Obama 10:50 PM Announcement: bin Laden dead - Embassy Attack False Alarm

[DeToxRox]

Saw this on twitter

RT @jacksonjk House Intelligence committee aide confirms that Osama Bin Laden is dead. U.S. has the body.

[Ronnie Dobbs2]

But where is the death certificate?

[DaddyTorgo]

Apparently.

*shrugs*

Was probably the kidney's that killed him rather than us, so I'm not sure I see this as some "great victory" or anything.

One less scumbag in the world is certainly nice though.

[Ronnie Dobbs2]

If the US has the body, does that make the odds of a natural death remote?

[Ronnie Dobbs2]

Killed a week ago by a US bomb per Fox News.

[CrimsonFox]

Killed a week ago by a US bomb per Fox News.

I don't believe a word of it then.

[MrBug708]

Good

[ISiddiqui]

Hooray!

[kingfc22]

About damn time!

[JonInMiddleGA]

I loved Geraldo's comment just before the cause was detailed, something to the effect that "I don't care if he hit his head jumping into a mudhole as long as the bastard is dead"

[Dodgerchick]

How epic would it be if Obama busts out with Osama's head saying, "We got 'em bitches!"

[Logan]

Just heard Wolf Blitzer saying that every American will remember where they were when they found out Bin Laden was dead.

While I'm very happy, I'll also lay those odds.

[Dodgerchick]

They kick the head around like a soccerball, throw shoes at it.

[M GO BLUE!!!]

AMERICA, FUCK YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[DeToxRox]

Wolf Blitzer had the best quote ever: "We'll find out who else is dead from the President"

[DaddyTorgo]

Just heard Wolf Blitzer saying that every American will remember where they were when they found out Bin Laden was dead.

While I'm very happy, I'll also lay those odds.

Seriously. The fact that that has become the "go to" saying anytime something happens is pretty silly.

[Galaxy]

Killed a week ago by a US bomb per Fox News.

So why announce it at 11:00 PM on a Sunday night?

[Galaxy]

Wolf Blitzer had the best quote ever: "We'll find out who else is dead from the President"

LOL!

[Ronnie Dobbs2]

So why announce it at 11:00 PM on a Sunday night?

They did DNA testing? Timing is odd but it seems like they're announcing it as soon as they confirmed it.

[JonInMiddleGA]

So why announce it at 11:00 PM on a Sunday night?

Reportedly just got the DNA test results back tonight.

[kingfc22]

Now can we chop off his head and broadcast it via the al jazeera network.

[MJ4H]

http://i54.tinypic.com/2z59nh4.jpg

[molson]

Stay tuned for some real gems for the "Facebook posts so pathetic they belong in this thread!!!"

This was a lot more exciting before the news leaked, but congrats to Obama and our military for doing what everyone had pretty much given up on.

[M GO BLUE!!!]

So why announce it at 11:00 PM on a Sunday night?

Because once it is confirmed, the news will leak. It takes a while to get the body positively identified.

Thank God this didn't break last night at 11p. I was at Fox & was working until 8am. My night would have gotten rather busy.

[Galaxy]

I thought maybe he wanted to cut off the ending of Trump's show on NBC.

[Ksyrup]

At this point...BFD.

[Bigsmooth]

It's news I suppose. Doesn't really change anything though. Not like Al-Queda died with him. Pretty much just gonna piss the terrorists off.

edit: Astounding, the coverage this is getting. Really? The ticker on ESPN?

[panerd]

I thought maybe he wanted to cut off the ending of Trump's show on NBC.

Yeah my girlfriend watches his show religiously and when I heard this I thought that exact same thing. :)

[CrimsonFox]

Who cares? I wanna watch Amazing Race! :(

[Ksyrup]

It's news I suppose. Doesn't really change anything though. Not like Al-Queda died with him. Pretty much just gonna piss the terrorists off.

edit: Astounding, the coverage this is getting. Really? The ticker on ESPN?

Exactly. Dude hasn't made a real appearance in years, has been in poor health, and they haven't been able to pull off even a minor incident in this country since 2011. It's nice that we finally get the guy mostly responsible for 9/11, but I don't think his death means anything for our national security going forward or anything.

[Mustang]

Hope bin Laden wasn't looking forward to the royal wedding.

[DanGarion]

Saw this on twitter

RT @jacksonjk House Intelligence committee aide confirms that Osama Bin Laden is dead. U.S. has the body.

Who?

[sabotai]

Hope bin Laden wasn't looking forward to the royal wedding.

I hope he was! :P

[Mustang]

I hope he was! :P

*L* Ya.. I wrote that wrong. :)

[Lathum]

edit: Astounding, the coverage this is getting. Really? The ticker on ESPN?

You don't think it deserves that kind of coverage? The mastermind behind one of the darkest days in our country's history has been killed. The news is about as big as it gets.

[MrBug708]

Apparently he was living in a pretty nice house outside of Islamabad

[stevew]

Alrighty! We won the war on terror....bring the troops home.

Wink

[Ksyrup]

You don't think it deserves that kind of coverage? The mastermind behind one of the darkest days in our country's history has been killed. The news is about as big as it gets.

Feel's pretty empty to me, actually.

[DaddyTorgo]

Feel's pretty empty to me, actually.

Ditto.

[SirFozzie]

The ground forces who apparently took Bin Laden out better not ever pay for a drink ever again.

[Scoobz0202]

Yea, when I read it on my way home I thought, " cool. "

My buddy did call me in Columbus and said people are in the streets lighting fireworks and what not. Then again, he lives on campus so its probably just a reason to party for most of them.

[molson]

I can understand why its not a big deal to some people, but you're kind of disconnected if don't recognize this is a big deal to a lot of other people (and as a very worthy news story).

[Bigsmooth]

I mean, I guess it's cool from a tactical, intelligence sort of way. But big picture wise, doesn't even blip on my radar as a big deal. I assumed he was dead years ago though so I don't really pay much attention.

[jeff061]

I can understand why its not a big deal to some people, but you're kind of disconnected if don't recognize this is a big deal to a lot of other people (and as a very worthy news story).

I begrudgingly recognize it :D.

[MrBug708]

It's probably about time for us to take away Pakistan's nukes now.

[Crapshoot]

Apparently he was living in a pretty nice house outside of Islamabad

This is scary. That's the capital of Pakistan - how the fuck did he get there? I recognize Pakistan isn't a security state either, but that's still scary that he was living right there.

[jeff061]

This is scary. That's the capital of Pakistan - how the fuck did he get there? I recognize Pakistan isn't a security state either, but that's still scary that he was living right there.
I'm sure he has friends in positions of power within the Pakistani government.

Wouldn't be surprised if we've known for months and were trying to figure a political way to take him out and finally said "Fuck it".

[Ksyrup]

I mean, I guess it's cool from a tactical, intelligence sort of way. But big picture wise, doesn't even blip on my radar as a big deal. I assumed he was dead years ago though so I don't really pay much attention.

I haven't thought about bin laden since Family Guy spoofed him.

[M GO BLUE!!!]

Mr. Bin Laden, I would like to introduce you to your 72 virgins. Yes, they are all wearing US Army fatigues...

