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Gates, Clinton Advising President to Not Release OBL Photograph
ABC News ^ | 05/04/2011 | Jake Tapper

Posted on 05/04/2011 4:52:07 AM PDT by Smokeyblue

President Obama is increasingly doubtful that there's a compelling reason to release a photograph of Osama bin Laden's corpse, ABC News has learned.

There don't seem to be many skeptics of bin Laden's death in the Muslim world, with bin Laden's wife having survived the attack to identify bin Laden's death both to the Navy SEALs and Pakistani authorities.

Meanwhile, sources say, Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton are advising the president about concerns at the Pentagon and State Department that releasing a photograph could prompt a backlash against the US for killing bin Laden where one does not seem to currently exist.

The internal debate at the White House is then informed by this question: why are we releasing this photograph if no one seems to really doubt his death and releasing it could cause more harm than good?


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: clinton; gates; obama; osamabinladen
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Gates, Clinton Advising President to Not Release OBL Photograph; Obama Increasingly Concerned No Good Would Come from It

1 posted on 05/04/2011 4:52:13 AM PDT by Smokeyblue
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To: Smokeyblue
This will become a complete disaster for us in the war on terrorism

An American Expat in Southeast Asia

2 posted on 05/04/2011 4:55:00 AM PDT by expatguy (Donations Keep The Expat Fueled !)
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To: Smokeyblue
Gates and Clinton are letting AlQaida supporters dictate what we do with our pictures of their dead leader.

I'd take the chance, show the picture, and toss cruise missiles into the midst of any gathering showing objections to it.

I think this is a clear opportunity for getting rid of more AlQaida types than we ever imagined ~ if they will only turn out and display their sympathies.

3 posted on 05/04/2011 4:55:12 AM PDT by muawiyah
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Comment #4 Removed by Moderator

To: Smokeyblue
Don't you just love how the whole world is aware of the indecisiveness of our Country's leadership?

It's bad enough that we have to live under this vacillating cloud of ineptitude...do we have to advertise it?

5 posted on 05/04/2011 4:58:03 AM PDT by LoveUSA (You don't notice the night light until it gets dark.)
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To: Smokeyblue

I saw a news report this morning in which the anchor interviewed a local newspaper reporter who happens to cover the Middle East.

She said that she’s spoken to numerous people there who are skeptical about the Bin Laden death because they haven’t seen photos. In the cases of Saddam’s sons and Zarquawi, the official photos were released immediately; since there is a delay in Bin Laden’s case it only fuels greater suspicion.


6 posted on 05/04/2011 4:58:03 AM PDT by rightwingintelligentsia (Be careful of believing something just because you want it to be true.)
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To: Smokeyblue

Muzzies go ballistic over a cartoon.......We’re worried about offending who...a bunch of murdering bas*****


7 posted on 05/04/2011 4:58:16 AM PDT by Sacajaweau
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To: expatguy

“This will become a complete disaster for us in the war on terrorism “

Next we’ll have dirty nukes set off in our cities and in Europe. Obama will declare martial law and shut off the internet so the terrorists can’t use it. The only news we’ll get will be from approved government sources.


8 posted on 05/04/2011 4:59:29 AM PDT by dljordan ("His father's sword he hath girded on, And his wild harp slung behind him")
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To: Smokeyblue

Barry already killed him. And he’s afraid of a photo backlash????? Bring it on towelheads. We can take out Mecca in a blink of an eye!


9 posted on 05/04/2011 5:02:41 AM PDT by Doc Savage ("I've shot people I like a lot more,...for a lot less!" Raylan Givins)
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To: Smokeyblue

The chance to publish the photographs is quickly passing. If they are going to do it, do it today or tomorrow. If not, then don’t ever publish it. Otherwise, the administration gives the appearance of intentionally fanning the flames, and will be forced to defend the mantra of “needed more time to doctor the photos.”


10 posted on 05/04/2011 5:02:55 AM PDT by Husker
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To: Smokeyblue
with bin Laden's wife having survived the attack to identify bin Laden's death

Are they credible sources? I can think of a number of reasons why they would want the world to think 0sama was dead, but not very many why they would want us to believe he was still alive.

