Releasing the Osama kill photo

[MattusMaximus]

No. It proves nothing and people only want it to get their pathetic morbid jollies from it, much like they do with any sensationalism or drama queen BS which is so popular in the "entertainment" fields now. Knowing he's dead is enough.

I get your point, and though I agree with it to some extent I can also see how releasing the photos would serve a more legitimate purpose. It would give some people more closure, and it would also serve to solidify the fact of Osama bin Laden's death more concretely.

Plus, it would really marginalize the nutters.

 

[MattusMaximus]

Oh, and let me add also. If you don't want to see the picture, don't look at it. If the photo is released, no one is going to force you to look at it. By them releasing the photo, you can make your own choice about whether to see it, and let the rest of us who are intelligent adults make ours.

^ This.

 

[Minadin]

Obama is not dead. Don't tell me that post was wishful thinking.



Do you have a rational basis for wanting to see it, or do you just think it would "feel good?"

Baloney. Fox News says he IS dead.



Zombie Obama? If he has risen again that just makes him that much closer to being the 'messiah' the right likes to claim =p/

 

[geni]

I would argue that the government holding all of this personal information is the problem. The current FOI system is laudable but still fairly pathetic and IMHO not good enough.

Goverments despite their best efforts do have to deal with people from time to time. As a result it's rather hard form them to avoid aquiring personal information.

Again, I think different from most. Unlike the average person I actually care about things like liberty and transparency. I prioritize information sharing over hurting peoples feelings or security. It seems like most people are fairly willing to trade freedom for security. I'm not, making me an oddball.

You want the goverment to publish your tax returns? Now that in the US really would make you an oddball in the US (other contries take different views). The rest is stuff you will find 3 people supporting on any street corner.

 

[geni]

The execution photos of the Lincoln assasination conspirators are in the National Archives: http://www.archives.gov/research/military/civil-war/photos/images/civil-war-201.jpg

Looks like an edited version of:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Execution_Lincoln_assassins.jpg

I was thinking of some of the videos that came out of the Aden Emergency and the obvious difference is that those were black and white.

 

[dc1971]

I think releasing them will just feed conspiracy theories. Instead, schedule them for release in 20 years.

That will only fuel the typical "I know how we can end this conspiracy, release the photos" mantra!

 

[EGarrett]

Do you have a rational basis for wanting to see it, or do you just think it would "feel good?"

Those are not mutually-exclusive. Human emotions were programmed to an extreme level of intricacy over millions of years. The more you learn about the way you feel, the more you'll see rational bases behind it.

When someone releases videos to the world threatening the lives of innocent people, the best chance of spreading the message, unequivocally, that the threat is over is to release a video to the world of that man being dead. It also visually discourages future aggression in a more striking manner than simple words that could even be lost or manipulated in translations. Telling them "Bin Laden goes to visit Allah" is one thing, showing them Bin Laden with half his head blown apart will make the truth of the matter unequivocal.

Don't ever underestimate the power of tit-for-tat demonstrations on promoting cooperative human behavior. If you understand it, it is the most powerful rational justification you could ever want. The fact that is also feels-good is not coincidental.

 

[WildCat]

Looks like an edited version of:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Execution_Lincoln_assassins.jpg

You can see the full series here: http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/f?cwar:0:./temp/~ammem_YRjO:

Including 80+ megabyte tiff versions!

 

[EGarrett]

I'm not so much against releasing this stuff in principle, but the problem is that once one of these things is released, like that 'bigfoot in a freezer', or the KSM hairy back jerk, or the Rodney King beating, Sadam hanging, etc. that's all you see for months, as a sidebar of nearly every report. You really can't help but have it imposed on you. I think many of us just get tired of looking at them.

The one they keep showing now is that water boarding scene every time water boarding is mentioned. I frankly don't want to see it any more. I guess it is a combination of natural revulsion and just poor reporting fatigue.

I never saw the "Bigfoot in a Freezer" and I'm not sure what you're referring to. I never cared to see Saddam hung, I only saw the noose being put around his neck and some words being read to him, after that I didn't desire to see anymore and I never have. I'm also not sure which waterboarding scene you refer to. So these things are hardly unavoidable.

