Osama Bin Laden killed?

pigeon wrote:

tuna55 wrote: I admit I am also suspect of the helicopter being downed due to mechanical failure... that sounds like "They shot us down, but we don't want to tell you about it" to me.

"mechanical failure" - engines don't run after they've digested a bunch of lead. Just like O's comment that the operators "took care to avoid civliian casualties" - I looked at my wife and said they took care but there must have been some casualties despite their efforts to "take care".

Correct on both accounts. The helicopter was confirmed as having an engine failure due to gunfire. They were able to safely land, destroy the chopper, and the 2 back-up choppers picked up the team. The pig also used a female civilian as a human shield, who died as a result.

Where are you guys getting all the gory details? All in one place or are you surfing hard? I've only been able to get bits and pieces.

I just have to say: It's a damn good thing they killed him rather then capture him, that would have been BAD.

Bin Laden's burial at sea makes complete in the sense of complying with Muslim traditions; the deceased are to be interred within 24hrs. Why take steps to infuriate those who didn't support him in the first place? We accomplished what was necessary without creating a political/PR nightmare.

As far as the details, some appear to be little more than speculation or are based on unoffical statements from "sources" within government agencies. . For example, there are conflicting reports of what actually downed the helicopter.

oldsaw wrote: Bin Laden's burial at sea makes complete in the sense of complying with Muslim traditions; the deceased are to be interred within 24hrs. Why take steps to infuriate those who didn't support him in the first place? We accomplished what was necessary without creating a political/PR nightmare.

It also does nothing but fuel speculation that this is all a massive hoax. No body, no proof will be the motto. Not that I care one way or the other about his life or death.

You don't raid the al qaeda's leader and make arrests. I imagine everyone in that compound put up a fight.

DoctorBlade wrote:

oldsaw wrote: Bin Laden's burial at sea makes complete in the sense of complying with Muslim traditions; the deceased are to be interred within 24hrs. Why take steps to infuriate those who didn't support him in the first place? We accomplished what was necessary without creating a political/PR nightmare.

It also does nothing but fuel speculation that this is all a massive hoax. No body, no proof will be the motto. Not that I care one way or the other about his life or death.

I thought about this too, but wouldn't it be too easy for Bin Laden to pop out a new video holding the NYT with today's date on it and saying "still kicking!"

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: Is that a sign that I'm too cynical or that the whole world is so corrupt that you really cannot believe anything at face value?

"No matter how cynical you get, it's impossible to keep up." Lily Tomlin.

Salanis wrote: Osama Bin Laden actually died 14 months ago. It just took his body that long to land after Chuck Norris roundhouse kicked him.

And only because they shared birthdays.

It was hinted at before, but the big coincidence here is that Osama Bin Laden was killed 8 years after the Mission Accomplished speech given by GWB on May 1st, 2003.

I'm just posting this as trivia: There is a really big hole of discontent we can go down if we get into a GWB vs. Obama debate or a treatise on what the "Mission Accomplished" speech was all about. Let's not do either of those.

slefain wrote: I thought about this too, but wouldn't it be too easy for Bin Laden to pop out a new video holding the NYT with today's date on it and saying "still kicking!"

Assuming he wasn't dead for the last 9yrs.

I just hope they stuffed a couple of pork sausages in his mouth before they slid him off the plank.

As far as civilian casualties in this operation...

If they were close enough to be wrapped up in this operation, they knew he was there. Therefore as far as I am concerned, NOT civilian. They were therefore accomplices to his hiding out.

Brett_Murphy wrote: It was hinted at before, but the big coincidence here is that Osama Bin Laden was killed 8 years after the Mission Accomplished speech given by GWB on May 1st, 2003. I'm just posting this as trivia: There is a really big hole of discontent we can go down if we get into a GWB vs. Obama debate or a treatise on what the "Mission Accomplished" speech was all about. Let's not do either of those.

Nobody here would dare bring that up...

Apexcarver wrote: As far as civilian casualties in this operation... If they were close enough to be wrapped up in this operation, they knew he was there. Therefore as far as I am concerned, NOT civilian. They were therefore accomplices to his hiding out.

+1

as far as all the conspiracy theories etc...if O was doing it for election purposes I think he'd have held off a bit longer, voters are like ADD poster children and the election is still far off. There's gonna be a whole "fuel crisis" between now and then.

I'm not a big Dem supporter but overall I think Obama's been on the up and up and Im kinda ashamed at so called republicans (looking at you Trump) for trying to take the cheap shots. If anything Obama gives me the impression he'd almost rather be defeated because he's come to the realization of what a terrible job he has. That's not a dig on the man, but he always seems to be in an "oh crap what did I get into" mode and that, more than anything, makes him seem more honest than most. If I only agreed with his stance on more issues I might feel more inclined to support him, because as a person he seems pretty straightforward.

I don't really see any value in claiming a false victory right now and the explanation for the burial at sea is very plausible.

mapper wrote: WTF Pakistan? CNN Article "The founder and leader of al Qaeda was killed by U.S. forces Monday in a mansion in Abbottabad, about 50 kilometers (31 miles) north of the Pakistani capital of Islamabad, U.S. officials said. " Is Pakistan's intelligence service blind?

No. They are supporters of Al Qaeda and the Taliban http://www.thenation.com/blog/37941/wikileaks-papers-and-pakistani-intelligence-taliban-connection http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/pakistan/5058093/Taliban-fighters-supported-by-Pakistan-intelligence-agency.html

The government of Pakistan is officially on our side, but many powerful people within it want to keep the taliban around[*]. That's why this took so long.....most joint operations are going to fail in that region because some sympathizer in Pakistan's military or intelligence service will tip off the target long before we get there. This probably took a LOT of work to prepare; i.e. probably in the form of a big bribe and an exit strategy....enough to turn them to our side

[*] - Pakistan is more worried about India than anyone else. They expect that if they shelter the Taliban, the Taliban will help them against India if need be. They know we will not attack India because of economics and nukes....

Computer programmer unknowingly liveblogged the raid:

http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/983997--computer-programmer-liveblogged-bin-laden-raid?bn=1

No trolling. It's just a funny picture. It was just a matter of time and intelligence before he was found. I don't think it matters who is occupying the White House, it was going to happen.

I wasn't trolling, and I'm glad to see the thread is staying on topic. I just love trivia like that. I own all of the Amazing Books Of Useless Information.

It did take a long time to finish the job, but as others have said, Osama has had people helping him at every turn. It just goes to show you how difficult it can be to find someone who drops off the grid and has a small army of people supporting him.

The sea burial was the perfect answer. Anywhere you bury him becomes another Jim Morrison's grave with grenades instead of bottles. We were respectful of his beliefs, which is what makes us different then them, and once the fish are done he will be the pile of excrement he acted like.

I hope his 72 virgins look something like this:

http://www.skdtac.com/

Check out the ad on the front page. At least one place is having a sale to commemorate this event. NSFW language in print, no idea if there's sound.

Seeing as the press conference going on right now alluded to Pakistani military scrambling jets because they didn't know about the raid... I'd say they weren't looking the other way.

It was only a matter of time, Somewhat NSFW Hitler finds out about Bin Laden

Guess I was wrong about the Medal of Honors... good for those guys!