I'm sure they're very nice people and all, but it's up to you if you wanna leave that comment for the world to see

Well, none of these people have sympathy for that man. They're not exactly mourning him . They're all glad he's dead. It's just the rules and laws that they feel are important and should always be followed. My teachers are lawyers btw.

I'm pretty ignorant about international laws, so don't know as much as you do I guess. But one fewer evil bastard is alive now -- there's something wrong with that?

No I'm with you. I praise Obama for hitting that guy.

And FWIW, I felt a bit indifferent about it. Sure, he caused thousands of innocent people misery (if not death) -- no excuse!! -- but at the same time, I'd rather have him suffer in his thoughts for the next 50 years. His death was too easy for him.

Obama didn't "hit" the guy lol. He just oversaw the last operation that happened to be successful -- a lot of research, and luck, was involved in that.

I hear what you're saying, but I doubt this guy would ever suffer in his thoughts. Death was the only option here.

And the brass to not just approve that operation in Pakistani turf without their support or knowledge, but risking a possible firefight with the local Pakistani units.

That's really one of the worst cast scenarios that could have happened. Our "allies" blasting us after we "invade" their territory.

Fortunately, that didn't happen. And that (corrupt) government is doing everything it can find its scapegoat or two for its own humiliating failure. Or cover up their complicity.

Not really , RR.

There are some legitimate questions raised by people who are sticklers for law and process no matter what if the operation was legal and moral. Look at the letter here by Benjamin Ferencz, a former Nuremberg prosecutor.

The counterargument, which I would tend to agree with in this particular instance was that OBL was fair game due to an ongoing conflict and the 2001 Senate authorization.

Quote:

In 2001, congress passed a law giving the office of the President the “use all necessary and appropriate force” against nations, organizations, or individuals who played a role in the 9/11 attacks.

Harold Koh said, "Some have argued that our targeting practices violate domestic law, in particular, the long-standing domestic ban on assassinations. But under domestic law, the use of lawful weapons systems—consistent with the applicable laws of war—for precision targeting of specific high-level belligerent leaders when acting in self-defense or during an armed conflict is not unlawful, and hence does not constitute 'assassination.' ".

Defending the killing of what the White House has acknowledged was an unarmed bin Laden, Holder said he was a legitimate military target and had made no attempt to surrender to the American forces who stormed his fortified compound near Islamabad and shot him in the head.
"It was justified as an act of national self-defense," Holder told the Senate Judiciary Committee, citing bin Laden's admission of being involved in the September 11, 2001, attacks in the United States that killed nearly 3,000 people.

It was lawful to target bin Laden because he was the enemy commander in the field and the operation was conducted in a way that was consistent with U.S. laws and values, he said, adding that it was a "kill or capture mission."

"If he had surrendered, attempted to surrender, I think we should obviously have accepted that, but there was no indication that he wanted to do that and therefore his killing was appropriate," he said.

To put it bluntly, as I've written elsewhere you can't step on the football field and then get upset when the linebacker hits you. OBL knew the risks and accepted them. The larger policy of assassination overseas (ie. that American citizen in Yemen) I still disagree with. However OBL was a special case and I wouldn't use the term "assassination" any more than I would have described the killing of Yamamoto as such.

As far as entering Pakistan w/o permission that was illegal, no question about it. But Pakistan doesn't necessarily have the ability to DO anything about it.

Since this is a gangster board I wanted to point out the recent column by the otherwise execrable Maureen Dowd here.


No wonder the president’s top generals call him “a Cool Hand Luke.”

After giving the order for members of a Navy Seals team to execute a fantastically daring plan to, let’s be honest, execute Osama bin Laden, Barack Obama put on a tuxedo and gave a comedy speech Saturday night in a Washington ballroom of tippling journalists and Hollywood stars.

If we could have seen everything unfolding in real time, it would have had the same dramatic effect as the intercutting in the president’s favorite movie, “The Godfather,” when Michael Corleone calmly acts as godfather at his nephew’s baptism at church, even as his lieutenants carry out the gory hits he has ordered on rival mobsters.

Just substitute “Leave the copter, take the corpse” for “Leave the gun, take the cannoli.”

I thought this was funny. It's a really strange thing to say for publication.

