Conservative Group sues over bin Laden Death Photos

[Feuer Frei!]

Washington (CNN) -- A conservative legal watchdog group has filed the first lawsuit seeking public release of video and photographs of the U.S. military raid and aftermath that left al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden dead.
Judicial Watch is asking the Department of Defense to comply with a Freedom of Information request for the material, especially photos of the September 11 mastermind lying dead on the third floor of his Pakistan hideout. The legal complaint to force compliance was made in federal court in Washington on Friday.
The group says it is being "irreparably harmed" by the Obama administration's "unlawful withholding of requested records."
Judicial Watch made its initial request the day after the commando assault by Navy SEALs. A similar request for material was filed against the CIA.
President Barack Obama had announced that the U.S. government would not reveal any photographs of the May 2 military action and bin Laden's subsequent burial at sea. Some members of Congress have been allowed to privately view the materials this week.
Some al Qaeda-affiliated leaders, along with domestic and foreign websites and blogs, have questioned whether bin Laden was really killed and whether the details of his death released by the administration were accurate.
A May 9 letter from the Pentagon to Judicial Watch -- mentioned in the legal complaint -- stated, "At this time, we are unable to make a release determination on your request within the 20-day statutory time period" required by federal law. The legal group had the option of filing an administrative appeal directly with the Defense Department, rather than going for a lawsuit.
"The American people have a right to know, by law, basic information about the killing of Osama bin Laden," Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said. "Incredibly, the Obama administration told us that it has no plans to comply with the Freedom of Information law, so we must now go to court. President Obama's not wanting to 'spike the football' is not a lawful basis for withholding government documents. This historic lawsuit should remind the Obama administration that it is not above the law."
Obama had barred any public release of photos or video, telling CBS News, "It is important 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 or as a propaganda tool." He added, "We don't trot this stuff out as trophies. We don't need to spike the football."


SOURCE (http://www.cnn.com/2011/POLITICS/05/13/bin.laden.photos.lawsuit/index.html)

[mookiemookie]

Incredible the lengths that one side would go to in order to try and turn any positive event into a political negative for the other side.

[Platapus]

Unfortunately both parties seem to have adopted a "party before country" attitude. :nope:

Everything is a game, a game to get elected/reelected. :nope:

Most depressing

[MH]

Conservatives have really tough game ahead to crack Obama.
So far they are eating from his hand.
So if the photos get released how it will help conservatives besides make them look stupid again....that is unless there are no pictures.:damn:

"Here is the headshot enjoy wankers. You see i really did it"

[TLAM Strike]

Politics, D vs R, I don't care I just want a confirmed kill.

in internet lingo: Pics or it didn't happen.

[Schroeder]

Politics, D vs R, I don't care I just want a confirmed kill.

in internet lingo: Pics or it didn't happen.
Did it happen when there are pics?;)
In the digital age everything can be forged and they have had enough time to do so. So pics wouldn't prove a lot IMHO.

[Torplexed]

When the organization that Bin Laden headed admits with no compunction that he's dead as a doornail, that pretty much tears it for me. They would have everything to gain by muddying the waters with conspiracy theories that he is still alive and on the loose. Instead, they have taken the 'we have a new martyr' route.

[Schroeder]

I believe they have already declared him dead shortly after the Afghanistan war. This would now be the ideal time for him to retire and be left alone. I don't say he isn't dead, I just say it's difficult to proof without a body.;)

[Skybird]

If they want an end to conspiracy theories - that so far can only be believed to be untrue, but not been proven to be untrue -, then they must release that material, no matter what. I thought in the beginning that it was a bad idea not to do so, and I still think so.

So far they just have stumbled over their own follies, forged old picture, chnaging explanations and mission descriptions repeatedly and no body evidence and all that. That was an idiot's job regarding PR.

[Rockstar]

They had a good laugh when government suggested everyone run out buy cans of Tuna or when media told us to prepare for the bed bug invasion. I can imagine when sales of tuna and pesticides spiked it gave officials hard data as to our gullibility.

Now again we have the political powers that be dictating the terms and subject of discussion or arguement again.


That's my conspiracy theory and I'm sticking to it :D

[Freiwillige]

I agree with what they are doing. Obama's administration works for us not for the (D).

Just because it may be improper doesn't mean he has the right to say no.

[TLAM Strike]

Did it happen when there are pics?;)
In the digital age everything can be forged and they have had enough time to do so. So pics wouldn't prove a lot IMHO.

Its very easy to find pics that have been Photoshopped to the trained eye. :03:

[mookiemookie]

If they want an end to conspiracy theories - that so far can only be believed to be untrue, but not been proven to be untrue -, then they must release that material, no matter what. I thought in the beginning that it was a bad idea not to do so, and I still think so.

The same tinfoil hat wearing conspiracy theorists who say bin Laden isn't dead are not going to be convinced by any evidence at all - they'll say the photographs are fake. They're Birthers 2.0.

[STEED]

Its beginning to look like bin Laden with become more famous in death than he ever was in life. :nope:

[Torplexed]

If they want an end to conspiracy theories - that so far can only be believed to be untrue, but not been proven to be untrue

There will never be an end to conspiracy theories, no matter how much evidence you throw at them. The more you throw the more desperate they think you are to cover up the truth.

