President Barack Obama, in a stunning assault on freedom of information, has decided to object to the planned release of photographs showing abuse of prisoners in U.S. military custody in Iraq and Afghanistan.  This action by a U.S. president who ran on a platform of openness in government and who promised to change the secretive ways of the Bush administration is unconscionable and supremely disappointing.  The U.S. military, in committing acts of torture, committed crimes for which this country itself has prosecuted other nations’ soldiers.  Any photos showing these criminal acts are the property of the American people and must be released for full viewing of the facts.  The argument that releasing these photos somehow reduces the effectiveness of our troops overseas and endangers them any more than they already are is blatantly ridiculous and stretches credulity.  Soldiers are already in harm’s way because they stand in front of enemy guns.  Releasing photos of criminal acts by the military does not change this danger in the slightest.

It is very apparent that Mr. Obama has not brought much change to the White House and would rather continue certain policies of a criminal Bush administration.  On this basis, Candlelight Stories completely rejects Mr. Obama and his presidency and will no longer support him.  Candlelight Stories is convinced that Mr. Obama is a fairly effective public speaker and not much more.  We look forward to a viable Democratic candidate for the 2012 election who is not Barack Obama.

It is truly unfortunate that this country cannot seem to produce a leader with the capacity to stand up to its own military/industrial apparatus.  It is a very dangerous situation when a nation’s military tells its president not to release photos of criminal acts and that president is actually fearful enough to listen.