Obama decides not to release bin Laden death photo

[azmouse]

I think Obama made the correct decision.

Quote:U.S. President Barack Obama has decided not to release photographs of al-Qaid leader Osama bin Laden's body, a senior administration official told NBC News on Wednesday.

The decision comes a day after CIA director Leon Panetta said that a photo proving the death of Osama bin Laden "would be presented to the public," but the comment quickly drew a response from the White House saying no decision has yet been made.

The White House had earlier expressed concerns about making any death images of bin Laden public, considering the nature of his fatal wounds. U.S. officials say the still-secret photographic evidence shows a precision kill shot above his left eye, which blew away part of his skull. He was also shot in the chest, they said.

The White House said the photograph of a dead Osama bin Laden is "gruesome" and that "it could be inflammatory" if released.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42900991/ns/...bin_laden/

[Born_A_Truman]

So do I. It serves no purpose. It won't satisfy the deathers and it would be used to recruit more jihadists. The conspiracy freaks will continue no matter.

[NJMaverick]

(05-04-2011 11:59 AM)Born_A_Truman Wrote:  So do I. It serves no purpose. It won't satisfy the deathers and it would be used to recruit more jihadists. The conspiracy freaks will continue no matter.

That pretty much sums it up

[There Is No Spoon]

Leon Panetta: OBL photo will be released.

Leon Panetta: making statements leading to anything but clarity about whether waterboarding lead to OBL's ultimately being tracked down.


Barack Obama: "if I ever EVER see Leon in front of a camera again, tell him to send me his resignation letter the next day!"

[azmouse]

(05-04-2011 12:32 PM)There Is No Spoon Wrote:  Leon Panetta: OBL photo will be released.

Leon Panetta: making statements leading to anything but clarity about whether waterboarding lead to OBL's ultimately being tracked down.


Barack Obama: "if I ever EVER see Leon in front of a camera again, tell him to send me his resignation letter the next day!"

For a supposedly very competent person, Panetta sure put his foot in his mouth.

[Cha]

(05-04-2011 12:32 PM)There Is No Spoon Wrote:  Leon Panetta: OBL photo will be released.

Leon Panetta: making statements leading to anything but clarity about whether waterboarding lead to OBL's ultimately being tracked down.


Barack Obama: "if I ever EVER see Leon in front of a camera again, tell him to send me his resignation letter the next day!"

ExtremeLiberal had a comment on this type of contradiction.. calling it "I’ll Take Transparency Over “Messaging” Anytime!"

>This is just one interesting snip<

So as I watch the details of the operation get revised and corrected, with one person contradicting someone else and no clear, repeated message coming from the Whitehouse, in many ways I’m glad. If we just look at one instance in the Bush administration that backfired on them monumentally, partly because of the “messaging” idea and partly because they were fucking propagandists trying to justify their stupid fucking wars and keep the cheerleaders for their venture on the sidelines with their pom poms. The instance was the killing of Pat Tillman. If you want to know the history of that one, go here. The Bush Administration picked their message, a manufactured cover story, and they ran with it. As anyone with a brain knows, lies beget lies. One lie usually leads to many other lies to cover the first one.

>MORE<
http://extremeliberal.wordpress.com/2011.../#comments

[sandnsea]

Whoever doesn't believe bin Laden was killed by Navy SEALS is calling the Navy SEALS liars.

[Cha]

(05-04-2011 12:51 PM)sandnsea Wrote:  Whoever doesn't believe bin Laden was killed by Navy SEALS is calling the Navy SEALS liars.

Exactly! I found myself on a site last night(doing research) from Nashville and they had a link to Cindy Sheehan doesn't believe bin laden is dead so I went there and there was one comment that said "I don't believe a word that comes out of Obama's mouth but I believe the Navy Seals". Yeah. So I commented and the last I read it was awaiting moderation..

I see it passed Moderation..this is what I wrote..

"Well, I do trust President Obama, the Secret Navy Seal Team and all those involved in this amazing accomplishment. I thank them for getting rid of the heinous monster, bin laden, who masterminded 9/11 and sat in his million $$$$ compound still running the show and the money.

All those who don’t believe that this has happened are missing out on the compelling history that led to this successful operation."

[Eponine]

President Obama made the right decision. Releasing the photos will only serve to inflame. The conspiracy theory deathers likely wouldn't be convinced anyway, probably claim they are photoshops.

[RoyGBiv]

(05-04-2011 01:03 PM)Eponine Wrote:  President Obama made the right decision. Releasing the photos will only serve to inflame. The conspiracy theory deathers likely wouldn't be convinced anyway, probably claim they are photoshops.

