# New S Hersh article reveals US Govt version re what happened in killing Bin Laden was 99% BS **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 11, 2015, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-s-hersh-article-reveals-us-govt-version-re-what-happened-in-killing-bin-laden-was-99-bs/719750 "2015-05-11T05:35:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-s-hersh-article-reveals-us-govt-version-re-what-happened-in-killing-bin-laden-was-99-bs/719750/41 "2015-05-12T17:11:22Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > This, pretty much. > > I will confess to a small amount of regret that he gets to RIP, though. I thought the idea was that now he is with 72 virgins. I don’t know about you, but I prefer a religion that, when I die, I don’t get sent back to eighth grade. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-s-hersh-article-reveals-us-govt-version-re-what-happened-in-killing-bin-laden-was-99-bs/719750/42 "2015-05-13T05:06:59Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > I thought the idea was that now he is with 72 virgins. What the Islamic doctrine never seems to mention is that, when you get to Heaven with those 72 heavenly virgins, they have to _stay_ virgin. For all eternity. ---
**Author:** ![racepug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@racepug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racepug)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-s-hersh-article-reveals-us-govt-version-re-what-happened-in-killing-bin-laden-was-99-bs/719750/43 "2015-05-13T23:00:17Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > What the Islamic doctrine never seems to mention is that, when you get to Heaven with those 72 heavenly virgins, they have to _stay_ virgin. For all eternity. There IS no promise of 72 (or even ONE) virgin(s) for martyrs in the Quran according to [this](http://www.justislam.co.uk/product.php?products_id=216). ---
**Author:** ![jebert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ec9cab/32.png) [@jebert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jebert)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2015, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-s-hersh-article-reveals-us-govt-version-re-what-happened-in-killing-bin-laden-was-99-bs/719750/44 "2015-05-18T21:10:07Z")
I hardly ever buy conspiracy theories, which this level of cover-up would have to be. I haven’t read Hersh’s article, but I do remember having some thoughts at the time of the original story about a couple of the details. First, they announced right away that DNA tests had confirmed bin Laden’s identity. It seems to me that DNA testing in normal criminal stories takes several days, if not weeks. Second, they announced a burial at sea right away as well. Afghanistan is landlocked, and there’s quite a bit of flight time from Abbotabad to Afghanistan to somewhere in the ocean. I don’t remember the exact time line, but it still seems like there would have been very little time to spare between the time of the attack and the time of burial. And even though they came right out and named Navy Seal Team 6 as the actors in the raid, I can’t remember them ever identifying the ship that did the burial at sea or even what part of the sea the burial took place. I’m open to any specific evidence that can clear my lingering doubts on these matters. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2015, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-s-hersh-article-reveals-us-govt-version-re-what-happened-in-killing-bin-laden-was-99-bs/719750/45 "2015-05-18T21:14:41Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > I thought the idea was that now he is with 72 virgins. > > I don’t know about you, but I prefer a religion that, when I die, I don’t get sent back to eighth grade. > > Regards, > Shodan _You’re_ not in the eighth grade. Just the girls. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2015, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-s-hersh-article-reveals-us-govt-version-re-what-happened-in-killing-bin-laden-was-99-bs/719750/46 "2015-05-18T21:42:46Z")
> [@jebert](#): > > First, they announced right away that DNA tests had confirmed bin Laden’s identity. It seems to me that DNA testing in normal criminal stories takes several days, if not weeks. Most of the delays in DNA testing that I’m familiar with haven’t been the test itself, but the queue at the lab. I would think this test would have been bumped to the top of the queue. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2015, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-s-hersh-article-reveals-us-govt-version-re-what-happened-in-killing-bin-laden-was-99-bs/719750/47 "2015-05-18T21:43:44Z")
72 Virgins: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/1dxpMTFBg48/hqdefault.jpg "Family Guy - Suicide Bomber") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dxpMTFBg48) ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2015, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-s-hersh-article-reveals-us-govt-version-re-what-happened-in-killing-bin-laden-was-99-bs/719750/48 "2015-05-18T21:44:04Z")
> [@jebert](#): > > First, they announced right away that DNA tests had confirmed bin Laden’s identity. It seems to me that DNA testing in normal criminal stories takes several days, if not weeks. Well, unless Edward Snowden is part of the cover-up (man, would that ever be a great con game!), [they really did do DNA testing on Bin Laden](http://rt.com/usa/snowden-leak-obl-dna-219/). > [@](#): > > Second, they announced a burial at sea right away as well. Afghanistan is landlocked, and there’s quite a bit of flight time from Abbotabad to Afghanistan to somewhere in the ocean. I don’t remember the exact time line, but it still seems like there would have been very little time to spare between the time of the attack and the time of burial. From 1 am local time, Pakistan, to 11 am local time in the North Arabian Sea. Given that the Arabian sea is one time zone west of Pakistan, that’s 11 hours. Seems pretty doable. ---
**Author:** ![computergeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e56c9b/32.png) [@computergeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/computergeek)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2015, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-s-hersh-article-reveals-us-govt-version-re-what-happened-in-killing-bin-laden-was-99-bs/719750/49 "2015-05-18T21:50:34Z")
So the Pakistanis cooperated with the US to just hand over Bin Laden and then pretended to have a huge blowout in relations? ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2015, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-s-hersh-article-reveals-us-govt-version-re-what-happened-in-killing-bin-laden-was-99-bs/719750/50 "2015-05-18T21:56:29Z")
I can see how the Pakistani ISI would have liked to keep OBL under its thumb, in an area close to the military. Maybe a deal was cut; in effect, Pakistan said to the USA-“we will allow you to capture OBL, and you can claim success-just keep the foreign aid $$ coming”. OBL (by that time) was probably no longer in control of Al Quedah; so the Pakistanis were glad to be rid of him, whilst giving him up to the USA gave them some leverage. Given the descriptions of the house, it looks like OBL was pretty ill, and not a serious threat anymore. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-s-hersh-article-reveals-us-govt-version-re-what-happened-in-killing-bin-laden-was-99-bs/719750.md?page=2)