Evidently, the SEAL team “assaulters” didn’t have the good sense to attach fake electrodes to dead Osama’s genitals, or put a dog collar around his putrid neck. Because were that the case, no force on earth could keep the photos from being splashed all over the internet.
“We don’t trot out this stuff as trophies,” Obama told CBS’s Steve Croft.
Coffin-draped caskets of American soldiers, on the other hand? Why, INFORMATION MUST BE FREE!*
****
update: So, to recap. Rather than bomb the compound, Obama (after 16 hours of deliberation and a half-round of golf) made the “gutsy” call to send SEAL troops into harm’s way so that he could make sure the US had proof of death. This was a “Kill Only” mission, we’re told — and the SEAL “assaulters” dutifully shot the unarmed bin Laden and his young bride. Obama then ordered a 45-minute burial ceremony, performed Arabic, in which bin Laden’s “Kill Only” corpse was cleaned and dressed and placed in a burial shroud. Then dumped into the sea.
And now Obama is saying he won’t release the proof of death he claimed was so vital — and Andrea Mitchell, among others, is satisfied with this: the government has all the proof it needs, so why show anyone else? Per Mitchell, we’re inherently to trust the government. Because it isn’t a Republican in the White House. So it must be good and righteous.
And besides, we don’t want to offend Muslim sensibilities. After all, there’s no telling how these inherently peaceful people might react to photos of a dead bin Laden, who doesn’t represent Islam in any way. Right?
Good lord.
Somebody should tell them that bin Laden was a Tea Partier. They’d send a dive team for the corpse and have a parade scheduled within the hour.
I guess we can’t handle the truth. Good thing we have this super smart paternalist looking out for everyone!
n.b. assaulters is the right word, since they’re organized into assault teams.
At least according to a Rush caller claiming to be from that world.
I wonder how many people find themselves twisted 180 degrees relative to just a few years ago. Or, worse, don’t see any inconsistencies between the two positions.
Exactly. There is no final proof of death, or even life – how do we actually know that anybody was in the house, let alone Binny? He could have been killed in Afstan years ago, his corpse stuffed into a freezer and only thawed when needed.
It’s the goddamn proggy “I trust the (BIG) government” meme, on steroids. It’s fucking moronic.
As for “inflaming Islamic sentiment”, who gives a shit. What are they gonna do, scream, riot and make threats?
This is different from SOP HOW, exactly?
When you live at the center of your own universe all points in the real world are equidistant. Problem solved.
This is sure to add to the fire:
@SarahPalinUSA Sarah Palin
Show photo as warning to others seeking America’s destruction. No pussy-footing around, no politicking, no drama; it’s part of the mission
Pussy-footing… LOL.
On another note:
A disappeared tweet had this:
Chuck Todd twitterfeed said: POTUS to CBS “Imagine how the American people would react if Al Qaida killed one of our troops…and put photos of the body on the internet”
It is now being attributed to Mike Rogers by some and Todd is walking it back.. way back. Tammy Bruce is hammering him. He’s trying to say that the vids released by ALQ were of not AlQ folks doing that not AlQ fighters.
I call clusterfuck…
Eh, I think there are enough people I trust with the power and motivation to make sure Osama is really dead (the Bush family for instance) to satisfy me he’s really dead. And while I get the point about hypocrisy, I don’t think it follows that because some pictures were released that shouldn’t have been, then these should be too.
Not that I’m saying they shouldn’t be released, just that I’m not sure releasing them is necessarily the right thing to do, and I don’t need to see them to believe Osama is really dead.
And now 60 minutes is changing their story of what POTUS said.
In addition to ‘show us the photo’ add ‘show us the unedited interview.’
Mary Mapes would be so proud.
Sadly, I suspect the near certainty of this leading to the apotheosis of bin Laden by “the Arab Street” was disregaded in favor of a more self-serving domestic political calculus…
By refusing to release the photos the President has effectively spawned a new conspiracy-theorist group, probably to be derisively referred to as “Deathers”. And not only will he be able to brush aside any questions regarding the judiciousness of this decision vis-a-vis the predilection for conspiracy theories on the Arab street, but also ones of his much vaunted dedication to “Transparency!”, by comparing any incredulous parties to “Birthers”.
