# bin Laden is dead? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 2, 2011, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bin-laden-is-dead/580436 "2011-05-02T02:46:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 11
**Author:** ![margin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/65b543/32.png) [@margin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/margin)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bin-laden-is-dead/580436/201 "2011-05-02T21:27:52Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Your link bitch-rolled me into an ad prominently displaying Ann Coulter. Typically, an episode like this takes about fifty dollars worth of chronic and a bottle of Jameson’s to expunge. I’ll bill you. Jeez, she’s running out of adjectives and levels of vituperation. “Demonic”? What’s next, “Satanic”? And why is she writing about Rush Limbaugh all of a sudden? ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bin-laden-is-dead/580436/202 "2011-05-02T21:33:27Z")
> [@Jragon](#): > > But the rhetoric doesn’t have to be “I’m so glad we killed that bastard!” “It’s great we put a bullet in that fucker’s head!” “Ding dong the witch is dead!” It’s directly celebrating a human being’s death, without any thought in many cases than some notion of “revenge” or “closure.” Saying “Hooray! Al Qaeda’s funding has been disrupted.” Or “Al Qaeda no longer has a powerful symbol!” or “I’m glad the organizational structure of Al Qaeda has been disrupted!” Is fine, and I support celebrating it. Celebrating someone’s death instead of the positive consequences of that event just seems inhuman, or perhaps more unnervingly, too human. I’m sure that for a lot of people, they are celebrating a win for us and a loss for al Qaeda. I’m not sure how relevant OBL is other than as a symbol, but celebrating his death doesn’t seem unreasonable. ---
**Author:** ![margin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/65b543/32.png) [@margin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/margin)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bin-laden-is-dead/580436/203 "2011-05-02T21:38:23Z")
> [@Damuri\_Ajashi](#): > > I’m sure that for a lot of people, they are celebrating a win for us and a loss for al Qaeda. > > I’m not sure how relevant OBL is other than as a symbol, but celebrating his death doesn’t seem unreasonable. My best friend had a meeting at WTC1 at nine thirty that morning. Her cab was running late and got hung up on the West Side Highway, which I gather provides a clear view of the buildings. She in turn knows people who lost friends, husbands, wives. In New York it is a very close thing. People have this human reaction. After ten years of fear and stress and unfinished business…some of the business at last is finished. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bin-laden-is-dead/580436/204 "2011-05-02T21:40:31Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > I seriously doubt they care. They’re professionals doing a job. Well, its always nice to be appreciated but there has not been a lack of appreciation for the military in at least a generation or two. With that said, some people feel that their adulation is as important to the success of the military as die hard Red Sox fans believe their fanaticism is a necessary component of the Red Sox winning a pennant. Our military kicks ass because we have a military budget larger than the GDP of all but 15 of the largest economies in the world. It makes them feel like they are a part of it. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bin-laden-is-dead/580436/205 "2011-05-02T21:43:06Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > And this differs from your usual Monday night how? Monday is Laredo Ditch Weed and Mad Dog 20/20. But that’s when I’m paying for it. I’m all for sane and sober, but sometimes, you gotta pick. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bin-laden-is-dead/580436/206 "2011-05-02T21:44:28Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > Come on, guys. Do you really not think Rush hammering over and over that only Obama and none, hear me NONE!, of his military advisers thought of a special forces attack was perhaps intended as sarcastic? The mentally challenged frequently do not understand that sarcasm is being used or what it’s meaning is. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bin-laden-is-dead/580436/207 "2011-05-02T21:51:33Z")
> [@C3](#): > > I’m pretty sure that whole thing was sarcasm. > > (I’m not being whooshed, am I? I hate being whooshed) Yeah it seems like sarcasm. His point seems to be that Obama didn’t do anything special. The apprehension of Osama bin Laden was the inevitable result of continuing the policies of the Bush regime. Any jack ass would have been able to figure out that sending in special forces was the way to go. Its a victory for the military, not for Obama. And besides Osama wasn’t even relevant anymore. That seems to be his sentiment but then again maybe I’m being cynical. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bin-laden-is-dead/580436/208 "2011-05-02T21:53:55Z")
Obama wasn’t responsible, in the sense of making it happen. He was responsible in the sense of signing off on it, and that it was his ass if it went south. ---
**Author:** ![stegon66](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee59a6/32.png) [@stegon66](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stegon66)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bin-laden-is-dead/580436/209 "2011-05-02T21:59:22Z")
I hear they dumped his dead ass in the ocean. If they’d fed his body to pigs would that have been going too far? ---
**Author:** ![classyladyhp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b5ac83/32.png) [@classyladyhp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/classyladyhp)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bin-laden-is-dead/580436/210 "2011-05-02T22:01:32Z")
Forgive me if this is a dumb question. I’m not really into politics. How is the US allowed to just go and kill him? Isn’t the normal procedure to capture him? ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bin-laden-is-dead/580436/211 "2011-05-02T22:01:37Z")
