I just don't get why the White House can't get the story streight on the bin Laden raid. It never looks good when we are told numerous conflicting stories on an insodent. It also feeds conspiracy theories. Conspiracy theories will always be around an event like this in our history. But if the Obama admin. can't get the story streight it just adds to the conspiracy theory of "Deathers".
Let's look at how the world Muslim community might react to the conflicting stories on how this hero to many Muslims was killed. Do you think from a Muslims perspective, it might inflame more or fewer Muslims around the world?
It makes me wonder who it serves to have so many conflicting stories on this raid? What are your thaughts on this matter?
Ynetnews:
ReplyDeleteAn imam from the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem vowed to take revenge over “the western dogs” for killing Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in Pakistan on Sunday.
In a Youtube video uploaded by the imam he said: “The western dogs are rejoicing after killing one of our Islamic lions. From Al-Aqsa Mosque, where the future caliphate will originate with the help of God, we say to them – the dogs will not rejoice too much for killing the lions. The dogs will remain dogs and the lion, even if he is dead, will remain a lion.”
The imam then verbally attacked US President Barack Obama saying: “You personally instructed to kill Muslims. You should know that soon you’ll hang together with Bush Junior.”
To understand the significance of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, here’s some additional information from Wikipedia:
Al-Aqsa Mosque (Arabic:المسجد الاقصى al-Masjid al-Aqsa, IPA: [ʔælˈmæsʒɪd ælˈʔɑqsˤɑ] ( listen), “the Farthest Mosque”), also known as al-Aqsa, is an Islamic holy place in the Old City of Jerusalem. The site that includes the mosque (along with the Dome of the Rock), also referred to as al-Haram ash-Sharif or “Sacred Noble Sanctuary”, is the Temple Mount, the holiest site in Judaism, the place where the First and Second Temples are generally accepted to have stood.[1][2] Muslims believe that Muhammad was transported from the Sacred Mosque in Mecca to al-Aqsa during the Night Journey.[3] Islamic tradition holds that Muhammad led prayers towards this site until the seventeenth month after the emigration, when God directed him to turn towards the Ka’aba.[4]
The death of Osama Bin Laden has reawakened the debate over enhanced interrogation techniques–or what some call torture–and whether they are effective and morally justified.
ReplyDeleteDid enhanced interrogations lead the U.S. to Bin Laden? Some say no. Others say yes.
From the AP:
U.S. officials said the information that ultimately led to bin Laden’s death originally came from detainees held in secret CIA prison sites in Eastern Europe. There, agency interrogators were told of an alias used by a courier whom bin Laden particularly trusted.
It took four long years to learn the man’s real name, then years more before investigators got a big break in the case, these officials said.
What does the White House say?
Jay Carney, the White House press secretary, evaded a question on this matter today during a press briefing. When asked if information from enhanced interrogations was used to help track down bin Laden, Carney seemed to say “yes and no.”
“The fact is that no single piece of information led to the successful mission that occurred on Sunday. Multiple detainees provided insights into the networks of people who might have been close to bin Laden.”
He added, “But reporting from detainees is just a slice of the information that has been gathered by incredibly diligent professionals over the years in the intelligence community. It’s simply strange…to suggest that a piece of information that may or may not have been gathered eight years ago somehow directly led to a successful mission on Sunday.”
Osama bin Laden was unarmed when he was confronted by U.S. commandos at his Pakistani hideout but tried to resist the assault, the White House said Tuesday as new details emerged about the audacious raid that killed the world’s most wanted terrorist.
ReplyDeleteIn a press briefing today, White House press secretary Jay Carney noted that “resistance does not require a firearm.”
The White House said it was considering whether to release photos that were taken of bin Laden after he was killed but was concerned that the photos were “gruesome” and could be inflammatory.
Other details that emerged on Tuesday, according to U.S. officials: One of bin Laden’s wives tried to rush the commandos and was shot in the leg. High temperatures caused a lumbering helicopter carrying the raiders to make a hard landing. And as Navy SEALs swept through the compound, they handcuffed those they encountered with plastic zip ties and pressed on in pursuit of their target, code-named Geronimo.
