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Military Reverses Ban on Publicizing Fatal War Photos
2009-10-20
The U.S. military command in eastern Afghanistan has rescinded a ban on the publication of photos depicting slain U.S. military personnel, a Pentagon spokesman said Tuesday. The month-old ban had triggered concerns among lawmakers as well as from several media organizations. "I am relieved that this short-lived attempt to control the media and the public's right to know has come to an end," Louise M. Slaughter, D-N.Y., chairwoman of the House Rules Committee, said in a written response to a query. "Prior restraint on photography is not a good policy for the Pentagon. It's always been my belief that the American people should see the hard reality of our wars in Iraq and Afghanistan." A Pentagon official said the decision to undo the ban was internally driven and not caused by pressure from Congress. Some in the Defense Department expressed concern to the brass in Afghanistan that they had gone too far in censoring the press and urged reconsideration of the new policy, the official said. The U.S. military has censored photos in previous conflicts, but the new rule was the most far-reaching restriction instituted for reporters covering the military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind., was among those in Congress who had expressed concerns about the censorship. While recognizing the sensitivities of families whose loved ones are killed in combat, Pence said the public needs to see the unvarnished story from Afghanistan, as it has in past wars.
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