[JonInMiddleGA]

Yes, they are all wearing US Army fatigues...

And birth control glasses? ;)

[molson]

I love the stock terrorist footage of the terrorists climbing on the monkey bars.

[sabotai]

Look at Obama's face when Seth Meyers made the joke abou... on Twitpic (http://twitpic.com/4s777w)

[Mustang]

I'm sure he has friends in positions of power within the Pakistani government.

Wouldn't be surprised if we've known for months and were trying to figure a political way to take him out

Pay to the order of Pakistan. $100,000,000,000

[Lathum]

I haven't thought about bin laden since Family Guy spoofed him.

You not thinking about him doesn't change what he is responsible for.

[cmp]

It's news I suppose. Doesn't really change anything though. Not like Al-Queda died with him. Pretty much just gonna piss the terrorists off.

edit: Astounding, the coverage this is getting. Really? The ticker on ESPN?

Seriously? You're wondering why this is getting the coverage it is?

[cartman]

I'm gonna need to see a long form death certificate to believe it. None of this Certificate of Dead Death nonsense.

[MrBug708]

Is Obama delayed because his teleprompter isn't working?

[SirFozzie]

Tell ya what.. I hope there's one hell of a gettogether tonight/tomorrow at Ground Zero in NYC. I almost want to drive out that way now.

[Ksyrup]

You not thinking about him doesn't change what he is responsible for.

That's my point - this isn't really news in the world today because it doesn't practically affect anything. It's just a long-overdue bit of justice for something that happened a long time ago.

Of more importance to me is seeing the Phillies finish the sweep. :p

[Lathum]

That's my point - this isn't really news in the world today because it doesn't practically affect anything. It's just a long-overdue bit of justice for something that happened a long time ago.



You are out of your mind if you don't think this is big news

[Groundhog]

Look at Obama's face when Seth Meyers made the joke abou... on Twitpic (http://twitpic.com/4s777w)

Priceless.

[Scoobz0202]

I want to meet the team (Prolly Seals?) that got assigned the mission to go get him. They have to be some bad mother fuckers.

[bulletsponge]

man he sure is long winded

[sabotai]

That's my point - this isn't really news in the world today because it doesn't practically affect anything.

We'll have to wait and see what the conditions were at this compound he's been hiding, but since he wasn't cave hopping on the border, don't you think that indicates he was still a pretty active leader? If so, I'd say that it practically affects quite a bit.

[JonInMiddleGA]

When you absolutely positively have to be sure, there is no substitute for boots on the ground.

[Groundhog]

Most expensive execution of all time?

[jbergey22]

Most expensive execution of all time?

Yes, without a doubt!

Much to do with the sad state of the US economy right now.

[Scoobz0202]

Wonder which of the ground troops gets to write the book, " I Shot Bin Laden"

[JonInMiddleGA]

Wonder which of the ground troops gets to write the book, " I Shot Bin Laden"

None of them. In reality, to publish it would risk the lives of every member of the unit, and future generations of the same (barring some extremely unforeseen progress).

Given the nature of any unit that would have carried out this kind of operation, to a man they know that.

[Ksyrup]

We'll have to wait and see what the conditions were at this compound he's been hiding, but since he wasn't cave hopping on the border, don't you think that indicates he was still a pretty active leader? If so, I'd say that it practically affects quite a bit.

And they've accomplished....what with him as a pretty active leader? I see the crowd outside the WH and see an olympic crowd outside the Ted Bundy execution - more about US ego-boosting than anything practical. It's nice he's dead and everything and I understand why that's news, but this far down the road from his last major act, it hardly means a thing to me.

I mean, there was a time when they had the opportunity to turn us into "one of them" - take advantage of the fear caused by 9/11 to change how we live. But 10 years later, their lasting legacy is making air travel more inconvenient.

[Scoobz0202]

None of them. In reality, to publish it would risk the lives of every member of the unit, and future generations of the same (barring some extremely unforeseen progress).

Given the nature of any unit that would have carried out this kind of operation, to a man they know that.

True that. I've read a few books and seen quite a bit on tv about Navy Seals, and I'm sure those types of special forces are all the same. They don't need the pat on the back.

[Bigsmooth]

Hey, maybe this is the symbolic "victory" Obama has needed in order to pull some people out of there and stop spending so much...

[Rizon]

Never seen him mentioned as "Usama" before. Talked to a few people and they've never seen him mentioned that way before, only "Osama". What's up with that?

[Izulde]

Perhaps a difference in how they're romanizing the Arabic?

[sabotai]

I've seen it spelled Usama many times before, FWIW.

[TCY Junkie]

Osama must have had Obama's real birth certificate.

[jeff061]

I've seen Usama quite a bit. Nothing new.

[Young Drachma]

Never seen him mentioned as "Usama" before. Talked to a few people and they've never seen him mentioned that way before, only "Osama". What's up with that?

Some style guides for certain press groups call for it to be spelled that way. I know when I was at the Boston Globe as a copy editor intern in 2003, AP had it one way, NY Times style had it another way. So in wire stories you'd change it to fit Globe style. And I don't even recall which they used anymore.

So it's like Fox or others who use Usama just maintain that style reference to him.

But to echo the others, yeah. There are some confusing reports about what the name actually is in English, hence the disputed spellings between publications.

[molson]

I wonder what they're going to do with the body. I don't know Islamic traditions for burial, but if (real) Islamic law demands it - will we give it to the family/otherwise arrange for proper burial?

[Young Drachma]

In reference to where he was found:

Anil Dash via Twitter (http://twitter.com/#!/anildash/status/64900525690335232)

The crazy thing about Bin Laden being in Abbottabad is that it is a tourist town, like if he'd caught in Vail or the Hamptons or something.

[jbergey22]

And they've accomplished....what with him as a pretty active leader? I see the crowd outside the WH and see an olympic crowd outside the Ted Bundy execution - more about US ego-boosting than anything practical. It's nice he's dead and everything and I understand why that's news, but this far down the road from his last major act, it hardly means a thing to me.

I mean, there was a time when they had the opportunity to turn us into "one of them" - take advantage of the fear caused by 9/11 to change how we live. But 10 years later, their lasting legacy is making air travel more inconvenient.

Its about not wasting 10 years and many lives in order to bring justice. It took a hell of a lot longer than anyone might have expected but in the end he paid the price for what he did 10 years ago.

Anyone that had to spend months/years of their lives across the ocean should feel very proud about this moment.

[molson]

In reference to where he was found:

Anil Dash via Twitter (http://twitter.com/#!/anildash/status/64900525690335232)

Seems like a nice spot, though a bit hard to get to:

Abbottabad travel guide - Wikitravel (http://wikitravel.org/en/Abbottabad)

[panerd]

And they've accomplished....what with him as a pretty active leader? I see the crowd outside the WH and see an olympic crowd outside the Ted Bundy execution - more about US ego-boosting than anything practical. It's nice he's dead and everything and I understand why that's news, but this far down the road from his last major act, it hardly means a thing to me.

I mean, there was a time when they had the opportunity to turn us into "one of them" - take advantage of the fear caused by 9/11 to change how we live. But 10 years later, their lasting legacy is making air travel more inconvenient.