11 posted on 05/04/2011 5:02:55 AM PDT by The Sons of Liberty (Psalm 109:8 Let his days be few and let another take his office. - Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin)
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To: rightwingintelligentsia

This delay already has made it difficult to believe any photos released would be real.

I’m fast coming to the idea it’s not a good idea NOW...too late. They know the public handled Saddams sons....and the fallout from releasing them.

It’s known in the ME “stories” go with the culture. It won’t matter if they are or aren’t published. They will simply design their own story around it...and likely say anything out there is a fake.


12 posted on 05/04/2011 5:06:25 AM PDT by caww
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To: Smokeyblue
I think that all Americans are victims of his terrorism (some much more closely than others), and as such we deserve to see the most compelling possible evidence that justice has been served. Issues of the sensitivities of others, however compelling, take a back seat to this.
13 posted on 05/04/2011 5:06:48 AM PDT by Puddleglum (dance with the horse that brung ya)
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To: MichiganConservative
from your article the president was...working as an absentee president

That's the thing that never smelled right about this whole ordeal: issuing a "kill order" is the total antithesis of Obama's sissified personality.

Somebody please post the picture of Obama and M watching the martial arts demonstration on the White House lawn

... then ask yourselves: can this man kill anything?

14 posted on 05/04/2011 5:06:55 AM PDT by LoveUSA (You don't notice the night light until it gets dark.)
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To: Husker

Concur. Release the damned photos. Failure to do so only invites sense of indecision, ineptitude, weakness.

Show other terrorists what their fate will be if they mess with the United States.

My question: every news outlet keeps saying the raid took 40 minutes - specifically 40 minutes at the compound. What the Hell took 40 minutes? They snatched Elian Gonzales in 5 minutes.

Either the MSM has it wrong and the 40 minutes included the travel time to and from Afghanistan, or something is weird.


15 posted on 05/04/2011 5:08:19 AM PDT by mwl8787
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To: Puddleglum

Too late....am thinking that has been their plan. Not to mention easy diversion from other matters we’re not paying attention to know.

I say...it’s just too late and NOW won’t make a difference.


16 posted on 05/04/2011 5:10:30 AM PDT by caww
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To: Smokeyblue

If the shoe was on the other foot...just how long would it take for Osama to post a picture of a killed US president on the internet????????????? 20 seconds? 25 seconds? 30 seconds...

The world of PC just has to disappear!


17 posted on 05/04/2011 5:11:14 AM PDT by DH ( 48th TFW A&E 1967-1970)
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To: muawiyah
I think this is a clear opportunity for getting rid of more AlQaida types than we ever imagined ~ if they will only turn out and display their sympathies.

What exactly would be the point of this sort of action? I am not asking to be smart or anything. What do you think the ultimate outcome will be? How will this actually change anything for Americans or America in a year or in ten years?

If we kill enough of the AlQaida typs, will that stop the internal moral rot in the US? Will that stop the USSA from ending up on the ash heap of history? Will that make your life better?

I am of the opinion that America is doomed, not because of external threats, but because of Americans and the decisions they make and the attitudes and ideologies they hold.

I think America will head off into that good night and Americans will be beating their chests and boasting about their "rights" all the while voting in tyrants who take their rights away.

I think we could kill an AlQaeda leader a day for the next ten years and it won't affect the fate of the USSA.

Is it just some crack to numb the pain or distract from looking at the fact that half the country or more is the "domestic enemy" of the traditional American ideas of freedom, liberty, free enterprise and small, limited goverment?

18 posted on 05/04/2011 5:11:45 AM PDT by MichiganConservative (We would all be better off if the federal government just decided to end itself.)
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To: MichiganConservative

We essentially live in a communist country. Just check the communist manifesto. There never was an invading, conquering army that forced that on us. We chose it.


19 posted on 05/04/2011 5:14:21 AM PDT by MichiganConservative (We would all be better off if the federal government just decided to end itself.)
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To: Smokeyblue; All
Department of Defense and Joint Chiefs FOIA:

OFFICE OF FREEDOM OF INFORMATION (OFOI)

20 posted on 05/04/2011 5:14:32 AM PDT by Virginia Ridgerunner (Sarah Palin has crossed the Rubicon!)
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