As an added bonus, it will surely provide numerous opportunities in the future for him to remind everyone, with a no doubt casual and offhanded posture, the he got bin Laden; without it appearing to be shameless self-promotion. Why, the campaign rhetoric almost writes itself!
In doing this, I believe that he has sacrificed the national interests for his own partisan ones-again; enabled by GOP useful idiots who fear anything less than an appearance of “comity” and gentlemanly bi-partisanship in the wake of ObL’s demise.
BTW, this is a misdirection to keep the Issa grilling of Holder re the Gunrunning fiasco off the front pages. He’s getting his clock cleaned and under normal conditions would be a BFD.
[…] messages that has led up to this decision hasn’t looked ready for prime time.”UPDATE XII: Jeff Goldstein at Protein Wisdom recaps the arguments justifying all this:Rather than bomb the compound, Obama (after 16 hours of deliberation and a half-round of golf) made […]
Fernandez gets it:
“This casts doubt on the claim by John Brennan, the deputy national security adviser, that the killing of Osama bin Laden is “a strategic blow to Al Qaeda.” It is a strategic blow, rather, to the fiction of America’s alliance with Pakistan. Bin Laden has, for much of the last ten years, been the creature of someone else. OBL did not have, and apparently has not had for some time, any operational independence. Who he worked for is the question.”
And a damned pointed one, at that.
[…] The Note, Taegan Goddard’s …, protein wisdom, The Washington Note, GOP 12, Agence France Presse, Associated Press, The Hill, New York Magazine, […]
The justification for not releasing because of the potential for inflaming the Arab Street is specious, inasmuch as no one is suggesting that all will be peachy tomorrow as knowledge of this decision works it’s way around the world. Further, I’d just as soon release it to let the Arab Street know we mean business. Finally, I hate giving “Truthers” of any sort any ammunition.
Nonetheless, I cannot believe that anyone in the current administration would be that stupid to claim OBL’s death at American hands if they really didn’t know. Imagine the reaction if three weeks from now, OBL were to show up on Al Jazeera hold a New York Times dated June 6, 2011 and claim we’d killed a body double. Such political calculus would be beyond stupid. For that reason, I’m inclined to let the non-release of corpse photos slide.
[…] number of conservative bloggers are disgusted with the decision, and with House Intelligence Chairman Mike Rogers for agreeing with […]
R. Sherman, what happens when a body double shows up and claims that he’s the real UBL. Obama has just made reasonable (and unreasonable) doubt more likely.
The photos should be released because I wanna see his blowed up head.
I want a bin Laden blowed up Fathead.
Per Drudge – Reuters bought and is publishing photos of three dead at the scene of the ‘firefight’ that Carney reported did not occur but that Obama said did occur in his statement on Sunday.
Don’t ya just love Drudge…
FLASHBACK: Obama planned release 2,000 pix of prisoner abuse…
FLASHBACK: Obama lifts photo ban on U.S. military coffins…
BTW, the Reuters photos are out and… no weapons are visible on the rotting remains. “No firefight, indeed.” Think that might inflame the muslim world? Regardless of whether there was or was not a firefight, and whether the Pakis removed any weapons before the pic was taken… just how is the dithering over whether there was or was not a firefight by administration officials assisting in quieting the arab street?
Sometimes I wonder if I stepped through the looking glass back in 2008. Up is down, down is up and somewhere a Cheshire Cat is smiling. I’m losing count of the times I’ve said to myself, “this will never happen in America in our lifetime,” only to see it come to fruition during this demagogue’s reign. It’s worse than a nightmare, mainly because it’s real.
[…] Jeff Goldstein: So, to recap. Rather than bomb the compound, Obama (after 16 hours of deliberation and a half-round of golf) made the “gutsy” call to send SEAL troops into harm’s way so that he could make sure the US had proof of death. This was a “Kill Only” mission, we’re told — and the SEAL “assaulters” dutifully shot the unarmed bin Laden and his young bride. Obama then ordered a 45-minute burial ceremony, performed Arabic, in which bin Laden’s “Kill Only” corpse was cleaned and dressed and placed in a burial shroud. Then dumped into the sea. […]
Seriously, what doesn’t inflame the Muslim world?
A well made Chador?