They have caused the world's superpower to engage in two outright wars with conflicts also in Libya, Yemen, and Pakistan and their legacy is making air travel inconvenient? I am with you that his death certainly doesn't justify that lives lost and money spent on all these wars but have to agree with the other posters that this is definitely major news.

[cmp]

Never seen him mentioned as "Usama" before. Talked to a few people and they've never seen him mentioned that way before, only "Osama". What's up with that?

Seen it spelled as Usama quite often.

[Scoobz0202]

I, like many others, would love to know the details of this mission.

Did obama say after the firefight they killed Osama? I wonder if its just like they walked in, theres Osama sitting down waiting for them, walk up, boom.

[Lathum]

Seems like a nice spot, though a bit hard to get to:

Abbottabad travel guide - Wikitravel (http://wikitravel.org/en/Abbottabad)

From the things to do list on the Wikitravel page



Kill Osama Bin Laden.Trekking, Hiking, Camping, Photography, Golf, Picnic

[Abe Sargent]

Yea, when I read it on my way home I thought, " cool. "

My buddy did call me in Columbus and said people are in the streets lighting fireworks and what not. Then again, he lives on campus so its probably just a reason to party for most of them.

It IS finals week

[JonInMiddleGA]

True that. I've read a few books and seen quite a bit on tv about Navy Seals, and I'm sure those types of special forces are all the same. They don't need the pat on the back.

I've had the privilege of knowing a few of those folks (from various branches) through the years. My best guess is that they'll know amongst themselves fairly closely who was involved , we'll hear some unofficial things (sooner rather than later), there'll even probably be a Wiki entry eventually crediting it to a fairly widely accepted explanation.

But officially? Even so much as a credible "I was there" accounting? Only an incredible act of incompetence would ever allow that to happen with any identifiable information.

[cartman]

I have this image now in my mind of special ops walking up to the mansion, knocking on the door, and saying "Candygram for Osama".

[jbergey22]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkfokukjVV8

[stevew]

Already defriended one truther tonight

[Thomkal]

have to sad I'm a bit saddened and disheartened by those saying this isn't big news. Yeah its likely not much will change from an Al-Queda standpoint, but I think you need to go back and look at the footage of 9/11 again and then tell me this isn't big news. forget how relevant it might be 9 years later for a moment-this is the guy who orchestrated one of the darkest days in American history, if not the darkest, and he's been brought to justice. Think about the families who lost loved ones on 9/11 and tell me its not relevant to them and to all Americans who watched in horror that day not knowing what was going to happen next.

So if he been killed shortly after 9/11 or 1-2 years later, it would have been big news, but not now? Or because of the reprecussions, it shouldn't be big news? I almost can't believe what I'm reading from some of you here.

[Suburban Rhythm]

I love the stock terrorist footage of the terrorists climbing on the monkey bars.

Just thinking the same. Just used this clip on the local news. Did someone see that at some point and say "Damn! How are we gonna compete with that?"

[Atocep]

Already defriended one truther tonight

Was reminded of why I've largely stopped talking to what was once a really good friend of mine.

We had been discussing the draft earlier today so to keep conversation going on MSN I mentioned Bin Laden was dead. The response I get was "He's been dead for at least 7 years dude." I then remembered that he's become a 9-11 truther, New World Order believer, and generally believes every conspiracy out there except the moon landing.

[DaddyTorgo]

have to sad I'm a bit saddened and disheartened by those saying this isn't big news. Yeah its likely not much will change from an Al-Queda standpoint, but I think you need to go back and look at the footage of 9/11 again and then tell me this isn't big news. forget how relevant it might be 9 years later for a moment-this is the guy who orchestrated one of the darkest days in American history, if not the darkest, and he's been brought to justice. Think about the families who lost loved ones on 9/11 and tell me its not relevant to them and to all Americans who watched in horror that day not knowing what was going to happen next.

So if he been killed shortly after 9/11 or 1-2 years later, it would have been big news, but not now? Or because of the reprecussions, it shouldn't be big news? I almost can't believe what I'm reading from some of you here.

No one's disputing that it's big nes to families/friends of those who lost their lives on 9/11. But to everyone else I don't see why it would necessarily have to be.

[molson]

I'm just glad I'm in a place where I could enjoy tonight, the president's speech, and feed into the positive reaction of so many people.

Edit: Its even fun to just roll through the news sites, seeing how everyone is covering it. It may shock people - but this does appear to be a big story. And big stories are kind of fun (when they're not tragedies).

[stevew]

Seen it spelled as Usama quite often.

There is no direct Arabic to English translation in regards to spelling. Hakeem bs Akeem, why there are 100 spelling combos of Gaddaffy.

[Bigsmooth]

The best news is that there can be a new #1 priority for the Administration.

[Edward64]

Ready for the Modern Warefare mod for this.

[SirFozzie]

Already defriended one truther tonight


Lemme guess, claiming it was staged, etcetera?

[sabotai]

70 miles from Islamabad counts as "outside of Islamabad"?

Do they also describe Atlantic City as "outside of Philadelphia"?

It's technically true, as it isn't inside of it, but not quite the impression I get when that phrase is used.

[stevew]

Inside job, etc.

I'd love to see her say that shit to my friend Carol's face. She may as well say that the IED that claimed her son was planted by our side.

Hopefully Walleye has a smirk in the afterlife.

[stevew]

70 miles from Islamabad counts as "outside of Islamabad"?

Do they also describe Atlantic City as "outside of Philadelphia"?

It's technically true, as it isn't inside of it, but not quite the impression I get when that phrase is used.

Reports have this as near the Indian Border. I wonder what changed in Pakistan that made them give him up.

[GrantDawg]

Tell ya what.. I hope there's one hell of a gettogether tonight/tomorrow at Ground Zero in NYC. I almost want to drive out that way now.


They are already partying hard there now. We now have some video (from the compound).

[Joker]

google map shows, hey, they got a golf course.

[Noop]

Reports have this as near the Indian Border. I wonder what changed in Pakistan that made them give him up.

This.

I am convinced Pakistan did something pretty fucked up and had to give him up to save their asses.

[fantom1979]

The scene at the white house/ground zero is something I have never seen in my lifetime.

Usually when there are people outside the white house, it is for grieving or protest. This is a nice change.

[sabotai]

If anyone wants Alex Jones' take on it.... » Red Alert: Government Had Osama bin Laden Frozen for Years Alex Jones' Infowars: There's a war on for your mind! (http://www.infowars.com/red-alert-government-had-osama-bin-laden-frozen-for-years/)

[stevew]

I am driving home from Virginia and was going to skip school tomorrow. Now I almost feel like I want to experience the energy. I will probably be too tired though.

[sabotai]

Reports have this as near the Indian Border. I wonder what changed in Pakistan that made them give him up.

Not really. It's close to the border of Kashmir, a region that's disputed between Pakistan and India. It's governed by Pakistan, India and China....so, not really close to India.

[Neon_Chaos]

Awesome news.

[M GO BLUE!!!]

