Pictures of the Bin Laden raid aftermath.

[CivicFan]

After seeing the pictures of the aftermath of the Bin Laden raid, it seems like none of the people with Bin Laden were armed.

Something doesn't smell right with the official version(s) of the events. Looks like this was an assassination, not an operation to capture Bin Laden.

 

[Johnny]

Mission accomplished.

 

[Hokiefyd]

I'm curious about the large disparity between the initial reports of "fire fights" and the now seemingly unarmed nature of the compound residents. Ever since I first heard it, and that the body was already buried at sea, I thought to myself, "hmm..."

 

[rjundi]

This is going to turn political.

My only comment is why give really leak out so much detail. I think some things are best kept secret.

 

[The_Jeff]

Originally Posted By: Johnny
Mission accomplished.


+1

I read somewhere (here?) that the US is too "chatty". Just say we got him, buried him, name the approximate location, and that our guys made it home alive.

 

[Burt]

Not sure how you can tell from the pictures. Supposedly there were an AK-47 and guns in the room with him. Having been in Pakistan in the 1990's I would find it hard to believe that there were no arms in the house.

One could debate the pros and cons of what they did, but if I were in the soldier's shoes in these circumstances, I would tend towards shooting first and asking questions later as a matter of self preservation.

You can't expect our government officials to bluntly say what may be the truth "We were primarily concerned with taking him out and thought it was in the best interest of the country that he die now rather than endure all the second guessing of his treatment in prison prior to his ultimate execution". It does not make a neat sound bite.

 

[TooManyWheels]

Originally Posted By: CivicFan
Looks like this was an assassination, not an operation to capture Bin Laden.


They aren't even bothering to portray it as anything else. They take the position that it was a wartime action, and therefore automatically justified.

 

[mongo161]

The lastest rumor or mis-information is that OBL was captured alive and a prisioner of the CIA.

This saga on OBL will never end. I hope they never release the photo's of that dead SOS.

 

[RnR]

A radio interview with Rumsfeld echoed this sentiment (ref. chattiness), which I happen to agree with when it comes to Ops/Intel. Anyway, mission successfully concluded.

 

[Virtuoso]

They should have brought him back, and drug him around the streets around ground zero....

 

[tig1]

Originally Posted By: CivicFan
After seeing the pictures of the aftermath of the Bin Laden raid, it seems like none of the people with Bin Laden were armed.

Something doesn't smell right with the official version(s) of the events. Looks like this was an assassination, not an operation to capture Bin Laden.


This was not an assassination, but it most likely was a kill mission. UBL was considered an enemy combatant by the world. That makes him fair game for for this kind of mission.

 

[CivicFan]

Originally Posted By: RnR
A radio interview with Rumsfeld echoed this sentiment (ref. chattiness), which I happen to agree with when it comes to Ops/Intel. Anyway, mission successfully concluded.


I think chattiness is an inherent strength of the US and an attribute of our democracy. That's why I do not believe in conspiracy theories - we just cannot keep major things secret.

 

[A_Harman]

Originally Posted By: CivicFan
Something doesn't smell right with the official version(s) of the events. Looks like this was an assassination, not an operation to capture Bin Laden.


Osama bin Laden wasn't a political leader.
He was a spy-master making war on the United States.
Now he's Osama bin Dyin'.
Now he's Osama bin Fishfood.
His vision of glory in the hereafter was to die battling the USA.
He got his wish.

 

[Spazdog]

Originally Posted By: rjundi
This is going to turn political.

My only comment is why give really leak out so much detail. I think some things are best kept secret.


This.

Both points.


You hear about a Mossad or Spetsnaz operation it's always an "alleged operation" It's never official. Even when there is footage of Spetsnaz agents in a hostage rescue operation, it's an alleged operation.

 

[Cristobal]

If they were armed or not, that does not matter. During the Second World War did our forces ask if the enemy was armed or not before it attacked one of their buildings or bunkers?

It was Osama Bin Laden himself who set the rules about this conflict. He was a ruthless man. Why give quarter to a person who will not give any in return?

 

[Radman]

The 100 Hundred Virgins are fat hairy bald guys!

 

[addyguy]

Who cares if he wasn't armed - those 3k people at WTC weren't armed, either.

In fact, they weren't even combatants!

 

[jstutz]

I think there is too much worry about if he was armed or not. Remember who we are talking about. One major enemy gone, lets move on.

 

[asamek]

Capture him?

For what? A trial so he can be set free because the Seals didn't read him his rights?

bah.

They did it right.

 

[calvin1]

Getting confirmation from the bad guys on their end helps to put a lot of water on the conspiracy theories. For some people nothing would ever be enough but for me to hear it from both ends pretty much settles it.

WRT "firefight" where do those reports come from? I'd imagine the breaching rounds and flash bangs from just our own side would have made a huge racket and could have sounded like a hotly contested battle to the locals.

Reading through the foreign press accounts I have yet to hear anyone say anything negative about the operation, high fives around the world. Even Pakistan, that basically got invaded, is being pretty humble right now (wouldn't want to be them, they gots lots of 'splainin to do ).