Usama Bin Laden is Dead, Say Sources

[LAPhil]

Originally Posted by Twoller

Capturing OBL alive would have been a far greater victory than just executing him.

Not necessarily, Twoller, because this would have left us vulnerable to other terrorists using this as a bargaining chip by possibly taking American hostages in exchange for Bin Laden, or making some other type of credible threat which could force us to submit by turning him over. I think the Seals (or whoever it was) made the right decision to take him out and avoid that scenario.

Originally Posted by Twoller

The other issue is not showing the images of the dead OBL. Worrying about Muslim reaction is just pathetic considering, as you mention, their flagrant appetite for displaying their own victims in public. As recently as during the Egyption riots, we see the open display and mutilation of the corpses of the opposition. Recall the display of own dead soldiers and the mistreatment of their bodies during the military advance in Iraq. There simply is no good reason for showing that kind of respect for the body of OBL. The public needed to see that he was dead and the case was really closed.

I agree with you on that point.

[Jeanfromfillmore]

I didn't mix up any issues. I don't care what their intent was. For Reuters to imply that Osama was "killed in cold blood" because he didn't have a weapon or because he didn't put up resistance is an insult. Did the 3,000 killed on 9-11 have weapons on them? You missed the point that Reuters is siding with the Osama supporters.

[Twoller]

Originally Posted by Jeanfromfillmore

... For Reuters to imply that Osama was "killed in cold blood" because he didn't have a weapon or because he didn't put up resistance is an insult. Did the 3,000 killed on 9-11 have weapons on them? You missed the point that Reuters is siding with the Osama supporters.

I agree that suggesting that OBL was killed in cold blood is definitely an insult to valor of our SEALs who undertook the mission. Even from what little we have been able to see, there is no question that this team were on top of themselves and the situation. After all, there were survivors among the targets of the mission, if they were just running amok, why would they leave anyone alive at all?

[wetibbe]

Exterminating Bin Laden immediately on sight was the wisest decision.

Trying to extract him from the compound, and all subsequent handling and transportation, only provided opportunities for mishap or escape.

I certainly did not want him kept in Guantanamo for years alive. Closure was best for me. It's over, done. Good old fashioned Western justice.

Cold blooded ? Who cares ? The people on the airplanes that crashed on 9-11 were ALSO UNARMED ! The people in the WTC towers were all UNARMED - all 3,000. But that wasn't "cold blooded" they got barbecued in the fires. That is to say those that didn't jump and splatter on the ground.

Maybe Reuthers watches too much "Gunsmoke" or "Bonanza" or reads too many Dime Westerns". I don't think anyone really cares to see if Bin Laden could have outdrawn the Seals in a "fair fight".

So what's the big deal about Bin Laden being terminated with extreme prejudice? Now he"s with many virgins, the Muslim dream come true. The suicide bombers are told that. So lets not have it two ways !

I'm not dancing. I'm not cheering. I'm not high fiving. It's business as usual. Time to move on to the next one. Sheikh Mubarak Gilani.