That’s assuming you gave your position any thought to begin with.
The only reason, let’s repeat that…
THE ONLY REASON that duh Libs want photographs and videos of flagged draped coffins is so they can exploit it politically.
THAT IS THE ONLY REASON.
They know I’m right.
#
BlueJay
Posted February 26, 2009 at 2:06 pm | Permalink
“Americans need not be spared the sight of this fact of war and even arguably need to see it.”
Here here and about time. Of course appropriate discretion with respect to the families should be a high priority.
__________________
Your respect for the families appears to be overshadowed by your pompous attitude.
You appear to have continuing issues with reading comprehension.
The truth is always the right thing to do. It is too sad that so many think otherwise.
This subject reminds me of saving the blastocysts from research so they can be incinerated out back where no one has to see their destruction.
And then the righteous can go brag about saving potential life.
Makes me sick to my stomach that people can be so hypocritical.
#
lindainks55
Posted February 26, 2009 at 7:22 pm | Permalink
This subject reminds me of saving the blastocysts from research so they can be incinerated out back where no one has to see their destruction.
And then the righteous can go brag about saving potential life.
Makes me sick to my stomach that people can be so hypocritical.
———————————-
And exactly how does this relate to viewing flag draped coffins?
It’s all about reality: the state of things as they actually exist.
I agree with P-Mom, the truth should always have priority in a free and democratic society.
“THE ONLY REASON that duh Libs want photographs and videos of flagged draped coffins is so they can exploit it politically.”
And what was the intention of NOT allowing the coffins to be photographed? Could it have been for “political” reasons? Because the truth of the sacrifice would have diminished support for the war.
#
Mary_Caruso
Posted February 26, 2009 at 10:11 pm | Permalink
“THE ONLY REASON that duh Libs want photographs and videos of flagged draped coffins is so they can exploit it politically.”
And what was the intention of NOT allowing the coffins to be photographed? Could it have been for “political” reasons? Because the truth of the sacrifice would have diminished support for the war.
==========================
It’s propaganda for the enemy.
It’s an ancient practice of removing dead from the battlefield as one leaves the field, so the enemy cannot see the effect of their attack.
“It’s an ancient practice of removing dead from the battlefield as one leaves the field, so the enemy cannot see the effect of their attack.”
What an idiotic argument. But then I have to remember the source.
The “enemy” can always see the results of their attack.
What is more important is that BOTH sides see their sacrifice in the “battle”. Until now, the American price paid for business interests and the aims of the Republican/Project for a New American Century agenda has been kept from the American people. The “enemy”, with vastly more skin in the game, has not been so distanced from their losses.
“THE ONLY REASON that duh Libs want photographs and videos of flagged draped coffins is so they can exploit it politically.”
And, of course, the only reason the cons wanted the coffins hidden was for… wait for it…
political reasons.
You stooges, make this game waaaaayyyyy too easy…
What an idiotic argument. But then I have to remember the source.
The “enemy” can always see the results of their attack.
———————————
Wrong.
The enemy does not always see the results of an attack.
Unlike battles of old, today’s battlefields are enveloped by the ever-seeing eye of mass media.
In WWI and WWII, funeral trains were often used to cart the dead from the battlefield. This was a quick way for infiltrated spies to count the dead and report the effectiveness of their attacks.
Body counts are demoralizing for the troops and those who support them. Troops get CNN as well and would see the draped caskets. So would the enemy.
These counts would then be used by the enemy to determine the style and focus of attacks.
It’s a lot like poker. One does not reveal their hand before the bet is placed on the table.
Propaganda is a powerful tool during war. One does not want to give the enemy an advantage. Nor does the country want to demoralize its troops.
#
StevenEDavis
Posted February 26, 2009 at 10:30 pm | Permalink
“THE ONLY REASON that duh Libs want photographs and videos of flagged draped coffins is so they can exploit it politically.”
And, of course, the only reason the cons wanted the coffins hidden was for… wait for it…
political reasons.
You stooges, make this game waaaaayyyyy too easy…
—————————–
And, you would be wrong, see my previous post.
“Propaganda is a powerful tool during war. One does not want to give the enemy an advantage. Nor does the country want to demoralize its troops.”
Sorry, James, this is not WWII. Time to get into the current historical context. I know it will be difficult for you.
“Body counts are demoralizing for the troops and those who support them.”
That depends how much skin the troops or those who support them have in the game.
#
StevenEDavis
Posted February 26, 2009 at 10:38 pm | Permalink
“Propaganda is a powerful tool during war. One does not want to give the enemy an advantage. Nor does the country want to demoralize its troops.”
