The US Defense Department has criticised SBS television for airing more photos of the abuse of prisoners at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. Naturally, John Howard has leapt to the defence of the Americans, saying the Bush Administration had already dealt with the abuse at the prison. Sure they have …. only some low to mid-level scapegoats have taken the fall for it to date!

These photos have been the subject of court action in the US, with the Government trying to keep them secret in a case with the American Civil Liberties Union.

Now, I think its completely wrong to make the publication of the photos of the torture the focus here - surely the main point is that it is wrong to torture prisoners in the first place. I accept that the US is fighting against an insurgency, many of who are barbarians, but I don’t accept that excuses Americans, and by association as a member of the “coalition of the willing”, us, descending to their depths of depravity.

The simple message is don’t torture people. If you don’t do that, you have no pictures of it to try to cover up.