“Destroy Them Immediately:” William McRaven Adopts the Jose Rodriguez Approach
“Destroy them immediately.”
That’s what Admiral William McRaven said 11 days after Judicial Watch FOIAed for pictures of Osama bin Laden’s remains.
As I was the first to note back in June, McRaven ordered that all photos in JSOC’s possession should be purged. According to the IG Report where I first noted that order, he ordered them be sent to CIA (the final IG Report censored that reference). I thought at the time (and still believe) it was an attempt to jurisdictionally sheep dip the pictures, just as the operation had been, to get further protection for the pictures.
It’s only now, after Judicial Watch lost their suit to obtain these photos, that DOD has gotten around to providing this document that makes it clear McRaven ordered the photos not just purged, but “destroyed” after the Judiical Watch request.
It’s all so familiar!
Does Richard Bruce Cheney have a Twitter account?
“It’s all so familiar!”
Yeah, back in April 2009,the Obama administrations decided not to fight a court order to release photos showing JSOC torture (under the command of McRaven & McChrystal) after the ACLU won their FOIA request. But, just a few weeks later, on May 12th (coincidentally (?) just the day after former JSOC commander Gen. McChrystal was nominated to head up the Afghan war), President Obama backpedaled and blocked the release of the photos, and shortly afterwards the Senate instead unanimously changed the FOIA law.
For details, see my June 2010 post “The Emperor’s General” and my Dec 2012 post “Never Shall I Fail My Comrades” at the Feral Firefighter blog.
P.S. Congrats on the launch of Greenwald’s “First Look.” It’s good to see your name on the staff.
Admiral McCraven probably checked with Scott Bloch first, right? That would have been reassuring.
@Guy Montag: No shit Marcy! And good catch, Guy.