Osama bin Laden is dead...

[Bryancd]

I have to say, after all these years, I am proud of our efforts and those of our allies to kill this man. Their sacrifice wasn't in vane and the world is a safer place.

[davekill]

According to the Washington Post, somebody let this cat out of the bag before the official White House announcement.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/source-al-qaida-head-bin-laden-dead-us-in-possession-of-body-obama-to-speak-sunday-night/2011/05/01/AF1D5hVF_story.html

[bevs_plaything]

Great news!  I am watching the President live on the BBC now...God Bless the US!

:flying

[ElfManDan]

Well to his credit he's good at hide and seek, not so good at being bulletproof. I'm glad he's been taken care of after so long.

[turtlesrock]

yes i just heard!
i remember back on 9/11 my uncle was at our house and we were watching the towers fall over and over again. my mom thought this was not age appropriate so she said "let's go watch jay jay the jet airplane!"

[Feathers]

Hmmm...

Just watching the news now.

[Meds]

My initial reaction is good riddance to murdering ba€%#*d and well done all the brave soldiers from all countries alive & passed.  My thoughts now are hoping we have no revenge attacks. Be aware everyone that security will be tightened and for obvious reasons.

It also appears they buried him at sea to stop and shrines being built. Poor sharks, imagine eating him.

[Rico]

Good riddance!

[Bromptonboy]

Should be interesting as the details emerge about how he was hiding in plain sight like that in a large city in Pakistan.  There is still his #2 to find as well - I think that most operational details were not being handled by OBL.  We'll see. 

[Feathers]

Operationally, I would think this will make zero difference (other than annoying the people on the sharp end). It's not like he was a one man terrorist band.

[Bryancd]

Yeah, from an operational standpoint for Al Queda it's not likely a big deal. From a motivational/inspirational/and possibly recruiting standpoint perhaps it is more impactfull.

[turtlesrock]

i don't understand it. even though he did bad things, and killing him is a way to stop those bad things, why kill him? why not put him in prison for life? ???
sure it would cost more money, but still.

[Bryancd]

i don't understand it. even though he did bad things, and killing him is a way to stop those bad things, why kill him? why not put him in prison for life? ???
sure it would cost more money, but still.

That could still provide him a platform. It also could keep his support alive and well for years to come. His death may result in some short term feeling of martyrdom and inflame his support, but that will likely be short lived. You don't leave guys like this alive.

[turtlesrock]

i don't understand it. even though he did bad things, and killing him is a way to stop those bad things, why kill him? why not put him in prison for life? ???
sure it would cost more money, but still.

That could still provide him a platform. It also could keep his support alive and well for years to come. His death may result in some short term feeling of martyrdom and inflame his support, but that will likely be short lived. You don't leave guys like this alive.

but doesn't his death anger his supporters even more? possibly to the point of another attack?

[Bryancd]

i don't understand it. even though he did bad things, and killing him is a way to stop those bad things, why kill him? why not put him in prison for life? ???
sure it would cost more money, but still.

That could still provide him a platform. It also could keep his support alive and well for years to come. His death may result in some short term feeling of martyrdom and inflame his support, but that will likely be short lived. You don't leave guys like this alive.

but doesn't his death anger his supporters even more? possibly to the point of another attack?

Possibly, but it will likely be short term in nature. Keep him sitting in a US prison and it's game on for a long time.