If it wouldn't take me an hour to get there I was seriously thinking about heading to the WTC tonight. Definitely going to take a walk by it tomorrow...

[SirFozzie]

Take pictures, M!

[Neon_Chaos]

Abbottabad - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abbottabad)

The city is well-known throughout Pakistan for its pleasant weather, high standard educational institutions and military establishments.

[M GO BLUE!!!]

A friend sent me this of Times Square tonight...

http://img585.imageshack.us/img585/4515/img2011050200064.th.jpg (http://img585.imageshack.us/i/img2011050200064.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

[AENeuman]

Obama said he gave the go order last week. So that makes his statement after the birth certificate one of the biggest understatements ever: "We do not have time for this kind of silliness. We’ve got better stuff to do. I’ve got better stuff to do."

[EagleFan]

I have this image now in my mind of special ops walking up to the mansion, knocking on the door, and saying "Candygram for Osama".

Landshark...

[Crapshoot]

Not really. It's close to the border of Kashmir, a region that's disputed between Pakistan and India. It's governed by Pakistan, India and China....so, not really close to India.

Uh... Kashmir is India, as much as Texas is America. Its always been India. China has a portion of territory that the Pakistani's gave them.

[GrantDawg]

Early breakdown of the action:

A senior administration official says Obama gave the final order for U.S. officials to go after bin Laden on Friday. The official added that a small team found their quarry hiding in a large home in an affluent suburb of Islamabad. The raid occurred in the early morning hours Sunday.
Administration officials offered some details of the operation.
Based on statements given by U.S. detainees, intelligence officials have known for years that bin Laden trusted one al-Qaida courier in particular and they believed he might be living with him in hiding. In November, intelligence officials found out where he was living, a huge fortified compound in an affluent suburb of Islamabad. It was surrounded by walls as high as 18 feet high, topped with barbed wire. There were two security gates and no phone or Internet running into the house.
Intelligence officials believed the $1 million home was custom-built to harbor a major terrorist. CIA experts analyzed whether it could be anyone else, but time and again, they decided it was almost certainly bin Laden.
Three adult males were also killed in Sunday's raid, including one of bin Laden's sons, whom officials did not name. One of bin Laden's sons, Hamza, is a senior member of al-Qaida.

[GrantDawg]

CNN is reporting a woman was also killed, who was used as a "human shield."

[Atocep]

Lemme guess, claiming it was staged, etcetera?


A lot of truthers think he died several years ago but "kept alive" in order to help control the public with fear.

[SirFozzie]

conspiracy theorists gotta conspiracy... (to the tune of Haters gotta hate)

And yeah, that applies to the conspiracy theorists on both ends :P

[JonInMiddleGA]

Really random of me but ... I wonder how the construction of the compound matches the timeline for the 2005 Kashmir earthquake? Given the relative proximity of Abbotabad as a neighboring province to the epicenter of the quake, seems like an opportunity for at least a plausible cover story for quantities of building materials, etc. Nothing to do with much of anything, but it crossed my mind after checking out the geography & what not.

[sabotai]

Uh... Kashmir is India, as much as Texas is America. Its always been India. China has a portion of territory that the Pakistani's gave them.

Sorry, my fault for the confusion. I was using "Kashmir" to refer to the entire region, not just the part controlled by India. Pakistan controls "Azad Kashmir" and that's the area closest to Abbottabad. The distance between Abbottabad and "Jemmu and Kashmir" (Indian state), at least just by eye-balling the map, is about the same as between Abbottabad and Islamabad.

But I wouldn't exactly say that any part of the region is "as Texas is America". Kashmir conflict - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kashmir_conflict)

[sabotai]

Based on statements given by U.S. detainees, intelligence officials have known for years that bin Laden trusted one al-Qaida courier in particular and they believed he might be living with him in hiding. In November, intelligence officials found out where he was living, a huge fortified compound in an affluent suburb of Islamabad. It was surrounded by walls as high as 18 feet high, topped with barbed wire. There were two security gates and no phone or Internet running into the house.
Intelligence officials believed the $1 million home was custom-built to harbor a major terrorist. CIA experts analyzed whether it could be anyone else, but time and again, they decided it was almost certainly bin Laden.


I wonder how up to date Google Maps' images of the town are.....

[fantom1979]

Oops

<iframe width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/mMP7Ys57ha4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[JonInMiddleGA]

Oops

I figured this was going to be a Geraldo clip, he got tongue tied & did almost the same thing earlier in the evening.

Just like I gave Obama a pass on his early struggles with the teleprompter, I'll give any reporter who did that tonight an equal pass. Been there, done that, it really is harder than it looks I promise.

[JonInMiddleGA]

There's at least a couple of clips floating around the net already, but I love the crowd in Philly chanting USA during the Mets-Phillies game. The longer version of it shows an increasingly confused Daniel Murphy trying to figure out wth is going on during his AB.

[Jughead Spock]

Obama said he gave the go order last week. So that makes his statement after the birth certificate one of the biggest understatements ever: "We do not have time for this kind of silliness. We’ve got better stuff to do. I’ve got better stuff to do."

Yeah, where ARE Tupac & Biggie?

[M GO BLUE!!!]

In a 24 hour period the world was close to being rid of Gaddafi & Bin Laden. 1/2 ain't bad. And if you choose one, we got the right one.

[Icy]

Great news for sure, i'm curious about the operation, sounds like the ones we see in movies about special forces.

On the other hand, i'm not that optimistic, even when this is a huge hit for the terrorist moral, that thought their leader was untouchable, i doubt al qaeda is going to disappear tomorrow. Another crazy fanatic will take the lead as we have seen in Spain anytime an ETA terrorist leader is caught. Hope we won't see a really bad answer anytime soon by the terrorist to show they are still strong.

[Groundhog]

Great news for sure, i'm curious about the operation, sounds like the ones we see in movies about special forces.

On the other hand, i'm not that optimistic, even when this is a huge hit for the terrorist moral, that thought their leader was untouchable, i doubt al qaeda is going to disappear tomorrow. Another crazy fanatic will take the lead as we have seen in Spain anytime an ETA terrorist leader is caught. Hope we won't see a really bad answer anytime soon by the terrorist to show they are still strong.

I hear you on the operation, it's pretty amazing when you learn the timeline involved in this hit, since August last year.

As for the aftermath... No doubt that symbolically it's a coup, but at the same time, what happens now. Revenge attacks? bin Laden is now a martyr, rather than just a hero in hiding for the extremists. I can't help but feel that something big is about to be unleashed as a result of this. I hope I'm wrong.

[RainMaker]

There's at least a couple of clips floating around the net already, but I love the crowd in Philly chanting USA during the Mets-Phillies game. The longer version of it shows an increasingly confused Daniel Murphy trying to figure out wth is going on during his AB.

From the WWE PPV:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qdvM6bgFUQ

Wonder what the reaction will be like tomorrow at the Bulls game. We have a history of being loud during the national anthem. I have a feeling it'll get loud.

[JonInMiddleGA]

AP is crediting the mission to Seal Team Six, (now known as DevGru). Not sure what the sourcing for that is but they're certainly a very likely candidate.

