Obama says he won't release bin Laden death photo

[Slargos]

I never said these conspiracy theories are true. I am just questioning the wisdom of the US government in acting in a way that fuels all these theories, for no apparent reason.

I think that no matter what the administration does, some nuts will find a way to make it into a conspiracy.  Therefore, they shouldn't (and aren't, I'm sure) considering that angle when making decisions related to bin Laden or really anything else.

Quite. Post the photo and we'll claim photoshop and note that he's been "killed" before. Don't post the photo and it will be a coverup and he'll resurface again shortly.

Sure, it's quite possible that he's actually in custody rather than dead, but I don't think they'd dare publicize it like this without being damn sure that he'll never float another death-to-america video again.

[Josephus]

So whats the basis of the conspiracy theories here? That Bin Laden is not dead? He would be jumping up and down on released videos now.

Or that he died a long time ago and the US now? Thats retardism at its finest, to think any US administration would keep the kill in secret, or do not pretend they offed him themselves, and just shelf the fact for later use.

But, if Mart and Slarg want to be the same as the "Elvis lives!" crowd, I say let them.

[Canadian Humour] I'm pretty sure he was recently elected as an NDP member in Quebec. [/canadian humour]

[Josephus]

I'm thinking the reason they're not releasing pics is because he's probably shot up pretty bad. Like a full magazine round or two in the noggin.

[derspiess]

I'm thinking the reason they're not releasing pics is because he's probably shot up pretty bad. Like a full magazine round or two in the noggin.

That would surprise me.  SEALs (or any highly trained spec op-type personnel) aren't the type to unload a full mag into someone.  They take precise, aimed shots and I doubt the whole team would have opened up on him.

Having said that, even just a 3-round burst to the head can look pretty damned gruesome.

[Siege]

I'm thinking the reason they're not releasing pics is because he's probably shot up pretty bad. Like a full magazine round or two in the noggin.

That would surprise me.  SEALs (or any highly trained spec op-type personnel) aren't the type to unload a full mag into someone.  They take precise, aimed shots and I doubt the whole team would have opened up on him.

Having said that, even just a 3-round burst to the head can look pretty damned gruesome.

You don't use 3-rounds burst while clearing rooms. Single shot only.
Besides, all SOCOM weapons have full auto when in burst, not the retarded 3 round burst the regular army M4s have.

[Josephus]

Whatever. I don't jerk off to gun porn.

My point is that in all likelihood his face was deemed to be pretty gruesome for nightly news in America.

[Caliga]

So were the faces of Uday and Itshay (or whatever his name was) Hussein but they still released those pics.

[Siege]

So were the faces of Uday and Itshay (or whatever his name was) Hussein but they still released those pics.

Truth.

[CountDeMoney]

So were the faces of Uday and Itshay (or whatever his name was) Hussein but they still released those pics.

I dunno, all things considered, they weren't all that fucked up.  Apparently most of the side and back of Osama's skull is ventilated.

[Ed Anger]

Whatever. I don't jerk off to gun porn.

WTF

[CountDeMoney]

Whatever. I don't jerk off to gun porn.

WTF

C'mon, he's a Euro.  Weenies uber alles.

[DontSayBanana]

I'm trying to remember what this whole fiasco reminds me of... oh, right- hours of school kids bragging about how they'd seen Tupac Shakur's autopsy photos on rotten.com.  I love that feeling of living in a country comprised of morbid high-schoolers.

[C.C.R.]

Duh.  Barry is saving the pic for the stretch run in his reelection campaign.  Focus, people...

[Malthus]

Duh.  Barry is saving the pic for the stretch run in his reelection campaign.  Focus, people...

Seriously. I was wondering if I was the only one cynical enough to think that the pics will be "leaked" ... right in time to influence the next election. 

This sorta reminds me of the whole birth certificate nonsense. Whatever else Obama is, he's a long-term thinker when it comes to politics. He allowed various opponents to make fools of themselves over this "birther" foolishness until everyone was sick of it ... and only *then* released his birth certificate, demonstrating in the most obvious possible way that they were full of stupid.

Similarly, knowing that the American public has a short attention span but an elephant's memory for avenging injuries, in purely political terms holding back the pics (which can surely make no difference one way or the other to the situation) allows Obama the luxury of releasing them through "leaks" or otherwise at a time of *his* choosing - which may well be when it is most politically advantageous to remind the public that it is *he*, and no other, who was on watch when Osama was hunted down. Allowing his more out-there opponents to, once again, make absurd claims he knows are untrue (and once again proving they are full of stupid) is an added bonus.

[Zanza2]

Do photos like this fall under the freedom of information acts? It's not like they actually show anything secret, just gruesome.