Osama Bin Laden is dead

[Guest Speed Racer]

Calm down Lauren.

 

I'm calm; I just honestly don't know what this is the "end" of other than his life. Did everyone come home today and I missed it?

[marino13]

I have to think that he's dead also, I'm just not sure if the story of how it happened is 100% true. Could be that they are trying to slant the story a certain way to highlight "one of the gutsiest calls I've ever seen by a President" (as Brennan put it)and gain political points. That, or maybe they beat the crap out of Osama and used his head for target practice before they took a picture of him. Who knows, I just have a very hard time trusting what comes out of the mouths of politicians, left or right.

[Guest Jules]

Could be that they are trying to slant the story a certain way to highlight "one of the gutsiest calls I've ever seen by a President" (as Brennan put it)and gain political points.

They would never do that!

[ih8music]

Yeah, there's no way this is the end of anything really. Perhaps the Afghan-Pakistani wing of Al Qaeda will suffer from this loss, but for the hundreds (thousands?) of other active terrorists across the globe this action is more likely going to incite them to try to do something big again, to prove that they're still alive and a viable force. Hopefully we'll be able to prevent/minimize whatever they try to send our way.

 

But I'm still thrilled he's gone, even if it's just for the symbolic "victory."

 

As for the sea burial, my understanding is that they didn't want him to be buried in the ground, lest his grave site would become a monument for Al Qaeda. Doing it so quickly was because they wanted to show respect for the Islamic tradition of a proper burial within 24 hrs of death -- not sure I would have bothered for him, but I understand the administration's desire to reinforce that we're not at war against Islam.

[ih8music]

I have to think that he's dead also, I'm just not sure if the story of how it happened is 100% true. Could be that they are trying to slant the story a certain way to highlight "one of the gutsiest calls I've ever seen by a President" (as Brennan put it)and gain political points. That, or maybe they beat the crap out of Osama and used his head for target practice before they took a picture of him. Who knows, I just have a very hard time trusting what comes out of the mouths of politicians, left or right.

 

I think the biggest piece of propaganda that I've heard is the part about him hiding behind a woman. She was probably just collateral damage from the initial attack, but they're using her death to craft a story that Bin Laden was a coward up to the end, hiding behind a woman.

[bleedorange]

So we've reached the point where we can't trust anything now? What would be accepted as 100% true? I don't really understand the need here for government to engage in subterfuge. Obama made the call and we got him on his watch...why shouldn't he get enormous credit for it?

[The High Heat]

I understand the burial at sea, but it seems a bit premature.

 

LouieB

It's Muslim tradition to bury a body within hours after death. They're trying not to alienate the borderline Muslims, who can't decide to be peaceful or aggressive, plus now they don't have to deal with the logistics and difficulties of a funeral for a man like that.

[marino13]

I think the biggest piece of propaganda that I've heard is the part about him hiding behind a woman. She was probably just collateral damage from the initial attack, but they're using her death to craft a story that Bin Laden was a coward up to the end, hiding behind a woman.

 

Agreed. He made his little statement there, but then really stumbled around with the follow-up questions.

[bleedorange]

I think the biggest piece of propaganda that I've heard is the part about him hiding behind a woman. She was probably just collateral damage from the initial attack, but they're using her death to craft a story that Bin Laden was a coward up to the end, hiding behind a woman.

 

I never heard that bin Laden was the one hiding behind her, just that she was killed in the raid due to being used as a human shield.

[marino13]

I never heard that bin Laden was the one hiding behind her, just that she was killed in the raid due to being used as a human shield.

 

In the press conference, counter terrorism guy Brennan said it was his understanding that it was Bin Laden's wife and they used her as a shield to protect him.

[ih8music]

I never heard that bin Laden was the one hiding behind her, just that she was killed in the raid due to being used as a human shield.

Some counter-terrorism talking head on Fox was making that claim this morning... but you're right, I don't think I've heard it from military/administration officials.

 

edit: I missed the Brennan conference... so based on the above it's apparently part of the official story now.

[marino13]

It's Muslim tradition to bury a body within hours after death. They're trying not to alienate the borderline Muslims, who can't decide to be peaceful or aggressive, plus now they don't have to deal with the logistics and difficulties of a funeral for a man like that.

 

It's an even bigger Muslim tradition to bury the body in the earth, so their argument is a weak one. I understand not wanting it to be a shrine, but that was not given as a reason during the press conference this afternoon.

