This morning, the Associated Press reported on one of its own, photographer Bilal Hussein, who has been held in detention by the U.S. military in Iraq for over five months. Countering claims from the military that Hussein has colluded with insurgents, executives and editors from the AP argue that the lack of public evidence against the Iraqi native warrants his immediate release from custody.
Thus far, the specific charges against Hussein are still somewhat murky, with military officials arguing that the photographer is being detained due to “imperative reasons of security.” Fortunately, we have numerous bloggers who feel unconditionally qualified to offer their expert legal opinions.
“Go look at the photo Hussein took of a blindfolded Italian being murdered by terrorists,” commands Tan Horizons. “That’s the price of the Story. The Story was more important to Hussein, and the New York office, than this guy’s life. And the next Story, which Hussein would get for keeping his mouth shut, was more important than picking up a phone and helping shut down this terrorist gang.”
Some conservatives were fully prepared to aim a little higher than Hussein.
“It’s no surprise that our suspicions have been confirmed,” writes Six Meat Buffet, “and it’s even less of a surprise that the anti-American Associated Press is working like hell to get him back out on the battlefield with his brothers to generate some more propaganda for their cause.”
Throwing more fuel onto the anti-AP fire, Hyscience concludes, “By all appearances, now with evidence, it seems that the AP has, as much of the blogosphere suspected, been fully complicit in aiding and abetting terrorists that have murdered innocent people and killed American forces. Just because they are ‘media,’ does this mean they should be given a pass for treason?”
Not to be outdone, bloggers on the other side of the aisle went straight for an equally familiar target.
“So if Bush gets his way,” remarks Crooks and Liars, “Hussein can remain in prison indefinitely and go to trial without knowing what he’s charged with or what evidence there is against him. This White House has had a fairly testy relationship with the press from the beginning, but this is ridiculous.”
Asks the Next Left, “When will the current administration, which prides itself on its ability to repeat the words ‘democracy’ and ‘freedom’ until they are devoid of any meaning, recognize that without the rule of law, Iraq will never be able to consider itself a ‘democracy’?”
Continuing the lamentation of the Bush administration’s foreign policy, one commentator questions American exceptionalism.
“I know that some on the right will bleat that these prisoners are not American citizens,” jobsanger notes. “So what? The world is watching our actions in Iraq and other places. Do we really want to tell the world that only Americans deserve to be treated fairly? With this kind of message, is it any wonder that many in the world no longer trust us?”
Concludes the blogger: “The world once viewed America as a beacon of freedom and justice and the rule of law. Now we are just viewed as a bully eager to trash international legal standards.”
Andrew Bielak was a CJR intern.