Osama Bin Laden dead? Hmm...

[Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens]

Yes, let us all rejoice that this ex-CIA operative has been killed for the 9th time (I'm not kidding, look up all the times they said they killed him), even though insiders like Madeline Albright and Dr. Steven Pieczenik (Kissinger's right testicle and former deputy assistant secretary of state) said he was literally on ice and being held for an 'opportune moment'.  Pieczenik actually knew Osama personally (it's documented) and said he was suffering acute kidney failure in 2002 and was on dialysis.  Pieczenik even said on the record that Osama was dead in 2002.

Add to that the fact that the photos circulating on May Day were doctored and from years ago (this is admitted) and the quick and dirty burial at sea without providing any real evidence and, in the very least, you should be left questioning some of this and doing some research.  Osama's been a spectre for years, and now they have other bogeymen to haunt us like Anwar Al-Awlaki.  

He's your next bogeyman and 'they' have promised reprisals so it's time to be very afraid and give up more of your rights so you can be safe!

[Atelier]

I'm getting sick of all the media coverage it's getting. Oh guess what there's yet another media storm! I apologise to all Americans out there if you had to endure all that Royal Wedding malarkey. (For the record I am a royalist )

I was getting ready to die from swine flu. I was preparing for my town to be drowned by rising tides. I was told to buy drought resistant plants for my garden. Global warming is a joke (think they call it climate change instead now). "Let's follow everybody else and get grants to do some research! Don't worry, we'll fudge the results!"

The point is we only truly know what the media tells us. (Free media basically means news agencies can force whatever agenda they want). Osama's death is painfully overstated. If this top secret mission, real or not, was not reported, would it affect us? Nope. Will it affect us anyway? Nope.*

To the Americans Bin Laden is not just a 'person', he is an icon of fear and evil.  It doesn't necesarily have to be the man's death they are celebarating, that's just by-the-by. They're really celebrating the symbolism of his death.

Absolutely. I couldn't believe people going into a frenzied trance over his death. What is that in aid of anyway? I bet some of them didn't even know who he was.

* Touch wood.

[Mati256]

I'm afraid Prog is right when saying:

He's your next bogeyman and 'they' have promised reprisals so it's time to be very afraid and give up more of your rights so you can be safe!

[m0ds]

Yeah, it's all bullshit. Seems US Gov is perhaps trying to push the evolution of terrorism (and rights-destroying counter terrorism). It seems likely to me this "news" was a stunt, also that he may have been dead for years as suggested by ProgZ. It's kind of weird to see the way the press have lapped the story up when there's just so much wrong with it. It's got hoaxy mchoax hoax written all over it   Not saying he isn't dead, just saying I don't believe for one moment it happened in the timeline being reported in the media (from the US Government). Let alone the asshole "gung ho" nature of the operation.

[InCreator]

Suspicious part is why he wasn't captured alive and why do it with choppers, SEALS and guns.

It's not like we haven't figured out how to use gas or something. Pick a right wind, evacuate building next door and let sucker have it.
Or simply drop a bomb/rocket where needed. If they needed body to show to the rest of the world, where is it?

[Buckethead]

If they needed body to show to the rest of the world, where is it?

That they dumped the body in the ocean right away it what seems the most sketchy to me. Why did it have to happen so quickly? And why not just burn his body? That would have totally got rid of his body so no one could dive it up or something silly like that. Also that the US are changing facts all the time doesn't help either.

[Monsieur OUXX]

If I'm not mistaken, the topic started on questions of legitimacy on this whole manhunt thing, and now it's slided to its insignificant part, like "is he REALLY dead?".

[m0ds]

If I'm not mistaken, the topic started on questions of legitimacy on this whole manhunt thing, and now it's slided to its insignificant part, like "is he REALLY dead?".

True, but it didn't happen - so there is no legitimacy to question All the world's a stage!

[Stupot]

They will eventually release a video of his death and funeral, but they haven't finished filming it at their studios in Area 51 yet.

[Calin Leafshade]

I also heard that they faked the moon landings and that obama is a kenyan, muslim spy from outer space.

Sometimes, you know, the government is actually telling the truth.

[Radiant]

If I'm not mistaken, the topic started on questions of legitimacy on this whole manhunt thing, and now it's slided to its insignificant part, like "is he REALLY dead?".

For what it's worth, two men in a small city near where I live filed suit against America for murder.

Yeah, really. Predictably, they were laughed out of court as it was pointed out that the local court of a random European city has no jurisdiction over another country :

Regardless, Saddam was taken to court, I think Osama should have been too. The end result would have been the same (i.e. death penalty) but I prefer a clear and open judicial system to a shot in the desert.

