# President Obama and national security officials are considering releasing photos and video. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 3, 2011, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-and-national-security-officials-are-considering-releasing-photos-and-video/580571 "2011-05-03T14:28:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**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 3, 2011, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-and-national-security-officials-are-considering-releasing-photos-and-video/580571/1 "2011-05-03T14:28:01Z")
> **[Release Bin Laden Death Photos? CIA Director Thinks It Will Happen](https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/president-obama-release-photo-osama-bin-laden-corpse/story?id=13516795)** > > CIA Director Leon Panetta said this evening he believes the photos documenting Osama bin Laden's death should and will be released, but both the CIA and White House say a decision has not been made. > [@](#): > > President Obama and national security officials are considering releasing a photo of Osama bin Laden’s corpse today, a source told ABC News. > … > Also up for consideration is the release of video from the “helmet cams” of the Navy SEALS who went after bin Laden. The SEALS captured the mission on tape by wearing helmet cameras. I’m not sure that I want to see any gruesome death photos but I can see the value in this. The video would be fascinating but could also be gruesome. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2011, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-and-national-security-officials-are-considering-releasing-photos-and-video/580571/2 "2011-05-03T15:21:04Z")
I’m not a particularly bloodthirsty person, but I want to see that footage. This was someone who caused thousands of innocent people to die in agony and terror. A bullet through the brain was quick and merciful compared to being used as a bomb to destroy buildings filled with thousands of others. I’m glad he’s dead. ---
**Author:** ![grayhairedmomma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/47e85d/32.png) [@grayhairedmomma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grayhairedmomma)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2011, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-and-national-security-officials-are-considering-releasing-photos-and-video/580571/3 "2011-05-03T15:36:22Z")
I don’t think I’ll take a gander at either the video or pictures if they’re released, but do I hope that they are released soon. I know there are PLENTY of people willing to look at them in minute detail and report what they’ve seen. I do believe that bin Laden is dead, but I must admit that I feel a little unsettled without some proof. If the pictures and video are released it would reassure me that this part is really over. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2011, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-and-national-security-officials-are-considering-releasing-photos-and-video/580571/4 "2011-05-03T15:43:19Z")
Interesting to hear that they’re thinking about putting the helmet cam videos out there, but I suspect they won’t- they wouldn’t want to give away anything about the people who were on the raid or what their strategies or capabilities might be. [A CNN blog has some more details about the photos, and about why nothing has been released yet:](http://whitehouse.blogs.cnn.com/2011/05/03/even-more-on-the-photos/) > [@](#): > > 1. Photos of OBLs body at a hanger after he was brought back to Afghanistan. This is the most recognizable with a clear picture of his face. The picture is gruesome because he has a massive open head wound across both eyes. It’s very bloody and gory. > > 2. Photos from the burial at sea on the USS Carl Vinson. Photos of OBL before the shroud was put on and then wrapped in the shroud. > > 3. There are photos of the raid itself that include photos of the two dead brothers, one of OBLs dead son (adult adolescent, maybe approx 18 yrs old) and some of the inside scene of the compound. ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2011, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-and-national-security-officials-are-considering-releasing-photos-and-video/580571/5 "2011-05-03T15:47:05Z")
I can’t wait. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2011, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-and-national-security-officials-are-considering-releasing-photos-and-video/580571/6 "2011-05-03T16:00:12Z")
I think this is more to do with satiating an extremely doubtful population amongst the terrorists, rather than satiating an extremely doubtful population of US conspiracy nuts. ---
**Author:** ![Sarabellum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sarabellum/32/3492_2.png) [@Sarabellum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarabellum)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2011, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-and-national-security-officials-are-considering-releasing-photos-and-video/580571/7 "2011-05-03T16:06:29Z")
I just hope that they don’t choose to broadcast it on the news. I’d really prefer my kids not getting an eyeful of anything like that. I think it would just be too upsetting. I myself would probably not be interested in viewing the bloody remains of OBL, but I miiiight watch the “helmet cam” footage were it to be released, for the simple fact that I’ve never really seen the SEALs in action and I’d like to see their “magnum opus”, as it were. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2011, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-and-national-security-officials-are-considering-releasing-photos-and-video/580571/8 "2011-05-03T16:31:58Z")
> [@Sarabellum1976](#): > > I just hope that they don’t choose to broadcast it on the news. I’d really prefer my kids not getting an eyeful of anything like that. I think it would just be too upsetting. People, let alone children, actually watch the news these days? ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2011, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-and-national-security-officials-are-considering-releasing-photos-and-video/580571/9 "2011-05-03T17:08:09Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > People, let alone children, actually watch the news these days? What an odd question. I didn’t realize there was any doubt that people still watched the news these days. Even children. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2011, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-and-national-security-officials-are-considering-releasing-photos-and-video/580571/10 "2011-05-03T17:08:44Z")
