Bin Laden is DEAD!

[JJ]

There are alternative views e.g.
?"I will mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that." - Martin Luther King

[AndyHB]

Blimey, what a subject and what a response.

When I first heard the news yesterday morning, I was two-minded.  Still not convinced that 2 wrongs make a right, and feel that JJ's MLK quote is very apt.

Glad that the burial seems to have been in line with Muslim precepts, and that he was not buried somewhere that could be used as a shrine.

Whether or not this makes the world a safer or more dangerous place - certainly not the former, but not sure the latter either - we are already at a very high level of security/alertness.

[tranchiebabe]

"It was assumed he was behind it," Just assumed? You really believe it was just assumed? Good greif, not in ten years, an any of his videos did he deny it. It was more than an assumption. If one is wrongly accused, one normally denies.

Spot on Pow Wow.

[EliB]

So a person is guilty if they don't deny something.  Man, you learn something new every day, here was me thinking that you actually had to be found guilty in a court of law, but no, it's enough that you don't deny the accusations made against you.

Same with those in Guantanamo I suppose, they didn't deny, or if they did they were waterboarded, deprived of sleep, punched and kicked until they didn't deny.  Fine, upstanding people like yourselves talk about 'justice', and due process is kicked into touch, it's just the lynch mob baying for blood.

I agree with Pow Wow - but also, from my recollections he DID claim responsibility, on more than one occasion!
Martin, so what do you think the US should have done with the intelligence they had about where he was.....ONLY act if he could be captured alive?? Oh, yeh, can just see it  ...."I KNOW we've been searching for him for over 10 years, and I KNOW he's murdered thousands of innocent people, but if we can't get him without killing him, we'll just have to let him go....AGAIN!!
Aye right!!!

[Jan]

There are alternative views e.g.
?"I will mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that." - Martin Luther King

I know of this quote (its one of my favourites) but also saw this on Facebook this morning - which acted as a reminder in all this - was going to add it here but JJ you beat me to it xx

[administrator]

There are alternative views e.g.
?"I will mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that." - Martin Luther King

 

[Boudi]

Well said JJ.  I can understand that there will be a sense of relief felt by some people, and a sense of closure.  It may well make the world a less a less safe place though, so we have to brace ourselves for more of what has happened in the past.  I don't think there is much doubt as to his involvement in the deaths of many people, though he's not alone in that one.

[pow wow]

Hello EliB,
Yes, isn't there a video of him right after 9/11, taking credit for it? Maybe it was his #2 man? Anyway there is no doubt he was behing it and casting doubt on it is a hobby for the conspiracy junkies. Great week so far. Osama shot dead one day and the next day, as I had predicted, the voters over here have told the opposition parties to jump off a bridge. They caused us to go to the polls yet again and we finally had enough and handed our conservative minorty government a majority last night. The once great Liberal party has lost official opposition and the socialists have it now. The French separatists are toast, they only have a few seats and for the first time we have a green party seat. Now what's next? Maybe the EU will lift is hypocritical ban on Canadian seal products!

[tranchiebabe]

Maybe the EU will lift is hypocritical ban on Canadian seal products!

My dear there would be riots in the streets if they did that, all those lovely cuddly seals being slaughtered!

[pow wow]

Hi Tangnefedd, how are things going for you?
Well the reality is we haven't been clubbing baby seals for decades. We harvest adults. PETA uses old footage of baby seals being clubbed. And the EU is suckered by the lie. On the bright side this ban has not destroyed the industry for fishermen and our Inuit peoples. The Japanese and Chinese are now demanding our products. What bugs me is those pompus politicians that ban Canadian seal but are unwilling to stop eating their tasty veal. This is rather nasty but have you ever heard a baby goat being clobbered in a slaughter house? My buddy had to do that job. They scream like babies. Horrrible. I couldn't do it.

[Boudi]

but can eat meat no matter what noises they make as they die, so why worry?

[EliB]

Hello EliB,
Yes, isn't there a video of him right after 9/11, taking credit for it? Maybe it was his #2 man? Anyway there is no doubt he was behing it and casting doubt on it is a hobby for the conspiracy junkies. Great week so far. Osama shot dead one day and the next day, as I had predicted, the voters over here have told the opposition parties to jump off a bridge. They caused us to go to the polls yet again and we finally had enough and handed our conservative minorty government a majority last night. The once great Liberal party has lost official opposition and the socialists have it now. The French separatists are toast, they only have a few seats and for the first time we have a green party seat. Now what's next? Maybe the EU will lift is hypocritical ban on Canadian seal products!

Yes, Pow Wow, that's what I'm thinking of - a video clip released in the days after 9/11....and various video releases since! I can't believe how many people are 'doubting' that he's dead...what on earth would Obama be doing risking being caught out in a lie of that magnitude?? Just doesn't add up! I've never doubted that he's dead....never entered my head to question it.....but it seems, for others, that was their first thought? Don't get it!!
The UK alert hasn't risen from "Severe" since his death....so we're being warned to be vigilant, but we were already doing that anyway and were already braced for attacks....so nothing has changed, other than the world being rid of one evil man! Granted many are ready to step into his shoes, but.....one at a time!!!
I realise others have differing views but I still see yesterday as a good day!! My sister is back and forth to Afghanistan with the RAF as a direct result of the events of 9/11 - Bin Laden being dead doesn't change that - but at least the mastermind of the attacks is dead!!!

[AndyHB]

I realise others have differing views but I still see yesterday as a good day!!

My main concern is the message we are sending to the developing world - and to terrorists in particular.  "It is simply not acceptable for you to murder, maim and slaughter in the name of your political or religious beliefs; but absolutely acceptable for us 'democrats' to do the same in the name of ours."

[EliB]

I realise others have differing views but I still see yesterday as a good day!!

My main concern is the message we are sending to the developing world - and to terrorists in particular.  "It is simply not acceptable for you to murder, maim and slaughter in the name of your political or religious beliefs; but absolutely acceptable for us 'democrats' to do the same in the name of ours."

I COULD say that the Republicans were trying to get him before the Democrats, but I know that's not what you mean!!

I think the main difference - or THE difference, is that Bin Laden murdered thousands of INNOCENT people - whereas he was hardly that(!)
I'm genuinely struggling to understand why so many people aren't seeing this as a great thing! He's dead - that CAN only be good!?

[Martin]

Martin, so what do you think the US should have done with the intelligence they had about where he was.....ONLY act if he could be captured alive??

Assassinations are banned under both US and international law. Extrajudicial killings are only allowed in an armed conflict.  Osama Bin Laden was unarmed when he was assasinated by over 30 armed marines who managed to shoot his wife (also unarmed) in the leg and arrest her.