There is a ferocious battle of words under way about the photograph taken of a U.S. Marine who was injured and later died while fighting in Afghanistan. No one likes war we are told, and certainly no one likes causalities of young men and women. But when we make national policy decisions such as going to war we can not, and must not, insulate ourselves from the toll that the war takes on both sides of the conflict. Far too often we do.
It is natural of course not to want to look and see the carnage of our policies. Part of it is the lack of desire to see blood and death. Another part is deeper rooted in that when we see the effects of war and the death that follows we then recognize we are a part of the larger decision that allowed the war to start or continue. (This is a general statement about war, and should not be interpreted as being for or against our Afghan policy.)
It seems so sanitary when we see missiles depart a jet and wind their way to the target below. Often we have military brass that show a slow image-by-image viewing of such events for the press. There is the grainy black and white footage, and we are told the target was destroyed. But war should never be cleansed so that it resembles motion pictures. We should never think of war as an option that can be discussed as if we are planning on what airfield to refit, or what new missile the Defense Department should purchase.
War is hell.
Why should the only people to feel the effect of the war so fully be the ones at the front lines? Why should not the ones who make the decisions, and pay the taxes to support war also not be at least engaged enough with reality to see the consequences of our national policy?
Many will find the media to blame, but those vocal ones do not understand the role and duty journalists have to inform the citizens about the actions of their government. The rest of us do, and as hard as it is to see the picture, it is part of the war story. And it needs to be told.
CAFFEINATED POLITICS 
What makes Americans so special that we shouldn’t have to see and understand the gruesome aspects of war?
We were never allowed to view this type of photo or the coffins of our loved ones as they were brought back to our soil. Because we were being spared? Of course not. It was a protection for those who sent our children to a terrible place for an imaginary cause. Weapons of mass destruction.
Well, well…children will act stupid sometimes…Seems we need to go back and ban the pictures again…Seems that some of the photo journalists can’t be trusted to honor their word…When we stop caring about the rights and due respect ofour fallen soldiers, we need to apply the brakes to this “journalistic freedom” that some of these self serving bozos feel is more important than the dignity of others…Act like a child, get treated like one…We need to ban the photos of our dead heros, and we need to do it now…and I hope they do! Oddly enough, I’m not as mad about the photo being taken by a war-time photog…During the action, you take the pix…but in the aftermath, knowing the outcome, you don’t use them.It’s the chief morons at the newspapers that went against the family’s request, and against the military’s request, that I hold most accountable…Them, and the others out there who decided that their self serving, self seeking desires were greater than anyone else’s rights…to the point that the posted, printed and blogged them anyway…because ” we need to see them”…No we don’t…honor the wishes of those who are suffering in these losses…Congratulations to all of you..You’ve reached a new milestone…of lowliness….
I agree with your posting of the picture. You have have shown both a gutsy attitude at the same time as a thoughful one about the reasons this needs to be seen. I have sent your link to some college students who are studying this type of issue and know they will place it on a server. Your work is about to get more attention, and I think that is important. I have also noted your attention to media and reporter type issues and know they are all consistent with some core values.
Many thanks. I do think and care about these reporter type matters more than most I suspect, and have a perspective that has been thought about and considered over many years. Having worked as a reporter for a period of time I feel there is a higher calling than the political whims of the day.
My son is serving and faces death constantly. One of his best friends is now gone. It would kill my son to see his buddy in some dying moment picture. When home on leave a month ago my son participated in the Jerabak run that is annually organized to honor a marine who gave his life for his country. His family is still dealing with their loss of 3 years ago.
You are an idiot if you think images of death are shock reality to a nation blind to the ravages of war! These brave men and women protecting our country, and their families know only too well the dangers of combat.
Forget about pictures of war. What about pictures of politicians who send our troops into battle and make political decisions on denying funding for supporting these troops? If politicians don’t want to support the war in Afghanistan, then stand up and go public. Don’t let them sneak behind a budget vote as their protest to our President’s lack of planning.