Sounds Like Bin Laden's Dead

~~Dirty~~ · 05-05-2011, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MoonlitSunshine

White House counterterrorism advisor John O. Brennan stated after the raid that "If we had the opportunity to take bin Laden alive, if he didn't present any threat, the individuals involved were able and prepared to do that." However, another US national security official, who was not named, told Reuters that "'This was a kill operation,' making clear there was no desire to try to capture bin Laden alive in Pakistan." Another source referencing a kill (rather than capture order) states, "Officials described the reaction of the special operators when they were told a number of weeks ago that they had been chosen to train for the mission. 'They were told, "We think we found Osama bin Laden, and your job is to kill him,"' an official recalled. The SEALs started to cheer."

Thoughts? Most evidence seems to be suggesting that there was no real intention to ever capture him alive.

I definitely think they were trying to kill him and I am very happy with that. Like I said earlier, this isn't a random street criminal who you cuff and throw him in the back of the squad car and then call it a day. The guy is extremely dangerous and it was too risky to try to take him alive.

Also I wanna say that I agree with President Obama's decision to not release the picture of Bin Laden dead. It wouldn't solve anything in my opinion. The skeptics would dismiss the picture as doctored or photoshopped and it would just piss other people off. For those who don't believe Bin Laden is dead, they are morons.

MoonlitSunshine · 05-05-2011, 02:34 PM

And what about the idea of a Trial, Dirty? There is no doubt that he would probably have been sentenced to death, but surely we should make at least some attempt to raise our morals and standards above those we claim to be dealing justice to?

~~Dirty~~ · 05-05-2011, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MoonlitSunshine

And what about the idea of a Trial, Dirty? There is no doubt that he would probably have been sentenced to death, but surely we should make at least some attempt to raise our morals and standards above those we claim to be dealing justice to?

No need for a trial. Just a waste of more money and time for something that will inevitably result in his death sentence. Go for the kill and get it over with.

You are saying that our morals and standards are on par with Osama Bin Laden, which I disagree with. He organized a massive terror attack that killed thousands of innocent Americans. I'm not willing to put the US's morals on that level because we killed our biggest terror threat and the man who organized the killing of thousands.

You may value every human life as precious and equal, but I don't. Luckily the government doesn't either and we were able to assassinate OBL.

midnight rain · 05-05-2011, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MoonlitSunshine

And what about the idea of a Trial, Dirty? There is no doubt that he would probably have been sentenced to death, but surely we should make at least some attempt to raise our morals and standards above those we claim to be dealing justice to?

If our morals were in line with Al Qaeda, we'd have just blown the whole of Abbottabad to hell.

MoonlitSunshine · 05-05-2011, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dirty

No need for a trial. Just a waste of more money and time for something that will inevitably result in his death sentence. Go for the kill and get it over with.

You are saying that our morals and standards are on par with Osama Bin Laden, which I disagree with. He organized a massive terror attack that killed thousands of innocent Americans. I'm not willing to put the US's morals on that level because we killed our biggest terror threat and the man who organized the killing of thousands.

You may value every human life as precious and equal, but I don't. Luckily the government doesn't either and we were able to assassinate OBL.

I believe he had to die, but I believe there is a more right way of doing it. One can and has in this thread and in other places argue that America killed hundreds of thousands of iraqis in the process of taking out Saddham Hussein, does that put America on par with Al-Qaeda? Just because it's easier to do it one way doesn't necessarily make it right.

Tuna, I think if it were in any way possible for a drone to be sent to blow the **** out of the compound, it would definitely have been considered. Fact is that it was within the airspace of the pakistani capitol, which apparently "made a drone attack impossible", which shows that it was at least considered. I'm amazed that the pakistani government haven't been more vocal about the fact that they were told literally nothing about the attack. I understand the need for secrecy, but what those SEALs did was essentially invade another country, assault a house within a few miles of a pakistani military base, execute a kill order and then move out again with the body.

TheBig3 · 05-05-2011, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MoonlitSunshine

And what about the idea of a Trial, Dirty? There is no doubt that he would probably have been sentenced to death, but surely we should make at least some attempt to raise our morals and standards above those we claim to be dealing justice to?

When Saddam had a trial, they thought it was a fixed farce. I remember a few people saying "why even bother?"

Not a justification, but that was a position a few people took.

Zaqarbal · 05-05-2011, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheBig3

This is a serious question: Is there something that makes them attack less?

Al-Qaeda? It depends.

If you mean "something that makes them attack less", the answer is yes. But there are many factors to bear in mind. Al-Qaeda makes "strategic calculations" too, according to the circumstances of the moment and its means.
If you mean "something that makes them WISH to attack less", the answer is NO. In a fanatic's mind, dark intentions remain. Example: Buenos Aires (Argentina), July 18, 1994: 85 people killed and hundreds injured. Why? Don't expect to find any "logic" into Hezbollah. Keep in mind that integrists use bizarre concepts such as "apostate countries" and things like that. So, for instance, due to a sort of "519-years-old collective apostasy", I could be a potential victim of an Al-Qaeda's attack too. Why? Because, according to Al-Zawahiri (Bin Laden's replacement), I (and millions of my fellow citizens) would be a "legitimate target" in the "path of God".

BTW, Al-Qaeda's new leader has almost a hole in his forehead. And I wonder: wouldn't it be a good idea to finish the job as soon as possible? I mean, it seems to be an easy and subtle task (it's just half an inch or so towards the frontal lobe), and nobody would notice. It would look like an accident! Why not?

Thom Yorke · 05-05-2011, 10:02 PM

Mr November · 05-05-2011, 11:37 PM

Nice video Thom.

Brings me to another question. Assume we know for sure that Osama is dead, and assume that the republicans can put forward a respectable candidate?

Has killing Osama meant a second term for Obama? Should it?

~~someonecompletelyrandom~~ · 05-05-2011, 11:40 PM

I thought he deserved a second term regardless. So that's a Yes from me.

05-05-2011, 02:34 PM	#392 (permalink)
MoonlitSunshine Dat's Der Bunny! Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Ireland Posts: 1,088	And what about the idea of a Trial, Dirty? There is no doubt that he would probably have been sentenced to death, but surely we should make at least some attempt to raise our morals and standards above those we claim to be dealing justice to? __________________ "I found it eventually, at the bottom of a locker in a disused laboratory, with a sign on the door saying "Beware of the Leopard". Ever thought of going into Advertising?" - Arthur Dent

05-05-2011, 10:02 PM	#398 (permalink)
Thom Yorke Music Addict Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 1,848

05-05-2011, 11:37 PM	#399 (permalink)
Mr November Music Addict Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Halifax, Canada Posts: 429	Nice video Thom. Brings me to another question. Assume we know for sure that Osama is dead, and assume that the republicans can put forward a respectable candidate? Has killing Osama meant a second term for Obama? Should it?

05-05-2011, 11:40 PM	#400 (permalink)
~~someonecompletelyrandom~~ Account Disabled Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 4,538	I thought he deserved a second term regardless. So that's a Yes from me.