[dbuske]

Now our greatest enemy is Republicans.
They failed to protect the environment, They tortured people in Cuba.
They gouged us for gas.  Allowed credit card companies to gouge us.

[Monsieur OUXX]

Saddam was taken to court, I think Osama should have been too. The end result would have been the same (i.e. death penalty) but I prefer a clear and open judicial system to a shot in the desert.

+1. And even in the case of Hussein, he was judged by a parody of court (USA sort-of military court) instead of the ICC.

If I'm not mistaken, the topic started on questions of legitimacy on this whole manhunt thing, and now it's slided to its insignificant part, like "is he REALLY dead?".

True, but it didn't happen - so there is no legitimacy to question

I don't know if it was meant to be a joke, but if it was serious, then I think it's quite the opposite -- If we're not sure if he's been caught (even though for me it's pretty sure), then maybe it's not too late to stop and think of the consequences of this terrible illegal manhunt.

[LUniqueDan]

Who? Never heard of.

[Tuomas]

After all the celebrating, the US people have shown, that it's not only the government the Al Qaida are planning to take revenge on, I should think they feel it's all justified now. Or at least that's what they said on the news just now.

[Mr Flibble]

Unless he's planning a Coke Classic style return I'd say this is pretty conclusive (BBC News).

[selmiak]

This whole thing stinks and leave so many questions...

imagine Osama was still alive. Why would a proud seals team kill him instead of capture him and drag him to Guantanamo and ask (and waterboard him) about 9-11 and other terrorist acts? Why not show the world you finally got him?
Okay, so it was 1 o'clock in the morning, he was annoyed by the helicopters flying around his house in the middle of the night and fought in his pyjama and had to be killed (don't taze him!) and noone from the special forces team with hightech equipment has a helmet camera with better quality than a y2k cellphone? all the world gets to see is a lousy picture of some people in the white house staring at an edge of the room where they might be watching Wag the Dog or something.


So what is it that this announcement from the white house wants to tell us:
We are mighty, we get everyone, we are the good christians that fight the evil muslims, but we respect your conventions as contradicting this might be.

what it tells me:
we are stratetic liars and kill random people (not sure if Osama) unjustified and disregard international law. We have forgotten about our 10 commandments we want to defend but fear your (our selfplotted?) revenge acts even though we already monitor everything.

what I think:
Osama is definately dead. If he was still alive he would use this to make a new video to embarress the US. This whole thing is just another message feeding the plot for the war and taking away civil rights. What a funny thing a gouvernment can and does control the history books used in future classes.

[NickyNyce]

I just have to add my two cents here...Osama Bin Laden, who WAS the most wanted man on the planet, who has killed thousands of civilians like you and me because we live in America and not to mention that he declared war on America and freedom.

How is this not justified, Even if he was unarmed and wanted to surrender....too bad, too late....you dont sneak on a bus and pay to get off. Pakistan had this man living next to a military base for ten years  and had no clue about it....All the way from here in America we found him....amazing...no problem, we will take care of it, and we did.

The world has been under attack from extremists for a very long time, like Bush said....you are either with us or against us. Here in America we have too many laws, so many that we can barely go to the store without getting sued by someone.
America is no angel, but someone has to right the ship and hold the torch.
I do agree that running around celebrating the death of a man is not right, but if anyone ever had it coming to him, it was Osama bin laden.

[Ali]

I'm as ridiculously left-wing as the average AGSer, and I would much rather have seen villains like Osama Bin Laden and Saddam Hussein face a real trial without the threat of a death penalty.

That said, I have very little sympathy for them. Death by hanging is 'natural causes' for tyrants, as is being shot in the early morning for terrorists. If it's said, it's sad because it has done nothing to break a cycle of violence.

[Calin Leafshade]

How is this not justified, Even if he was unarmed and wanted to surrender....too bad, too late....you dont sneak on a bus and pay to get off.

Nope, sorry. That's not how western justice works. I don't care how much of a cunt someone is, you dont get to shoot them if they are unarmed and willing to surrender (I dont know if Bin Laden *did* want to surrender but i'm just addressing Nicky's point)

The world has been under attack from extremists for a very long time, like Bush said....you are either with us or against us.

Really? Those are the choices? One of the reasons that that is such a widely distributed quote of bush is that *it's stupid*. I'm not defending terrorists for one second but to say that we either support an imperialistic America or we support extremist islam is insulting and absurd.

America is no angel, but someone has to right the ship and hold the torch.

And I suppose that would be Team America? Let's ignore the many Europeans that have died because it's all about America.