White House Photo of Obama Violates SEALs Families' Wishes

This President has to always put politics ahead of doing the right thing and the picture taken at Dover was no different.  What makes him look good was more important than what the families of the military who were killed in the crash of the Chinook wanted.  After all his reelection campaign is more important than anything else in this Country.  

The Pentagon said no photos but once again the White House mouthpiece Carney spins for Obama.  Not only did they take a picture of Obama saluting (makes me ill), but they sent it out but it is okay because it was Obama and he needed to be shown as the Commander in Chief is the way I take it.  No one I know in the military, current or retired,  has any respect for Obama and this event underscores that fact.  It is always about him even at a time like this.   

National Journal  has an excellent article about why this mission was not even necessary.  Who actually ordered the mission and why should be answered because if was done for political purposes, heads need to roll.  Was this going to be another SEAL operation that Obama could use for his campaign?  Call me a cynic but I believe he will say and do anything to get re-elected and anything in his way is collateral damage.

White House Photo Violates SEALs Families' WishesThursday, 11 Aug 2011 12:23 PM

WASHINGTON — A White House photographer was allowed to take and widely distribute a photo from the ceremony Tuesday for the return of the remains of 30 American troops killed in a weekend helicopter crash in Afghanistan — despite the Pentagon's claim that any public depiction of the scene would violate the wishes of bereaved families 

News media coverage of the ceremony had been banned by the Pentagon over the objections of several news organizations. 

Pentagon officials had dictated that no images could be taken because 19 of 30 of the American families of the dead had objected to media coverage of the remains coming off a plane at Dover Air Force Base. In addition, the Pentagon rejected media requests to take photos that showed officials at the ceremony but did not depict caskets. 

President Barack Obama attended the ceremony, called a "dignified transfer," for those killed in the worst single loss of the nearly 10-year war. An official White House photo of a saluting Obama was distributed to news media and published widely. It also was posted on the White House website as the "Photo of the Day." It showed Obama and other officials in silhouette and did not depict caskets. 

Doug Wilson, head of public affairs at the Pentagon, said the department did not know the White House photographer was present and had no idea a photo of the event was being released until it became public. He said the photographers who routinely travel with the defense secretary and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff were not allowed to go to the event, and no official Pentagon photos were taken or released. 

The Associated Press did not transmit the White House photo to its customers, in accordance with its policy of refusing government handout images of events it believes the media should have access to. 

When asked about the photo Wednesday, White House spokesman Jay Carney said the picture was carefully taken so that it did not show the cases containing remains. 

"The White House routinely releases photos taken by the White House photographers in specific circumstances where it would be inappropriate to include members of the media," Carney said. 

"In this case, the White House released the photo, in the interests of transparency, so that the American people could have as much insight as possible into this historic and sobering event." 

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