Bin Laden 'firefight': Only one man was armed

[spookyturtle 9,465]

Those poor terrorists. Why weren't they shown the same respect that they gave to the September 11th victims? Or better yet, why does the government even bother with updating the event? It's not as if anyone that was there is going to correct anything that was reported incorrectly. It was a secret operation and should remain so. The mission was accomplished. End of story.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42906279/ns/world_news-death_of_bin_laden/

Four of the five people shot to death in the operation that killed Osama bin Laden, including the al-Qaida leader himself, were unarmed and never fired a shot, U.S. officials told NBC News on Wednesday — an account that differs markedly from the Obama administration's original claims that the Navy SEALs came under heavy small-arms fire in a prolonged firefight.

According to the officials' account, as the first SEAL team moved into the compound, they took small-arms fire from the guest house in the compound. The SEALs returned fire, killing bin Laden's courier and the courier's wife, who died in the crossfire.

The second SEAL team entered the first floor of the main residence and could see a man standing in the dark with one hand behind his back. Fearing he was hiding a weapon, the SEALs shot and killed the lone man, who turned out to be unarmed.

As the U.S. commandos moved through the house, they found several stashes of weapons and barricades, as if the residents were prepared for a violent and lengthy standoff — which never materialized.

The SEALs then made their way up a staircase, where they ran into one of bin Laden's sons on the way down. The Americans immediately shot and killed the son, who was also unarmed.

Once on the third floor, the commandos threw open the door to bin Laden's bedroom. One of bin Laden's wives rushed toward the NAVY SEAL in the door, who shot her in the leg.

Then, without hesitation, the same commando turned his gun on bin Laden, standing in what appeared to be pajamas, and fire two quick shots, one to the chest and one to the head. Although there were weapons in that bedroom, Bin Laden was also unarmed at the time he was shot.

Instead of a chaotic firefight, US officials says, the American commando assault was a precision operation, with SEALs moving carefully through the compound, room to room, floor to floor.

In fact, most of the operation was spent in what the military calls “exploiting the site,” gathering up the computers, hard drives, cellphones and files that could provide valuable intelligence on al Qaeda operatives and potential operations worldwide.

The U.S. officials describing the operation said the SEALs carefully gathered up 22 women and children to ensure they were not harmed. Some of the women were put in “flexi-cuffs” the plastic straps used to bind someone’s hands at the wrists, and left them for Pakistani security forces to discover.

But despite the fact that only one of those killed was armed, everyone was considered a serious threat, the U.S. officials said.

Accounts of the operation had varied widely in the first few days after it was completed.

White House officials initially suggested bin Laden had been holding a gun and perhaps firing at U.S. forces. There was a report that he used his wife as a human shield.

The Associated Press quoted U.S. officials on Tuesday as saying that the SEALs shot him after they saw him appear to lunge for a weapon.

CIA Director Leon Panetta told "PBS NewsHour" that bin Laden "made some threatening moves" that "represented a clear threat to our guys" but was not more specific about what the unarmed terrorist did as the commandos engaged others at the compound and burst into his room.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

The second SEAL team entered the first floor of the main residence and could see a man standing in the dark with one hand behind his back. Fearing he was hiding a weapon, the SEALs shot and killed the lone man, who turned out to be unarmed.

So, the dude got shot because he scratched his butt? Man, that sucks.

[spookyturtle 9,465]

So, the dude got shot because he scratched his butt? Man, that sucks.

Americans are so barbaric. ####-scratching is a reason for a poor terrorist to be shot?

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Americans are so barbaric. ####-scratching is a reason for a poor terrorist to be shot?

They should take notice. If you hang out with the wrong crowd and see a uniform move towards you, DO NOT scratch your butt no matter how bad the urge.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

No Trial. Just Execution.

I hope the American Left shuts the hell up from now on the next time someone gets the death penalty.

Hell, who needs a trial. Cops should be able to march right in and kill someone in their own home if they are suspected of killing someone. Shoot their wives and children too while they are at it.

God I love hypocrites.

[spookyturtle 9,465]

bin Laden didn't deserve a trial and didn't get one. Go directly to Hell, do not pass Go, do not collect $200. Justice is served.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

No Trial. Just Execution.

I hope the American Left shuts the hell up from now on the next time someone gets the death penalty.

Hell, who needs a trial. Cops should be able to march right in and kill someone in their own home if they are suspected of killing someone. Shoot their wives and children too while they are at it.

God I love hypocrites.

I don't know. There was a cop killer here in FL a few years back who went on hiding in some isolated area. The cops went in to search for him and there was no doubt in my mind that he'd be coming out of that brush in a body bag. And so he did. Can't remember anyone making a big fuzz about the cops having killed the guy that killed on of theirs. That was a well accepted outcome and there were no cameras, photos or any other material that could have backed up the cops account of what occurred when they tried to take him into custody. It was the cops word that they had to take him out to protect themselves during the pursuit.

