Thread: Obama honors the fallen troops

They said in the article that the ban had been in place for 18 years and he had lifted it. Has it been that long since the first Gulf war?

I believe Bush banned the taking of photos of the deceased coming home in caskets because it wouldn't help the cause of war. I am not sure if Obama has rescinded the order or not. I think he is considering the massive casualties that Afghanistan has wrought in deciding the fate of where we go from here....it's not an easy choice to inherit methinks.

The ban was put in place by George H.W. Bush during the Gulf War. Obama partially lifted it -- if families allow it, press can show the transfer ceremonies. If only one family does, then that's the only casket the media are allowed to photograph/film.

Bush Sr/his administration put that ban in place in part to shore up public support for the Gulf War. One of the reasons for a shift in public support for the Vietnam war were the photos of caskets (and carnage in general). Take away the in-your-faceness of a picture of the dead, and it kind of sanitizes the human cost of war. I wish the many many other lessons from that ill-fated and ill-started war had been drummed into politicians' and...