Pictures of War Casualties to be Permitted

The BBC reports that the U.S. Department of Defense has lifted a ban on public distribution of photos of the caskets of U.S. war dead. Publishing such photos has been forbidden since 1991. Photos will, however, only be released with permission of the families of the dead.

Proponents of lifting the ban are concerned that it prevented the public from seeing the death toll of war in Iraq and Afghanistan. Robert Gates, Secretary of Defense, said, "The decision regarding media coverage of the dignified transfer process at Dover [Air Force Base] should be made by those most directly affected, on an individual basis, by the families of the fallen... We ought not presume to make that decision in their place."