Point I'm making here is that this happens all the time when dangerous individuals are pursued. I don't question the SEAL team making the right call. I rather see OBL's ####### shot to hell than any of the brave men that went in to get him coming out with as much as a scratch. To me, the safety of our military personnel outranks any interest a stinking sack of garbage like OBL could ever have. Your priorities are different and that's your issue to deal with.

[Ban Hammer 13,337]

So, the dude got shot because he scratched his butt? Man, that sucks.

murphy's laws of combat: doing anything can get you shot, including nothing.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Of course, now that bin Ladin was killed, successfully, and Qaddafi has survived two failed attempts, the rule of what goes around comes around tells me that Obama, or any future US President, has just become target number one in the Crack Suicide Death Squad Competition.

[Danno 1,228]

No Trial. Just Execution.

I hope the American Left shuts the hell up from now on the next time someone gets the death penalty.

Hell, who needs a trial. Cops should be able to march right in and kill someone in their own home if they are suspected of killing someone. Shoot their wives and children too while they are at it.

God I love hypocrites.

Actually this has nothing to do with Cops and domestic law, this is a country at war with a ruthless enemy..... ats quite a bit different.

BUt when you speak of the hypocritical nature of the Left, you are right on the money.

I mean it was this gang which went on and on about the rights of these people in Gitmo and how terrible it was that the top 3 craftsmen of all this terror were water boarded.

Imagine that, actually feeling guilty because we put these leaders through "harsh interrogations".

WE were told (by Obama himself) "we are better than that", yet this same man as President sends these kill-teams in to eliminate Osama and anyone else with him.

With Bush, the Left never stopped citing the breeches in international law, geneva convention, USMJ, Human rights, etc

I have yet to hear one VJer mention the legality of of carrying out such operations in a country we are not at war with and apparently had no clearance to be in. On shooting unarmed personnel "at will".

On the contrary.... they suddenly sound like the "rule of law" is a bit more flexible than they let on earlier.

I'm just glad they are maturing in their views about war..... makes me feel like my time spent here has not been wasted.

[ready4ONE 5,400]

Of course, now that bin Ladin was killed, successfully, and Qaddafi has survived two failed attempts, the rule of what goes around comes around tells me that Obama, or any future US President, has just become target number one in the Crack Suicide Death Squad Competition.

Killing a US President has likely already been thought of, likely even gotten somewhere into the operational phase. You can make crazy people angrier, generally they screw up more when you do.

[웃 910]

They should have just surrounded the place and called 911 (no pun intended).

I doubt there were any secret tunnels in there (well, maybe there were?).

Get an arrest warrant from the local Pakistani police station and send them in there to bring him out alive...

[HeatDeath 430]

They should have just surrounded the place and called 911 (no pun intended).

I doubt there were any secret tunnels in there (well, maybe there were?).

Get an arrest warrant from the local Pakistani police station and send them in there to bring him out alive...

Would never have happened.

Now don't get me wrong, he took full credit for 9-11 on a worldwide public stage - he revelled in it, and for that alone he deserved summary execution.

But lets remember, he got his start doing dirty business for the CIA in Afghanistan during the Soviet operation. He knew where far too many bodies were buried, so to speak. Nobody, I guarantee you, had the slightest intention of taking him alive.

And if, by some bizarre fluke, he had gotten through the raid without any new perforations: "oh look, he martyred himself on the flight back to Afghanistan by diving out of the helicopter onto those jagged rocks! What a pity!"

Edited May 5, 2011 by HeatDeath

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Would never have happened.

Now don't get me wrong, he took full credit for 9-11 on a worldwide public stage - he revelled in it, and for that alone he deserved summary execution.

But lets remember, he got his start doing dirty business for the CIA in Afghanistan during the Soviet operation. He knew where far too many bodies were buried, so to speak. Nobody, I guarantee you, had the slightest intention of taking him alive.

And if, by some bizarre fluke, he had gotten through the raid without any new perforations: "oh look, he martyred himself on the flight back to Afghanistan by diving out of the helicopter onto those jagged rocks! What a pity!"

please learn your facts.

http://articles.cnn.com/2001-09-16/us/inv.binladen.denial_1_bin-laden-taliban-supreme-leader-mullah-mohammed-omar?_s=PM:US

[웃 910]

Would never have happened.

Now don't get me wrong, he took full credit for 9-11 on a worldwide public stage - he revelled in it, and for that alone he deserved summary execution.

But lets remember, he got his start doing dirty business for the CIA in Afghanistan during the Soviet operation. He knew where far too many bodies were buried, so to speak. Nobody, I guarantee you, had the slightest intention of taking him alive.

He was living in a palace since 2001 (well, maybe not quite palace) with no trace, no close encounters, no worries, and then one day 10 years later he is shot in the head and dies instantly. He probably only had 15 minutes to sit in his master suite and realize they were his last....He wasn't in any pain. No mental torture (he wasn't caught - the torture is sitting behind bars).

An instant death is better than him being alive and 'not caught'....But spending the next few years being tortured by the living conditions, trapped in a small room 23 hours a day, would have been a much more painful way to live...