The words "innocent" and "until proven" have been removed from the American dictionary. Only the word "guilty" remains

This AP photographer's case is a perfect example of what is wrong with what we're trying to do all over the world.

The Pentagon defended its monthslong detention of an Associated Press photographer in
Iraq, asserting that it has authority to imprison him indefinitely without charges because it believes he had improper ties to insurgents.

But journalism organizations said that covering all sides in the Iraq war sometimes requires contacts with insurgents. They called on the Pentagon to either bring charges against photographer Bilal Hussein so he can defend himself, or release him.

Hussein, an Iraqi photographer employed by the AP, was captured in Ramadi on April 12 of this year. AP executives, who worked on his case behind the scenes for five months, on Sunday made a public call for the military to transfer him to Iraq's criminal justice system or release him.

Bryan Whitman, a Pentagon spokesman, said on Monday that the military has not changed its position.

"All indications that I have received are that Hussein's detainment indicates that he has strong ties with known insurgents and that he was doing things, involved in activities, that were well outside the scope of what you would expect a journalist to be doing," said Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman. He refused to provide any details.

But AP Associate General Counsel Dave Tomlin said Whitman failed to address the main argument made by the AP, that Hussein get his day in court.

"Mr. Whitman says it would be `up to the central criminal court of Iraq' to charge Bilal with any wrongdoing. But the Iraqi court can't do that until the U.S. military hands over Bilal and whatever evidence they have against him to Iraqi authorities," Tomlin said.

"This is exactly what AP and Bilal are asking for," he said. "If the evidence isn't strong enough to support charges, however, Bilal should be released."

It's pretty clear that they don't have enough evidence to convict him, or they would try to do so. So, rather than put him on trial, they treat him as if he's aready guilty, hold him forever, and never give it a second thought. So much for "innocent until proven guilty." There isn't any "until" any more and there's no such thing as "innocent."