Has AP gone too far? Shocking picture of mortally wounded Marine Joshua Bernard

Associated Press Photo of Fatally Wounded Marine Stirs Controversy

Defense Secretary Robert Gates personally lobbied the Associated Press in an unsuccessful bid that the news agency honor a family's wish that it not distribute a graphic photograph showing the final moments of their son's life after the marine had been mortally wounded in a firefight in Afghanistan.

The photo shows 21-year-old Lance Cpl. Joshua M. Bernard of New Portland, Maine, being helped by squadmates shortly after suffering severe leg injuries in a Taliban ambush in southern Afghanistan in mid-August. He was evacuated to a field hospital where he later died on the operating table.

Associated Press photographer Julie Jacobson was embedded with Bernard's squad at the time of the attack and caught the graphic image as it happened. The photo was included as part of a package sent to AP clients that included photos of Bernard's unit on patrol taken shortly before the attack and of a memorial service after his death.

WARNING, the next link takes you to a website that includes the photo in question.

Associated Press says photo of Lance Cpl. Joshua Bernard shows realities of war

NEW YORK — The Associated Press is distributing a photo of a Marine fatally wounded in battle, choosing after a period of reflection to make public an image that conveys the grimness of war and the sacrifice of young men and women fighting it.

Lance Cpl. Joshua M. Bernard, 21, of New Portland, Maine, was struck by a rocket-propelled grenade in a Taliban ambush Aug. 14 in Helmand province of southern Afghanistan.

The image shows fellow Marines helping Bernard after he suffered severe leg injuries. He was evacuated to a field hospital where he died on the operating table.

I have the utmost respect for this young man, and his colleagues.

And if this was simply an issue of his and his family's privacy, then I would say that the AP has gone too far.

But in my opinion, the only reason Defense Secretary Robert Gates personally lobbied the Associated Press is because it is bad press for the war, and he wants the public to think it is all drones and smart bombs.

TPTB hate it when the press puts a face to the name, and showing such a graphic image really hits home that young men and women are dying out there.

Anyway, RIP Lance Cpl. Joshua M. Bernard, and my deepest sympathy to his family.

[edit on 4-9-2009 by kiwifoot]

Ever since there has been photography in any significant scale there has been these 'shocking' pictures. That's how the truth of the world is reported to people who live their comfortable lives with their reality-tv shows. Governments always hate this because it lowers morale and when reality is shown it makes wars and conflicts less appealing to potential recruits.
The war is real, real people die and it's gross. If only there would be the same amount of photojournalism reporting deaths than there is actual deaths then there might never be wars again.

Break it down for me in a simple way:

So it's OK to show dead "Hajji's" but not dead US soldiers?

Maybe if tons of photos were distributed people would really see what the real end result of war is.

They have been posting pictures of dead Iraqi kids since the war started.

Is this different?

reply to post by kiwifoot


Have to agree with some of the other sentiments expressed...

If the media can show images of dead non-US/Allies, then why not this one? No disrespect to the family of the soldier, but a human life is a human life, regardless of how the media may try to quantify it. And for it to be lost in a war, especially such a needless war, is a colossal waste, IMO.

If TPTB feel it might embitter public sentiment or put a nasty taste of "realism" to their portrayal of a war 'far removed' from the public realm, I think they're sorely too late and out of touch.

Oh wait I see....Out of sight out of mind. Face the facts people. There is a WAR going on. People are getting mutilated and killed in it. This picture I think drives it home too far for most. Hey everyone loves the idea about killing terrorists, waging war on foriegn soil. We thrive on it! But wait....your showing us the death of a US soldier? How Dare you! Give me a break people. You want the war so bad, you like killing other humans? Well here it is. Full color picture of the blood and guts you support but don't want to really to see the bloody truth. War is HELL not some Rambo movie. Real people die and suffer. The person in this picture had a life. They were ALIVE. Well, not anymore. You people that support the war sent that man to his grave because you couldn't think of diplomacy or peaceful solutions. Guns, bombs and chemicals. That's all you know. You are stained with blood whether you care to admit it or not. Your war mongering makes you an accessory to all the deaths in this war. Take a long look at that picture. That's what you are in support of. Now take your dose of REALITY and deal with it. Look in the mirror and see if you can be proud of yourself. I wouldn't be if I were you....

Give Peace a Chance....

...we saw the brutality of war every night on the evening news during the viet nam era - and - it became a very unpopular war... reality has been heavily censored since then (unless the victims arent christian)... coincidence?... of course not... i am surprised that AP appears to have a spine... i'd like to believe thats a sign that not all media outlets are puppets/actors but i just cant...

War is "Hell" and this picture proves the "True Reality" of it!

If the picture bothers you so much, voice your opinion to end

War and bring Our Soliders home!!!