Also, a gruesome image that can't be shown on television will be much easier to avoid.

 

[Lowpro]

I said not sure, because it really is a coin toss for me personally. I've only EVER seen pictures of the guy, a picture of his dead corpse doesn't really mean much.

To others, the picture may disgust (because it's a dead guy with a bullet thru his face) it may bring ease (seeing a murderer get his due does bring peace) may fuel conspiracy theorists (every photo is photoshopped, even paintings!) or may be forever immortalized as a martyr for more would-be terrorists to further empower themselves (the guy's in Islam-Heaven, mating with crystal clear raisins!)

Such power in a photo!

 

[richardm]

I was thinking of some of the videos that came out of the Aden Emergency and the obvious difference is that those were black and white.

What was the reaction to those videos at the time, though? Perhaps it's that which has coloured the release of subsequent pictures, rather than the move to colour itself.

Edit: For myself I think they might as well release the pictures. And there is clearly a huge amount of interest worldwide. But they should probably release a series of them, including the ones where the muslim rites were followed, because even moderate muslims can be a bit unhappy if this isn't done right. Although no doubt someone would soon complain that photographing muslim rites is against Islam or something.

 

[Darat]

....snip... Occurring RIGHT before the 10-yr anniversary of 9/11, as Obama's approval ratings and the public approval of international U.S. military actions are at an all-time low? ...snip...

.
It is only just May

 

[WildCat]

Panetta says there will be at least one pic released.

 

[Emet]

Panetta says there will be at least one pic released.

And the White House continues to say no decision has been made yet.

This story continues to evolve. We'll just have to wait and see.

 

[Infoexcavator]

It should not be released, people might be shocked that an assault rifle shot to the head causes all kinds of cosmetic damage.

 

[BeAChooser]

It should not be released, people might be shocked that an assault rifle shot to the head causes all kinds of cosmetic damage.

Oh gosh, we wouldn't want people to think that.

How's this for a compromise? Obama allows ANY 9/11 family member to come see the photos first hand. Call it *closure*.

 

[The Central Scrutinizer]

Hang on a minute there ladies and gents. I am not a "nutter", or CT, or whatever derogatory label can best be used to hand wave away a semi-legitimate question.

The extraordinary claim, I would argue, is that OBL was found and killed.

Extraordinary if for no other reason than they couldn't do it for 10 years.

We also couldn't land on the Moon for 9000 years, until we did.

At this point, what evidence do we have? The word of our President. Well, even though I more or less support this one, the former one proved that they can and will tell bold faced lies (though, honestly, the WMD lies weren't the only proof that presidents can/will lie).

What evidence do we have that we landed on the Moon?

 

[EGarrett]

It should not be released, people might be shocked that an assault rifle shot to the head causes all kinds of cosmetic damage.

Why don't you decide for yourself whether to see it and let other adults decide for themselves? Why do you think your personal preference should override the choices of other individuals?

 

[bigred]

Really? What "direct and asinine name-calling" did I participate in?

I quote:
"...you can make your own choice about whether to see it, and let the rest of us who are intelligent adults make ours."

All clear now?

Oh, and by all means, please explain why your preference for whether you wish to see the photo should override the preference of others,

I already have. Since you couldn't get it the first time, I see little point in repeating myself.

I get your point, and though I agree with it to some extent I can also see how releasing the photos would serve a more legitimate purpose. It would give some people more closure, and it would also serve to solidify the fact of Osama bin Laden's death more concretely.

Given how easy it is to fake photos, I can't imagine why. Thanks to technology, photos can rarely if ever be proof or evidence of anything.

 

[EGarrett]

I quote:
"...you can make your own choice about whether to see it, and let the rest of us who are intelligent adults make ours."

All clear now?

I referred to myself and others. I didn't say anything about you. Now tell me how that's DIRECT name-calling?

I already have. Since you couldn't get it the first time, I see little point in repeating myself.

No, you made a blanket statement about everyone else and called people names. I want to know why, specifically, you think your choice should override that of other adults. I know exactly what the motivation for proclamations like yours is, but I want to pull back the curtain and see you say it.