Osama Bin Laden dead.

[Sigz]

btw, can anyone blow up and see what the pics in front of hillary are? is it osama's body?

From here it looks like an aerial view of the compound. 

uh... those are balls sir.

[Implode]

btw, can anyone blow up and see what the pics in front of hillary are? is it osama's body?

From here it looks like an aerial view of the compound. 

uh... those are balls sir.

Yeah. And that's missingno on the military guy's shirt.


Wait.

[El Barto]

btw, can anyone blow up and see what the pics in front of hillary are? is it osama's body?

From here it looks like an aerial view of the compound. 

uh... those are balls sir.

I actually found a picture, but it's detailed enough that I think I'll not post it.  I loved that it was Zuckerhorn who figured it out.  That guy was a hoot.

[chknptpie]

Is the Trinity Killer hanging out at the White House? What the heck...

In all seriousness... is that John Lithgow? haha

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

Unretouched operations room pic:

[Chino]

[PlaysLikeMyung]

Unretouched operations room pic:

[antigoon]

Another reason why I don't exactly feel like celebrating is because that shithead pretty much got exactly what he wanted. Since the 9/11 attacks:

-Our liberties and freedoms have been severely eroded in the name of "security."
-We're mired in two(and a half) wars we can't pay for
-Our economy is in shambles
-He died a martyr

WE SURE SHOWED HIM! USA! USA! USA! USA!

[Super Dude]

Another reason why I don't exactly feel like celebrating is because that shithead pretty much got exactly what he wanted. Since the 9/11 attacks:

-Our liberties and freedoms have been severely eroded in the name of "security."
-We're mired in two(and a half) wars we can't pay for
-Our economy is in shambles
-He died a martyr

WE SURE SHOWED HIM! USA! USA! USA! USA!

That's very true.  I feel like killing him is in many ways a shallow victory.

[7StringedBeast]

Nothing I have heard yet suggest he died a martyr.  He just died.  Most of the world is happy about his death.  I've only been hearing positive reports regarding the way the world is taking his death.

[Super Dude]

But those first three points still stand.

[antigoon]

Indeed. It feels good on a very base level but that's about it.

Also, excellent article by Mona Eltahawy in the Guardian:

No dignity at Ground Zero
As a US Muslim I abhor the frat boy reaction. We should be celebrating the Arab spring, not this

I could hear the cheers as I got out of the taxi, two blocks away. I could hear them from right in front of Park 51, the site of a planned Islamic community centre and mosque that met ferocious opposition last year for being too close to the "hallowed ground" of Ground Zero. It was minutes after President Obama's announcement that Osama bin Laden had been killed, and I was heeding a friend's suggestion that we – both Muslims – take candles and stand in vigil where the World Trade Centre stood before Bin Laden's footsoldiers took it down.

So it was a shock to find hundreds of others had turned that hallowed ground into the scene of a home crowd celebrating an away victory they hadn't attended, the roots of which they were probably not there to experience or were too young to remember.

There was always something sickening about tourists taking pictures of themselves posing in front of that big gaping hole called Ground Zero. "Me at site of mass slaughter, NYC" as holiday photo caption is wrong in every language, surely. It didn't take 10 minutes for the frat party atmosphere to sicken me. Olympic-style chants of "USA! USA!" I could just about take as a freshly minted American, as of Friday. But "Fuck Osama! Ole ole ole!" crushed any ambition of dignity for the thousands killed, many of whom had jumped hundreds of storeys to their deaths, their bodies shattered to pieces close to where we stood.

I wanted to stand in vigil, too, for the thousands more killed in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq as part of the war on terror that George Bush unleashed and Obama hasn't done much to rein in. I wanted to stand in vigil as a Muslim who just last summer reminded Americans – insisting that Park 51 move "out of sensitivity for 9/11 victims" – that Muslims were also its victims.

Good riddance, Bin Laden. An unwelcome squatter in the house of my religion who tore down all the walls and was prepared to throw them on a fire to keep himself warm. Al-Qaida killed more Muslims than non-Muslims. Anytime it committed an atrocity anywhere, Muslims over here paid for it. My brother, a cardiologist, was among thousands of Muslims visited by the FBI in November 2001 and forced to submit to special registration fingerprinting, his photo and information for ever in homeland security's files. Hundreds were detained. Hundreds were deported. Profiling.

Good riddance, Bin Laden. I long detested you and knew that when Mohamed Bouazizi set himself on fire in the Tunisian town of Sidi Bouzid last December, he was igniting a fire that would render irrelevantBin Laden the man and his inflated self-importance. When Tunisians overthrew Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in 29 days and Egyptians Hosni Mubarak in 18 days it was an appropriate rebuke to dictators and Bin Laden. What had become more mesmerising to young people in the Middle East and North Africa: change via revolutionary fervour that has blown apart stereotypes of Arabs and Muslims, or the hate-filled al-Qaida message that falsely promised change through nihilistic violence?

