Osama Bin Laden

[Nick]

Osama Bin Laden, involved in a deadly shootout in Abbottabad, Pakistan, killed, DNA tests taken and confirmed to be him by comparing his DNA with his sisters, body washed in accordance with the Muslim Tradition, flown to a US Aircraft Carrier and given a sea burial, all in around 12 hours. There are no photo's of a dead Osama Bin Laden to show the world, just the word of the US Military.

Sounds extraordinary to say the least, and has anybody looked on a map to see where Abbottabad actually is? It's at the very least 700 miles to the nearest coast.

[Madgolfer]

I was thinking much the same, very odd.......

[gmh]

Yep, I think it's just the Americans that are believing this.
Mainly because they need to believe that their country can actually complete a military action, even if it does take 10 years.

Obama said 'justice has been served' or something to that effect.
I'm not sure that sending trained assassins around the world to execute people you suspect of doing bad things is justice. Certainly it won't bring any peace.

[totalcroatia]

especially as, according to the BBC, he went via Afghanistan, for identification and DNA.

[capio]

I don't believe he's dead, everybody knows you can't put the Bins out on a bank holiday.





I'm here all week.

[ray51]

Your avatar : doesn't seem to "work"....

[Madgolfer]

Are there any Americans on the forum prepared to comment?

It would be interesting to hear your view on this.

[crojoe]

Does having an American father count...? My view quickly is until I see pictures; it's more a political win then anything else.

First, it is not customary or required that a Muslim be buries at sea. Only advantage of this is no shrine to him on land or sea, so in that respect it good.

Turns out he was unarmed, but still got a bullet to the head (remember it was at night) and Special Forces where wearing night vision goggles which at any time are almost useless to make out who or what your shooting. I didn’t know it was shoot then ask questions later. Most likely it was an order to kill.

I see no reason why not to show pictures since they show such pictures all the time on the news. For goodness sake, movies today show it all, even if it's only staged. Maybe the bullet blew his face off? But if they used facial recognition stuff, then there must be something to see.

I'm not about blood and gore, but some of us require a sign, especially from a country that weaves some amazing stories, and gets the rest of us into a mess.

The other thing I don't buy is 10 years and they couldn't find him. Just goes to show that in reality all the high-tech stuff they have satellites, phone tapping, spies and whatever does nothing. My thought was somebody knew, and either was already dead before or now it was needed for the political game.

It's a bit like the situation here in the Balkans. They know where these guys are; just they don't bother till it serves a purpose.

The claim of a million dollar mansion is also a wacko story. Now seeing the pictures, it isn't what I would term a mansion, just a normal large property common in those areas, and they don't cost close to a million. Maybe if it was located in Beverly Hills then yes, but not there in Pakistan.

If it's comforted people that he is now dead, then so be it. I just don't think this action will win hearts and minds, only make matters worse in the long run. It's 1 down, a zillion to go. No proof once again smells of the WMD lie.

Once I see actual pictures, then I’ll eat my words (which may happen any day now), lets hope not bite the bullet.

[Kaskader]

They need a bit of time to figure out what is the most politically correct/beneficial photo to show to the world, then they need a bit of time in the lab, and there you will have it.

I would not be surprised if the property is worth million, not that it looks like it to me, but do you guys know how much properties fetch in some of the "poor" African capitals...many times more than on Beverly Hills.

Im glad though that Americans living in villages in Arizona can now fell safer

In the last 20 years no more then 5000 Americans died worldwide as a result of terrorist attack (9/11 including), while 12000 Americans die yearly in America as a result of gun related crime.

But, government cannot do a thing about it, therefore no point scare mongering. It is easier to draw paranoia attention on some other threat that is a lot easier to deal with..get political points etc.

Those of you who know history of Balkans and ex-YU..people were brainwashed into fearing from some outside enemy, while the trouble lied within our borders.

[Carol]

"Bin bagged" was yesterday's headline in "The Sun". I thought it was clever

[quest]

What's really surprising to me is that Pakistan is such a banana state actually. But still in possession of nuclear weapons.

[Madgolfer]

Hmmm a very scarey thought.

With such a troubled past with their neighbour India, another nuclear power next door, a frightening prospect.

[crojoe]

May 10, 2011 7:30:05 GMT 1 Madgolfer said:

Hmmm a very scarey thought.

With such a troubled past with their neighbour India, another nuclear power next door, a frightening prospect.

Anyone with nukes is frightening, as they think theirs is bigger then everyones elses, so can bully all other small fry around. The question is who will be left standing if someone pushes the wrong button?

[ivetron]

Certainly a lot of anti-American sentiment on this board. One would almost think that some of you would wish he were still alive.

8:37 a.m. CDT, May 6, 2011

DUBAI (Reuters) - Al Qaeda confirmed the death of Osama bin Laden on Friday in an Internet message that vowed revenge on the United States and its allies, including Pakistan, according to a statement issued by the Islamist militant group

[Ribaric]

I was in California (ooh look at me!) when the news broke. The people I met had a similar level of interest as they did in some wedding in England. Let's not confuse "Americans" with their government. I certainly wouldn't want to be seen as "you British" in response to something the UK government did.