THINQon : Obama's decision not to release the picture of a dead Osama Bin Laden

The Arts Room Photographs Obama's decision not to release the picture of a dead Osama Bin Laden

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Virginia Bird

Obama's decision not to release the picture of a dead Osama Bin Laden

Latest Post: May 12, 2011 at 1:59 AM

20 followers

I wrote a post in the topic of The persistence of images but also wanted to start a new topic about this. Is Obama right in his decision not to release the picture of a dead Osama Bin Laden?
I'm repeating my post here as well:

Obama decided not to allow the publication of the dead Osama Bin Laden's picture. I agree with his decision, and this might be better off as a new topic (especially whether we think it will continue to be hidden, or at some point come to light). Of course, Obama does want to give an image to this success, he wants his own image connected to the success and not Osama's. Here is the image he wants, which is already being analyzed by many:

One question is will such a trick work? If so, it is brilliant. Obama wants to control what image will persist in our memory when we think of Osama's killing, and he created a different one, involving him, instead of a dead body. I assume he will try to minimize other available images (such as the burial, and so on). The CIA, wants the dead body, to show its own success. With this decision we can see Obama's brilliance in handling his public image, and how it will persist.

Another aspect is that Obama wants a diplomatic image, even if it is of a killing, and not a military one. It is the image he wants for the whole conflict, to see a diplomatic image and not a military one. The military is behind the scenes, though of course, as people note, Obama is not sitting in the main chair - but he is pulling the strings.

Steve Reed tagged this post as Insightful.

Linda Fahlberg-Stojanovska tagged this post as Insightful.

Edna Stern tagged this post as Brilliant.

Damian Flint tagged this post as Insightful.

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William McHale

May 5, 2011 at 4:10 AM

1 follower

Perhaps the president decided that issuing a photo of the dead Bin Laden with a bullet hole near his left eye would be counterproductive to the security of the nation. He accomplished his dual mission of removing the threat of Bin Laden’s involvement in directing future attacks and of securing data for the further unraveling of Al Qaeda’s operations. The DNA sampling showed a 99.9% likelihood that the corpse is Bin Laden. That suffices for Barack Obama and me. Our strategic interest do not benefit by disseminating photos of the corpse for use as an Al Qaeda recruiting tool and to stir anti-American fervor. We are still trying to recover from the Abu Ghraib photo debacle of the previous administration. The president gave his address in Cairo http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/04/us/politics/04obama.text.html in June, 2009 to attempt to shift our relationship and perception in the Muslim community to one of greater mutual respect - a slow shift, a redirecting an ocean liner shift, but a shift nevertheless. The photos hinder the goals laid out in that speech. The benefits of withholding them outweigh frustrating those who call for further evidence.

I have never seen photos of JFK’s shattered skull from November 1963. Perhaps my government’s withholding of these photos is an attempt to trick me so that my image of JFK is of living man and not a grotesque corpse. I do not have a problem with this “trick.” In fact, I appreciate it. As did his widow. Perhaps the withholding of the dead Bin Laden’s photos is another brilliant trick, or perhaps it just a decent thing to do. Perhaps Barack Obama is just a decent man who leads a decent nation that, under his leadership, conducts itself in a decent manner.

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Ardiente Pensar

In response to William McHale

May 10, 2011 at 1:53 PM

3 followers

First let's remember that the shooting of JFK was done in front of cameras and thousands of live spectators. His death was irrefutable as where those of MLK, RFK, and Malcolm X. In these killings the questions aren't who did them but if they were part of a conspiracy. If after the lies and deception our government has historically given us, e.g, Iran-Contra, Watergate, Iraq war the most notorious ones, and you still believe that this government isn't corrupt and deceiving, then you are any combination of the following, misguided, misinformed, naive or stubbornly fatuous. Especially given the pre-election rhetoric of transparency and doing away with the money changers (lobbyists) Claims of Obama. Yet since, "there is a sucker born every minute," I should not be surprised.

Is it that the citizen/voter in this country hasn't learned to connect the dots? One year before an election by a wild coincidence we find Bin Laden. We drop into a compound without being detected by the Pakistani government. Recently a Pakistani citizen was interviewed and he was outraged that his own government couldn't detect not Bin Laden, but the invading helicopter of the Navy Seals.

Since when do Arabs bury their dead at sea? And if the USA did do that why not a picture of the body wrapped up ceremoniously thrown overboard? Think of it we are exposed to the most gruesome visuals on NCI and the rest of those crime dramas and we should cower with horror at a dead man? If the excuse is that we will ignite violence and further anti American sentiments, that already has been done with just the mention of his death. Shot while unarmed? That should make the US a real moral champion. Let's face it, they hate us and we have been pouring billions of dollars into Pakistan while we can't even get a decent health plan (one payer was not even on the table.) I want to see a photo of him dead, dead, dead. Not to celebrate, yet to believe that this government is not lying to us AGAIN!

Convenient before an election, a President with ratings almost as low as Bush's with this bit of news to overshadow, the unemployment rates, the crimes of Wall Street and the billions in profit the oil companies have so far made this year. Once again the republicans are blathering about the national debt although it was under their watch that it got to be that boogie many under the bed. And since we really have one party with two heads, the democratic chime in to make that the issue of the day. As the tax base dwindles with this rising unemployment, we are worried about the debt? Let's catch Bin Laden and save our faces, the iconic photo of this event is Obama watching it. It is always about this inept joker making sure he goes down in history as the president to took down Bin Laden while the country was burning to the ground.

We keep patting ourselves on the back, while we slowly sink in the quicksand. Is Bin Laden dead? I want to see a photo of his dead body. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Reply to: or

William McHale

In response to Ardiente Pensar

May 10, 2011 at 3:43 PM

1 follower

Ardiente Pensar,

·         President Obama has told the nation that he authorized this mission, bin Laden was killed, and his dead body was buried at sea.

·         Deception occurred during Iran-Contra, Watergate and the Iraq war.

·         The deaths of JFK and the others you cite are irrefutable.

·         The next election for president is a year and half away.

·         One of the 188 million citizens of Pakistan is outraged that his country apparently did not detect the American helicopters sent on the bin Laden mission.

·         Many Muslims hate America.

·         American health care is abysmal.

·         Wall Street and oil company profits are obscene.

·         The GOP exploded the national debt for eight years under Bush but now, under Obama, claim it must be dealt with.

·         President Obama must supply a photo of the dead bin Laden, Unless he does so, he is not to be believed.

Sorry. I was in agreement and following along but failed to connect the dot to the final assertion.