where the photos came from, and why they were released . . .

seems the source of the abuse/torture photos is within the military establishment, and their release is indicative of a serious split between military and civilian factions over the U.S. role in Iraq . . . interesting . . .

Leaking self-doubt
by Brendan O'Neill
spiked-politics
May 13, 2004

(snip)

Tracing how the photos became such hot public property reveals something striking, not only about the torture scandal, but about the coalition itself. This is a story, not of investigative journalism or antiwar activists exposing imperialist America to the world, but rather of America exposing its own uncertainty for all to see. The photos appear to have come from within US military or political circles; they were effectively volunteered for public consumption by elements within the military or higher up in the Pentagon, seemingly as part of a process of internal unravelling and deep disagreement over aspects of the war. In a sense, the publication of these photos to international outrage can be seen as the externalisation of America's own self-doubt about Iraq, and about its own mission in the world.

(snip)

The failure of the media to expose the torture story earlier, even as Pentagon sources and soldiers' families leaked information about the torture, reveals much about the balance in this story. It suggests that it came about less as a result of campaigning journalism and more as a result of pushiness on the part of aggrieved elements in the military or close to the military.

(snip)

Whether it was military families trying to protect their loved ones from being scapegoated by US military command in Baghdad, or faceless Pentagon sources seeking to score some points against Rumsfeld for dragging America into a seemingly intractable war, the leaking of the torture photos reveals as much about internal doubt about America's mission in Iraq as it does about the cruelty visited upon Iraqis in Abu Ghraib. The motor of the torture story appears to have been an internal falling-apart, rather than external pressure from journalists or anti-war campaigners for the truth about Abu Ghraib. It seems to have been a profound uncertainty among American soldiers or military officials that allowed the torture snaps to be leaked, and to become such a powerful international symbol of American failure in Iraq.

- more . . .

http://www.spiked-online.com/articles/0000000CA521.htm

If the high military officials did leak these, then that gives me hope.

:kick:

Note the word theory, I have no proof.

And yes the torture photos were absolutley terrible. Could it be the CIA/FBI taking revenge on Rove for outing an agent? If so this could be escalated into an internal government struggle.