Article

2011-05-04 India-Pakistan

US holds photos of slain bin Laden, weighs release

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Posted by Fred 2011-05-04 00:00|| E-Mail|| Front Page|| [11127 views ] Top
File under: al-Qaeda

#1 Forget the PC BS and release the damned photos and be done with it. I wouldn't worry about islamic sensibilities; I'd worry about American sensibilities. The jihadists had no qualms about showing the beheadings of innocent people while they were still living.

Posted by JohnQC 2011-05-04 08:36|| 2011-05-04 08:36|| Front Page Top

#2 Officials were reluctant to inflame Islamic sentiment by showing graphic images of the body. But they were also eager to address the mythology already building in Pakistain...

Lemee get this straight. The US has been trying to kill UBL for over a decade. This specific op was planned and replanned with meticulous precision for nine months. The brightest military and diplomatic minds worked day and night to anticipate every possible contingency. And yet we're supposed to believe that after all the discussions and coordination this administration still can't decide on releasing the photos? I mean really now..."inflame Islamic sentiment"...really? Aren't you the guys that keep telling us that Bin Laden was an anathema to Islam? Sumpin don't smell right.

Posted by DepotGuy 2011-05-04 11:09|| 2011-05-04 11:09|| Front Page Top

#3 Bin Laden's remains were flown to the USS Carl Vinson, then ~~lowered~~ THROWN into the North Arabian Sea.

And good riddance.

Posted by Redneck Jim 2011-05-04 11:16|| 2011-05-04 11:16|| Front Page Top

#4 Release the frickin' photos, Bummer. Do it now. Every minute that you delay fuels the speculation that this whole story is a hoax. It has already become another issue and we don't need more issues. We need to know that bin Laden is no longer a threat. DO NOT GOON THE RELEASE OF THESE PHOTOS THE WAY YOU DID WITH YOUR BIRTH CERTIFICATE. DO THE RIGHT THING. DO IT NOW.

Posted by Ebbang Uluque6305 2011-05-04 11:39|| 2011-05-04 11:39|| Front Page Top

#5 Something doesn't smell right. The photos are not going to be released?

There are lots of versions of what happened. UBL had a weapon and fired. He didn't have a weapon but resisted. He hid behind a woman. He threw a woman towards a Seal Team member. The body had to be treated with deference to Muslim burial requirements but then was dumped in the sea. Muslim standards require a person who died at sea be buried at sea; otherwise on land with their head towards Mecca. Another version has UBL pleading for his life. The Pakis claim no firefight. The 12 year old daughter claims her father was executed. British news says UBL fired from his bedroom.

Wait a damn minute! Wasn't all this captured on video in real time. Wasn't Panetta watching this entire raid at CIA headquarters as it unfolded?

Personally, I'm glad UBL is dead whatever the details. But I'd like some honesty, transparency, and forthrightness from my friggin government.

Posted by JohnQC 2011-05-04 13:56|| 2011-05-04 13:56|| Front Page Top

#6 Call in Trump to clear up the fog of war.

Posted by JohnQC 2011-05-04 13:57|| 2011-05-04 13:57|| Front Page Top

#7 The whole post-mission has been baffling.

I mean, why spike the ball so soon? If it was also an info grab - first why brag about it, then why not wait 23 1/2 hours (the 24 hour rule or whatever) to give services maximum time to study before showing a photo of a distinguishing characteristic if there is no head and live feed of the catapult launch of the corpse with phalanx salute.

Or just live broadcast that, no caption, let people wonder what the heck that was about, then after the long knives are sheathed to satisfaction, spike the ball.

I find it baffling that an administration, headed by lawyers, seem stunned that Americans, who are used to being presented evidence for claims, would be interested in evidence in claim. Like you joked about, Mr. President, this is a country which believes in Roswell aliens and faked moon landings - and perhaps they can never be satisfied - but lumping the well intentioned people who like evidence into that category is, well, a bit insulting in and of itself.

Personally I feel I have a good grasp on the whys and why nots...I mean, why show a broken pez dispenser but as above there were a number of ways to present evidence. From a man who campaigned openly about the distrust of government. (shakes head)

Beaten to the delivery by a baseball game because he couldn't be on-time.

Posted by swksvolFF 2011-05-04 14:30|| 2011-05-04 14:30|| Front Page Top

#8 And the answer is... "no".

Posted by tu3031 2011-05-04 14:50|| 2011-05-04 14:50|| Front Page Top

#9 I guess Donald Tramp should ask for it.

Posted by g(r)omgoru 2011-05-04 15:08|| 2011-05-04 15:08|| Front Page Top

#10 Obama said there was no need to release the photographs or gloat. "There's no need to spike the football," he said. ~~Well, how about giving the finger?~~ Self-censor invoked.

"we don't think that a photograph in and of itself is going to make any difference." Well, how about at least getting the story straight about what happened?

Posted by JohnQC 2011-05-04 15:08|| 2011-05-04 15:08|| Front Page Top

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