Bin Laden is dead!

[Chip Douglass]

Re: Bin Laden is dead!

It seems like I'm the minority here but I'm not celebrating. I think taking him out now is a bad move as far as the war on terror is concerned. Additionally, the way in which he was killed (taking a shot that killed someone who wasn't a target) is absurd and shouldn't have happened.

And there's nothing yet to suggest the operation unfolded that way.

Even if the decision was made to shoot at his human shield knowing that she would die, I think the greater good was served.

[RAZRr1275]

Re: Bin Laden is dead!

It is when it's someone who has killed thousands upon thousands of other people.

Still doesn't make it good IMO but oh well.

I'm not oversimplifying this.

He was still important. He was still the leader of Al-Qaeda. He was still the guy who killed thousands of Americans on American soil and countless others around the world.

Hundreds of Service Members have lost their lives in the hunt for this guy and many more are forever scarred from their injuries. Killing him brings closure to those service members but also the thousands of his victims he killed in numerous terrorist attacks.

This is a great move.

If he hasn't claimed responsibility for anything and hasn't been releasing tapes like he was then how was he important? He hasn't had a major attack for quite a while

Do you really think that closure is more important than protecting against the inevitable retaliation that is going to come as a result of this?

EDIT: And in response to Chip - I'm assuming that since she was used as a body shield and both are dead that they shot through her to get him - Just putting 2 and 2 together there. Additionally, since it seems like most people in the compound were either killed or injured it's safe to assume that they weren't using any sort of discretion when going in. I also think that the greater good wasn't served. I just don't think it's worth it to take an innocent life to do this.

[fishepa]

Re: Bin Laden is dead!

Still doesn't make it good IMO but oh well.

If he hasn't claimed responsibility for anything and hasn't been releasing tapes like he was then how was he important? He hasn't had a major attack for quite a while

Do you really think that closure is more important than protecting against the inevitable retaliation that is going to come as a result of this?

I have faith that the people in charge of our country have already thought of this and are taking the appropriate measures.

[SportsTop]

Re: Bin Laden is dead!

Care to elaborate?

Also, I don't think killing people is ever a good thing.

AQ was reeling prior to this. Osama bin Laden was their charismatic leader and this will likely fracture their fragile network even more. I can't overstate how big of a hit this is to them. He had defied the U.S. for so long that he had grown mythical in nature to his followers. This proves that if he isn't safe then none of them are.

Also think about the implications from the U.S./Pakistan relations side. Pakistan leadership is now publically faced with the fact that they were harboring the world's most notorious terrorist. They'll have to deal with the international pressures to squeeze others out as well.

No one is saying terrorism will stop after this just like 9/11 wasn't the birth of terrorism. However, this is a major blow to the most notable of the terror organizations in the world.

[PVarck31]

Re: Bin Laden is dead!

Care to elaborate?

Also, I don't think killing people is ever a good thing.

We tried to take him alive. He wanted to be a martyr. Simple as that.

[TheMatrix31]

Re: Bin Laden is dead!

Who the hell is anyone to say that people celebrating don't know why they're celebrating? How utterly ridiculous. And anyone who was young back then OBVIOUSLY has learned over time how important the whole thing was. You think they just stay in some infantile state of mind or something? That is such BS.

And if they're going to retaliate, then ****in' bring it. These people are already trying their best to kill us whether this happened or not. Not killing the biggest son of a bitch in the world because we're scared of what they're going to do back?! COME ON NOW.

[RAZRr1275]

Re: Bin Laden is dead!

I have faith that the people in charge of our country have already thought of this and are taking the appropriate measures.

I hope they do but that still doesn't change the fact that that retaliation is going to kill our soldiers no matter how prepared we are.

AQ was reeling prior to this. Osama bin Laden was their charismatic leader and this will likely fracture their fragile network even more. I can't overstate how big of a hit this is to them. He had defied the U.S. for so long that he had grown mythical in nature to his followers. This proves that if he isn't safe then none of them are.

Also think about the implications from the U.S./Pakistan relations side. Pakistan leadership is now publically faced with the fact that they were harboring the world's most notorious terrorist. They'll have to deal with the international pressures to squeeze others out as well.

No one is saying terrorism will stop after this just like 9/11 wasn't the birth of terrorism. However, this is a major blow to the most notable of the terror organizations in the world.

