# Bin Laden vs. Bush - who would win? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 22, 2001, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bin-laden-vs-bush-who-would-win/94739 "2001-11-22T07:02:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Badtz\_Maru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e36b37/32.png) [@Badtz\_Maru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Badtz_Maru)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2001, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bin-laden-vs-bush-who-would-win/94739/1 "2001-11-22T07:02:14Z")
In a bare-knuckles fight between George W. Bush and Bin Laden, who would win? I was thinking about this and can’t quite make up my mind. I’d tend to think Bin Laden, because he’s over 10 years younger and is quite tall, giving him a reach advantage - but Bush did receive military training and as an alcoholic playboy he probably got in a few fights when he was younger. Bin Laden has spent a lot of time with revolutionaries, but we don’t know if they taught him any hand-to-hand combat. Both are the sons of very rich men, but Bin Laden was raised in a culture where someone who beats up the son of a rich and powerful man could get killed for it, while in America we don’t have quite the same fear and respect for rich kids. It’s a tough one, but I think that Bush could put the hurt on Bin Laden if he could manage to close to grappling distance with him - if he stands back and tries to box I think Bin Laden would wear him down, but if our President was smart he would take a few punches to close the distance and grab hold of that beard, and then it’s all over. Your opinions? ---
**Author:** ![Spit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/76d3ee/32.png) [@Spit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spit)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2001, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bin-laden-vs-bush-who-would-win/94739/2 "2001-11-22T07:34:05Z")
Bush by a mile, simply because he is slightly more stout than skinny OBL, so he could take some punches. A good shot to the ribs, and our most wanted man would have a flail chest segment, rendering breathing difficult. From then on it would just be a boxing match until OBL fell down. Plus, you have to keep in mind that Bush is from Texas, so I am sure he has been in a fight or two. On a related note, I read somewhere that OBL may have renal failure, and be on dialysis. If this true, he would certainly be weaker than Bush, and tire out much faster. Actually, I kind of like this idea. Maybe someone should send the offer to OBL, and let the state of the free world ride on the match. After all, if Allah is God, surely he will help OBL beat the “evil” american. And if Jesus is God, then naturally he would help Bush kick some booty. Who knows? Maybe this could end up a supernatural battle between Gods. * * * Plato? Aristotle? Socrates? Morons! ~I remember running through the wet grass, falling a step behind… -Better Than Ezra ---
**Author:** ![Philosophocles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b38774/32.png) [@Philosophocles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philosophocles)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2001, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bin-laden-vs-bush-who-would-win/94739/3 "2001-11-22T07:47:10Z")
Although Bin Laden has a reach advantage, Bush has more bulk. Bin Laden is around 6’4" to 6’6", but only weighs about 160, according to the FBI. Bush seems to be about 5’11" and 190. Also, Bin Laden’s beard is a significant advantage for Bush who could pull on that long hair to put Bin Laden in a vulnerable position. (This is why the ancient Romans made sure their soldiers kept their hair short.) Bin Laden also seems to have a limp, suggestive of either a bad hip or a bad knee, and Bin Laden has also had kidney problems. If Bush could land a few good blows to those vulnerable spots, he could gain an upper hand in the fight and really start pounding those spots relentlessly. Of course, Bin Laden might have a foreign object or something, and that might affect the outcome. Keep Mr. T on standby just in case Osama looks like he’s gonna win. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2001, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bin-laden-vs-bush-who-would-win/94739/4 "2001-11-22T13:35:41Z")
I’d never bet money against a Texan in a fistfight. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2001, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bin-laden-vs-bush-who-would-win/94739/5 "2001-11-22T15:58:06Z")
Even a Greenwich/Andover/Yale/Harvard Texan? I would say that George’s Texas bona-fides are somewhat…diluted. How about we set up a golf match on a nice par-3 course somewhere in central Europe? By thunder, Bush would surely triumph in THAT. ---
**Author:** ![clayton\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clayton\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clayton_e)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2001, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bin-laden-vs-bush-who-would-win/94739/6 "2001-11-22T20:17:21Z")
Even if they were using firearms it would be a close call: One has many guns, teaches others how to blow shit up and likes to brag about blowing up forign places, and the other is a terrorist… hehe… ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2001, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bin-laden-vs-bush-who-would-win/94739/7 "2001-11-22T20:35:33Z")
So, Clayton, which one is the terrorist–Dubya, or Osama? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![bernse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@bernse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bernse)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2001, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bin-laden-vs-bush-who-would-win/94739/8 "2001-11-22T21:40:34Z")
This very similar thread from a few days ago: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=99350](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=99350) ---
**Author:** ![Badtz\_Maru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e36b37/32.png) [@Badtz\_Maru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Badtz_Maru)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2001, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bin-laden-vs-bush-who-would-win/94739/9 "2001-11-23T04:28:39Z")
Ah, I didn’t see that one. This IS kinda redundant. ---
**Author:** ![TVeblen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@TVeblen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVeblen)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2001, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bin-laden-vs-bush-who-would-win/94739/10 "2001-11-23T04:37:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Badtz Maru \* > \*\*Ah, I didn’t see that one. This IS kinda redundant. \*\* **Mod thing:** No harm and no foul, but just for housekeeping purposes I’m locking this one off. Veb etc.