Reality is not a flagged draped coffin, TPTB show us!!...imo

Originally posted by truth/seeker
War is "Hell" and this picture proves the "True Reality" of it!

If the picture bothers you so much, voice your opinion to end

War and bring Our Soliders home!!!

Reality is not a flagged draped coffin, TPTB show us!!...imo

could not say it better

reply to post by kiwifoot


You know why that war has dragged on for so long?
Because people don't have to face or see the consequences of it (except relatives).

Out of sight out of mind
Don't blame the AP, blame the warmongers

reply to post by PsykoOps


I hate it and it makes me sick but you're right.

I'm am deeply sorry for his parents and other loved ones though.

He was their son but he was also a United States Marine in Afghanistan. However, his image may fight a battle far more fierce than the Taliban -That of propaganda and the endless wars of the MIC. That makes him a patriot and a hero twice over.


[edit on 4/9/2009 by kosmicjack]

I agree with much of the sentiment expressed here. Things that are done in the dark will eventually be seen in the light.

Our children are being maimed, mentally damaged and dying in a war that benefits only the elite.

They keep the truth of the this war hidden because they think that this will keep the American people subdued and they do not have to be accountable.

They would not even allow the press to take pictures of the caskets coming home for burial.

When you go to these lengths to hide your dirt then you know darn well you are guilty.

I think that someone should be showing all the pictures and exposing the lies.

Its funny because I read a little bit of this story today and thought that the media is trying to brainwash the general public to feel that this is appalling and extremely disrespectful to his family and even an insult to his own life.

And I knew that ATS members would have the same opinion as I do.

It's a picture of a dying American soldier... which is a big no, no. Only enemy soldiers are aloud to die. The public can only read that Americans are dying in a war, they cannot see it. If more pics get out to this nature, then people are really going to be asking questions.

So, the media must now take on the task of making you believe that this was a sick act (taking the picture)... by the end of this you won't even care that a human (an American soldier, no less!) died. You will just be disgusted that this picture can now circulate the internet and his family must relive his death every time they see it.

They say that truth shall set you free but the reality is that truth will make you puke your guts out and pass out in horror. Especially in war and photographs are only a tiny part of that truth. They only relay a small image from the hell but that's usually enough to make most people sick.
Soldiers and photographers both seem to suffer the same effect on the field. They become desenzitized to where they are and what they are doing and they don't even see others as people anymore. I remember watching a documentary about a war photographer named James Nachtwey and the thing that struckt me was how he didn't seem to care. You can't stop to care, you have to take that shot and you care when you get back home and every night when you see those places in your dreams.

I, for one, think the AP has gone too far. I mean, what kind of a world do we live in if we can't keep our wars secret? It is better to be in the dark about these matters than actually see a solider killed--who is, most likely (although dead) embarrassed that his picture is showing up all over the world. I say, keep the secrets. War is uncomfortable as it is, we don't need this.

Snarkiness off.

Originally posted by PsykoOps
They say that truth shall set you free but the reality is that truth will make you puke your guts out and pass out in horror. Especially in war and photographs are only a tiny part of that truth. They only relay a small image from the hell but that's usually enough to make most people sick.
Soldiers and photographers both seem to suffer the same effect on the field. They become desenzitized to where they are and what they are doing and they don't even see others as people anymore. I remember watching a documentary about a war photographer named James Nachtwey and the thing that struckt me was how he didn't seem to care. You can't stop to care, you have to take that shot and you care when you get back home and every night when you see those places in your dreams.

A little like Kevin Carter, who took the photo 'The Vulture and the Baby'. He killed himself from the guilt of that photo, but part of me thinks that these photographers have to detach themselves from their subject matter, I mean if they don't they'll never be able to do the job in the first place.

A very interesting debate actually.

Yeah I've heard of that. He realized that he was losing it when taking the photograph he actually waited for several minutes thinking only 'I hope that vulture will span it's wings, that would be a great photo'.
It's quite simple, if your work is on a battlefield you stop caring because if you care you cannot function 100%. Then you will be danger to yourself and others. It's a defense mechanism.

reply to post by PsykoOps


Then I think, well after the photo, couldn't have helped then? But how are you going to help every starving child, every wounded civilian, every desperate case?

Is it not nobler and wiser to take a photo of one dying child, and get it released so that perhaps a thousand can be saved from money donated due to the guilt of the West?

I know that sounds cold and heartless, but that photographer didn't make the rains fail, rob the UN food truck, make a civil war. But by releasing that picture to the world, he may have done a lot of good, except he couldn't come to terms with it.

I feel for the Family, they LOST A SON! and AMERICA, LOST A SOLIDER,

people need to see this needless loss of lives. Our Wars are needless

We NEED to bring our guys HOME!!....NOW!!....imo