"I don't think the kind of people you and the intelligence agencies are looking for are here or have ever lived here," said Mohammad Shazad Awan, a former army soldier who has driven a public minibus in the area for the last 12 years.
But residents of Abbottabad were also not aware that bin Laden had been living there for such a long time.
Awan, who said he works on the side as an informant for the government, said many Pakistani intelligence operatives were in Chak Shah Mohammad on Friday asking whether bin Laden had lived there.

Streets are watching in Pakistan

It's one thing to be relieved that that terrorist won't do no harm no more.
But those gestures of triumph over a dead I find disgusting.

F' him. Party on.

Whether the sentiments put forth in this thread are disgusting or not, they're certainly naive.

"An eye for an eye" has always been a narrative myth, designed to offer the notion of moral closure.

The celebratory tone of this thread is all fair and well, given the personal heartbreak outpoured almost ten years ago on this board... But the incessant extent of it here speaks to continued political confusion and personal anger.

I think the apparent fact that the death of Osama bin Laden was required to bring to people some satisfaction, however "teensy" or "tiny", is indicative of the ease with which ordinary Americans are deceived by their own government.

Blind worship of the state is killing us; as a people, a race, a planet.

Forgive the rhetoric.

Terrorism is a concept employed by the ruling governments the world over to justify further defence measures of capitalism.

There's no two ways about that.

LMAO, Lilo.

Not even the most ardent Liberal Democrats can take much of Dowd. Although I have to admit, she is a gifted writer .

Guys, whether you're Democrat or Republican, can we all agree that the President should tell this asshole to go fuck himself?

Pakistan Prime Minister to warn US over Osama bin Laden raid



I especially love this bit:



No, it didn't. It's the international impression (i.e. Joke) that your military/intelligence apparatus is either corrupt backdealing against us or fucking incompetent as hell this side of the Keystone Cops.

Go fuck yourself. Seriously.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnew...Laden-raid.html

Are we still giving billions of dollars of aid to Pakistan?

I know we still give them aid, but not sure of the amount. Didn't they ever hear that expression about biting the hand?? Apparently not...

Condescending, no?

PM: Failure to find bin Laden not Pakistan's alone



No it makes you look impotent.



Yes little doggy, growl! Everyone knows you won't do shit if we fire off some more drones or raids. You like our money too much. When you're sucking us off to get the dough, sometimes you have to swallow.



I think the ISI trained/funded Taliban can be more blamed for that but what do I know?

National impotency tends to feed on (stupid) speculations.

Fear that U.S. could grab nuclear arsenal heightens Pakistani anger



Has anyone ever noticed that everyone panics over Pakistan's nukes, but nobody does with India's nukes? JUST SAYING.

I think the local papers there will love this.

US, Pakistan struck secret deal in 2001 permitting US operation against bin Laden on Pakistani soil

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/may/09/osama-bin-laden-us-pakistan-deal

Well, I can see this scenario playing out right before my mind's eye:

1. We consult with Pakistani officials in Islamabad, share our intelligence and let them know our plans.

2. Informers alert bin Laden, US forces raid empty compound.

A real no-brainer, if you ask me.

Signor V.

A Navy Seal walks into a bar and Orders a "Bin Laden."

Brtender says, what's that?

Seal says: "Two shots and a splash."

We should send them a check for $1, and tell them "good luck with it".

Q How do you play Taliban bingo?
A: B-52...F-16...B-1...

Q: How is Bin Laden like Fred Flintstone?
A: Both may look out their windows and see Rubble.

Q: What is the Taliban's national bird?
A: Duck



TIS

Is this hilarious? Where do these type of people come from?

"The most notorious, and arguably most amateur Situation Room Photoshop however, came from Orthodox Hasidic Jewish newspaper, Der Tzitung, in which Hillary Clinton is completely removed from the photo. Unlike the memes making the rounds, this 'shop wasn't done for lulz. The newspaper wasn't looking to visually change history either — just maintain its own. The highly religious newspaper never publishes pictures of women on account of it could be "sexually suggestive."

The Secretary of State wasn't the only temptress taken out of the photo. Counterterrorism analyst Audrey Thomason, seen standing way way in the back, was also obliterated from the photo."

Oli,

I heard this story earlier. Unbelievable isn't it? I assume they weren't going for a professional looking photo, but talk about a photo shopped.


TIS

Well, in terms of what they're fighting for, that being sending women where they belong. i.e. kitchen, these religious nut-jobs regardless of their religion even might get along. Not sure why they are hating each other.