# If we capture bin Laden alive, what will his punishment be? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 11, 2004, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-we-capture-bin-laden-alive-what-will-his-punishment-be/264062 "2004-09-11T19:01:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2004, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-we-capture-bin-laden-alive-what-will-his-punishment-be/264062/1 "2004-09-11T19:01:07Z")
Stay with me here, but I’m optimistic. Assume we catch bin Laden _alive_. Obviously he would be tried under a court (under what system is an entirely different discussion). Just for the purposes of my question, assume it’s a Federal court, just like McVeigh was, and fast-forward to the assumption that he’s found guilty. Sentencing comes. Is it: [list=a] [li]Death by lethal injection[/li][li]3,000 Life sentences without the possibility of parole[/li][li]Something different[/li][li]A life sentence in solitary confinement, with Yoko Ono blaring into his cell 24/7, and flashing strobes all around him just to piss him off.[/li][/list] Thoughts? Tripler Man, what a victory that’d be though. I hope we do find that rat bastard alive. ---
**Author:** ![Kel\_Varnsen\_Latex\_Division](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/aeb1de/32.png) [@Kel\_Varnsen\_Latex\_Division](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kel_Varnsen_Latex_Division)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2004, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-we-capture-bin-laden-alive-what-will-his-punishment-be/264062/2 "2004-09-11T19:13:49Z")
He will be federally tried for murder and sentence to lethal injection. He could also be tried by the military and executed. Or by one of the states. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Controvert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@The\_Controvert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Controvert)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2004, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-we-capture-bin-laden-alive-what-will-his-punishment-be/264062/3 "2004-09-11T20:49:33Z")
This looks like a suitable punishment: [http://www.stuffmagazine.com/gear/stuff.html](http://www.stuffmagazine.com/gear/stuff.html) or [http://www.stickitvoodoo.com/](http://www.stickitvoodoo.com/) ---
**Author:** ![GLWasteful](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f05b48/32.png) [@GLWasteful](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GLWasteful)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2004, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-we-capture-bin-laden-alive-what-will-his-punishment-be/264062/4 "2004-09-11T21:00:23Z")
Damned good question, and I think that #3 has a certain something. Except that I’d cahnge the artist from Yoko Ono to Huey Lewis and his ubiquitous News. Honestly, I think that the death sentence is too good for him. Too bad that there aren’t more interesting sentences for him. ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2004, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-we-capture-bin-laden-alive-what-will-his-punishment-be/264062/5 "2004-09-11T21:06:15Z")
Keep him alive, and on top of the new towers in a large bird cage. How he would handle the weather is up to him. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2004, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-we-capture-bin-laden-alive-what-will-his-punishment-be/264062/6 "2004-09-11T22:09:30Z")
Make him listen to video/audiotapes of all of Bush’s “War on terror” speeches. The bits about Iraq and Al Qaeda working together will make him laugh himself to death. ---
**Author:** ![Paladud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Paladud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paladud)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2004, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-we-capture-bin-laden-alive-what-will-his-punishment-be/264062/7 "2004-09-11T22:14:31Z")
Better yet, make him play the “Nukular” or “WMD” drinking games with all of those speeches in rapid succession. I predict death by alcohol poisoning after three or four 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2004, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-we-capture-bin-laden-alive-what-will-his-punishment-be/264062/8 "2004-09-11T22:41:26Z")
Put him in a car with Teddy Kennedy after happy hour… ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2004, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-we-capture-bin-laden-alive-what-will-his-punishment-be/264062/9 "2004-09-11T22:46:35Z")
Well shoot, I was honest in my OP. I was wondering if it’s going to be a 50/50 between dispatching him under federal guidelines, or keeping him alive, solely for the intelligence value he has. Granted we all know he’s a rat bastard, but will whomever captures him execute him for the standpoint-on-policy or keep him alive just to milk him? Tripler Honest question. No doubt we’d all personally like our own bayonetting session with him. ---
**Author:** ![SentientMeat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@SentientMeat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SentientMeat)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2004, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-we-capture-bin-laden-alive-what-will-his-punishment-be/264062/10 "2004-09-11T23:08:48Z")
And imagine if the history books taught that America, having caught and convicted the man responsible for the most horrific terrorist atrocity ever seen, set an example by _not_ executing him. “If _they_ can forego the death penalty even in _that_ case” say to themselves the less civilised nations of the world , “can _we_ not do so also?” Pie in the sky, of course. But one can dream. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2004, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-we-capture-bin-laden-alive-what-will-his-punishment-be/264062/11 "2004-09-11T23:24:18Z")
Execute him. Then, put his body on display in a glass fronted freezer, so nobody in the Arab world can claim “Bin Ladin escaped, & beat the evil Yankees”. Make sure that the head is severed from the body, so the point is lost on no one. ---
**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:** [September 11, 2004, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-we-capture-bin-laden-alive-what-will-his-punishment-be/264062/12 "2004-09-11T23:38:28Z")
I seriously doubt he’ll be taken alive, so this is just an intellectual exercise. If the troops hunting for him don’t kill him outright, and if his own bodyguards don’t wack him rather than have him fall into our hands, I figure he’ll most like kill himself…I don’t see him doing a Saddam. However, if we catch him I’m sure he’ll receive a fair trial (more than he deserves), and eventually he’ll be executed…to the chours of howling from Europe et al. At a guess he’ll get the lethal injection or some other humanitarian death. Personally I’d simply turn him over to the families of the victims of 9/11 and let THEM do what they will… -XT ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2004, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-we-capture-bin-laden-alive-what-will-his-punishment-be/264062/13 "2004-09-12T01:30:06Z")
