torture

Many have deemed the invasion of Iraq as the American government’s ‘brass-knuckled quest for information’ – a strong statement given that the self-appointed ‘land of the free’ is insinuating that justice can be achieved regardless of the cost. As President George W. Bush stated, “I will never relent in defending America - whatever it takes”. However, one power that the Bush administration failed to consider is the power of digital technology. With the unprecedented release of controversial photographs from the American military prison, Abu Ghraib, the existing beliefs regarding activities in Iraq have been altered. The representation of war that was captured by the personal cameras of American soldiers has provided a tool for examining the difference between the redacted images shown in newspapers and the landmark amateur photographs that illustrate what really happens when the unexpected becomes public.