Why Bin Laden "Death Pics" Should be Released

[pulicords]

While I'm not the least bit interested in seeing the body myself, I do believe there's a good reason to release the photos of Bin Laden's dead body. Images of the dead (and presumably mutilated) body of the "spiritual leader" behind Al Qaeda would go a long ways towards removing some of the glamor he's tried to bring upon himself through propaganda videos. Bin Laden's constant portrayal as a "warrior" (shown firing, handling or in the presence of weapons) was pretty obviously disproved by the poor fight he put up when confronted by U.S. military personnel. While most thinking people can grasp this, photos of his corpse go a long ways towards driving this home among his current and potential followers. It's one thing to look tough in staged videos and another thing to be shown as nothing more than a mass of mutilated flesh, bone, blood and brain matter, little different or more heroic than roadkill.

Yea, it's propaganda, but propaganda means something to these people. One need only look at the videos they've produced and distributed over the years. Daniel Pearl's murder, the mutilation of civilians and contractors in Iraq, attacks on U.S. personnel with IEDs, or the images of our dead troops being dragged through the streets of Mogadishu. These images are intended to demonstrate not only the "power" of the organization that presents them, but the "weakness" of those they oppose. Bin Laden's lack of ability (or will) to personally and physically inflict injury or death upon "infidels" when he had the opportunity to do so personally, severely damaged not only his reputation, but that of all AQ leadership. Saying he hid behind a woman (when faced with death) is one thing, showing how he died drives home the message more powerfully.

Seeing his torn corpse, allows those who've allied themselves (or considered allying themselves) with this organization imagine their own pending demise in vivid detail. Not as "glorious soldiers" dying valiantly in an idealistic vision from a movie, but experiencing the kind of ugly, painful and disgustingly ordinary (in that area of the world) death that's all but appealing. Kind of hard to envision heaven and those "76 virgins" when you're looking at those kinds of images, isn't it?

[SkepticAlways]

I look at it like this... I think withholding the pictures is taking the high road.

That said I'd love to see a pic of what's left of his head. Hell, if there was video, I'd love to watch it over, and over, in slo-mo HiDef. I'm not like this with scenes of death in general. But in the specific case of our Seals turning Bin Laden's head into red mist, well, I'm on board.

That said, I don't think the pics should be released.
1) If someone is not convinced he's dead already, a picture isn't going to change that.
2) Imo, pictures, if released, will only result in two things...satisfying morbid curiosity. And unnecessarily inflaming the lunatic fringe*.


* I think this is an obvious outcome. So why give the enemy more motivation / inspiration to kill Americans? If you have family or friends deployed this should at least cause you to pause for a minute and ask - is my morbid curiosity worth the potential risk to them?

[hobbsie711]

+1

I look at it like this... I think withholding the pictures is taking the high road.

That said I'd love to see a pic of what's left of his head. Hell, if there was video, I'd love to watch it over, and over, in slo-mo HiDef. I'm not like this with scenes of death in general. But in the specific case of our Seals turning Bin Laden's head into red mist, well, I'm on board.

That said, I don't think the pics should be released.
1) If someone is not convinced he's dead already, a picture isn't going to change that.
2) Imo, pictures, if released, will only result in two things...satisfying morbid curiosity. And unnecessarily inflaming the lunatic fringe*.


* I think this is an obvious outcome. So why give the enemy more motivation / inspiration to kill Americans? If you have family or friends deployed this should at least cause you to pause for a minute and ask - is my morbid curiosity worth the potential risk to them?

[saultsaultsudio]

I can get a good look at a T-bone by sticking my head up a bull's butt, but id rather take his word for it

[Bearcat357]

My issues.....

--POTUS allows media to show up at Dover to take pics of our dead Soliders coming home in flag draped coffins......but he doesn't allow this.....

--POTUS allows media to show up at Arlington National Cemetary.....and allows them to take pics of services/family members. Family members can opt out....but most don't know that....or aren't in the right state of mind.... but yet he doesn't allow this.....

