Per BBC News: The U.S. Defense Department has eradicated the previous ban on news organizations showing photographs of coffins containing military personal killed in combat.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates said pictures will be allowed only if the families of the deceased agree. This overturns the 18 year policy that was first implemented by George H. Bush during the first Gulf War, as reported by BBC NEWS.
Because of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan nearly 5,000 flag-draped coffins have not been photographed, according to BBC.
Twitter users speak up and share mixed views:
@ceeceem1( New York City): good idea to show the coffins. mayb we'll realize wat this war is really doing 2 ppl
@JenLynch(Westchester, NY): RT @CubanaLAF Pentagon lifts ban on coverage of war coffins: http://bit.ly/T1Nfq (expand
) -very personal family matter, should media be there?
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@peggymadsen:(
Silverthorne, CO) @NorahODonnell Ban should never have begun. These are merely post-horror coffins; copious photos of war for all to see is best preventative.
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@JackWeingart:(Washington D.C.)
Score for journalists! Pentagon lifts ban on media coverage of coffins of war dead as they arrive at dover air force base in delaware.
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@ASGtweets:(Boston) Why would "War Coffins" be hidden from the public eye?, Its reality why hide it? http://bit.ly/n3z0V
@Ranba_Ral:(Ohio) #tcot New administration to allow press vultures to hound families of our fallen to photograph their coffins *gag*
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War dead photo ban lifted