The White House will probably hold onto the picture and video for a little bit. [November 5th, 2012](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_election,_2012) might be a good date to release them. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2011, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-and-national-security-officials-are-considering-releasing-photos-and-video/580571/11 "2011-05-03T17:14:22Z")
My kids don’t watch the news much, but they like “Rock Obama” for some reason. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2011, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-and-national-security-officials-are-considering-releasing-photos-and-video/580571/12 "2011-05-03T17:24:53Z")
I don’t need them for proof. I would like to view the video to see (1) what frikkin’ bad asses the SEALs are, and (2) to know how traumatic Osama’s last moments before death were, and (3) to determine if he used a woman as a shield. If that happened then I want his remaining followers to know full well his despicable cowardice. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2011, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-and-national-security-officials-are-considering-releasing-photos-and-video/580571/13 "2011-05-03T17:34:02Z")
I’m for it, but it won’t satiate the doubters. Of COURSE it won’t. This is the age of Photoshop. No matter how authentic the photos, there will always be some basement-dwelling wonk who will make a poorly-designed web page about how fake they are. And people will believe him. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2011, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-and-national-security-officials-are-considering-releasing-photos-and-video/580571/14 "2011-05-03T17:37:22Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > I don’t need them for proof. > > I would like to view the video to see (1) what frikkin’ bad asses the SEALs are, and (2) to know how traumatic Osama’s last moments before death were, and (3) to determine if he used a woman as a shield. If that happened then I want his remaining followers to know full well his despicable cowardice. #3 is the most worthwhile. Seeing him hiding behind a woman would decimate his reputation among his followers. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2011, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-and-national-security-officials-are-considering-releasing-photos-and-video/580571/15 "2011-05-03T18:24:21Z")
The White House spokesman stated that the woman with bin Laden rushed toward the Seals, and they shot her in the leg, not killing her. Also, that bin Laden was not armed, but he “resisted”. I still don’t care if he was armed or not - none of his victims on 9/11 were armed. ---
**Author:** ![Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleeps_With_Butterflies)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2011, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-and-national-security-officials-are-considering-releasing-photos-and-video/580571/16 "2011-05-03T18:53:36Z")
As others have mentioned, the video would be interesting as far it being an incredible strategic action. I’d be interested in seeing it to get an idea of how it went down. Like any first responder here, I am positive I’ve seen worse than one in the head and one in the chest so the gory aspect doesn’t bother me about pictures. Seeing the violence happen in a video would make me cringe, but I admit I’d still watch it. If anyone wanted to see just a still shot to satisfy their curiosity all they’d have to do is look at some Arabic news websites and there he is dead on the front page of a lot of Arabic newspapers. The picture I saw that they were using definitely looks like him and although you can clearly see he’s dead it’s not horrifically gruesome. Of course, ideas of what is gruesome will vary. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2011, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-and-national-security-officials-are-considering-releasing-photos-and-video/580571/17 "2011-05-03T19:12:58Z")
See the faked death pic and its source material [here](http://www.namibian.com.na/typo3temp/pics/5b18068f79.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2011, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-and-national-security-officials-are-considering-releasing-photos-and-video/580571/18 "2011-05-03T19:20:05Z")
> [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](#): > > If anyone wanted to see just a still shot to satisfy their curiosity all they’d have to do is look at some Arabic news websites and there he is dead on the front page of a lot of Arabic newspapers. I looked and only saw the fake death photo. Is there another and are you sure it’s real? I can’t imagine our military having let anyone else takes pictures and they’ve released nothing to date along those lines. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2011, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-and-national-security-officials-are-considering-releasing-photos-and-video/580571/19 "2011-05-03T19:24:08Z")
> [@spark240](#): > > See the faked death pic and its source material [here](http://www.namibian.com.na/typo3temp/pics/5b18068f79.jpg). Now THERE is a crappy photoshop job. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2011, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-and-national-security-officials-are-considering-releasing-photos-and-video/580571/20 "2011-05-03T20:46:44Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > The White House will probably hold onto the picture and video for a little bit. [November 5th, 2012](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_election,_2012) might be a good date to release them. Remember, remember the 5th of November. I doubt seriously that they’d wait that long to release it. The whole point is to quell doubts in the extremist Muslim community as to whether or not he’s actually dead, or if it’s a lie. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-and-national-security-officials-are-considering-releasing-photos-and-video/580571.md?page=2)