The appeal of conspiracy theories is threefold. First, conspiracy theories claim to explain what others can't. They appear to make sense out of a world that is otherwise confusing. Second, they do so in an appealingly simple way, by dividing the world sharply between the forces of light and the forces of darkness. They trace all evil back to a single source, the conspirators and their agents. Finally, conspiracy theories are often presented as special, secret knowledge unknown or unappreciated by others. For conspiracists, the masses are a brainwashed herd, while the conspiracists in the know can congratulate themselves on penetrating the plotters' deceptions.

We can't deprive them of thinking they're special because they know something we don't, can we? :03:

[AngusJS]

I demand bin Laden's long form death certificate.

[August]

The same tinfoil hat wearing conspiracy theorists who say bin Laden isn't dead are not going to be convinced by any evidence at all - they'll say the photographs are fake. They're Birthers 2.0.


So is the administration going to spend years and hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars to keep the pictures from being made public only to reverse themselves because some TV personality tries to make political hay of it?

[mookiemookie]

So is the administration going to spend years and hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars to keep the pictures from being made public only to reverse themselves because some TV personality tries to make political hay of it?

Sounds about right.

[vienna]

The furor over the death pictures/videos brought to my mind the O.J. Simpson trial; right after the verdict, a local reporter interviewed one of the jurors who insisted Simpson was not guilty. The reporter asked if there was any evidence he saw that would have led to a guilty verdict. His response was 'they didn't have any video of the crime'. I guess it was too bad TMZ wasn't following Simpson around that day. No matter what is brought forward in any major event, there will always be some people who will equivocate and gainsay anything presented as fact. The real question is, how much credibilty do we give to their claims?

[August]

Sounds about right.

:o !

[Armistead]

He's dead, I don't need pictures. It would also inflame the muslim world.
Hopefully heads are playing it smart, you have to think several steps ahead and what each result would be. We don't have complete info, let things play out.

Obama seems pretty smart when it's time to show his ace. He made Trump look like an idiot, etc....

We'll eventually see them....

[Torplexed]

They'll likely be leaked to satisfy the public's curiosity at some point. Obama will claim the moral high ground of trying to keep such incendiary pictures out of sight, but also admit to being powerless to stop leaks in his administration. Riigghht.

[TLAM Strike]

It would also inflame the muslim world.

Know what I call Muslims angry that we killed mass murder Osama Bin Laden?

Enemies.

Any Germans who feel anger at the deaths of Wilhem Frick, or Joachim von Ribbentrov, or Alfred Rosenberg or Fritz Sauckel who are not (neo-)Nazis?

[Zachstar]

I would say let the photos loose and if even a SINGLE serviceman or woman dies as a result then charge those involved at Judicial Watch with the same crap Bradly Manning faces. Or just negligent homicide.

Scumbags.

[August]

Funny I didn't see all this opposition to releasing all of the Abu Grahib prison pictures.

[mookiemookie]

Funny I didn't see all this opposition to releasing all of the Abu Grahib prison pictures.

Yeah but how did those come out? I seem to recall that the media got a hold of them somehow and it wasn't an official release. Can't be bothered to google it right now. If that's the case, then it's not a good comparison.

[August]

Yeah but how did those come out? I seem to recall that the media got a hold of them somehow and it wasn't an official release. Can't be bothered to google it right now. If that's the case, then it's not a good comparison.

You may be right. IIRC the first group was a media release but the second was by the government.

[TorpX]

He's dead, I don't need pictures. It would also inflame the muslim world.


I know he's dead, but I still want to see the pictures.
More to the point, I want the terrorists to see the pictures. Enough with this PC/ dignified burried at sea crap; let the brave jihadies see their brave leader being shot down like a dog. If we're afraid of making them angry, why kill him in the first place?

[kiwi_2005]

the latest conspiracy I read in my own country where I nearly fell off my chair laughing was Osama is not dead the Americans made a deal with him setup his death where hes now holed up in the pentagon working for the CIA. :har: :rotfl2: I doubled checked to make sure the poster wasn't Australian but nope he was kiwi :rotfl2:

So in a way it would be good for everyone if they put out the evidence hes dead otherwise our grand childrens children will still be reading about conspiracy theories that Osama was never killed by the Navy Seals - he acutally settle in the USA became a minster for the southern anti Semite church of the sunfire Druids and is now a Druid of the 3rd realm.... And people will nod and go yeah! :roll:

[Torplexed]

So in a way it would be good for everyone if they put out the evidence hes dead otherwise our grand childrens children will still be reading about conspiracy theories that Osama was never killed

For people who seem to think pictures and data make conspiracy theories go away I present exhibit "A".

No stars....the flag is waving. You can almost smell the model glue. :O:

http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/lunar-landing-9.jpg

[TLAM Strike]

No stars....the flag is waving. You can almost smell the model glue. :O:

http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/lunar-landing-9.jpg

Allow me to present the counter argument. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUI36tPKDg4)

:O::O::O:

[Torplexed]

Allow me to present the counter argument. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUI36tPKDg4)

:O::O::O:

Never mess with a former test pilot named Buzz. :D

I think thanks to the punch Buzz delivered Bart Sibrel's quote was along the lines of "You're a coward, a liar and a thoooff!"

[Platapus]

And the counter counter argument

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuwyY2DzO2I

:D

[Feuer Frei!]

the latest conspiracy I read in my own country where I nearly fell off my chair laughing was Osama is not dead the Americans made a deal with him setup his death where hes now holed up in the pentagon working for the CIA. :har: :rotfl2: I doubled checked to make sure the poster wasn't Australian but nope he was kiwi :rotfl2:
No surprises it was a Kiwi :O:
Us Aussies just believe what we are told ;)