Still, I wish the information (assuming it was indeed sourced properly) had been withheld. Better to leave the bad guys wondering whether it was them or ACE (or whatever Delta is being called these days) or some other unit altogether. Give 'em more options to fear & whatnot.

[RainMaker]

AP is crediting the mission to Seal Team Six, (now known as DevGru). Not sure what the sourcing for that is but they're certainly a very likely candidate.

Still, I wish the information (assuming it was indeed sourced properly) had been withheld. Better to leave the bad guys wondering whether it was them or ACE (or whatever Delta is being called these days) or some other unit altogether. Give 'em more options to fear & whatnot.
I think they are still wondering who tipped them off, how much information we got, etc. With that said, I don't think we'll ever know the details on that and rightfully so.

[stevew]

Apparently we dumped him in the ocean. Now ignorant people can claim that this was all a ruse.

[Icy]

Apparently we dumped him in the ocean. Now ignorant people can claim that this was all a ruse.

I have read it but i really doubt he was just dumped in the ocean, his body is the only proof of he being dead and that it was not just a guy with a similar beard.

On a related note, it's funny or sad to read a few foreign leaders praising this and the Gadafi's son attack, specially our Spanish president, as he is totally against death penalty (as most of hypocrite Spanish politics talking today) and those two were just executions if you want to look at it that way.

I really wish we took care the same way ouf our own terrorist (ETA) leaders instead of negotiating with them or throwing them in jail for a few years to later release them and see them become active terrorist again. I don't support the death penalty "per se" but i do in some cases like with proven terrorist that have killed innocent people and show no remorse.

This might sound harsh, but i really hope that Bin Laden was not killed while sleeping, but that he had enough time to realize that he was caught and going to be killed by those he hated the most. While this is not politically correct to be said... revenge is so sweet to taste sometimes (yeah probably this is how terrorism starts and how they think, but can't avoid to feel how i feel)

[Dutch]

Outstanding news!

[Dutch]

Icy,

Surrender was offered, not accepted. Not sure if he had much time to think about it though. :)

[Neon_Chaos]

I heard he had 20 seconds to comply...

http://roslynrobot.files.wordpress.com/2008/02/robocop.jpg

[Ronnie Dobbs2]

http://i.imgur.com/xmuaZ.jpg

[Ksyrup]

Yeah, I was just about to post about reallyvirtual's twitter feed. He liveblogged it without knowing it.

Love the comment later about "there goes the neighborhood."

[Logan]

Oops

<iframe width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/mMP7Ys57ha4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Heard Meredith Viera slip too at 7am this morning: "President Obama has let the world know that Obama is dead".

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Going to be interesting to see how the relationship with Pakistan goes moving forward. It's blatantly obvious that they aren't trustworthy at all, given where we found Bin Laden and the fact that the U.S. didn't give Pakistan notice about the operation until after they were in the chopper and leaving the operation.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Heard Meredith Viera slip too at 7am this morning: "President Obama has let the world know that Obama is dead".

Apparently (based on some late night comments) the AJC did something along that lines in their Twitter feed last night as well.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Going to be interesting to see how the relationship with Pakistan goes moving forward. It's blatantly obvious that they aren't trustworthy at all, given where we found Bin Laden and the fact that the U.S. didn't give Pakistan notice about the operation until after they were in the chopper and leaving the operation.

Of course they aren't, but I'm pretty sure we all knew that ahead of time, right?
Then again, we also didn't give any of our allies advance notice either.

[GrantDawg]

So, the report on the copter that went down last night wasn't completely correct. One of the choppers used in the mission malfuctioned and had to land at the compound, and was destroyed by the SEAL team (hence the loud explosion from the Tweets and fires shown last night).

[RainMaker]

Of course they aren't, but I'm pretty sure we all knew that ahead of time, right?
Then again, we also didn't give any of our allies advance notice either.
True, but I think if you trusted Pakistan, you would have let them know something. Even if it was last minute. I guess they scrambled fighter jets on the way out when they got reports of military choppers in the area. The U.S. military was taking a risk by not telling anyone.

I'd also think that there would be a benefit in securing the compound and gathering further evidence. They made a sweep but still, you'd probably want a forensic team and interrogation unit in there immediately. They obviously didn't trust Pakistani authorities to do that either right away.

The one thing I gather from this is the U.S. didn't trust Pakistan one bit. And from the sounds of this compound, it'd be tough for them not to notice them.

[Suburban Rhythm]

I never listen to the local talk radio station. But, flipped it on this morning to hear the one local guy, before Glenn Beck is on.

His assistant is subscribing to the theory that Obama had the information at 4:30 yesterday afternoon, but held the information until last night because he wanted to pre-empt Trump and the Celebrity Apprentice ending.

People scare me.

[Logan]

The local guy should stop stealing other idiots' facebook rants.

[JonInMiddleGA]

The one thing I gather from this is the U.S. didn't trust Pakistan one bit.

I guess what I was getting at was that, even as low as my expectations are for the current administration, I'd be surprised if there was anyone in the highest levels of decision making that trusted Pakistan as far as they could throw it. That's just something so obvious that I almost take it for granted I guess.

As for the allies, the risk of even the slightest slip was too great. Obama most certainly considered Carter's catastrophic clusterfuck in Iran when making that (relatively easy) decision.

[Easy Mac]

I never listen to the local talk radio station. But, flipped it on this morning to hear the one local guy, before Glenn Beck is on.

His assistant is subscribing to the theory that Obama had the information at 4:30 yesterday afternoon, but held the information until last night because he wanted to pre-empt Trump and the Celebrity Apprentice ending.

People scare me.

Typical east coast bias. He probably just didn't want people in LA to know to eat at Soul Daddy tomorrow.

[Ronnie Dobbs2]

http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2011/05/notes-on-the-death-of-osama-bin-laden.html

The maps I looked at had sections of land nearby marked off as “restricted area,” indicating that it was under military control. It stretches credulity to think that a mansion of that scale could have been built and occupied by bin Laden for six years without it coming to the attention of anyone in Pakistan’s Army.

The initial circumstantial evidence suggests the opposite is more likely—that bin Laden was effectively being housed under Pakistani state control. Pakistan will deny this, it seems safe to predict, and perhaps no convincing evidence will ever surface to prove the case.

[Mike Lowe]

I remember hearing earlier on CNN that one of the raided rooms was basically packed with computers. I guess all of the hard drives had been removed during/before the raid.

It would have been very interesting to see what was on those as it doesn't take a genius to realize that obviously more attacks are in the works. Especially now unfortunately.

I'm flying into DC in June...yikes!

[JediKooter]

Now, thankfully, we won't have to hear anymore about that damn wedding.

[Rizon]

I thought we killed him a week ago and it took this long to ID his DNA?
Now I read we killed him yesterday morning, he's been ID'd and tossed in the ocean. Huh?

[Ronnie Dobbs2]

I think the early reports were erroneous.

[Rizon]

I think the early reports were erroneous.

That's what I was guessing.

I turned it on FoxNews last night (just to pick a channel) and some guy was on there saying the war on terror was over now. Huh ...
So I figured Gary Gnu was reporting the news.

Anyways, what is the point of burying him at sea?