Once bin Laden had been shot, they doubled back to move the prisoners away from the compound before blowing up the downed helicopter.
The fuller picture of the high-stakes assault emerged as U.S. officials weighed whether to release video and photos of bin Laden, who was killed with a shot above his left eye.
This morning’s Op-Ed in the Washington Post from Pakistan’s President Zardari (Pakistan Did Its Part) seems to be a curious one.
ReplyDeleteBefore we delve into the details, let us be reminded of a few facts:
Since 2011, the US has sent $20 billion in ‘direct aid’ (cash payments) to Pakistan.
Bin Laden was discovered to be living in a compound less than a mile from Pakistan’s equivalent of West Point.
The first comments from Pakistan came from the Foreign Office and stated; “This operation was conducted by the US Forces in accordance with declared US policy that Osama bin Laden will be eliminated in a direct action by the US forces, wherever found in the world.”
Reports from Pakistan say Zardari has still not addressed his own people on this topic, but he has written an Op-Ed for an American paper.
In the Wa-Po piece, the Pakistani President seems to be trying to position his country as the biggest victim of bin Laden. In fact, he leads with that theory;
Pakistan, perhaps the world’s greatest victim of terrorism, joins the other targets of al-Qaeda — the people of the United States, Britain, Spain, Indonesia, Afghanistan, Turkey, Yemen, Kenya, Tanzania, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Algeria — in our satisfaction that the source of the greatest evil of the new millennium has been silenced, and his victims given justice.
In the very next paragraph, President Zardari also seems to be making an effort to both attach and distance his country from the killing of OBL;
Although the events of Sunday were not a joint operation, a decade of cooperation and partnership between the United States and Pakistan led up to the elimination of Osama bin Laden as a continuing threat to the civilized world. And we in Pakistan take some satisfaction that our early assistance in identifying an al-Qaeda courier ultimately led to this day.
He seems to be saying that Pakistan did not help the U.S., well not this time anyway, but Pakistan did something, one time, a long time ago. Doesn’t that count for anything? Maybe the Pakistani President wants to stay friends with us. He must know that the American people will not be happy learning that bin Laden may have lived in the luxurious compound for the past six years.
And then there is the possibility that Zardari is worried about retaliation from the remaining Al Qaeda members. His Op-Ed also stated;
Only hours after bin Laden’s death, the Taliban reacted by blaming the government of Pakistan and calling for retribution against its leaders, and specifically against me as the nation’s president. We will not be intimidated. Pakistan has never been and never will be the hotbed of fanaticism that is often described by the media.
Hmm, not a ‘hotbed of fanaticism?’ Here is a Reuters report of Pakistani protests AGAINST the killing of OBL;
And then there is the statement from former President Musharraf, claiming that the US mission was a violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty.
President Zardari is in a very difficult place. He runs a nation with a substantial nuclear arsenal. His late wife, President Benazir Bhutto, was killed during an Al Qaeda attack in December of 2007. And when Pakistan was found to be hosting the world’s most wanted man, America swooped in with a unilateral military action, killing this criminal without working alongside Pakistan, or even telling the country the operation was happening. Reuters has even referred to Pakistan as “embarrassed” by this.
Perhaps playing the ‘victim card’ is the only way for Zardari to save face and keep his approval rating high.
I wonder what the left think of these statements?
From Truthers to Deathers, one thing is certain. The truth is we were attacked on 9-11. Proof is in the images.
ReplyDeleteThe Death of the keymaster, IMO, has gone from 100% certain to 75% certain, just because the story keeps changing.
If it continues, the only thing that will get me back to 100% certain is a picture of the Navy Seal with OBL's body.
Obama sure does make you wonder if ANY thing he says is true anymore.
Release the photo with a caption 'It took us 10 years, but we will find you and this WILL be the results.
Terrorist respect toughness.
It turns out that waterboarding works. Once again the liberals are wrong. The Bush policies worked and that is why Obama flip flopped on it all.
ReplyDelete