--Pictures of the other 2-3 dudes the SEALS smoked are out there......

--There have been pics posted by the US Gov of Saddam and his kids DOA.......

--There have been tons of pics of the beheadings, killings, and other violence out there....

Why not release....shut folks up....and drive on.....?? Same with the whole Birth Certificate. Release the damn thing (like he finally did) and drive on.....

Anyone want to bet that in Aug/Sept of 2012 right before the elections they come out because the GOP is on the POUTS's butt about them......?

[saultsaultsudio]

I think he should release them. Maybe he should not have right away, that I can understand. Give it a few days or even a week or so and then do it. I think we can all agree (who think they should be released) that would reasonable - analyzing the photos and whatnot. It certainly would quiet the birthers who became deathers. Next they will be back on "Hes a Muslim".

[jannino]

Their White House's tactics are weak. I'm going to dig up the article pointing out the details of these home videos the WH released of Bin Laden watching tv in his house. WH thought it would show how good he is living it up, but it actually showed how humble and religious he was...

[jlongo900]

No, releasing OBL's death pictures would only cause riots , etc. across the Muslim world. It would cause more harm than good to the United States.

For those conspiracy theorists, sorry, but your peace of mind is not important in this regard.

[HI629]

They can't release something that doesn't exist. The truth is out there........

[retired]

They can't release something that doesn't exist. The truth is out there........

So do you think that he wasn't killed by Seal Team 6?

[HI629]

So do you think that he wasn't killed by Seal Team 6?

These days, don't really know what to believe. When Saddam Hussein's two sons were killed, their photos were all over the media. Having had a background in the mortuary industry, I could see how the bodies were cleaned up and a lot of post mortem make up was used. Though it is possible that the photos were bogus, there was really no reason to believe that they were at the time. The American people had "instant gratification" and could see that the two were in fact dead. When Hussein was captured, photos were distributed.

Funny how the timing occurred with the Bin Laden incident. With all of the existing controversy and the unpopular position obama was in, it would have been a lot easier to believe if he immediately released some type of proof that they did in fact kill Bin Laden.

Folks are free to believe what they want, but I have my doubts that Bin Laden is dead. He'd be a lot more valuable alive and held captive somewhere under extremely high security and secrecy. The "death" is probably just a cover so the majority of the folks believe he's dead and stop looking.

[LA DEP]

No, releasing OBL's death pictures would only cause riots , etc. across the Muslim world. It would cause more harm than good to the United States.

For those conspiracy theorists, sorry, but your peace of mind is not important in this regard.

Let them riot.....the 'Religion of Perpetual Outage' tends to riot at the drop of a hat anyway.

[DOAcop38]

So do you think that he wasn't killed by Seal Team 6?

they shot that diabetic demon full a more holes than the A*hole day parade!.. he's dead- the U.S. miitary got, Obama jama jumped on the " I kill terrorizers too " band wagon that ol' dubya put into effect, and the rest of the sweaty faced and angry 3rd world maddogs had to suffice with killing there own folks and pretty much leaving the rest of us "washed" people alone.......

[asullivan]

While I'm not the least bit interested in seeing the body myself,

I iz'

[asullivan]

"washed" people .......

Dat' bastard betta' not "wash up'z"

He might become......

da' back,,,, ta' life, mummi-fied zombie!!

[TheTick]

[LINY]

I'd like to imagine it looks something like this:

[Kieth M.]

Damned if they do, damned if they don't.

Do it and every rag-headed, goat-boning eff-tard with an aversion to personal hygiene will take to the streets of Buttcrackistan, burn American flags or beat and kill any nearby American. At home, every armchair CSI, Alex Jones listening, conspiracy theory-buying pinhead will make or find a way to say it's faked and the gov'mint lied.

Don't do it and we get the same crap, but spread out in manageable doses.