[JAG]

Anyways, what is the point of burying him at sea?

Two reasons I've heard. One, they didnt want his grave to become a shrine as Saddam's grave has (no idea what that means as I know nothing of his grave). Two, there was a suspicion that no country would want his body. Presumably it was offered to Saudi Arabia as his country of birth and they turned it down.

[JediKooter]

All the wrong reports is what we get when all these news organizations are trying to beat each other so they can say: "We brought it to you first...it was completely wrong, but, we were first!!".

[GoldenEagle]

That's what I was guessing.

I turned it on FoxNews last night (just to pick a channel) and some guy was on there saying the war on terror was over now. Huh ...
So I figured Gary Gnu was reporting the news.

Anyways, what is the point of burying him at sea?

If he was tossed (which I have my doubts), it is because Muslim culture dictates a burial within 24 hours after death. His body was offered to Saudi Arabia and they declined it.

That or the whole transformers thing...

[gstelmack]

Anyways, what is the point of burying him at sea?

So we don't have to put security on the body to keep the nutjobs from constantly trying to grab it?

[JediKooter]

What worse? Zombie Osama or Transformer Osama?

[Rizon]

Couldn't they have burned him like they did Darth Vader?

[GoldenEagle]

All the wrong reports is what we get when all these news organizations are trying to beat each other so they can say: "We brought it to you first...it was completely wrong, but, we were first!!".

Sounds like software development.

[JediKooter]

Sounds like software development.

Very true.

[Lathum]

Couldn't they have burned him like they did Darth Vader?

Dude, spoiler tags! ;)

[cuervo72]

Well at least they didn't launch him into space in a giant suppository at the risk of being reanimated later.

[Ksyrup]

http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l146/mon_montrose/GIFS/Hes_Dead.gif

http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lkjvp6uPuv1qzpdf6o1_500.jpg

[GoldenEagle]

http://img861.imageshack.us/img861/7923/obamamissionaccomplishe.jpg

[lighthousekeeper]

that gif is so awesome.

[Thomkal]

so what are people's thoughts on whether or not to show the photos of Bin Laden's body? The President is debating releasing them, and in this age of birther and other conspiracy theories, maybe its a good idea to show it? So we don't have to listen to people calling for it ten months from now?

[MJ4H]

Release em

[Butter]

Release them. Or better yet, save them for a few months until some idiot tries to gain legitimacy by claiming that he's not really dead... THEN release them.

[Rizon]

...

[stevew]

I don't see why the government has to justify itself to conspiracy morons who won't believe it anyways. For example "I.E. The directional angle of the bullet wound suggests that he was shot by a 10'4" soldier" type shit will develp anyways.

[Passacaglia]

You'll never satisfy everyone, so I'm not sure I see the point in bothering. You've got people who think he died in 2001 and people who don't believe he's dead now -- some people will believe what they want to believe.

[Easy Mac]

Release them. Or better yet, save them for a few months until some idiot tries to gain legitimacy by claiming that he's not really dead... THEN release them.

Then have people scrutinize them and say they're fake because its obvious that Bin Laden would never use Helvetica on his faked Pakistan drivers license.

[Peregrine]

Did you guys see this video of a huge crowd of cadets at the US Naval Academy outside the Commandant's home? Warning - pretty loud.

<iframe width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/_104CFkUGzc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[whomario]

I don't see why the government has to justify itself to conspiracy morons who won't believe it anyways. For example "I.E. The directional angle of the bullet wound suggests that he was shot by a 10'4" soldier" type shit will develp anyways.

as far as i´m concerned any government has to justify itself and it´s actions as much as possible. Just because not everybody gets convinced and/or cares about proove doesn´t mean you don´t have to try to deliver it. That´s a very dangerous line or argumentation imo.

There are propably valid reasons not to release the pictures or other means of proof, but "it´s not worth our while cause not everybody believes it" sure as heck can´t be on it.

[albionmoonlight]

Rush Limbaugh praises the President:

Rush Limbaugh Osama bin Laden | Rush Limbaugh Barack Obama | Mediaite (http://www.mediaite.com/online/rush-limbaugh-we-need-to-open-the-program-today-by-congratulating-president-obama/)

And not fake praise either. Full-on real praise.

[molson]

If I remember right from the Saddam videos that were released, there was some sensitivity to Islamic culture about the importance of visual evidence. Not so much as "proof", but just as part of the normal traditional process - you don't hide bodies, you show them. If photos are released, I think this would be the motivation, as opposed to to a need to prove anything.

[QuikSand]

So we don't have to listen to people calling for it ten months from now?

*points and laughs*

[QuikSand]

Did you guys see this video of a huge crowd of cadets at the US Naval Academy outside the Commandant's home? Warning - pretty loud.

It was pretty nuts over there last night.

[M GO BLUE!!!]

I drank the Blue Label from the bottle last night.

[Rizon]

The mansion he was hiding in.

[Lathum]

They have grass in Pakistan?

[JediKooter]

...

HAHA!

[Rizon]

They have grass in Pakistan?

Don't be dumb dude, that's obviously astroturf.

[M GO BLUE!!!]

They have grass in Pakistan?

Yeah, but it's probably not as good as what you can get in Jamaica.

[Thomkal]

*points and laughs*

ummm, what did I miss here?

[tucking fypo]

Now, thankfully, we won't have to hear anymore about that damn wedding.

I was telling my students the same thing this morning and they all agreed, except the prissy girls who like the pretzel hats the women were wearing.

This press briefing on the sequence of events leading up to the killing and burial has been endlessly fascinating.

[GrantDawg]

Rush Limbaugh praises the President:

Rush Limbaugh Osama bin Laden | Rush Limbaugh Barack Obama | Mediaite (http://www.mediaite.com/online/rush-limbaugh-we-need-to-open-the-program-today-by-congratulating-president-obama/)

And not fake praise either. Full-on real praise.


That was actually pretty nice. I wish more of the wingnuts would follow his example on this one.

[JPhillips]

Am I the only one who thinks Limbaugh's comments are satire? The "only qualified person in the room" just doesn't seem genuine to me.

[molson]

I was listening to Rush Limbaugh in the car last week (I cancelled Sirius, I was in rural Idaho, it was the only the station forever, I'm still working on my post-Sirius car listening habits), and he was mocking birthers as nutjobs. I got the sense either that he's getting soft in his old age, or the show maybe isn't as extreme as the "symbol" of Rush.

[DanGarion]

Never seen him mentioned as "Usama" before. Talked to a few people and they've never seen him mentioned that way before, only "Osama". What's up with that?

We could always ask him. Oh wait...

[molson]

I definitely agree with this sentiment from the WSJ legal blog:

http://abovethelaw.com/2011/05/no-trial-for-osama-bin-laden-a-gift-for-all-americans/

"Thank God he was killed, not “captured.” If he had been captured, there would have been some kind of trial. Some kind of fake, orchestrated, television show of a trial. Lawyers, judges, and others would have danced around trying to give Osama bin Laden the appearance of a fair hearing before his inevitable execution. It would have been a farce — a farce that our military and/or civilian courts are not equipped to handle.

