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Obama: I won't release bin Laden death photos
CBS News ^ | May 4 2011

Posted on 05/04/2011 11:52:52 AM PDT by NoLibZone

In an interview with Steve Kroft for this Sunday's "60 Minutes," President Obama says he won't release post-mortem images of Osama bin Laden taken to prove his death.

"We don't trot out this stuff as trophies," Mr. Obama said.

The president told Kroft he saw the photos and knew that bin Laden had been killed.

"We discussed this internally," he said. "Keep in mind, we are absolutely certain that this was him. We've done DNA sampling and testing. And so there is no doubt that we killed Osama bin Laden."

"We don't need to spike the football...given the graphic nature of the photo it would create national security risk," added the president.

Video of the comments will appear on the CBS "Evening News" on Wednesday.

Republican House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers said Wednesday that the Obama administration should not release the gruesome post-mortem images, saying it could complicate the job for American troops overseas. Rogers told CBS News he has seen a post-mortem photo.

"The risks of release outweigh the benefits," Rogers said. "Conspiracy theorists around the world will just claim the photos are doctored anyway, and there is a real risk that releasing the photos will only serve to inflame public opinion in the Middle East."

"Imagine how the American people would react if Al Qaeda killed one of our troops or military leaders, and put photos of the body on the internet," Rogers continued. "Osama bin Laden is not a trophy - he is dead and let's now focus on continuing the fight until Al Qaida has been eliminated."

Osama bin Laden had cash, phone numbers sewn in clothes

White House changes story: Bin Laden unarmed

Cables: U.S. near bin Laden in '08, didn't know it President Obama in the Situation Room

President Barack Obama delivers a statement in the East Room of the White House on the mission against Osama bin Laden, May 1, 2011. (Credit: White House/Pete Souza)

Skeptics have called on the United States to release photos of bin Laden, who officials say was shot in the face during a raid on his compound, in order to prove that the al Qaeda leader is really dead.

The White House had said it was debating whether to release the photographs, which are believed to be extremely graphic.

CIA director Leon Panetta told CBS News Tuesday that he thought a photo would be released, though he said the White House would make the final decision. Panetta told NBC News that "I don't think there was any question that ultimately a photograph would be presented to the public." Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton reportedly advised Mr. Obama not to release any images.

CBS News national security correspondent David Martin has been told the photographs are "very gruesome" and won't be for the "squeamish."

"I've had it described to me and it does sound very gruesome," he said. "Remember, bin Laden was shot twice at close range, once in the chest and once in the head, right above his left eye, and that bullet opened his skull, exposing the brain, and it also blew out his eye. So these are not going to be pictures for the squeamish."

Neil Livingstone, Chairman and CEO of Executive Action and author of nine books on terrorism, said he disagreed with Mr. Obama's decision.

"If we can't conclusively demonstrate that indeed he is dead there will be those who say he is still out there," he said. "Al Qaeda might even try to keep his legacy going and say 'they got someone else, they didn't really get him.'"

On Twitter, Sarah Palin also opposed the decision.

"Show photo as warning to others seeking America's destruction. No pussy-footing around, no politicking, no drama;it's part of the mission," she wrote.

Bin Laden news gives Obama 11-point approval bump

Bush declines Obama invitation to ground zero

Two Republican senators -- Saxby Chambliss, R-GA, Vice Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and the Armed Services Committee, and Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-NH, a member of the Armed Services Committee - told CBS News Wednesday they had seen post-mortem photographs of bin Laden.No Democrats have said they have seen the images.

Photoshopped images purporting to show bin Laden after he was killed have already surfaced on the Internet.


TOPICS: Extended News; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: noproofnobounce; obama; osama; photoshopczar
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To: NoLibZone

More proof in my mind OBL aint dead. Other than the administration telling us where’s the proof? Seriously. I think we have him in custody but that’s open to question as well. They talk about proof but won’t share any of it? Anyone seen the DNA analysis? I don’t want to get too tin foil hat here but so far everything we have heard has had an administration filter on it.


21 posted on 05/04/2011 12:14:02 PM PDT by lp boonie (Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment)
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To: NoLibZone

So much for the “most transparent administration in history”.


22 posted on 05/04/2011 12:14:12 PM PDT by Red in Blue PA (Let's apply the "reasonable man" standard to gun laws. How many would stand?)
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To: Cicero
What a class act! What dignity in office!

Maybe the DNA tests came back negative?

23 posted on 05/04/2011 12:14:58 PM PDT by tsowellfan
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To: Cicero

Cicero, please tell me you forgot your sarcasm tag!


24 posted on 05/04/2011 12:15:54 PM PDT by Guenevere (....)
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To: NoLibZone

So my suspicions are confirmed then - Bush turned OBL to applesauce back in the big Tora Bora raid. Absent proof to the contrary that’s what I’m going to believe anyway - it’s not like the Government has been lying to me my entire life or anything.


25 posted on 05/04/2011 12:19:15 PM PDT by GunningForTheBuddha (Paul/Ventura 2012 - 'Cause Maybe Batsh#t Crazy IS the Answer)
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To: NoLibZone

“Imagine how the American people would react if Al Qaeda killed one of our troops or military leaders, and put photos of the body on the internet,”

I remember a few!

