Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to wonder with what authority USA killed Osama Bin Laden.

342 replies

Mamaz0n · 02/05/2011 09:43

Since when has murder been justice?

Don't get me wrong, i think it is a good thing that he has died. I think that to imprison him would have caused massive uprising in violence and kidnaps etc.

But it bothers me that America has just decided that this man is guilty and therefore acted to murder him.

It is my (probably naive) understanding that you can't be extradited to a state that has the death penalty, so how exactly can Obama's order to kill Bin Laden be at all legal?

I have even just heard that the Pakistani government were not even aware that the USA were taking this action.

I am sorry but it sits very uncomfortably with me.

OP posts:
penguin73 · 02/05/2011 11:52

I think after evading arrest for this long anyone thinking that there was another option involving him giving himself up and allowing arrest without loss of life is incredibly naive (that's the polite word!)

tryingtoleave · 02/05/2011 11:54

Probably they just chucked him out at sea as fast as possible so there wouldn't be a pilgrimage site.

TheBride · 02/05/2011 11:54

Tryingtoleave

I't an unfortunate truth that it's almost impossible to defend liberal values using liberal values. Liberals are yet to work out a solution.

Pixielovescake · 02/05/2011 11:54

Im in total agreement with polarbabe and vallhala.
He was a monster who authorised the murders of thousands of people. We might not have ended the war but at least hes gone. Im not sayin the world is a better place as such but it stands a chance to be.
I wouldnt celebrate his death exactly but now hes dead he cant cause more harm. Al quaeda (sp?) can but he cant.Thats the only thing i would "celebrate".

And for what its worth if i was there , and i had a clear shot on him ,and had the choice to take it or let him get away and commit more acts of terrorism then i would take it. Forget even asking for surrender. Its not always black and white and this way we wiped an evil , dangerous man off the map. And even if one more person lives because of it - surley thats the point ? To stop more people dying ?

befuzzled · 02/05/2011 11:56

How do they know it was definitely him and not a decoy/look alike? Do they carry portable DNA testing facilities in their helicopters or did his killing take place sometime ago, I wonder?

tryingtoleave · 02/05/2011 11:58

Yes, that is true TheBride. But at least we could argue that liberal values are better - which is something people are afraid to do. There are posters saying that Americans and al Quaeda are equivalent. That celebrating the death of civilians on 9/11 is the same as celebrating the death of Bin Laden. That we shouldn't fight wars against those who want to destroy our way of life. I think that is wrong.

TheBride · 02/05/2011 12:03

Trying Yes, sorry- I was making the point in support of you.

Liberals massively weaken their effectiveness by not having enough categories on their moral compass.

tryingtoleave · 02/05/2011 12:05

and cultural relativism, too.

polarbabe · 02/05/2011 12:05

TheBride

I't an unfortunate truth that it's almost impossible to defend liberal values using liberal values. Liberals are yet to work out a solution.

This above here is a brilliant. I wish I was so eloquent.

slavewife · 02/05/2011 12:09

Some ships have science labs ( it also wouldn't take long for a jet to get to the nearest lab), they could have got DNA, from his home when je first fled, or from one of his siblings\children etc... I think the people who are celebrating his death, aren't really celebrating the death per say, but the hold that he had burdened everyone with, by is atrocious acts of terrorism, they might now feel free!

Snorbs · 02/05/2011 12:09

I think it's reaching a bit to say that Osama Bin Laden was responsible for all the deaths in the Algerian civil war. The Algerian uprising was largely home-grown. Al Qaeda had little, if any, real involvement.

polarbabe · 02/05/2011 12:13

Um Snorbs, have you heard of Qari el-Said. He was sent by OBL to encourage the Islamists to fight rather than negotiate a peaceful solution. They fought.

NulliusInVerba · 02/05/2011 12:14

I also like the way he managed to die just after the Royal Wedding was all over, so as not to distract anyone or massively increase security risks.

Its quite incredible isnt it really? All these coincidences.

animula · 02/05/2011 12:17

I thought the way ObL operated was by providing funding and networks for disparate (though loosely "anti-Western/American" [for want of a better term]) oppositional movements. ie. they would be "home-grown" movements of dissent, not originating from ObL per se?

I'm just interested, was no huge fan of the thought of being caught up in some action intended to destabilise a liberalism from which I have gained a great deal, though from which I often demand more ....

LittleWhiteWolf · 02/05/2011 12:19

Times like these, IMO, expose the ugliness in some people. It makes me sad to see. I'm not sorry the man is dead, but I'm not going to rejoice.
I hate to see such similarites between Them (the bad guys) and Us (the good guys). Its deplorable when They kill Us and celebrate, but its ok when We do it? Because we're on the Good Side?
This isn't a film and I don't believe seeing it all in black and white is healthy or helpful.

The man is dead. Justice has been served. Isn't that enough?

rocketleaf · 02/05/2011 12:27

I don't think YABU. My first reaction was how is a man being shot in the head without trial a 'victory for democracy' I don't believe that they sent anything less than crack troops that would have been capable of disabling Bin Laden without killing him. Obama finished his speech by quoting the Pledge: "with justice and liberty for ALL" I don't remember there being a trial and conviction or sentencing? even if this was a formality it should still have happened.

I find the celebrating going in the US on leaves a very bad taste and is more than naive even if it is partly understandable. This guy however is amazing:

9/11 survivor Harry Waizer: "I just can't find it in me to be glad one more person is dead, even if it is OBL."

amberleaf · 02/05/2011 12:28

bugger it didnt work.

slavewife · 02/05/2011 12:28

LittleWhitwWolf, justice hasn't been served at all, however his crimes will hopefully seize, and his "supporters" will stop their reign of terror! Justice however has not been served just because he has died, I firmly believe the terror will follow through and all his "supporters" will now do it in the name of justice for him, rather than their mask of religion!

MrsPennySworth · 02/05/2011 12:39

You know, I said earlier on this thread that I found people celebrating his death, well just any death in general, a bit inhumane (in so many words).

But actually reading later posts has changed my mind in osama's case. I agree with you all(Valhalla and the others who said similar!).

flippinada · 02/05/2011 12:48

I'm not sorry he's dead (if it is him of course - which I think it probably is), as he's responsible for so many deaths - but I think the celebrations - while I can understand the strong feelings involved - are very short sighted. Likely to inflame.

flippinada · 02/05/2011 12:48

Terrible grammar there, sorry!

Nancy66 · 02/05/2011 13:09

His death is good news. he was an evil cunt.
Hope he died in agony

Again10 · 02/05/2011 13:13

Yabu