AP Files FOIA Request For Bin Laden Photos 518
Hugh Pickens writes "The Atlantic reports that President Obama's decision to withhold the visual evidence of Osama bin Laden's death has created a fundamental disagreement between the White House and the Associated Press, one of the largest journalism organizations in the world, prompting the news organization to file a Freedom of Information Act request for the bin Laden photos. 'This information is important for the historical record,' says Michael Oreskes, senior managing editor at The Associated Press. 'That's our view.' AP's FOIA request includes a reminder of the president's campaign pledge and a plea to be more transparent than his predecessor. 'The Obama White House pledged to be the most transparent government in US history,' writes the AP, 'and to comply much more closely with the Freedom of Information Act than the Bush administration did.' The AP isn't alone in wanting more insight on the specifics of the raid. When it eventually surfaced that bin Laden was not killed in a firefight, his wife wasn't used as a human shield, there was no live footage of the event and the 'mansion' where he lived was only worth between $250,000 and $480,000, many became skeptical of the White House's narrative. Other organizations that have filed FOIAs include Politico, Fox News, Judicial Watch and Citizens United. Oreskes sympathizes with the president. 'This is obviously one of his most difficult decisions and we understand that.'"
Was he captured (Score:4, Interesting)
I have a lingering thought though that he might have been captured alive and not killed.
Personally, I don't really care what happened to Bin Laden. I hope he's dead but I'm not going to dwell on the conspiracies. I only think that the USA took care of him in a way they saw fit.
But, there's been pictures of the dead infamous throughout history killers, dictators, criminals, war lords, blah blah I think they weren't concerned with releasing photos of Saddam dead. Though there could have equally been 'security' concerns over that one too.
Classify this! (Score:0, Interesting)
Well they started at least two wars because of this guy. Now that he's dead, the world would like to see him dead.
Not to mention the very original "burial at sea"... C'mon,you lose the corpse, you don't release the photo of the said corpse and you expect everybody to take your word for it? Certainly NOT YOUR WORD, Obama!
Re:stupid (Score:5, Interesting)
Actually, you have something of a point there. From my point of view, Binny Boy needed killing, no matter what. If he had waved a white flag, and crawled out of the compound praising America, and kissed every Seal's ass in sight, he still needed killing. I don't care if it was an ordered assasination, or he went down fighting. It just makes no difference.
But, IF - and I stress IF - Binny was shot down like a rabid dog, then the US should have announced it in just those terms. There's no need to pull punches, gloss over the truth, or to sugar coat it. Just tell the world, "We killed the bastard, end of story!"
Re:Bullshit logic.. (Score:2, Interesting)
Speaking of bullshit logic....
The official excuse for the quick burial at sea was so there couldn't be a Bin Laden martyr shrine. However, there are innumerable shrines around the world built around the flimsiest of relics such as a cup the martyr drank from once, or a shred of cloth the martyr supposedly had touched. A body is simply not necessary for a martyr's shrine. If anyone wants a Bin Laden shrine it won't take long before it's built.
We do know for a fact that Bin Laden may or may not be dead. Same for Kenneth Lay. In today's world bullshit reigns supreme and the higher you go the higher it's piled.
Re:stupid (Score:4, Interesting)
I refuse to live in fear of nebulous enemies. Show the photos.
Re:stupid (Score:5, Interesting)
I've been thinking about his a lot. There is a lot of issues that need to be thought about.
1) If in custody, I would wager al quaida would make at least one attempt to get him back, and hen could mean taking a shit load of hostages.
2) In custody he becomes a rallying point.
3) He would be a global political nightmare.
4) and several other i probably don't need to list.
OTOH, isn't a free nation of laws suppose to hold the law above all risks?
I really don't know. I will be mulling over it for a long time. I mean, emotional I was glad. But we need rational at time like these.
" It would have also shown Bin Laden to be the pathetic hateful little man he really is and probably convinced some of the more marginal extremist people in the world they are heading down the wrong path"
I think that is incredibly naive. He would be a rallying point.
Re:It was an execution (Score:4, Interesting)
I'm going to have to call bullshit on that. Despite what you might see on NCIS, you cannot tell all of that from a photo of a dead man. You need a lot more forensic evidence than that to determine that the individual was shot from an elevate position rather than just coincidentally with a similar angle. Even just a simple angle, is really tough to tell just by looking at a photo without having several more with which to compare it.
Yes, there was an incredibly high barrier to him surrendering, but unless you've got actual evidence to support the accusation, you really shouldn't be spreading conspiracy theories.