Better for Bin Laden to meet his end as he did: via a double tap from a Navy Seal…."

[molson]

A couple of tidbits I haven't seen here yet from CNN.

-Osama was killed in the last 10 minutes of the 40 minute operation.
-The female human shield that was killed was shielding Osama specificially
-Osama was using a weapon when he was killed

[M GO BLUE!!!]

-The female human shield that was killed was shielding Osama specificially
-Osama was using a weapon when he was killed

As we have seen in the Chief Rum dating thread (and in our own sad lives,) a woman actually can be a weapon.

[JediKooter]

I was telling my students the same thing this morning and they all agreed, except the prissy girls who like the pretzel hats the women were wearing.

This press briefing on the sequence of events leading up to the killing and burial has been endlessly fascinating.

I'd threaten them with all F's for the rest of the semester if they continue on about anything to do with the wedding. That's just me though. :)

I haven't had a chance to see this yet. I'm still waiting for that Chinese site to do the animated video of the operation.

[larrymcg421]

I was listening to Rush Limbaugh in the car last week (I cancelled Sirius, I was in rural Idaho, it was the only the station forever, I'm still working on my post-Sirius car listening habits), and he was mocking birthers as nutjobs. I got the sense either that he's getting soft in his old age, or the show maybe isn't as extreme as the "symbol" of Rush.

I've always thought of Rush as extremely conservative, but never embracing the tinfoil hat conspiracy nutjobs, so I'm not surprised he's distanced himself from the birthers.

[stevew]

Can't wait until this mission makes its way into a FPS game.

[tucker rocky]

http://motivationalmaker.com/saved_posters/poster_8otxnxwv5u.jpg

[RainMaker]

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3194702/obamafuneral.jpg

[JonInMiddleGA]

the show maybe isn't as extreme as the "symbol" of Rush.

Rush's reputation (moreso on the left than the right) has been considerably greater than his influence for a number of years now. Hannity is now considerably closer to what Limbaugh used to be (although the increased number of voices in the marketplace today has diluted the power wielded by being #1).

[frnk55]

Can't wait until this mission makes its way into a FPS game.
That made me chuckle.

[Kodos]

Nice to see this fucker dead.

[SteveMax58]

I've always thought of Rush as extremely conservative, but never embracing the tinfoil hat conspiracy nutjobs, so I'm not surprised he's distanced himself from the birthers.

Yeah, I can't speak for what Rush's show is like these days but I used to occasionally listen in when I made long trips for work (about every 3-4 weeks).

The opinion I formed of him was that Rush is a conservative first & foremost. He certainly backs the Republican party as it is closest to his ideals but he is not a shill for them. He will, on occasion, berate Republicans as well when they don't embrace his level of conservatism.

Agree or disagree with the man....I don't see him as an intellectually dishonest guy.

[mckerney]

Can't wait until this mission makes its way into a FPS game.

Someone will probably have a as_abbottabad map made soon.

[Buccaneer]

Nice to see this fucker dead.

+1

Very nice job all the way around.

[Buccaneer]

Am I the only one who thinks Limbaugh's comments are satire? The "only qualified person in the room" just doesn't seem genuine to me.

You only comment in this thread was this?! What the fuck is your problem?

[JPhillips]

You only comment in this thread was this?! What the fuck is your problem?

Look in the Obama thread, jerk.

What the fuck is your problem?

[Crapshoot]

You only comment in this thread was this?! What the fuck is your problem?

wtf is wrong with you? I read the comments and thought the same thing - they came across as sarcasm.

[Dr. Sak]

From the twitter of:

Rashard Mendenhall

What kind of person celebrates death? It's amazing how people can HATE a man they have never even heard speak. We've only heard one side...

[JonInMiddleGA]

Okay, having now seen the rather abruptly bizarre sequence in this thread I have to ask: wtf is wrong with anyone who didn't get that Rush was both giving Obama credit as well as having a bit of a go at both him and some of his advisers at the same time?

It wasn't very complicated, it wasn't particularly subtle, it was pretty obvious stuff and for those who didn't catch it the linked article even spells most of it out at the end.

Wtf am I missing here?

[JonInMiddleGA]

From the twitter of: Rashard Mendenhall
What kind of person celebrates death? It's amazing how people can HATE a man they have never even heard speak. We've only heard one side...

That ought to play well in Pittsburgh. Of course I'm sure he was hacked & didn't really post that himself.

He, erm I mean the hacker, went reportedly went on to say that he wasn't convinced that OBL was behind the attacks & that he still had a hard time believing that a plane brought down the towers.
Rashard Mendenhall Twitter Remarks About Osama bin Laden Will Cause Backlash | Steelers Depot (http://www.steelersdepot.com/2011/05/rashard-mendenhall-twitter-remarks-about-osama-bin-laden-will-cause-backlash/)

[Buccaneer]

It was more in the line of making a political statement first and only (and not joining in with the praise in this thread). I do not care what Rush said but that's not the point.

[DaddyTorgo]

It was more in the line of making a political statement first and only (and not joining in with the praise in this thread). I do not care what Rush said but that's not the point.

So if someone doesn't join in with the praise that's not okay?? People are only allowed to have the same opinion of events as you?? :confused:

[M GO BLUE!!!]

Take pictures, M!

Looked like I just missed a rally. Wasn't worth taking pics of cops telling people to keep moving & journalists set up in front of the federal building combing their hair.

[Passacaglia]

I disagree with the notion that it's okay to drop f-bombs and be insulting, as long as it's not your first post in the thread.

[JPhillips]

It was more in the line of making a political statement first and only (and not joining in with the praise in this thread). I do not care what Rush said but that's not the point.

So should I repeat everything I've said in every thread? I was talking about this late last night before this thread was even started.

I don't know why you've decided you're going to follow me around and bite at my ankles, but I guess if it makes you happy...

[Ronnie Dobbs2]

So if someone doesn't join in with the praise that's not okay?? People are only allowed to have the same opinion of events as you?? :confused:

I think its more of an observation that with some the political blinders have become so hardwired that they can't even sit back and enjoy what should be seen as a great accomplishment for our nation.

Note: I don't think JPhillips qualifies for this per se, but I've seen a lot of it from both sides the past 24 hours.

[Buccaneer]

Sorry. Too reactionary.

[JPhillips]

Cool. Let's just move on.

[fantom1979]

I think its more of an observation that with some the political blinders have become so hardwired that they can't even sit back and enjoy what should be seen as a great accomplishment for our nation.

Note: I don't think JPhillips qualifies for this per se, but I've seen a lot of it from both sides the past 24 hours.

This is a great point. I said to my wife last night that it would be great if we could just get 24 hours where everyone could just agree that this is a great thing. We can get back to yelling at each other over the budget and other stuff later in the week.

[stevew]

Some one cue Ricky Ricardo cause Pakistan's got some 'splainin' to do.

[Lathum]

President Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and members of the national security team receive an update on the mission targeting Osama bin Laden, May 1. They are watching the attack in real time via the SEALS helmet cameras.


http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/5861/2014940374.jpg (http://img402.imageshack.us/i/2014940374.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

[Glengoyne]

President Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and members of the national security team receive an update on the mission targeting Osama bin Laden, May 1. They are watching the attack in real time via the SEALS helmet cameras.
...


