Will Freedom of Information Act Come Into Play

05/07/11

Enter the Freedom of Information Act. There's no shortage of media outlets who are contemplating filing the necessary paperwork that would force the government to release those documents and photos. But should disclosure be allowed? President Obama said it would equate to ''gloating'' and that releasing them would only lend to the anti-American sentiment while doing nothing to satisfy skeptics.

In a 60 Minutes interview to be aired on Mother's Day Sunday, he said, ''That's not who we are. We don't trot out this stuff as trophies''.

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If the Tribune-Review has its way, those photos of not only Bin Laden's corpse while still at the compound, but those taken as his body was buried at sea will made available. It filed a Freedom of Information Act request with the government. In that request, it wants the photos, any videos taken, ''documents and any other information connected with the successful raid by SEALs Team 6 that killed Bin Laden''.

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Now, the question is no longer whether disclosure should be allowed, but whether the Act will trump what the White House is calling ''homeland security matters''. Both the Pentagon and the White House has twenty business days to respond to the legal request, though either can request up to a ten day extension.

Those who are opposing the release of these documents, images and videos, say that the DNA that verifies his identity should be satisfactory to any naysayer. Obama said he made the decision after careful consideration and considering both sides of the argument. Those who support his decision say doing so keeps our overseas military safer. President Obama said he stands by his decision and that he doesn't want to appear ''un-American''. ''We don't need to spike that football.''

As of press time, neither the Pentagon nor the White House have addressed the Tribune-Review request.