[sonicshoulder]

Conspiracies ignite. This was clearly another orchestrated jab at Donald Trump. Ten years go by and they do this shit right before that Amazon chick was about to beat the shit out of Star Jones on The Apprentice. Lesson learned here was don't mess with Obama if your dependant on network tv.

[Sweet Papa Crimbo]

I think the biggest piece of propaganda that I've heard is the part about him hiding behind a woman. She was probably just collateral damage from the initial attack, but they're using her death to craft a story that Bin Laden was a coward up to the end, hiding behind a woman.

 

And so the conspiracy theorists have their first claim.

[ih8music]

And so the conspiracy theorists have their first claim.

huh? suggesting that there's some political embellishment to the story is not what I'd call being a conspiracy theorist... but if you like throwing that label around, then go for it.

[Lammycat]

It's an even bigger Muslim tradition to bury the body in the earth, so their argument is a weak one. I understand not wanting it to be a shrine, but that was not given as a reason during the press conference this afternoon.

 

Is there a country that wanted him to be buried in their homeland? I think that was the bigger issue.....

[The High Heat]

Is there a country that wanted him to be buried in their homeland? I think that was the bigger issue.....

Not to mention the loonies wanting to cause trouble at the funeral or grave site and the potential for his body to be used as a ransom exchange token for terrorists. They want him, they can go fish.

[Guest Speed Racer]

Does this mean Fred Phelps' homeboys are all getting in boats and going out to sea for a maritime funeral protest?

[Sweet Papa Crimbo]

huh? suggesting that there's some political embellishment to the story is not what I'd call being a conspiracy theorist... but if you like throwing that label around, then go for it.

 

eh...I was a little snarky. But there may never be a full briefing on the totality of the events at hand.

 

But real fairy tale in this story is that the Snake Eaters (affectionate term for Special Forces types) were prepared to take Bin Laden alive. That would have been a freaking nightmare.

 

What a goat screw.

 

Where would he have been tried? New York? The Hague? Before a criminal court? Before an international war crimes tribunal? Before a military tribunal? The only things that would be accomplished would have been thousands of hours of radio talk show programming and cable news shows and the enormous billable hours charge for the defense lawyer. OH MY GOD. The Seal who shot Bin Laden should be given a medal for that alone.

 

The description of his wounds (two gunshot wounds to the left side of his face/head) sounds a lot like a double tap while he was behind something.

 

We'll never get the entire story because those kinds of things actually do affect operational security.

[Guest Speed Racer]

The Seal who shot Bin Laden should be given a medal for that alone.

 

But think of the JOBS a trial could have created! For hardworking Americans!

[Sweet Papa Crimbo]

But think of the JOBS a trial could have created! For hardworking Americans!

 

I put that "billable hours" bit in there for you lawyerly types

[Vacant Horizon]

Yeah, there's no way this is the end of anything really. Perhaps the Afghan-Pakistani wing of Al Qaeda will suffer from this loss, but for the hundreds (thousands?) of other active terrorists across the globe this action is more likely going to incite them to try to do something big again, to prove that they're still alive and a viable force. Hopefully we'll be able to prevent/minimize whatever they try to send our way.

 

But I'm still thrilled he's gone, even if it's just for the symbolic "victory."

 

As for the sea burial, my understanding is that they didn't want him to be buried in the ground, lest his grave site would become a monument for Al Qaeda. Doing it so quickly was because they wanted to show respect for the Islamic tradition of a proper burial within 24 hrs of death -- not sure I would have bothered for him, but I understand the administration's desire to reinforce that we're not at war against Islam.

 

the US is responsible for more death and misery than bin laden. sad, but true. killing is killing. there are no innocents.

[bleedorange]

the US is responsible for more death and misery than bin laden. sad, but true. killing is killing. there are no innocents.

 

[uncool2pillow]

the US is responsible for more death and misery than bin laden. sad, but true. killing is killing. there are no innocents.

The 1st part of this statement is true, but entirely incomplete. As often as we have killed we have built. No, we aren't innocent and no, we are not perfect. But to say the U.S. is worse that bin Laden (or even in the same ballpark) is to have a very incomplete view of history. bin Laden's focus was destruction.

[Guest Speed Racer]

We are, you know. You can dress it up however you want - of course he targeted Americans and all that jazz - but we still have a bigger body count than he.