Bin Laden is DEAD!

[pow wow]

This was no assassination and Osama was not unarmed. There was gun fire coming from the roof before the first helicopter had to land in the compound. Assassination? No, not at all. Canada and the US is at war against that terrorist organization, all of it and every member of it. Did I miss something? I thought the mother country was with us on this. Oh and proving that these guys are cowards at heart, no surprise Osama was shielding himself behind his wife. Boy what a loving husband that one was. WAS, I love being able to use that word when writing about that devil.

[Boudi]

pw, are you saying osama was on the roof firing?

[pow wow]

Boudi,
No I'm not saying that. His soldiers, his goons were shooting from the roof. The leader, the general was the one forcing his wife to take the bullets for him. Didn't work out so well for the scum.

[Boudi]

I have no evidence either way, and obviously you've seen the live footage, so are able to comment

[tranchiebabe]

Considering all the people that piece of vermin was responsible for killing taking him out was a good job done. I would have done it myself without the slightest qualm had I been given the opportunity. I would have had no more conscience about doing so than disposing of a rat, less so probably.

[administrator]

Certaily hope some of you people are never called for jury service! 
 
 
 
 

[AndyHB]

I think the main difference - or THE difference, is that Bin Laden murdered thousands of INNOCENT people - whereas he was hardly that(!)

But innocent by whose standards, Eli?  Those of the West, whose actions over the past centuries have often been based on greed, power, pride even, in some cases, revenge all too often meted out on completely innocent people?  Think, for instance, of the thousands of Indians who were swept into poverty when the Manchester cotton mills destroyed the Indian cotton industry in the 18th century; or the 'Kenyans' who were herded into concentration camps in reprisal for the Mau-Mau uprising in the 1950s; I could go on.  Those of Western Christianity, with actions all too often identical with their political compatriots?  Or those of the Muslims who have so often been the butt of those actions in recent years?  Remember that Bin Laden, like that other bete noire Saddam Hussein, was armed and financially supported for many years by the very hand he finally bit in his various attacks.

When all is taken into account, who is really responsible for the actions of both Hussein and Bin Laden?

[AndyHB]

This was no assassination and Osama was not unarmed.

Pow wow, even the American authorities have stated that he was unarmed at the time that he was shot.  As for whether or not he was 'hiding behind his wife', we will have to wait until the video is released to make that judgement, as there has been no official pronouncement on that.  (Have just heard that the US authorities have changed their story about his using her as a shield). She could quite as easily have thrown herself in front of him in an attempt to protect him: it happens often enough around the world.

If it wasn't an assassination, it was a non-judicial killing of some sort which necessarily requires some sort of debate and investigation.

I thought the mother country was with us on this

I think that we have to remember that 'the mother country', just like the US and the rest of the West is ambivalent over the real need for this action.  It's timing is convenient - early in the run-up to the mid-term elections; just after the Royal Wedding (which has captured the American psyche big-time); ... .  Will it actually reduce the threat from Al-Quaeda?  I doubt it.  Will it heighten the threat?  Again, I doubt it.  In other words, just what does the killing of BL actually achieve in the overall picture of global security and terrorist threat?  Not a lot, I'd suggest.

[AndyHB]

Considering all the people that piece of vermin was responsible for killing taking him out was a good job done. I would have done it myself without the slightest qualm had I been given the opportunity. I would have had no more conscience about doing so than disposing of a rat, less so probably.

Would you have the same attitude to the people who were responsible for the deaths and consignment to poverty of millions as a result of British, German, Spanish and French imperial policies over the past 2 or 300 years, T?  Not to mention those responsible for arming and financing Bin Laden initially?  When all is said and done, is there any real difference between him and ourselves?

[pow wow]

I can't buy into the conspiracy theory considering one of Obama's first orders on becoming Pres. was find him and kill him. So that order was given over 2yrs. ago. Just not believable that over the past couple years Obama has told his people to wait, not yet, there's no political advantage for me yet. LOL! Was the plot to kill Hitler some sort of international crime? Of course not.

[administrator]

[AndyHB]

I can't buy into the conspiracy theory ...

What conspiracy theory pow wow?

[Boudi]

Lots of excellent points and posts Andy.

Wasn't part of the problem that Bin Laden and his type were supported and trained by America when it was in their interest, and then dropped when the cold war finished.  They are a Frankenstein's monster that turned on its creator.  I wonder how the long view of history will view this?

Compare it with the view of that little backward rabble rouser Gandhi.

[pow wow]

What conspiracy? Well the notion that Obama has been holding off the take out until it was a political booster for him. That's crazy.
No Boudi, I have not seen the footage. I admit to being a strong supporter of the States. Mom's from Nebraska. I will tell you that even though I'm no fan of democrat Presidents, I can't believe that Obama and his people wouldn't realize the intense scrutiny this is going to get. I take him at his word on this one.
I always felt the Pakistani military brass was playing a double game. The US may have known for a while where Osama was but the Pakistani's always knew. It's not credible that they didn't.

[Martin]

This was no assassination and Osama was not unarmed

Official reports say otherwise.  His wife, who was shot in the leg was arrested, if that was possible for her, why not for the unarmed Osama? No, this was an assassination, and one wonders why. If Osama was the leader of such a dangerous organisation, then having him as a living captive could have yielded very valuable information.