Osama Bin Laden Dead

[BluPhire]

Its funny because the morning of the announcement (On Sunday) PBS here was running a special on forgiveness and focused on three stories, particularly the Amish reaction to the school shooting and the Rwanda tragedy. It was amazing because, especially in the case of the Amish, they had a former Amish minister, now just a menonite saying at one moment he was proud that they stuck to their conviction of forgiveness, but on the other hand its kinda cruel to force people to disallow a person's ability to have an emotional reaction to this.

The reality is I don't judge people by their initial reaction just by the example ASTAlumna wrote. I don't know how I would react with the initial news somebody that killed my loved one was killed or captured, and we don't know if the reaction in America would be the same had he been captured instead of killed. My issue is with people trying to force their beliefs on others, to prevent people from letting their emotions flow. We all know initial emotions do not equal are rational thoughts on the situation. I guarantee a week from now, most of the folks celebrating will be moving on with their lives the same way it was before Bin Laden was eliminated.

[IrishLake]

ASTAlumna, that was really well put. Thank you.

[preciousjeni]

Going back a few pages...

Originally Posted by DrPhil

I disagree with AlphaFrog (I think it was AlphaFrog) that this was a common sense move and Forest Gump would have done the same thing. First of all, common sense is a subjective concept and there is knowledge and power required to make such decisions. This decision could have been made and it could have ended horribly and then people wouldn't have been celebrating or looking for who to credit. They'd be looking for who to blame. Honestly, and God forbid, it could still end horribly and then I wonder how the assessment of "common sense" will play then; and who would be blamed if something were to happen after people's celebrations ended.

Now that more thorough reports are coming out, it is clear that this wasn't a common sense move. President Obama's advisors gave him three choices. 1) air strike, 2) ground strike, 3) wait for more solid evidence. He went home, slept (and presumably prayed) on it, and called early the next day to order a ground strike.

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by Ghostwriter

Hmmm! This says it all. You should make it your signature.

I don't feel the need for jingoism and I'm not particularly needing a cathartic response, but pretending to know what our soldiers think, felt, or reacted to the situation is it's own type of idealism. There is no evidence it was any easier to shoot bin Laden in the head because of who he was and PTSD doesn't make those sort of distinctions.

[Ghostwriter]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

I don't feel the need for jingoism and I'm not particularly needing a cathartic response, but pretending to know what our soldiers think, felt, or reacted to the situation is it's own type of idealism. There is no evidence it was any easier to shoot bin Laden in the head because of who he was and PTSD doesn't make those sort of distinctions.

You do not know that it does bother them and you do not know that they will/may suffer PTSD. This is all your opinion, which is what this board and thread are composed. When the interviews come out with the Seal/s who shot OBL we will know. Until that time we will all have our opinion as to what effect it will have on them and whether this event is deserving of a celebration.

When I see the Seal who shot OBL breakdown and cry or tell us he is shaken to the core and suffers all sorts of psychological problems, I will know that you were right. Until that time we will not know and my beliefs/opinions are just as valid as yours.

[als463]

Originally Posted by Ghostwriter

You do not know that it does bother them and you do not know that they will/may suffer PTSD. This is all your opinion, which is what this board and thread are composed. When the interviews come out with the Seal/s who shot OBL we will know. Until that time we will all have our opinion as to what effect it will have on them and whether this event is deserving of a celebration.

When I see the Seal who shot OBL breakdown and cry or tell us he is shaken to the core and suffers all sorts of psychological problems, I will know that you were right. Until that time we will not know and my beliefs/opinions are just as valid as yours.

What does your signature mean? Also, while I may not always agree with DF, I have to agree on this. You can't assume because you don't see someone crying/ breaking down that they don't have PTSD. Did you know that PTSD mirrors signs of ADD/ADHD in young boys when they start acting out? People think that these young kids are just hellions when in actuality, they are suffering from PTSD-which is why they are acting out in anger and being mean to people. PTSD does not always equate to crying and breaking down.

You really should not speak for people in the military (or people in general) regarding how they should or shouldn't feel in regards to taking the life of another person. Were you in the military?

