# Pentagon: Nothing will be done about gruesome photos-of-dead for porn scandal. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 29, 2005, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentagon-nothing-will-be-done-about-gruesome-photos-of-dead-for-porn-scandal/323943 "2005-09-29T00:21:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2005, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentagon-nothing-will-be-done-about-gruesome-photos-of-dead-for-porn-scandal/323943/1 "2005-09-29T00:21:55Z")
> [@](#): > > The U.S. Army after a brief inquiry has failed to determine whether U.S. soldiers provided grisly photos of people killed in the Iraq war to a porn Web site in exchange for free access to it, officials said on Wednesday > > The numerous graphic pictures posted on the Web site showed men, **with their faces visible and wearing what looked like U.S. military uniforms** , standing over a charred corpse, mutilated dead bodies and severed body parts. What the fuck? How long did you “investigate” this for, an hour? Message: We Don’t Care. ---
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2005, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentagon-nothing-will-be-done-about-gruesome-photos-of-dead-for-porn-scandal/323943/2 "2005-09-29T00:23:17Z")
Oh yeah, here’s the [link](http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20050928/us_nm/iraq_usa_photos_dc). ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2005, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentagon-nothing-will-be-done-about-gruesome-photos-of-dead-for-porn-scandal/323943/3 "2005-09-29T00:28:45Z")
> [@Blalron](#): > > What the fuck? How long did you “investigate” this for, an hour? > > Message: We Don’t Care. I wouldn’t be so quick to leap to a conclusion. I’m pretty sure they are still investigating this pretty vigorously. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2005, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentagon-nothing-will-be-done-about-gruesome-photos-of-dead-for-porn-scandal/323943/4 "2005-09-29T01:12:17Z")
You’re right, obviously the people IN the photo must be the people who provided that photo to the website. It couldn’t have been the guy behind the camera, or anyone else with access to the pictures. ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2005, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentagon-nothing-will-be-done-about-gruesome-photos-of-dead-for-porn-scandal/323943/5 "2005-09-29T01:31:00Z")
Those whiny liberals were out there complaining that FBI resources were being diverted away from the War on Terrorism in favor of the new FBI anti-porn squad. But now we see that it’s possible to fight porn and fight terrorism at the same time. It’s brilliant! ---
**Author:** ![Metacom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecae2f/32.png) [@Metacom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Metacom)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2005, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentagon-nothing-will-be-done-about-gruesome-photos-of-dead-for-porn-scandal/323943/6 "2005-09-29T01:56:43Z")
I don’t understand the outrage. Why should trading picture of dead Iraqi’s for porn be illegal? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2005, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentagon-nothing-will-be-done-about-gruesome-photos-of-dead-for-porn-scandal/323943/7 "2005-09-29T02:00:02Z")
> [@Metacom](#): > > I don’t understand the outrage. > > Why should trading picture of dead Iraqi’s for porn be illegal? Please tell me this is post-modernist irony. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2005, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentagon-nothing-will-be-done-about-gruesome-photos-of-dead-for-porn-scandal/323943/8 "2005-09-29T02:13:18Z")
> [@Metacom](#): > > I don’t understand the outrage. > > Why should trading picture of dead Iraqi’s for porn be illegal? If the pictures are taken or transmitted using military equipment or computers, or are acquired due to military access, they are supposed to be cleared by the military before they are released to the public. There may also be a Geneva Convention issue regarding the display of dead bodies but I’m not sure about that. ---
**Author:** ![Metacom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecae2f/32.png) [@Metacom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Metacom)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2005, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentagon-nothing-will-be-done-about-gruesome-photos-of-dead-for-porn-scandal/323943/9 "2005-09-29T02:19:40Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Please tell me this is post-modernist irony. Barring **Diogenes** “pictures should be cleared by the government” argument, why do you think it should be _illegal_? ---
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2005, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentagon-nothing-will-be-done-about-gruesome-photos-of-dead-for-porn-scandal/323943/10 "2005-09-29T02:22:38Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > You’re right, obviously the people IN the photo must be the people who provided that photo to the website. It couldn’t have been the guy behind the camera, or anyone else with access to the pictures. They still **posed** for those pictures, smartass. I’ve seen the pictures myself, and in many of them the soldiers are actually smiling. Who else would be there to take the pictures but other soldiers? Do you honestly expect me to believe some sympathetic Iraqi Civilian took the pictures? Maybe a civilian contractor (mercenary) who happened to be nearby took the picture, but even then that contractor ought to be fired. > [@Metacom](#): > > I don’t understand the outrage. > > Why should trading picture of dead Iraqi’s for porn be illegal? Conduct Unbecoming An Officer? Our soldiers are subject to a higher standard than us lowly civilians. The laws they follow are more strict than the laws that you and I have to follow. ---
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2005, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentagon-nothing-will-be-done-about-gruesome-photos-of-dead-for-porn-scandal/323943/11 "2005-09-29T02:27:35Z")
> [@Metacom](#): > > Barring **Diogenes** “pictures should be cleared by the government” argument, why do you think it should be _illegal_? It seriously wounds our image in the eyes of the international community. It pours gasoline on the fire of the rage that motivates people to be suicide bombers. Soldiers on duty are representatives of the United States Government and while they are performing their duty have an obligation to conduct themselves in a manner that doesn’t bring shame and dishonor upon our Country. If they are not willing to behave properly they should be booted out and sent back home at the very least. ---