Actually al qaeda is just as strong if not stronger than it was previously. Osama hadn't planned anything since 9/11 so he wasn't really important at all. Additionally, they've been having some success recruiting.

I don't think Pakistan leadership is going to be able to do very much. Extremists groups have a decent amount of influence there. It also seems like the government is in fear of al Qaeda

I realize no one is claiming it will end. It just isn't as much of a blow as it's made out to be.

We tried to take him alive. He wanted to be a martyr. Simple as that.

I realize that. I think that we either shouldn't have gone after him or done it in a different manner.

Who the hell is anyone to say that people celebrating don't know why they're celebrating?

How utterly ridiculous.

Just making sure but this isn't directed at me right?

EDIT: As for the second part I'd prefer that our soldiers don't get killed because of a retaliation. If you think they're trying their hardest now they'll try even harder now that they have even more of a cause. Last I thought considering the after affects of doing something is key to making a decision

[ScoobySnax]

Re: Bin Laden is dead!

Who the hell is anyone to say that people celebrating don't know why they're celebrating? How utterly ridiculous. And anyone who was young back then OBVIOUSLY has learned over time how important the whole thing was. You think they just stay in some infantile state of mind or something? That is such BS.

And if they're going to retaliate, then ****in' bring it. These people are already trying their best to kill us whether this happened or not. Not killing the biggest son of a bitch in the world because we're scared of what they're going to do back?! COME ON NOW.

We have never been a nation dominated by fear, so why start now! They have been plotting more attacks on the US ever since. Al Queda is very real. I, for one, am stoked about this.

[kehlis]

Re: Bin Laden is dead!

Actually al qaeda is just as strong if not stronger than it was previously. Osama hadn't planned anything since 9/11 so he wasn't really important at all. Additionally, they've been having some success recruiting.

How do you know this?

[TracerBullet]

Re: Bin Laden is dead!

Just making sure but this isn't directed at me right?

Nah, he's talking about the people saying college students are too young to know what happened.

[Chip Douglass]

Re: Bin Laden is dead!

Still doesn't make it good IMO but oh well.

I mean, seriously? It's not good to kill a sworn enemy of the United States, a man responsible for the worst atrocity on US soil?

Seriously? Am I missing massive amounts of sarcasm here?

If he hasn't claimed responsibility for anything and hasn't been releasing tapes like he was then how was he important? He hasn't had a major attack for quite a while

Yes, he hasn't had a major attack in a while because our intelligence services have either thwarted them (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8221375.stm) or we simply got lucky (underwear bomber).

That doesn't mean he's not dangerous and that shouldn't diminish the importance of bringing him to justice.

[kingkilla56]

Re: Bin Laden is dead!

Who the hell is anyone to say that people celebrating don't know why they're celebrating? How utterly ridiculous. And anyone who was young back then OBVIOUSLY has learned over time how important the whole thing was. You think they just stay in some infantile state of mind or something? That is such BS.

And if they're going to retaliate, then ****in' bring it. These people are already trying their best to kill us whether this happened or not. Not killing the biggest son of a bitch in the world because we're scared of what they're going to do back?! COME ON NOW.

Where am I right now? My mind has never been so blown.

[RAZRr1275]

Re: Bin Laden is dead!

How do you know this?

http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/news/local/news/general/alqaedas-capability-still-strong-uow-experts-warn/2150499.aspx

I mean, seriously? It's not good to kill a sworn enemy of the United States, a man responsible for the worst atrocity on US soil?

Seriously? Am I missing massive amounts of sarcasm here?



Yes, he hasn't had a major attack in a while because our intelligence services have either thwarted them (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8221375.stm) or we simply got lucky (underwear bomber).

That doesn't mean he's not dangerous and that shouldn't diminish the importance of bringing him to justice.

No you're not. I don't think that taking a life is a good act. That doesn't mean that I can't see how people justify this like you're making it out to be.

See above - he hasn't been involved in planning them

[roadman]

Re: Bin Laden is dead!

Additionally, the way in which he got killed (civilian casualties in a guns blazing type operation) is one of the main criticisms that "extremist" groups have of America. It's essentially feeding the fire.

And yet it was ok how he killed 3000 innocent civilian lives on our soil.

[RAZRr1275]

Re: Bin Laden is dead!

And yet it was ok how he killed 3000 innocent civilian lives on our soil.

When did I say that doing that was ok? I'm saying that extremists groups rally around the civilian casualties that we inflict in war.