[BluPhire]

Originally Posted by Ghostwriter

You do not know that it does bother them and you do not know that they will/may suffer PTSD. This is all your opinion, which is what this board and thread are composed. When the interviews come out with the Seal/s who shot OBL we will know. Until that time we will all have our opinion as to what effect it will have on them and whether this event is deserving of a celebration.

When I see the Seal who shot OBL breakdown and cry or tell us he is shaken to the core and suffers all sorts of psychological problems, I will know that you were right. Until that time we will not know and my beliefs/opinions are just as valid as yours.

That will not happen.

[AGDee]

Originally Posted by IrishLake

Anyone checked Wikileaks lately? Um, because a FB friend of mine has a picture of a dead Bin Laden on his page... and it looks pretty dang real, and he says he got it from Wikileaks. I can't check that site from work.

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

Someone on my FB feed posted a pic that's apparently been floating around the net for several years. I'm not sure if I would want to see the real photo, though :-/

I got an IT Security alert from the FBI today that there are emails and Facebook posts going around claiming to show pics of dead OBL and they are packaged with malware. Be careful folks.

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by AGDee

I got an IT Security alert from the FBI today that there are emails and Facebook posts going around claiming to show pics of dead OBL and they are packaged with malware. Be careful folks.

Oh, I knew better than to click it. I just saw the thumbnail on my feed.

[PiKA2001]

The only real photos on the net are on the Drudge Report but they are just battle scene photos of the compound. No close-up shots of UBL or anyone else.

- Has anyone else heard that he used a wife of his (the only female at the scene) as a human shield? Was this confirmed yet?

[KSig RC]

Originally Posted by Ghostwriter

You do not know that it does bother them and you do not know that they will/may suffer PTSD. This is all your opinion, which is what this board and thread are composed. When the interviews come out with the Seal/s who shot OBL we will know. Until that time we will all have our opinion as to what effect it will have on them and whether this event is deserving of a celebration.

When I see the Seal who shot OBL breakdown and cry or tell us he is shaken to the core and suffers all sorts of psychological problems, I will know that you were right. Until that time we will not know and my beliefs/opinions are just as valid as yours.

So is it your contention that PTSD and related disorders do not occur in present and past military members at a markedly higher rate than in the general public?

[KSig RC]

Originally Posted by PiKA2001

- Has anyone else heard that he used a wife of his (the only female at the scene) as a human shield? Was this confirmed yet?

It's been confirmed as false, actually. One female was killed "in the crossfire" and another wounded when she "rushed" at the SEAL team, and was subdued with a shot to the leg. Many initial details were delivered in haste, and have sense been clarified by the Pentagon and White House - this was the big one, along with him being unarmed.

[AGDee]

Originally Posted by PiKA2001

- Has anyone else heard that he used a wife of his (the only female at the scene) as a human shield? Was this confirmed yet?

That is what they said on the Today show this morning. They originally announced that a female had also been killed while acting as a human shield. Today reported this morning that the female was one of his wives, she was shielding him and she actually survived.

As an IT Security person planning on specializing in digital forensics, I'm particularly fascinated with the 5 computers and 10 hard drives/USB drives they confiscated. Trying to imagine how much info they will be able to get from those machines... plans, contact info, etc. It's mind boggling how much that information that computer equipment could hold!

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by PiKA2001

- Has anyone else heard that he used a wife of his (the only female at the scene) as a human shield? Was this confirmed yet?

I know this probably isn't anything anyone doesn't know, but using his wife as a shield was probably less emotionally disturbing to him than us using our dog. In their culture, she was his property, and therefore, disposable.

[PiKA2001]

Originally Posted by KSig RC

So is it your contention that PTSD and related disorders do not occur in present and past military members at a markedly higher rate than in the general public?

I don't think that's what he was implying. I think he was trying to say that we can't assume that every soldier involved in a firefight is going to develop PTSD. It is my contention though that special forces are better trained/equipped to handle PTSD more so than the general military population, thereby lowering their risk of being afflicted by it.

But that's just MY opinion.