Obama says he won't release bin Laden death photos

[nointel]

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama said Wednesday he's decided not to release death photos of terrorist Osama bin Laden because their graphic nature could incite violence and create national security risks for the United States.

"There's no doubt we killed Osama bin Laden," the president said in an interview with CBS News, and there was no need to release the photographs or gloat. "There's no need to spike the football," he said.

The president said that for anyone who doesn't believe bin Laden is dead, "we don't think that a photograph in and of itself is going to make any difference."

"There are going to be some folks who deny it. The fact of the matter is you won't see bin Laden walking on this earth again," said Obama.

The president made his comments in an interview Wednesday with CBS' "60 Minutes". Presidential spokesman Jay Carney read the president's quotes to reporters in the White House briefing room, ahead of the program's airing.

Photos taken by the Navy SEAL raiders show bin Laden shot in the head, numerous officials have said. CIA Director Leon Panetta said Tuesday he expected at least one photo to be released. Asked about that, Carney said the decision had not been made at that time.

But Carney also said the president never doubted his position on not releasing the photos. Obama said in the interview, "It is important for us to make sure that very graphic photos of somebody who was shot in the head are not floating around as an incitement to additional violence."

"I think that, given the graphic nature of these photos, it would create some national security risk," he said.

Carney said there would not be images released of bin Laden's burial at sea, either.

Some family members of those who died in the 9/11 terror attacks thought it important to document bin Laden's death, as did some skeptics in the Arab world who doubted his demise in the absence of convincing evidence. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said in a statement that Obama's decision was a mistake.

"The whole purpose of sending our soldiers into the compound, rather than an aerial bombardment, was to obtain indisputable proof of bin Laden's death," Graham said. "I know bin Laden is dead. But the best way to protect and defend our interests overseas is to prove that fact to the rest of the world."

But many other lawmakers and others expressed concerns that the photographic images could be seen as a "trophy" that would inflame U.S. critics and make it harder for members of the American military deployed overseas to do their jobs.

Obama's decision on the photos came a day ahead of his planned visit to ground zero in New York City to lay a wreath and visit with 9/11 families and first responders.

It also came after a revised description of the circumstances of bin Laden's death. After initially saying the terrorist was armed or even firing, the White House said Tuesday that bin Laden was unarmed, raising questions about the basis for his killing.

Attorney General Eric Holder, in an appearance on Capitol Hill, sought to underscore the legality of the shooting.

"Let me make something very clear: The operation in which Osama bin Laden was killed was lawful," Holder told senators Wednesday. The raid "was justified as an action of national self-defense" against "a lawful military target," he said.

Carney said that the SEAL team that raided the compound where bin Laden was living in Abbottabad, Pakistan, had the authority to kill him unless he offered to surrender, in which case the team was required to accept the surrender.

"Consistent with the laws of war, bin Laden's surrender would have been accepted if feasible," said Carney. Officials have said bin Laden resisted, though they have not offered further details.

Meanwhile, the SEALS involved in the daring raid are in the Washington area for debriefing, and U.S. officials have begun to comb through the intelligence trove of computer files, flash drives, DVDs and documents that the commandos hauled out of the terrorist's hideaway.

Bin Laden had about 500 euros sewn into his clothes when he was killed and had phone numbers with him when he was killed, U.S. officials said, a possible indication that the terrorist mastermind was ready to flee his compound on short notice.

Wednesday was not the first time Obama has had to make a consequential decision about releasing photos connected with U.S. troop actions. In 2009 he sought to block the court-ordered release of photos of U.S. troops abusing prisoners in Iraq, a reversal of position that he explained by saying the pictures could inflame anti-American opinion and endanger U.S. forces in Iraq an Afghanistan.

[easyrider]

hahahah of course he won't if yo guys vote for obama in 2012 i this nation is done. The bush and obama administration has ruined this country dont let it happen again we need a new adminsitration vote for ron paul 2012!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Edited May 4, 2011 by easyrider

[HYDRANT]

WHO CARES ABOUT HIS PHOTO---THIS SOB HAS KILLED SO MANY PEOPLE WHO WOULD WANT TO SEE HIM---PUT HIM IN A CIRCUS FREAK SHOW MATBE WE COULD CHARGE TO SEE HIM AND GIVE THE MONEY TO THE FAMILIES HE DESTROYED

[TKM]

Just my opinion....................I feel that they do not need to release them. I trust that he is dead and this is all that matters. It serves no propose to release them. He has now had to answer to the man above and I am sure that he is roasting away down below.