> [@margin](#): > > My best friend had a meeting at WTC1 at nine thirty that morning. Her cab was running late and got hung up on the West Side Highway, which I gather provides a clear view of the buildings. She in turn knows people who lost friends, husbands, wives. In New York it is a very close thing. > > People have this human reaction. After ten years of fear and stress and unfinished business…some of the business at last is finished. I had close friends that were in the building when the planes hit. Almost all of them got out and we mourned but this war isn’t vengeance for the deaths of 3000 individuals, its telling people not to fuck with us. That is why it is relevant to all Americans and not just the people who knew the people who died in the WTC. But I get your point, its more personal for a lot of people in NYC. Still OBLs death is important for the country because OBL’s survival was a sign of America’s impotence. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bin-laden-is-dead/580436/212 "2011-05-02T22:01:53Z")
[QUOTE=stegon66] I hear they dumped his dead ass in the ocean. If they’d fed his body to pigs would that have been going too far? [/QUOTE] It would be needlessly antagonistic. Shooting him twice in the head and feeding him to the fish was sufficient, I’m thinking… -XT ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bin-laden-is-dead/580436/213 "2011-05-02T22:04:45Z")
> [@classyladyhp](#): > > Forgive me if this is a dumb question. I’m not really into politics. How is the US allowed to just go and kill him? Isn’t the normal procedure to capture him? From what I’ve read they tried to capture him, but he and his body guards resisted. Not that it’s particularly important (it would have been better if we captured him, but killing him is fine too). I don’t think ‘allowed’ really came into it, not in this particular case. -XT ---
**Author:** ![The\_Understander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3da27b/32.png) [@The\_Understander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Understander)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bin-laden-is-dead/580436/214 "2011-05-02T22:05:20Z")
> [@mlees](#): > > OBL: Who is it? > > Voice behind door: Candy-gram… I lol’ed. > [@Damuri\_Ajashi](#): > > Yeah it seems like sarcasm. His point seems to be that Obama didn’t do anything special. The apprehension of Osama bin Laden was the inevitable result of continuing the policies of the Bush regime. Any jack ass would have been able to figure out that sending in special forces was the way to go. Its a victory for the military, not for Obama. And besides Osama wasn’t even relevant anymore. > > That seems to be his sentiment but then again maybe I’m being cynical. I think you’re spot on. Limbaugh walked a fine little line there, too (RIP, fine little line). He had to keep up his usual schtick while seeming happy about the event itself and even begrudgingly give credit to the President. Personally, I thought he was going to simply ignore Obama’s role in the tracking, planning, and decision-making and, if he mentioned bin Laden’s killing at all, only talk about the bravery and skill of the special forces. Silly me… that would have ignored the opportunity to damn with overeffusive praise a President who succeeded where his idol failed miserably. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bin-laden-is-dead/580436/215 "2011-05-02T22:07:43Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Obama wasn’t responsible, in the sense of making it happen. He was responsible in the sense of signing off on it, and that it was his ass if it went south. I agree. Carter took the heat for the failed delta force operation during the Iran hostage crisis. What gets me is how there is this lag time between anything a president does and when its effects become obvious. For example, the housing crisis was really the result of laws passed in the 1970s by DEMOCRATS, caused by Fannie Mae (created after WWII) and Freddie Mac (created in the 1970’s) and it just took this long for inevitable results to show and Bush just happened to be on watch when the whole thing went sideways. The prosperity of the 1990’s and the internet boom was the result of groundwork laid by Reagan and HW Bush, not CLinton. The crash… THAT was the result of Clinton. There enough blame for everyone but if we were assigning blame where it belonged, it would not get distributed evenly. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bin-laden-is-dead/580436/216 "2011-05-02T22:19:41Z")
> [@stegon66](#): > > I hear they dumped his dead ass in the ocean. If they’d fed his body to pigs would that have been going too far? I would suggest not ordering the crab cakes for the next few months or so. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bin-laden-is-dead/580436/217 "2011-05-02T22:29:21Z")
This is beyond politics. Obama himself said it best: “I think we can all agree this is a good day for America.” Amen to that. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bin-laden-is-dead/580436/218 "2011-05-02T22:37:22Z")
> [@Damuri\_Ajashi](#): > > What gets me is how there is this lag time between anything a president does and when its effects become obvious. For example, the housing crisis was really the result of laws passed in the 1970s by DEMOCRATS, caused by Fannie Mae (created after WWII) and Freddie Mac (created in the 1970’s) and it just took this long for inevitable results to show and Bush just happened to be on watch when the whole thing went sideways. Wow, are you misinformed. This talking point has been debunked years ago by dozens of economists. You really should educate yourself. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bin-laden-is-dead/580436/219 "2011-05-02T23:03:23Z")
> [@margin](#): > > \*Mersck Alabama \*. Maersk. 🙂 > [@Damuri\_Ajashi](#): > > … if we were assigning blame where it belonged, it would not get distributed evenly. IOW: Democrats. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bin-laden-is-dead/580436/220 "2011-05-02T23:07:34Z")
I’m convinced it was done by the SAS, not the Seals; who then let the US take credit so the UK, with its larger Islamic population, would be spared the blowback. But the whole thing was ordered by the Queen to give Kate & William respite from the press and so avoid another Charles and Diana fiasco. Just connecting the dots. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bin-laden-is-dead/580436.md?page=10) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bin-laden-is-dead/580436.md?page=12)