The dead from Jimmy Carter’s failed rescue mission to Iran were openly paraded by one of their ayatollas.

A US Army officer hanged in Lebanon.

Dead and burned bodies of contractors in Iraq.

Show US the PHOTOS of Osama!


26 posted on 05/04/2011 12:20:22 PM PDT by Ruy Dias de Bivar (Click my name. See my home page, if you dare!)
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To: NoLibZone

In that case I’m officially on the “Osama is still alive!” bandwagon. If this bastard won’t provew something, then I refuse to believe it.


27 posted on 05/04/2011 12:21:02 PM PDT by Cyber Liberty (Obama lies, Osama is still alive!)
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To: Mr.Unique
The administration knows that even a picture won't satisfy many.

Hello Mr Strawman have you seen the Tin Woodsmen around?
28 posted on 05/04/2011 12:21:52 PM PDT by GunningForTheBuddha (Paul/Ventura 2012 - 'Cause Maybe Batsh#t Crazy IS the Answer)
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To: NoLibZone

umm isn’t this about the time for seal team 6 to drop some photos to wikileaks?


29 posted on 05/04/2011 12:22:33 PM PDT by rolling_stone
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To: Paisan

2009: Obama releases 2,000 photos of prisoner abuse

....but we don’t wanna offend anyone by showing pics of a dead Bin Laden?

President Barack Obama is to release up to 2,000 photographs of alleged abuse at American prisons in Iraq and Afghanistan in a move which will reignite the scandal surrounding Abu Ghraib prison in 2004....


30 posted on 05/04/2011 12:24:06 PM PDT by tsowellfan
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To: NoLibZone
This is a political calculation to make conservatives look like nuts by claiming UBL is alive. Unfortunately, many conservatives will take the bait..
31 posted on 05/04/2011 12:30:30 PM PDT by montanajoe
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To: Ruy Dias de Bivar

“Imagine how the American people would react if Al Qaeda killed one of our troops or military leaders, and put photos of the body on the internet,”

:( Is he lidding? If not, absolute proof that Obama is not as intelligent as they would have us believe.

Hello Mr O, we’ve seen pictures of dead Americans killed by the followers of Osama in the past. Now we want to see the picture of Osama.


32 posted on 05/04/2011 12:32:34 PM PDT by kalee (The offences we give, we write in the dust; Those we take, we engrave in marble. J Huett 1658)
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To: beelzepug

does anyone else think this OBL nonsense sounds a lot like the BC nonsense? no proof, conflicting stories, hearsay, wont’ release documents, photoshopped images, ad nauseum. is there anything this fool can do that doesn’t involve underhandedness? and the MSM wonders why so many so-called conspiracy theories are floating around!


33 posted on 05/04/2011 12:35:19 PM PDT by matt1
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To: montanajoe

Then we must accept everything the WH states.

From Deficit sending to abortion.

Questioning him is a good thing.


34 posted on 05/04/2011 12:40:55 PM PDT by NoLibZone (I can't force my kids to take on the DNC vote buy debts and be hated for working while doing so.)
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To: NoLibZone

Will Henry Nostrolitis Waxman want a hearing on any of this?


35 posted on 05/04/2011 12:41:59 PM PDT by RRismyhero (Mr. Obama - You can keep your change.)
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To: GunningForTheBuddha
Hello Mr Strawman have you seen the Tin Woodsmen around?

No matter what happens these days, folks don't want to believe it. Conspiracy theories abound. How is my statement a strawman?

36 posted on 05/04/2011 12:46:23 PM PDT by Mr.Unique (The last thing I want to do is hurt you. But it's still on the list.)
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To: GunningForTheBuddha
Hello Mr Strawman have you seen the Tin Woodsmen around?

...and, that makes no sense. What does a strawman have to do with the Tin Woodsman?

37 posted on 05/04/2011 12:48:38 PM PDT by Mr.Unique (The last thing I want to do is hurt you. But it's still on the list.)
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To: tsowellfan
2009: Obama releases 2,000 photos of prisoner abuse

....but we don’t wanna offend anyone by showing pics of a dead Bin Laden?

I would suggest that in Zero's upside down mentality, he thinks that treating bin Laden's corpse with dignity and the refusal to release the photos are self serving. He's not trying to protect American; it's his own hide he is worried about.

38 posted on 05/04/2011 12:52:35 PM PDT by He Rides A White Horse ((unite))
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To: tsowellfan

He believes that somehow his actions will placate Muslims. He doesn’t care about US citizens; his track record shows that. He is all about himself, period.


39 posted on 05/04/2011 12:55:14 PM PDT by He Rides A White Horse ((unite))
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To: montanajoe
Unfortunately, many conservatives will take the bait..

and unfortunately some people believe everything this President says as being the truth ....

Personally, I believe they did kill OBL but do not want to release the photos because it will upset the muslims ... and you KNOW we cannot do that.

40 posted on 05/04/2011 1:00:55 PM PDT by softwarecreator (You say you want a revolution, well, you know ... we'd all love to see the plan.)
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