I wanted to have that conversation. But there was only one woman nearby holding candles. In between the dozens of requests for interviews and photos she got, I quickly told her she was the most dignified person there. She was stunned.

I moved to the US a year before 9/11. The day after the attack, a drunk tried to set the local mosque on fire. I first visited Ground Zero in July 2002 and could only cry and pray. "Good riddance, Bin Laden," I wanted to shout on Monday; but this new American instead quietly recited Al Fatiha, the opening chapter of the Qur'an, with "USA, USA USA" as my backdrop. I recited it for the innocent lives taken in NYC, Washington DC, Shanksville in Pennsylvania, Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan – wherever the war on terror left its stains.

The scene at Ground Zero was like a parody of Team America, the film created by the South Park team to parody Bush's America gone wild on nationalism. Now that we've parodied the parody, can the frat boys go home and can we return to the revolutions of the Middle East and north Africa that symbolically killed Bin Laden months ago?

I'm not hearing sympathy for Bin Laden from Muslims and Arabs I know. They're relieved he's finally gone. But they're understandably concerned that media obsession will let him hijack these noble revolutions. One man has been killed; dozens courageously staring down despots are slaughtered every day.

Source: https://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/may/03/no-dignity-ground-zero-frat-boy

[7StringedBeast]

Being in two wars we can't pay for is true.

Our economy isn't really in shambles though.  We have had a down turn, but to say its in shambles is hyperbole.

And I haven't lost any freedoms since 9/11.  The most noticeable change is airport security.

I really don't think Osama got what he wanted.  In fact, he has watched as Al Qaeda becomes more and more obsolete over the years.  Especially with the youth of the middle east standing up for change without using terrorism and outright rejecting terrorism.  This is the last thing he wanted.

[Super Dude]

Our economy isn't really in shambles though.  We have had a down turn, but to say its in shambles is hyperbole.

You know, except for the fact that unemployment is decreasing without actually creating that many jobs.

[antigoon]

We played right into his hand. And as for your point about al Qaeda being obsolete, I don't really think that sort of command structure is needed any more. it's just an ideology. The people over there hate us for what we've done, Al Qaeda or no Al Qaeda.

[7StringedBeast]

The ideology of terrorism is going to die.  Especially in the Muslim world.  Times are changing, and it appears the people of the middle east are sick of terrorism and oppression taking control.  That is a huge middle finger to Bin Laden and terrorists alike.

And I'm sick of self important people making sweeping generalizations towards the people who celebrated Bin Ladens death.  How is saying fuck you Osama rot in hell some how disrespectful to victims of 9/11?  That makes no sense.  It's not like these people celebrating don't understand what this all means.  It's a gut reaction to something that we've been waiting for for 10 years.  I am in NYC.  I was in Manhattan when I heard the news.   People were out on their balconies cheering and yelling over it.  It felt good, that after 10 years and the pain the people of NYC went through, they were able to get some satisfaction and a chance to let out some frustration with this 10 year manhunt.  We know the war isn't over.  We know terrorism will still linger around.  But Jesus christ stop judging people for feeling the way they feel.

[rumborak]

Is it so difficult to comprehend that people feel they would lower themselves by cheering for the death of a person? Relief is one thing, revenge another. And there's a good number of people who remember some lessons from the Bible about revenge.

rumborak

[Chino]

And there's a good number of people who remember some lessons from the Bible about revenge.

I would like to believe that God would not think turning the other cheek to terrorists would be the best decision.

[tjanuranus]

And there's a good number of people who remember some lessons from the Bible about revenge.

I would like to believe that God would not think turning the other cheek to terrorists would be the best decision.

God. LAWL!

[tjanuranus]

Is it so difficult to comprehend that people feel they would lower themselves by cheering for the death of a person? Relief is one thing, revenge another. And there's a good number of people who remember some lessons from the Bible about revenge.

rumborak

I learned more from OldBoy.

[Implode]

God. LAWL!

Also, in this debate about whether it's right or wrong to celebrate this, there is a lot of gray area. There's no way it's just black and white.

[Frank]

And I haven't lost any freedoms since 9/11.  The most noticeable change is airport security.

Patriot Act?

[El Barto]

And I haven't lost any freedoms since 9/11.  The most noticeable change is airport security.

Yeah, you've lost a ton of freedoms.  You just haven't noticed because none of them have affected you (yet). 

[tjanuranus]

God. LAWL!

Also, in this debate about whether it's right or wrong to celebrate this, there is a lot of gray area. There's no way it's just black and white.

 

[zerogravityfat]

I find it amusing that people are trying their hardest to be above this and say killing is wrong, etc. to hide their animal instincts because it is uncivilized to absolutely love what happened. I prefer to know and share that if i had a gun and found bin laden, i wouldn't have hesitated to use it with deadly force, no questions asked. killing evil doesn't make you evil, there is no need to categorize into black and white.

