Photo of dying marine: was it right for AP to publish?

If it helps us to understand the reality of the war in Afghanistan, then it was the right decision, say photographers

LAST UPDATED 7:39 AM, SEPTEMBER 7, 2009

The publication by some US newspapers and websites of a graphic photograph of a 21-year-old US marine dying in Afghanistan after being hit by a rocket propelled grenade has provoked considerable debate in the United States over the weekend. The photo showed Lance Corporal Joshua Bernard from new Portland in Maine being tended by his comrades in Helmand province shortly before he died.

Should it have been published? Leading the 'No' brigade is Robert Gates, the US defence secretary, who is reported to have "begged" the Associated Press (AP) agency to withhold the picture to spare the feelings of the soldier's family.

Gates told AP's chief executive Thomas Curley: "I cannot imagine the pain and suffering Lance Corporal Bernard's death has caused his family. Why your organisation would purposefully defy the family's wishes, knowing full well that it will lead to yet more anguish, is beyond me.

"Your lack of compassion and commonsense in choosing to put this image of their maimed and stricken child on the front page of multiple American newspapers is appalling".

The agency, while admitting that its reporters had not specifically asked Bernard's family for permission to publish the photo, has defended its decision to distribute it for publication. "We feel it is our journalistic duty to show the reality of the war there, however unpleasant and brutal that sometimes is," said Santiago Lyon, AP's director of photography.

A straw poll of photographers and photo editors by The First Post showed overwhelming support for publication because the photograph, however upsetting to the soldier's family, tells the truth about the realities of the long campaign in Afghanistan.

The photo was taken by Julie Jacobson of AP, on patrol with a group of marines when they were ambushed in the village of Dahaneh on August 14. In its grainy realism, it brings to mind the power of Robert Capa's 'Falling Soldier' from the Spanish Civil War - putting aside the long-running dispute over the Capa photograph's verity.

Colin Jacobson, no relation to the photographer, former picture editor of the Independent Magazine and founder of Reportage magazine, told The First Post: "You have to ask, Is it gratuitous or does it contribute to a greater understanding of what is going on in Afghanistan?

"On balance, you would have to say it does. The fact is it's the kind of image we haven't seen from Afghanistan very much, if at all. Most sets [of photographs] we have seen show troops running to and from helicopters, poised to fight - but not actually in combat. It's a result of the journalists - reports and photographers - being 'embedded' with US forces and subject to their controls.

"So this is a rare photograph," said Jacobson, now senior lecturer in photo-journalism at the University of Westminster. "I understand the anguish of the soldier's family. But I believe it was a brave decision of AP to put it out - and, on reflection, the right one. It will help increase understanding of the reality of the war in Afghanistan."

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Yes, AP was right to publish. Gates talks about a 'maimed child' but the press have published countless photographs of maimed children in Iraq, Palestine and Afghanistan.

Posted by Manny Goldstein at 10:16am on September 7, 2009

Gates would want it suppressed, anything that brings a shot of reality to the American public is a good thing, and his argument is disingenuous; he cares nothing for the relatives, he cares the war doesn't get any more unpopular though. So what happened to Obama's 'new' attitude? Seems like the same old same old imperialist claptrap to me.

Posted by Peter Simmons at 10:56am on September 7, 2009

yep they think it`s ok to exploit somebody else for a story, we all know people are dying in the war(gutter journos all of you), sorry but will you do the same when one of your mob dies in any situation??? very much doubt it....

Posted by norisk at 10:58am on September 7, 2009

No surprise that Robert Gates didn't want this photograph published, and "begged" that it wouldn't be printed. Gates's inclusion in the O'Bomber administration proves what the rest of the world knows - that there is no difference between Democrat and Republican, it's just AMERICAN FASCISM.

Posted by Neil McGowan at 11:33am on September 7, 2009

No surprise that "A straw poll of photographers and photo editors by The First Post showed overwhelming support for publication...however upsetting to the soldier's family" - what a biased sample! Shame on you all. We don't need to see pictures of people actually dying to know the reality of death - there are plenty of photos of servicemen's remains being repatriated and buried. We're not so stupid as not to understand that a corpse being returned means that the 'reality' is that the person died of fatal injuries. In my view, to show a picture of a dead person, or even to write about the dying of a person are acceptable; however, showing someone in the throes of death is not something that should be plastered around. How about some dignity in death? How much dignity in death was afforded to Lance Corporal Joshua Bernard by those who chose to publish this? Should anyone unfortunate enough to be losing their life unexpectedly have to suffer the additional indignity of having his dying moments replayed around the world? What next? Shall we start recording and publishing the dying moments of people trapped in car accidents to show "the reality" of accidents? Are 'snuff movies' going to go mainstream? That so many think this is acceptable journalism speaks volumes about the depravity of human nature.