Do we really want to make a martyr of him? ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2004, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-we-capture-bin-laden-alive-what-will-his-punishment-be/264062/14 "2004-09-12T01:56:06Z")
> [@ultrafilter](#): > > Do we really want to make a martyr of him? I wanna make stir-fry outta him. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2004, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-we-capture-bin-laden-alive-what-will-his-punishment-be/264062/15 "2004-09-12T02:23:41Z")
> [@SentientMeat](#): > > And imagine if the history books taught that America, having caught and convicted the man responsible for the most horrific terrorist atrocity ever seen, set an example by _not_ executing him. “If _they_ can forego the death penalty even in _that_ case” say to themselves the less civilised nations of the world , “can _we_ not do so also?” > > Pie in the sky, of course. But one can dream. I yield to nobody in wanting to see the man taken and receive the full penalty his evil warrants. But my God, what a message this would send! **Sentient Meat** , I bow in respect to your wisdom. ---
**Author:** ![Gest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9d8465/32.png) [@Gest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gest)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2004, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-we-capture-bin-laden-alive-what-will-his-punishment-be/264062/16 "2004-09-12T02:49:41Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > I seriously doubt he’ll be taken alive, so this is just an intellectual exercise. If the troops hunting for him don’t kill him outright, and if his own bodyguards don’t wack him rather than have him fall into our hands, I figure he’ll most like kill himself…I don’t see him doing a Saddam. > > However, if we catch him I’m sure he’ll receive a fair trial (more than he deserves), and eventually he’ll be executed…to the chours of howling from Europe et al. At a guess he’ll get the lethal injection or some other humanitarian death. Personally I’d simply turn him over to the families of the victims of 9/11 and let THEM do what they will… I don’t see much intellect or even any exercise in this thread. Anyway, I’m not so sure he’d receive a fair trial. Certainly not even as fair as the military tribunals at Guantanamo Bay and there’s never been anybody throughout history who _hasn’t_ deserved that. Presumably, a truly fair trial would lead to an appropriate sentence so why the urge for vigilantism and lynching? Bosda Di’Chi of Tricor’s idea of stir frying or Tripler’s idea of milking him are ingenious but more in the Uday style of butchery, humiliation and torture. Y’all still confusing ObL and the old Iraqi regime or what? No, no, no. I predict Bush will go to the EU, UN, Arab League, and other interested parties and try to build a consensus on what is to be done with him. At least _he_ knows the value of not sinking to the level of a tyrant and the need to demonstrate wisdom with to humility the rest of the world. Thank the Lord he has _at least_ four more years before he needs to amend the constitution to remain in power so he can find this evil doer. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2004, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-we-capture-bin-laden-alive-what-will-his-punishment-be/264062/17 "2004-09-12T03:05:33Z")
I assume that if bin Laden ever gets caught he’ll be smart enough to realize the jig is up and use his trial as a final opportunity to espouse his views. But if he should choose to do so, does he have any kind of legal defense to make? Saddam and the Nuremberg defendants were able to at least claim that they weren’t violating the laws of their own countries and as government officials could not be held accountable. But bin Laden isn’t a representative of any nation. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2004, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-we-capture-bin-laden-alive-what-will-his-punishment-be/264062/18 "2004-09-12T03:23:22Z")
> [@SentientMeat](#): > > And imagine if the history books taught that America, having caught and convicted the man responsible for the most horrific terrorist atrocity ever seen, set an example by _not_ executing him. “If _they_ can forego the death penalty even in _that_ case” say to themselves the less civilised nations of the world , “can _we_ not do so also?” > > Pie in the sky, of course. But one can dream. Just one problem with this admirable sentiment **SentientMeat**. It occurs to me that a live captive ObL is a major incentive for a hostage taking incident. Is this example to the world worth a few more innocent American lives? I’m still against the death penalty, but I’m struggling with this case. ---
**Author:** ![Eolbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d07c76/32.png) [@Eolbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eolbo)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2004, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-we-capture-bin-laden-alive-what-will-his-punishment-be/264062/19 "2004-09-12T03:29:59Z")
In March 1945 while the allies were thinking through the implications and dangers of trying Hitler if he were caught, Anthony Eden was asked in Parliament if a British soldier met Hitler was it his duty to shoot or capture him. Eden’s not so subtle hint in reply was “I am quite satisfied to leave the decision to the British soldier concerned”. I hope in similar vein some smart special forces soldier will relieve us of the predicament. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2004, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-we-capture-bin-laden-alive-what-will-his-punishment-be/264062/20 "2004-09-12T03:44:05Z")
Hmmm…I say strap him down in a movie theater, and make him watch in succession: _Gigli_ _Freddy Got Fingered_ _Manos: the Hands of Fate_ (the original, not the MST3K version) Then lock him away for the rest of his life in a glass cell, where everyone can see him. Soundproof it so no sound gets out, but pump nonstop crap-hmmm, Poison, Kenny G, Mariah Carey, William Hung. Something like that. Remember, “Hell works best when it’s subtle.”-Joel Robinson. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-we-capture-bin-laden-alive-what-will-his-punishment-be/264062.md?page=2)