[Super Dude]

I find it amusing that people are trying their hardest to be above this and say killing is wrong, etc. to hide their animal instincts because it is uncivilized to absolutely love what happened. I prefer to know and share that if i had a gun and found bin laden, i wouldn't have hesitated to use it with deadly force, no questions asked. killing evil doesn't make you evil, there is no need to categorize into black and white.

Sure and I'm not saying I'm above it, but my own personal feeling is that I'm not really in that place anymore, I mean where killing bin Laden for me is an unambiguous triumph.  Considering all that's happened since 9/11 I feel like the real victory for me would be getting the economy back on track, having the new harshness and unbridled chaos of politics tamed, becoming the world power again, things like that.  In a way I feel like my personal sense is that for all the horrible things he'd done, bin Laden's death to me isn't the great triumph it was.

The best I can do is compare it to if in 1971 we'd caught Ho Chi Minh and brought him to the US for torture, or if we'd killed him.  Sure it would've been great because we could finally have ended the Vietnam War and people could get peace of mind for the boys that were killed, but since entering that war the economy had crumbled, the American Dream had been shattered, and the entire political, cultural, and social discourse had changed forever to the point that the American people really didn't believe in the government or trust it like they had only ten years before.  Such a victory would have felt hollow or out of place because the country wasn't in that place anymore.  So basically that's what I'm feeling on my own personal, individual level.

[zerogravityfat]

I never considered Bin Laden that significant anyway, he was the money man for the operations. The real evil is Zawahiri who plans and inspires people. We need to track him down and kill him to finish off Al Qaida. After his death, there will be no Al Qaida, just a bunch of headless chicken planning and failing small attacks.

[El Barto]

So now the White House has disclosed that he was unarmed when they popped him and that he didn't hide behind his wife after all.  I tend to give a great deal of deference to LEA when they shoot somebody, so his being unarmed doesn't bother me.  The human shield thing didn't sit well with me, though.  For one, we had no way of knowing if it were actually true, and if it were, then it probably didn't mean a whole lot since he would have had no trouble finding plenty of women who'd volunteer for such a job.  It's not like he grabbed a stranger to hide behind.  Really, it just seemed like they wanted to paint him as a coward and in that they were quite successful.  Bad show, honestly.  When you're actually in the right about something,  the worst thing you can do is lie about the details.  Now there's no reason to believe anything they say since they've already demonstrated their bias.

Edit:  hideously long link to story

[rumborak]

And there's a good number of people who remember some lessons from the Bible about revenge.

I would like to believe that God would not think turning the other cheek to terrorists would be the best decision.

You don't have to turn the other cheek. But if you call yourself a Christian, you should probably heed one of Jesus' core messages of caring and praying for the sinners, not the good guys.

rumborak

[emindead]

Come on, WikiLeaks! Release this video now.

[ReaPsTA]

Our economy isn't really in shambles though.  We have had a down turn, but to say its in shambles is hyperbole.

Not shambles, but the economy is suffering from multiple structural problems.

And I haven't lost any freedoms since 9/11.  The most noticeable change is airport security.

How are you defining freedoms?

I really don't think Osama got what he wanted.  In fact, he has watched as Al Qaeda becomes more and more obsolete over the years.  Especially with the youth of the middle east standing up for change without using terrorism and outright rejecting terrorism.  This is the last thing he wanted.

I sort of agree.  Ultimately, his personal power decreased vastly due to the Afghanistan invasion.  But I'm not on board with how you're framing the current movement of change in the Middle East.  Not that I like any of the Middle East strongmen at all, but they mostly sit around and make their own countries miserable so they can enjoy nice food, sex, and power tripping.  The current group of Middle East rebels seem to be the kind of religious extremists Osama would support.  But we're supporting them, so... wait.

It's odd what side we find ourselves on given the moment.

[El Barto]

I see the current climate in the Middle East as unrelated to OBL.  I'd say that he got exactly what he wanted with regard to the US.  While his role with AQ has been reduced to that of figurehead, our actions couldn't have been any more inline with what he sought.  The two wars were the best recruiting tool and the best publicity he could have ever hoped for.  And with the decentralized nature of terrorist groups, his leadership wasn't very important anyway.  Figurehead was the best role for him.  I'll also add that he's spent the last 6 years living the family life in a house on the hills, all the while watching us on CNN blow billions on useless body scanners and otherwise acting like frightened children.  We might have hurt AQ in some ways, but the bigger picture favored his interest in AQ. 

As for the revolutions taking place, they're both good and bad for OBL's goal.  They're doing exactly what he was ostensibly seeking, which is the ouster of US puppet leadership.  However, they're taking a completely different path to doing so that what he was promoting.  This doesn't help him at all.  Regardless, they're really unrelated to our conflict with AQ, so I wouldn't use that as an indicator in his war with us. 

[jsem]

 

[73109]

[Chino]

So... people on the radio and the internet are furious about the photos of Bin Laden no being released. Im am curious as to whether it is because the American people don't trust the government, or is it that they just want to see him dead.