Posted by Kevin McGrane at 1:12pm on September 7, 2009

Congratulations, AP. Thanks to you we now know that war is ugly and cruel. Regardless of one's opinion on the war, death is a tragic- and private- moment, not to be exploited.

Posted by Alex Harris at 2:42pm on September 7, 2009

No, it's not fascism. There's just just nothing but fantasy in the USA. All real war stories have been banned since Viet Nam. This is a tough and needed photo for us little ol' blood & guts gun toting Americans to see, especially the ones who make sure their sons and daughters won't go and fight. Am I 'for' this war, NO! This is a photo of 'death with dignity' if I ever saw one.

Posted by Midyola at 3:25pm on September 7, 2009

Robert Gates was concerned about the family's feelings? Does anyone seriously beileve that he was concerned about anything other than the fact that both the United States and the UK are involved in an exercies in futility which is destroying thousands of families on both sides? I would be very very surprised if this man cares about anything other than towing whatever line he's ordered to tow. Get the troops out and get the political war mongerers on trial for war crimes. Particularly Tony Blair who has been proven to be a liar beyond all reasonable doubt when it came to his sexed up falsified 'dossier' on Iraq. Then when it comes to sentencing these people, let the families have their say in court as to what they think of these trigger happy over grown boys, playing games of death with other human beings lives. BNP member.

Posted by Jerome Peter at 10:33am on September 8, 2009

Words by Dylan; some years ago but still relevant. John Brown went off to war to fight on a foreign shore. His mama sure was proud of him! He stood straight and tall in his uniform and all. His mama's face broke out all in a grin. "Oh son, you look so fine, I'm glad you're a son of mine, You make me proud to know you hold a gun. Do what the captain says, lots of medals you will get, And we'll put them on the wall when you come home." As that old train pulled out, John's ma began to shout, Tellin' ev'ryone in the neighborhood: "That's my son that's about to go, he's a soldier now, you know." She made well sure her neighbors understood. She got a letter once in a while and her face broke into a smile As she showed them to the people from next door. And she bragged about her son with his uniform and gun, And these things you called a good old-fashioned war. Oh! Good old-fashioned war! Then the letters ceased to come, for a long time they did not come. They ceased to come for about ten months or more. Then a letter finally came saying, "Go down and meet the train. Your son's a-coming home from the war." She smiled and went right down, she looked everywhere around But she could not see her soldier son in sight. But as all the people passed, she saw her son at last, When she did she could hardly believe her eyes. Oh his face was all shot up and his hand was all blown off And he wore a metal brace around his waist. He whispered kind of slow, in a voice she did not know, While she couldn't even recognize his face! Oh! Lord! Not even recognize his face. "Oh tell me, my darling son, pray tell me what they done. How is it you come to be this way?" He tried his best to talk but his mouth could hardly move And the mother had to turn her face away. "Don't you remember, Ma, when I went off to war You thought it was the best thing I could do? I was on the battleground, you were home . . . acting proud. You wasn't there standing in my shoes." "Oh, and I thought when I was there, God, what am I doing here? I'm a-tryin' to kill somebody or die tryin'. But the thing that scared me most was when my enemy came close And I saw that his face looked just like mine." Oh! Lord! Just like mine! "And I couldn't help but think, through the thunder rolling and stink, That I was just a puppet in a play. And through the roar and smoke, this string is finally broke, And a cannon ball blew my eyes away." As he turned away to walk, his Ma was still in shock At seein' the metal brace that helped him stand. But as he turned to go, he called his mother close And he dropped his medals down into her hand.

Posted by Steve Paker at 1:32pm on September 10, 2009

"We stand in total admiration ... Our freedom depends on men and women who live by the ethic of service above self and who place duty and the national interest above any considerations or personal comforts or safety. Those who put their lives on the line for America are the very best among us." FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. (Army News Service, Oct. 17, 2006) - Dick Cheney's admission he's not "the best among us" since he openly admitted he had "other priorities" as a young man when he avoided the draft five times as a young man.

Posted by Dean Morgan at 9:47pm on September 13, 2009