Sorry, James, this is not WWII. Time to get into the current historical context. I know it will be difficult for you.
————————————-
Evidently you are seeing the valuable lessons learned from previous wars is that one does not parade or put their dead on display or in an manner where the enemy can count then assimilate the information for improved tactics.
I know it’s a bit much for you to comprehend battlefield tactics, but there are sound reason for it.
When were you ever on a battlefield?
You’re just another old man sending young men off to fight for your interests. We owe those who volunteer service better than hiding their sacrifice.
Sorry, James. Actually, you should be sorry for advocating the loss of American lives.
Let us hear you pontificate about battle strategies to families who have lost relatives in Iraq.
Sorry. As Jay asserts, until you have some investment to lose, maybe you are much more clueless than usual.
BlueJay
Posted February 26, 2009 at 10:51 pm | Permalink
When were you ever on a battlefield?
===============================
The battlefield has been global since the 1960s.
If you ever had attended a battlefield seminar, you might understand – but I know that ain’t happening.
There are spheres of influences in a battle situation: Physical, Psychological, Emotional, etc.
Each of these have a different range and different elements.
Psychological spheres of influence can extend for miles and affect anyone from the President on down to the battlefield commanders.
Fighting wars is not just done on the battlefield anymore. There are (as cold as it sounds) areas of risk and exposure.
Those in the highest ares of risk exposure are more likely to get killed or wounded.
However, if decision making is influenced by a psychological advantage to the enemy, then that sphere of influence directly impacts on the those in the highest risk areas.
Sun Tsu understood these concepts centuries ago and they still apply.
A brief primer here for the uninitiated.
http://www.chinapage.com/sunzi-e.html
#
StevenEDavis
Posted February 26, 2009 at 10:59 pm | Permalink
Sorry, James. Actually, you should be sorry for advocating the loss of American lives.
Let us hear you pontificate about battle strategies to families who have lost relatives in Iraq.
Sorry. As Jay asserts, until you have some investment to lose, maybe you are much more clueless than usual.
====================================
Wrong again.
I’ve served as a leader on honor guard. You know, the military members that bury fallen heroes.
We stand without emotion (believe me it’s quite difficult) within feet of the fallen hero’s family, often catching their tearful eyes and sobbing.
I’ve been at the bedside of those heroes taking their last breaths and those who breathe no more.
You pretend to understand who I am, but you have no clue. You make assumptions that your bankrupt morals can’t cash in for political ideology.
I see the pain in the eyes of spouses who have lost someone in war. They know that I know and we acknowledge the matter and move on with the world.
How does one calm the worry of a parent’s concern for their child in harm’s way? Well, one really cannot. But we do the best we can, we are our military brothers and sisters keepers after all.
But we are more than keepers. We are kindred spirits in the reality of the situation. We know that hollow rhetoric wastes our time and needlessly spends emotion.
There is an echo to death. If you have ever experienced it, you’ll know it. It comes to one without warning. It resonates at the oddest of times. It reverberates from the chambers of time passing. It has no end. One learns to deal with it or not.
Pontificate to families that have lost someone? Not me – never.
I have relatives who came back, some are wounded, some are seriously wounded. Some are still serving here and over in Afghanistan and Iraq.
The only one that is clueless here is you Steven Davis. You have been sheltered by the paper thin pages of literature, void of reality. You think the latest on MSBNC or CNN tells it all. Or perhaps that new book by Franks on how people on the ‘other side’ think.
You really don’t have a clue.
“Pontificate to families that have lost someone? Not me – never.”
Haha, you do every day, loser…
“You think the latest on MSBNC or CNN tells it all.”
Loser, you are wrong once more. I do not subscribe to cable.
You pontificate much more than you should, punk…
Going to bed.
What’s the deal with humans an ceremonies?
High Mass at the cathedral.
Full Military Honors at funerals.
Crowning the homecoming queen….
We’ve got this thing with rituals that’s either high camp and theatre or a return to our core animalist instincts like the worker bee’s dance.
The libs shouldn’t have any problem with showing pictures of dead aborted babies then.
Good point Monkey…and I alway have to laugh at some of the really stupid looking uniforms and helmets men wear so they all look like when playing war. It’s a universal thing..like music, dance, and religion..every culture and generation has their unique military uniform.
The reason the cons don’t want photos of coffins is that they want to perpetuate the myth that war is somehow glorious and our soldiers are somehow invincible. They can’t do that in the face of truth.