Not releasing the pics: Right choice?

[rumborak]

Moot at this point, al Qaeda confirmed the death. So, it would only satisfy morbid curiosity.

rumborak

[blackngold29]

He's dead. Nothing new is learned from pictures.

[hefdaddy42]

I think the right decision was made.  Nothing to be gained by releasing the photos.

[YtseJam]

I think the two biggest parts of this that were mishandled were (1) not releasing the pics and (2) not bringing the body back here. 

I would say the same except in the reverse order. I want to see that fucker dead.

[kári]

I think if Osama wasn't really dead he would have spread a new video or something, no?

[rumborak]

I think if Osama wasn't really dead he would have spread a new video or something, no?

Moot at this point, al Qaeda confirmed the death. So, it would only satisfy morbid curiosity.

rumborak

[kári]

Well, just for the sake of argument you can't be sure it was really al-Qaeda who confirmed.

[Progmetty]

Definitely the right decision.

[Adami]

Well, just for the sake of argument you can't be sure it was really al-Qaeda who confirmed.

We're sure enough.

[kári]

How exactly?

[rumborak]

Well, you could always say it's part of an even bigger setup by the US government, but at some point the sparks star flying off the tinfoil hat.

rumborak

[Adami]

How exactly?

Because the amount of evidence for the argument outweighs any evidence (which is none) against it.

[rumborak]

Obama would never dare declaring bin Laden's death, only for a video to show up a week later with him alive. Can you imagine the backlash?

Osama bin Laden is dead.

rumborak

[KevShmev]

Absolutely.

[El Barto]

Plus, if you were going to fake his death, Dumbass would have done it back when he was in a tight race with Kerry,  or Obama would have held off for another year for a nice pre-election bounce.  To be clear, I wouldn't put it past either of their crooked asses, but it just doesn't seem to be the case here. 

[Ben_Jamin]

If Osama looked the way he did on that video of him watching the news. He looked pretty bad, almost like he was dying anyways.

[rumborak]

There's yet another factor, that Pakistan is experiencing a major anti-American uprising since the unilateral raid. Obama will have realized this as a potential consequence, adding even more ";cost". It would be ludicrous to think he would pay such a price for a fake.
And I think that's exactly what you see in his face on that war room pic, the realization that a lot is at stake with this move, and it better work.

People can say whatever they want about Obama,but I think this incident was exceptionally well-handled.

rumborak

[Orbert]

Agreed, and well said.