The image this evokes is ...

"Where's Apone...Where's Apone"

[RainMaker]

The best thing about that picture is everyone is so serious and Biden looks like he's got a bag of chips and watching a movie or something.

[GrantDawg]

This is a great point. I said to my wife last night that it would be great if we could just get 24 hours where everyone could just agree that this is a great thing. We can get back to yelling at each other over the budget and other stuff later in the week.


I think most of the country is there. Of course, that doesn't include most of my facebook "friends" sadly, who want to make it clear, and underline it, that Obama didn't kill Osama, the military did, and he has never done anything right, is really a muslim, hates America, etc, etc, etc.

[GrantDawg]

The best thing about that picture is everyone is so serious and Biden looks like he's got a bag of chips and watching a movie or something.


I think he thinks he is. He made a comment later "they said SEAL's, and I kept waiting for Charlie Sheen to show up on the screen."

[mckerney]

The best thing about that picture is everyone is so serious and Biden looks like he's got a bag of chips and watching a movie or something.

Or he's disappointed he wasn't able to talk everyone into a LAN party. "We've got the computers and they're still at least half an hour away. Let's play just one round of de_dust.

[sabotai]

President Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and members of the national security team receive an update on the mission targeting Osama bin Laden, May 1. They are watching the attack in real time via the SEALS helmet cameras.

Put that on a DVD and sell it, US Debt solved!

[stevew]

I was just thinking that if we had a few bouncing smilies going on in this thread, it would resemble an Omertà obit

[Suburban Rhythm]

From the twitter of:

Rashard Mendenhall

What kind of person celebrates death? It's amazing how people can HATE a man they have never even heard speak. We've only heard one side...

That ought to play well in Pittsburgh. Of course I'm sure he was hacked & didn't really post that himself.

He, erm I mean the hacker, went reportedly went on to say that he wasn't convinced that OBL was behind the attacks & that he still had a hard time believing that a plane brought down the towers.
Rashard Mendenhall Twitter Remarks About Osama bin Laden Will Cause Backlash | Steelers Depot (http://www.steelersdepot.com/2011/05/rashard-mendenhall-twitter-remarks-about-osama-bin-laden-will-cause-backlash/)

One of the best calls this morning on the FAN.

"Is this going to help him (Mendenhall) stop fumbling next season? If so, then I'm OK with it"

[Butter]

President Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and members of the national security team receive an update on the mission targeting Osama bin Laden, May 1. They are watching the attack in real time via the SEALS helmet cameras.


http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/5861/2014940374.jpg (http://img402.imageshack.us/i/2014940374.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)


Is this the Situation Room? If so, could we maybe spring for a bigger one? I mean, it's just the fucking safety of the Free World at stake, that's all. It would be nice if we didn't have to borrow chairs from some ASP's cube across the hall so that the Secretary of State can have her own seat.

[M GO BLUE!!!]

Is this the Situation Room? If so, could we maybe spring for a bigger one? I mean, it's just the fucking safety of the Free World at stake, that's all. It would be nice if we didn't have to borrow chairs from some ASP's cube across the hall so that the Secretary of State can have her own seat.

Using television shows as a reference I pictured it looking a bit more like the set of recent game shows... dark background, mood lighting, glass walls to project things on...

[albionmoonlight]

I think most of the country is there. Of course, that doesn't include most of my facebook "friends" sadly, who want to make it clear, and underline it, that Obama didn't kill Osama, the military did, and he has never done anything right, is really a muslim, hates America, etc, etc, etc.

My "friends" did not go that far, but they did make sure to emphasize that (1)Bush started this, and (2) It's not cool that Obama gets all the credit. Strange, too, that I only really saw that on facebook. Over email and in real life, people who I know hate the President were still willing to acknowledge that, as Commander-In-Chief, he had a role.

[edit to add--and it is worth noting that some of my most liberal friends also, in person, talked about how they were happy for President Bush that we finally got the bastard and that, since this intel started in 2004, he does deserve credit.

Basically, other than on facebook, for some reason, people really did manage to take off the red/blue glasses for this one.]

Whatever. The 24 hour window is over, so we will all soon enough get back to ripping out each other's spleens over whether unionized garbage men in Toledo are overpaid (or whatever else dailykos, Hannity, etc. tell us to be pissed about).

It was just nice to have a day or two when (by and large) we could drop the Red State Blue State crap and just be happy that some Navy SEALS killed a bad, bad man.

[Peregrine]

I'm with you Butter - I'm used to seeing these elaborate, high-tech Situation Rooms on TV, and now here they are crammed in like it's a weekly TPS Report meeting in a conference room at my office.

[Ksyrup]

Is this the Situation Room? If so, could we maybe spring for a bigger one? I mean, it's just the fucking safety of the Free World at stake, that's all. It would be nice if we didn't have to borrow chairs from some ASP's cube across the hall so that the Secretary of State can have her own seat.

I hope someone sprung for a few bags of Pop Secret, too.

[Logan]

Obama doesn't even have the best chair in that room!

[albionmoonlight]

Re: the room.

One of the interesting things about D.C. that I have noticed is that some of the most important buildings are also old, when buildings were smaller as a matter of course. And there really isn't space to expand in the "important" parts of town. So things really are smaller than you would think.

Like, if you have ever gotten a traffic ticket, chances are the courtroom where you went to plead guilty and pay your fine is larger than the Supreme Court courtroom.

[SteveMax58]

President Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and members of the national security team receive an update on the mission targeting Osama bin Laden, May 1. They are watching the attack in real time via the SEALS helmet cameras.

I think you could really draw some observations from that image.

Like for instance, look who is at the head of the table. IDK his name, but he looks like a high ranking general. It appears to me he was probably the first in that room as the operation began (possibly last, but since it was Sunday...guessing he was first). Obama sitting in a spot that indicates he forfeits his own authority (in a sense) to say that the general is running this and the most important person in the room at this moment. Naturally, half of the other people standing vacated their seats for the VP, Sec of State, and Sec of Def.

I guess maybe its not such a revelation that he would give up his seat for the general, but I think that picture reveals the way the Obama admin "does things". IDK...might be obvious but I just thought it interesting.

[Buccaneer]

I don't think it is a small room, it's just everyone is at one side of the table, probably to get everyone in the photo. For a long conference room table, you would normally have the projection against a side wall. Just an observation since we really don't know when the photo was taken.

[fantom1979]

Another picture of the sit room:

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5230/5680161629_b09810038e_z.jpg


If I remember right, the sit room was remodeled/modernized after 9/11. Imagine how cramped it might have been before.

[GrantDawg]

It was cooler on The West Wing.

[fantom1979]

Oh, no doubt.

http://www.captainhastings.com/images/vlcsnap-935055.jpg

[DanGarion]

Woohoo! In English even!

<iframe width="560" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/cw0AXjAaf3g" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[Autumn]

That picture of them watching in the sit room is begging to have some extras photoshopped in there.

[Ronnie Dobbs2]

http://i.imgur.com/KxuGl.jpg