Bin Laden dead
#16
Re: Bin Laden dead
Islam categorically prohibits cremations, and Muslim tradition dictates that bodies are buried within 24 hours, so having him on show and then cremating him would have done far more harm than good in terms of the way the US is perceived by muslims around the world, and that after all is at the core of the battle for hearts and minds in this conflict.
#17
Re: Bin Laden dead
Didnt the CIA or somesuch list the Pakistan joint intelligence agency as a pivotal part of Al-Qa'ida operations? Thats something Bob Fisk has been saying for years... that probably goes some way in explaining his living in suburbia rather than a mountain cave. Its not insignificant that the pakistan authorities were only informed of the operation after its completion.
Good for Obama? I suspect so. Not quite like a proper war though, and a terrorist backlash is to be anticipated I would guess. He needs the economy to bounce back though big time.
Good for Obama? I suspect so. Not quite like a proper war though, and a terrorist backlash is to be anticipated I would guess. He needs the economy to bounce back though big time.
Time will tell I suspect that the bounce for Obama will be significant but the potential for backlashes is significant also. For Mrs T the economy was probably at it's lowest point at the time of the Falklands and it turned things around for her.
#18
Re: Bin Laden dead
Buried at sea or thrown out of a helicopter? (Ideally whilst still alive....)
#20
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Re: Bin Laden dead
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...rticle2006503/
#21
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Re: Bin Laden dead
Had he been arrested, put on trial, found guilty and sentenced to death under the US legal system. it could have been years until sentence was carried out. It would have cost literally millions of dollars with, God only knows, all types of other problems arising. In this situation the soldiers may well have been ordered to assassinate him. The world is well rid of him.
#24
Re: Bin Laden dead
I'm glad they did it after the Royal Wedding that would have been a prime target for retaliation.
#25
Re: Bin Laden dead
Had he been arrested, put on trial, found guilty and sentenced to death under the US legal system. it could have been years until sentence was carried out. It would have cost literally millions of dollars with, God only knows, all types of other problems arising. In this situation the soldiers may well have been ordered to assassinate him. The world is well rid of him.
This and the recent Libyan events don't sit comfortably with me.
#26
Re: Bin Laden dead
Doubt it. It's good news, but ultimately it's not likely to have much effect on the various wars America is currently fighting. By the election everyone will have forgotten about it.
The best thing I could see is that it might allow Obama to declare victory in Afghanistan and get the troops out ASAP.
The best thing I could see is that it might allow Obama to declare victory in Afghanistan and get the troops out ASAP.
#27
Re: Bin Laden dead
The allegation that he resisted, implies that he was not shot by a sniper from a position 1000 metres away.
Will his death make any real difference? I very much doubt it
#28
Re: Bin Laden dead
There does seem to be some confusion over the issue now with Brenan saying "If we would have been able to take him alive, we would have done that", but prior to that all the reporting was saying that Obama had signed an order OKing his death. I think the reality was if he had surrendered they would have taken him alive, but there was no expectation that that would ever actually happen.
Last edited by iaink; May 2nd 2011 at 6:27 am.
#29
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 14,227
Re: Bin Laden dead
Yep. For all that he was a murderous terrorist, he did serve as a reminder to the septics of their own incompetence. Now he's gone - they are going to bang on about how great they are for ages. It will be worse than Vancouver still talking about expo putting the city on the map.
#30
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Joined: Jun 2005
Location: Fredericton, New Brunswick CA
Posts: 8,309
Re: Bin Laden dead
Hmm, so, for the sake of argument, say Im a navy Seal sent to go get him, and I am facing a terrorist mastermind in his own compound. If the subject is putting up some resistance that might be a threat to my plans for later in the week that involve things like "breathing in and out", am I going to lose too much sleep over shooting the SOB dead before he does the same to me?
No, I dont think I am...
Did it happen that way? We will never know...
Burial at sea, an inspired way to maintain Muslim death traditions and rituals while avoiding a heap of political headaches, and removing the obvious dangers of a shrine appearing if he was buried. I just hope everything was documented and the information is available to all to limit the inevitable conspiracy theories.
Will his death change anything in terms of how Al-Qaeda operates? I guess we will see, but I doubt it. There are bound to be some revenge attacks though, and a high profile martyr wont hurt recruitment any...
What would a trial have acheived I wonder. In theory transparent justice is the way to go, but he did send a video out that left little doubt that he was behing the 9/11 attacks, so all it would do is provide a platform for more rhetoric, allow the muslim extremists to claim it was all a sham and the verdict was pre determined, and then end up with him dead anyway after 20 years of legal appeals. Just look at the farce surrounding the trial of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed
No, I dont think I am...
Did it happen that way? We will never know...
Burial at sea, an inspired way to maintain Muslim death traditions and rituals while avoiding a heap of political headaches, and removing the obvious dangers of a shrine appearing if he was buried. I just hope everything was documented and the information is available to all to limit the inevitable conspiracy theories.
Will his death change anything in terms of how Al-Qaeda operates? I guess we will see, but I doubt it. There are bound to be some revenge attacks though, and a high profile martyr wont hurt recruitment any...
What would a trial have acheived I wonder. In theory transparent justice is the way to go, but he did send a video out that left little doubt that he was behing the 9/11 attacks, so all it would do is provide a platform for more rhetoric, allow the muslim extremists to claim it was all a sham and the verdict was pre determined, and then end up with him dead anyway after 20 years of legal appeals. Just look at the farce surrounding the trial of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed
I am far from hand wringing.