Having photos to obsess over would just give them more ammunition, I think.

With conspiracy nuts and others living in a world with pink grass and orange sky, it's never the lack of information. It's the way that information can be manipulated to suggest all kinds of far-out theories. Just look at the cottage industry that blew up after Dillinger's death, an industry that still remains. The biggest part of it focuses on the photograph with the claim that's not really him.

[Cha]

I'm sure it's better for not inciting devotees of bin laden and the Cindy Sheehans of the world can continue with their conspiracy theories.

I never thought I'd be using her name sarcastically but I never thought she'd be setting herself up this way either.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

I bet it gets leaked. But Obama is willing to take the heat even though it won't matter in the end because it is the right thing to do.

[Robconoclast]

Sarah Palin, on Twitter:

Quote:@SarahPalinUSA Show photo as warning to others seeking America's destruction. No pussy-footing around, no politicking, no drama;it's part of the mission

I didn't need to see Saddam's execution, and I REALLY don't need to see what was left of Bin Laden's skull. I guess that some of these photoshopped images being passed around on the internet are linked to spyware.

[RoyGBiv]

(05-04-2011 03:11 PM)Robconoclast Wrote:  Sarah Palin, on Twitter:

Quote:@SarahPalinUSA Show photo as warning to others seeking America's destruction. No pussy-footing around, no politicking, no drama;it's part of the mission

I didn't need to see Saddam's execution,

I did, and I wish I hadn't.

I have nightmares about it occasionally.

[Born_A_Truman]

The Guardian just published graphic photos sold to Reuters taken by a Pakastani who took them after our SEALs left. Three male bodies; I have to assume they are Bin Laden's son, the courier and the courier's brother.

[RoyGBiv]

(05-04-2011 04:23 PM)Born_A_Truman Wrote:  The Guardian just published graphic photos sold to Reuters taken by a Pakastani who took them after our SEALs left. Three male bodies; I have to assume they are Bin Laden's son, the courier and the courier's brother.

As an aside, the British press is in general a horrible institution when it comes to this stuff. I admire many things British. Their apparent need to display photographic evidence of everything from some member of the royal family taking a leak to every last splatter stain from a crime scene is not one of them.

[nofurylike]

"I think Obama made the correct decision."
i do too, azmouse.
thank you for posting this.

[jaxx]

I thought it was bad when the bushies released pics of Saddam's dead sons. And then the hanging....absolutely no reason to put it out to the public. I am glad PBO is saying no to releasing the pics of OBL....he's dead. I believe it with no pictures needed.

[Treestar]

Some segment of the morons of the world will insist it never happened because of this. At least with photos released, they would have to resort to claiming the photos are fakes or photoshopped or what have you.

Then again, maybe this if 10 dimensional chess going on. Obama can release them at a more convenient time closer to the election. Like he let them stew for a while about his birth certificate and then finally released if after they'd had years to make themselves look like idiots first. So he can give them an amount of time to insist OBL is not dead or claim that he's been seen and ever more absurd statements, then bash them with the photos.

[There Is No Spoon]

(05-05-2011 11:42 AM)Treestar Wrote:  Some segment of the morons of the world will insist it never happened because of this. At least with photos released, they would have to resort to claiming the photos are fakes or photoshopped or what have you.

Then again, maybe this if 10 dimensional chess going on. Obama can release them at a more convenient time closer to the election. Like he let them stew for a while about his birth certificate and then finally released if after they'd had years to make themselves look like idiots first. So he can give them an amount of time to insist OBL is not dead or claim that he's been seen and ever more absurd statements, then bash them with the photos.

While I agree there may be some advantage to releasing the photos later if needed, it's not exactly rocket science. This 10th dimensional chess metaphor is being overused IMO.

[Treestar]

Maybe it is not even planned that way. But we know they will use the "no photos" argument that OBL is still around. So maybe they will finally get released to shut them up after they've acted like idiots and spun ridiculous theories for a while. Which is cleverer than just releasing them.

[There Is No Spoon]

(05-05-2011 11:51 AM)Treestar Wrote:  Maybe it is not even planned that way. But we know they will use the "no photos" argument that OBL is still around. So maybe they will finally get released to shut them up after they've acted like idiots and spun ridiculous theories for a while. Which is cleverer than just releasing them.

I agree. One of the MSNBC anchors was suggesting this same scenario - there's nothing to prevent him from releasing the photos later if needed.