CNN Showed Abu Ghraib Photos - Why Not Cartoons?

John at Powerline makes a great point when he points out that CNN couldn't show the Abu Ghraib photos fast enough.  I couldn't turn on the TV without having those pictures paraded all over the place.

But now, CNN balks at showing the 12 Muhammad cartoons that are, in reality, harmless. They are simply illustrations, drawings, doodles. Yet, they are off limits.  Interestingly, however, CNN can't seem to make up its mind why it won't show them. First it's out of respect for Islam. Now, it's because it doesn't want to add fuel to the riots surrounding the cartoons.

Maybe CNN should simply say the truth: they're craven hypocrites.

Update: I love Alan Dershowitz's answer:

CNN has shown no courage. It claims it won’t publish the cartoons because they’re offensive. But they have published previous cartoons that are offensive. The fact is, they’re frightened. The fact is, that this kind of religious and intellectual terrorism is working. It is persuading journalists who would otherwise cover this story with the cartoons to back away–not on ideological reasons or not for reasons of protecting or preserving integrity or anything of that kind, but out of physical and economic fear. This is economic, physical terrorism directed at journalists and it is working. They have succeeded in the United States. They have failed in parts of Europe, but they have succeeded in the United States.

Bingo.