Here you have an operation that was so meticulously planned that they even built a replica of the compound and practiced the raid several times. They even planned out what to do with the body.
So why the anguish and delay over the photo decision? I'm betting they had already "war gamed" the pros and cons of releasing the photo.
I'm betting that they made the decision to release the photo, thus the comments by Panetta but Obama has now chickened out.
In an interview with Steve Kroft for this Sunday’s “60 Minutes,” President Obama says he won’t release post-mortem images of Osama bin Laden taken to prove his death.
Video of the comments will appear on the CBS “Evening News” on Wednesday.
Republican House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers said Wednesday that the Obama administration should not release the gruesome post-mortem images, saying it could complicate the job for American troops overseas. Rogers told CBS News he has seen a post-mortem photo.
“The risks of release outweigh the benefits,” Rogers said. “Conspiracy theorists around the world will just claim the photos are doctored anyway, and there is a real risk that releasing the photos will only serve to inflame public opinion in the Middle East.”
“Imagine how the American people would react if Al Qaeda killed one of our troops or military leaders, and put photos of the body on the internet,” Rogers continued. “Osama bin Laden is not a trophy - he is dead and let’s now focus on continuing the fight until Al Qaida has been eliminated.”
Read more: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20059739-503544.html#ixzz1LPQ7Pg3R
I was shocked when Krauthammer said last night that this episode means no one can criticize his foreign policy for the 2012 election. How the hell did Krauthammer arrive at that conclusion? He certainly didn’t ask Britian or Israel. Krauthammer has, for the past 18 months, become more and more an Obama supporter. Anyone know what’s happened to him?
Barack al-Hussein bin Obama could screw up a one-car funeral.
Dictator in chief.
spit.....
I guess they couldn’t get approval from the UN and Arab League.
____________________________________________________________________
*** UPDATE *** Here is what President Obama told Steve Kroft of "60 Minutes" about his decision. The interview will air on Sunday.
"The risks of release outweigh the benefits," he said. "Conspiracy theorists around the world will just claim the photos are doctored anyway, and there is a real risk that releasing the photos will only serve to inflame public opinion in the Middle East."
"Imagine how the American people would react if Al Qaida killed one of our troops or military leaders, and put photos of the body on the internet," he continued. "Osama bin Laden is not a trophy - he is dead and let's now focus on continuing the fight until Al Qaida has been eliminated."
*
Wait until the Boo’s come out at his WTC Ground Zero visit tomorrow!
What a Maroon!
FUDGE!
I don’t need a picture.
MSNBC CORRECTING... but Obama still said Osama not a trophy.
______________________________________________________________
*** UPDATE *** Here is what President Obama told Steve Kroft of “60 Minutes” about his decision. The interview will air on Sunday.
“The risks of release outweigh the benefits,” he said. “Conspiracy theorists around the world will just claim the photos are doctored anyway, and there is a real risk that releasing the photos will only serve to inflame public opinion in the Middle East.”
“Imagine how the American people would react if Al Qaida killed one of our troops or military leaders, and put photos of the body on the internet,” he continued. “Osama bin Laden is not a trophy - he is dead and let’s now focus on continuing the fight until Al Qaida has been eliminated.”
*** CORRECTION *** Those quotes above are from House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers, not President Obama. (It’s unclear why CBS decided not to release quotes from the president in its story about the news.)
Here is what Obama told “60 Minutes,” per White House Press Secretary Jay Carney: “We’ve done DNA sampling and testing. There is no doubt we killed Osama bin Laden.” Obama went on to say that releasing the photos could incite violence and run contray to America’s values. “We don’t trot out this stuff as trophies... We don’t need to spike the football.”
Now we will hear this for three days...
So we can see photos of Mussolini hanging upside down, and Saddam being hanged.
But this is just too much?!?
I guess this means the Trumpster will have another issue to go after Obama with. That should please his lackey mouthpieces on FR and his legions of fans everywhere.
More good news for conservatives and the GOP. /sarc
Bad decision. Odd decision.
Let the conspiracies begin!
This is how he keeps the story alive until closer to the election, then he releases the photo to make naysayers look like fools.
Lamest POTUS ever.