@SDN. Indeed, my guess is that it fuel the doubters’ fire, indeed. My point was not to justify not releasing the photos, because on balance, I think we’re better served by the release. I point out only, for otherwise rational people to conclude the administration is lying about this would require one to believe it is extraordinarily stupid. I don’t believe that, inasmuch as think there’s a lot behind decisions and actions that we don’t know about. Our ignorance is a feature not a bug of this administration’s MO. Nonetheless, lying about the death would be a colossal blunder in my view, for the reasons you mention.
Regards.
[…] III: Jeff Goldstein characterizes the matter in his own inimitable and pithy fashion: And now Obama is saying he won’t release the proof of death he claimed was so vital — and […]
The irony is think like the slime off a hagfish. Which BTW are feeding on OBL delicous washed corpse as we speak. Yum.
Comment by one of the hagfish: “Tastes like chicken!”
Seriously, what doesn’t inflame the Muslim world?
And further, I can’t think of a single reason why we should give a flying fuck if these diaper-headed chimps are agitated.
I can totally see going in to verify his death, to gain intelligence, and while I personally have no problem with a kill order–you could make the case to kill or capture him alive.
And I can even see not releasing the photographs.
But to not do an autopsy and to not have a viewing of the body of OBL by some third parties? Why wouldn’t you do that? And I hope they retained some decent DNA samples, just in case, but I am not overly confident of that.
Why empower weak fucknuts who will never be satisfied with anything you do?
I suppose that statement could apply to Democrats or Arab Radicals. Take your pick.
And how many of these people who are against releasing OSL death photo had zero problem with releasing Abu Graib photographs? Just wondering out loud on that one.
I can see not releasing the photographs if they are that graphic, but if it looks like him otherwise then put a black box over the open head wound and release that.
See the #19 post Joe. How many of those who WERE actually releasing pictures of prisoner abuse are having problems with the death pix? That would be One. The Won.
RSM (in the trackback above) has a massive collection of Reactions Around the Blogosphere to this bit, including a nice long blockquote from Jeff.
His take: Like I said: “Plausible deniability.” The photo will leak, and the official reaction from the White House will be to denounce the leak. But this is just about maintaining appearances. […] What’s the over/under on how long before the photos are leaked? I’m betting 72 hours.
why lookee here
link
Who was in charge of communications? Sgt. Rosemary Woods?
@33 from dr. levin’s show
If we are “not at war against Islam” as the current adminstration likes to remind us, then why give bin Laden a proper muslim burial? It implies that we honor his adherence to his faith, which is at odds with the current narrative.
I guarantee you some or more of those SEALS had more than one camera, authorized or not, clipped on and running during this little excursion. THERE WILL BE VIDEO.
“THERE WILL BE VIDEO.”
true but that pic of baracky sitting in the corner sucking his thumb watching a blank screen is priceless.
The pictures with the murderous nitwits in The ‘stan got damned little play in Baracky’s media.
Abu Ghraib was on the front page of the New York Times for 32 days straight.
I’m just sayin’.
The real reason they don’t release the pics is so that they can leak them later when they need some probamaganda to bolster their numbers.
Oh and I’d also be expecting some event that Obama uses to justify releasing oil from the strategic reserve a few months +- from the election.
Even Abe Lincoln wouldn’t survive $5/gallon for gas.
This and that.
Can the left become cartoon stereotypes of themselves? Of course they can, Geronimo you shitheads.
About that: I don’t think this crew has the self-restraint to keep that a secret.
I suppose it’s possible Pannetta hasn’t told the White House yet, though; would explain why they can’t keep the story straight.
[…] {cough}Abu Ghraib{cough} Remember how concerned we were about inflaming the moslem world back then? Heh : Evidently, the SEAL team “assaulters” didn’t have the good sense to attach fake electrodes […]
I agree with Danger. It’s doing a great job this week from distracting everyone from the bad jobs numbers, gas prices, etc.
I give the administration a heart FU, though, for concern now about the safety of the soldiers.
My next door neighbor (in Detroit- the house I’ll never be able to sell) lost his nephew on Holy Saturday. 19 y/o marine. Roadside bomb.
I honestly don’t believe it’s (soldier safety) their motivation. How did they suddenly develop this concern? It never existed before.
Assholes.
They’re shutting Pannetta up now.
Well, that’s going to make for an interesting confirmation hearing, innit?