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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Obama U-turn on abuse photographs | Obama U-turn on abuse photographs |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| US President Barack Obama has said the release of more photos of prisoner abuse by US soldiers is "of no benefit" and may inflame opinion against troops. | |
| The pictures were not "sensational" and every case of abuse had been dealt with by the military, with action taken where appropriate, he said. | |
| The White House previously said it would not fight a court ruling ordering the release of the pictures. | |
| The pictures were due to be released by 28 May, according to the court order. | The pictures were due to be released by 28 May, according to the court order. |
| The order was issued by an appeals court in September 2008, in response to a Freedom of Information Act request by the American Civil Liberties Union (Aclu). | The order was issued by an appeals court in September 2008, in response to a Freedom of Information Act request by the American Civil Liberties Union (Aclu). |
| 'Disappointed' | 'Disappointed' |
| The US defence department was preparing to release the images but Mr Obama has now directed his White House Counsel, Greg Craig, to raise an objection to their publication. | The US defence department was preparing to release the images but Mr Obama has now directed his White House Counsel, Greg Craig, to raise an objection to their publication. |
| White House Spokesman Robert Gibbs explains President Obama's decision | White House Spokesman Robert Gibbs explains President Obama's decision |
| The dispute could now end up before the US Supreme Court. | The dispute could now end up before the US Supreme Court. |
| "The president does not believe that the strongest case regarding the release of these photos was presented to the court, and that was a case based on his concern about what the release of these would do to our national security," White House Spokesman Robert Gibbs said earlier. | |
| "He believes that the release of these photos could pose a threat to the men and women we have in harm's way in Iraq and Afghanistan." | "He believes that the release of these photos could pose a threat to the men and women we have in harm's way in Iraq and Afghanistan." |
| Mr Obama had been advised against publication by Defence Secretary Robert Gates, Centcom commander Gen David Petraeus and the commander of US forces in Iraq, Gen Ray Odierno, a Pentagon official said. | Mr Obama had been advised against publication by Defence Secretary Robert Gates, Centcom commander Gen David Petraeus and the commander of US forces in Iraq, Gen Ray Odierno, a Pentagon official said. |
| The Aclu said it was "surprised and disappointed" by Mr Obama's decision and that it would continue to fight for the photographs' release. | The Aclu said it was "surprised and disappointed" by Mr Obama's decision and that it would continue to fight for the photographs' release. |
| The BBC's Richard Lister in Washington says that although President Obama has insisted on the need for open government, it appears that on this issue he has been persuaded that - for now at least - such transparency risks doing more harm than good. | The BBC's Richard Lister in Washington says that although President Obama has insisted on the need for open government, it appears that on this issue he has been persuaded that - for now at least - such transparency risks doing more harm than good. |
| US MEDIA REACTIONS TO OBAMA'S DECISION |