**Author:** ![Metacom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecae2f/32.png) [@Metacom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Metacom)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2005, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentagon-nothing-will-be-done-about-gruesome-photos-of-dead-for-porn-scandal/323943/12 "2005-09-29T02:41:14Z")
> [@Blalron](#): > > It seriously wounds our image in the eyes of the international community. It pours gasoline on the fire of the rage that motivates people to be suicide bombers. I’d tend to think it’s rather trifling compared to actually killing Iraqis. And I agree that the military should be able to kick them out, or try them under the USMJC. They agreed to give up some rights when they joined the military. I don’t think it should be illegal under civilian laws, though. ---
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2005, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentagon-nothing-will-be-done-about-gruesome-photos-of-dead-for-porn-scandal/323943/13 "2005-09-29T02:48:32Z")
> [@Metacom](#): > > I’d tend to think it’s rather trifling compared to actually killing Iraqis. Well, at least in that case there’s the justification that they **had** to kill those Iraqis. I can’t think of a moral excuse for posing for a picture next to the body with a thumbs up sign and publicly trading that for porn. > [@](#): > > And I agree that the military should be able to kick them out, or try them under the USMJC. They agreed to give up some rights when they joined the military. I don’t think it should be illegal under civilian laws, though. If a civilian tourist wanted to do such things… well, I guess that’s their right. It’s really scummy and creepy, but that’s their right. But to do such things while you’re a soldier in uniform? I don’t think any reasonable soldier would think that behavior is going to be tolerated. Unless of course, the Pentagon keeps on deciding to turn a blind eye. ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2005, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentagon-nothing-will-be-done-about-gruesome-photos-of-dead-for-porn-scandal/323943/14 "2005-09-29T06:07:11Z")
Jesus Blalron, how old are you, 5? Soldiers of every army known to man have posed for photographs over the bodies of their enemies since Matthew Brady started wartime photography. You can argue all you like about the ethics of trading these photos for porn, but stop acting so surprised that photos like this are taken. They’re common, mundane even. It’s so widespread a practice that I would call it human nature. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2005, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentagon-nothing-will-be-done-about-gruesome-photos-of-dead-for-porn-scandal/323943/15 "2005-09-29T07:26:57Z")
**Weirddave** : You have something of a knack for jumping into the least popular side of any argument, guns blazing. Have you ever seen Matthew Brady’s work? It is straight documentation, no editorializing and no gloating. He showed the US what it was doing to itself by photographing reality, as opposed to getting access to cheap porn by mocking the gruesome deaths of our enemies. If you can’t see the difference, you won’t have much luck in this thread or in any other discussion of intent. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Rieux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Dr.Rieux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Rieux)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2005, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentagon-nothing-will-be-done-about-gruesome-photos-of-dead-for-porn-scandal/323943/16 "2005-09-29T08:29:04Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > **Weirddave** : You have something of a knack for jumping into the least popular side of any argument, guns blazing. > > Have you ever seen Matthew Brady’s work? It is straight documentation, no editorializing and no gloating. He showed the US what it was doing to itself by photographing reality, as opposed to getting access to cheap porn by mocking the gruesome deaths of our enemies. If you can’t see the difference, you won’t have much luck in this thread or in any other discussion of intent. Well, Brady used to rearrange and pose the bodies to make the compostions better, so he falls jsut a little short of “straight documentation.” ---
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2005, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentagon-nothing-will-be-done-about-gruesome-photos-of-dead-for-porn-scandal/323943/17 "2005-09-29T09:30:55Z")
> [@Dr. Rieux](#): > > Well, Brady used to rearrange and pose the bodies to make the compostions better, so he falls jsut a little short of “straight documentation.” Was it well known during his time that he rearranged the bodies? Did he have his buddies pose cheerfully in the foreground, and trade the photos for porn? It’s not so much the pictures of dead bodies I’m having an issue with, it’s the completely innapropriate nature of how they are created and diseminated, and the motivation for taking the pictures. ---
**Author:** ![Futile\_Gesture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f05b48/32.png) [@Futile\_Gesture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Futile_Gesture)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2005, 9:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentagon-nothing-will-be-done-about-gruesome-photos-of-dead-for-porn-scandal/323943/18 "2005-09-29T09:36:35Z")
> [@Weirddave](#): > > They’re common, mundane even. It’s so widespread a practice that I would call it human nature. So’s wife-beating. And theft. Calling it ‘human nature’ doesn’t mean people shouldn’t find it unacceptable. > [@Metacom](#): > > Why should trading picture of dead Iraqi’s for porn be illegal? Would you be asking this question if they were pictures of dead Americans? ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2005, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentagon-nothing-will-be-done-about-gruesome-photos-of-dead-for-porn-scandal/323943/19 "2005-09-29T10:56:27Z")
> [@Futile Gesture](#): > > Would you be asking this question if they were pictures of dead Americans? But that would be a war crime, sir! ---
**Author:** ![Harborwolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Harborwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harborwolf)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2005, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentagon-nothing-will-be-done-about-gruesome-photos-of-dead-for-porn-scandal/323943/20 "2005-09-29T11:26:21Z")
> [@Weirddave](#): > > Jesus Blalron, how old are you, 5? Soldiers of every army known to man have posed for photographs over the bodies of their enemies since Matthew Brady started wartime photography. You can argue all you like about the ethics of trading these photos for porn, but stop acting so surprised that photos like this are taken. They’re common, mundane even. It’s so widespread a practice that I would call it human nature. So there’s this group. Let’s call them “muslim extremists.” These “muslim extremists” don’t like us. They try to make other people not like us. They regard our culture as immoral and tell other people how immoral we are. Doing something like trading pictures of their dead for pornography? It’s just not helpful. If we’re trying so hard to win the “War on Extremism,” then this is shit we need to stop letting go. We don’t have to punish those responsible, but we should at least put a stop to it. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentagon-nothing-will-be-done-about-gruesome-photos-of-dead-for-porn-scandal/323943.md?page=2)