Edited May 4, 2011 by TKM

[kevnutz]

Ok, no death photo, but how about some of that sattelite/webcam footage? Could they justify showing us proof that the compound in Pakistan was in fact raided by helicopter/SEAL Team on May 2nd, 2011? I think most people believe that Bin Laden will never again walk this earth, but the doubt is 'who got him and when'.

[disciple7]

hahahah of course he won't if yo guys vote for obama in 2012 i this nation is done. The bush and obama administration has ruined this country dont let it happen again we need a new adminsitration vote for ron paul 2012!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I agree 120%!! Get Obama out 2012!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[0722]

Our need, desire, craving and/or addiction to vouyerism (sp) astounds me..............

Not an Obama fan AT ALL...........but this is a good decision in my opinion.

[letsgorv'n]

they have shown photos of the compound in pakistan with blood and everything that you seem to want to see. sorry u missed it. i really didn't want or need to see it. if u watched cnn you would have seen it. i think a lot of people on here need to watch other news besides fox. it seems no matter what, your going to find something to gripe about. get over it... osama is dead and good riddance !!!! gettin tired of everything being a conspiracy. sometimes it is what it is and nothing more. it amazes me that you seem to trust no one but believe every bit of bs the republicans and fox feed u. try factcheck.org sometime. you will find out that BOTH sides are liars and that BOTH sides are bought and paid for by corporate lobbyists. and yes even the great george bush was bought and paid for. he was also in with the saudis. its funny that most of the hijackers were from saudi arabia but good ol george didn't go to war with them. oil beats justice everytime. obama isn't any different, he is paid for by the insurance industry. kbr got all the contracts in iraq. who was president of kbr before he became vice prez? **** cheney. so keep on loving these con artists. my motto is follow no politicl party. my grandmother always said "vote for the man, not the party". doesn't anyone have any ability to think for themselves anymore or at least check facts for yourself and not just follow blindly like a bunch of sheep? anyway thats my soapbox moment for the day.

just curious... were any of u saying get bush out when he was running our country into the ground? probably not. do any of u really think bush gave a crap about u. if he saw u on the street he wouldn't give u the time of day.

[GreginTexas]

Pictures ?

I want to go on record by saying we should have put his head on a stake, had it bronzed and placed on the Twin Towers site.

People forget the about babies that were in the Trade Center Day Care. Also how the Arab people were dancing in the streets after the planes hit. I do not care if we offend people that did not go public against that atrocity. They can all go to Hell as far as I am concerned.

GreginTexas

[D-BUNK]

Plus one from me Let's Gov!

The reason AE don't parade down the streets with his head on a pike is WE ARE AMERICAN- we are better than the tribal lunacy that runs rapid over the ME (just ask anyone waiting for the security issue to cone to an end in Iraq).

As far as the conspirators go, its all BS and Obama hating. You don't have to like the guy, but to say he's faking this is ridiculous.

[DinarMillionaire]

WOW two in a row How do I follow that?

Maximus Delta and Master of Power +1 for each

One picture is worth 1,000 denials.

Ronald Reagan

The same people that HAD to show pictures of Abu Graib prisoners with underwear on their heads, even though it would incite violence, are now saying this would incite violence to show a picture of a dead OBL. Let's see if they keep with that policy in 2012 when we have a Republican President again. (And we will ,Unless we have more "Useful Idiots" than we did before)

[Uncle Mike]

Greg in Texas I agree with you. Look at all the families that will never be the same. Those Americans, mothers, fathers, and children had no rights that day, they did not do anything and they were killed by brain-washed, fanatics. When Osama told the world he was responsible for the murders that day, he signed his death warrant. If someone in your family was killed you my look at it differently. I agree Greg, let him burn in hell.

[rich daniels]

the only good thing O did was keep all the policies and procedures that bush put in place, and he railed agenst when he was senator O

by the way, wonder why O invited bush to ground zero for a photo opt.

when bush has many times said he was staying out of public view

just show the pictures and go past it

[OhYeah]

How is anything ever going to be better, if our kids (mine included) have to be subjected to those 'photos' when we

are just at the grocery store buying milk????

it just has to stop somewhere- can't we be the one's that say no?