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In addition, the team retrieved written material, not further described, but in the past, U.S. forces have retrieved notebooks and address books that were helpful in locating other terrorists. The U.S. intelligence community is willingly releasing this materal, hoping that those who believe their names and personal data are on those devices will go to ground, thus reducing even further the terrorist threat.
U.S. officials did not initally have information on how much if any of the material was encrypted, or to what level. One official speculated that since the compound had no Internet access there was limited need for encryption.
Two U.S. officials tell NBC News say that public affairs specialists at agencies involved in Sunday's raid had discussed what to do with "death photos" of bin Laden in meetings over the past several months -- that it was part of the planning for the raids.
Neither official disclosed what the outcome of the discussions was but noted that everyone knew the ultimate decision would rest with the White House. The same official said he did not expect a decision today, but said it would not surprise him that much.
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Earlier I described the path taken in this raid as the "riskiest option, but best possible decision." This is why. Much better than just collapsing the place in a massive explosion delivered from the air.
There's no doubt in my mind this will turn out to be a valuable trove of treasures...
Like I said, a scalpel beats a BOMB anyday!
I hope they don't find out he has been bloging at first read as a far right conservative republican.
I have No doubt that 2 of 1st reads own Terrorist Lovers, Spanky & SteveO should be worried now that thier Leader Osama Bin-Laden has been Killed. JS1 seems to also be a Prime candidate who should be Worried of thier names appearing in this confiscated material.
Anymore of you righties wanna comeout & say'Why did we Kill Osama Bin-Laden"?
I wonder if former President George W. Bushs Family should be Concerned of this Treasure Trove, because we all know of the Family ties between the Bushes & Bin-Ladens?
Forest just proved that "Stupid is as stupid does".
Rick - If you want that question asked perhaps you should go to NPR.
So Rick how does this Obama thing work? He can send in the CIA/Seals/ whoever he chooses to whatever country he wants, to do whatever he wants them to do?
The is frigging awesome. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever see this coming. Dick Cheney, sure, but Obama?
No rick, the only question I have is why are we not killing more of them? KSM is just chilling in a cell. Waste him. Heck, lets close Gitmo the "easy" way - kill them all. No trials, not tribunals, just executions.
That's the new Obama way, right Rick? Man, I thought Bush was the cowboy. How about Al-awari - the next in line who is in Yemen. Let's go get him. Yeeee Haww!
I do wonder is sending in the Seals to a country we are not at war with constitute an act of war? Rick?
Spanky, why areya so concerned that that You & other Terrorist Lovers on here are so concerned that Bin-Laden was killed & info gathered?
Worried much Spanky?
Heck I thought the Right was all gungho about National Security.
Has it been All Hat & No Cattle all along Spanky?
The curtain has been pulled back & thier's No there, there, to being for the troops, huh Spanky!
O well, you personally can go Cruise the College Campuses & Brag to the College Girls about How bad You Are, cancha Spankster?
As for You Kirby, Demetia has'nt set in here yet, such as with yall Rigties, some can still Remember the Ties that bind Bush/Bin-Laden Familys together.
Oh that fateful day, way back when the Bin-Laden family was the Only Plane in the Skies.
Just a little humor Kirby, I did not call anybody out by name. If everybody wasn't out to get you, maybe you would not be so paranoid.
Sorry Rick, but even you surely see the rather significant changes in Obama's posturing. No more man all about the rule of law. Now just a cowboy who got his man.
Oh and the old story seems to be changing pretty fast. Details I know, but wow it's getting bad. How many bullets and to where Rick? Armed or not? Human shield or no? Story straight, oh no!
Like I have been saying around here for a long time Rick - he really is just Bush witha different hair cut.
And FYI the college girls are gone. Now it's just river-skank time. Assuming they all can afford the gas to get out there and fill up them boats.
I sure hope they can Rick. I sure hope they can.
Forrest Gump, great line, thanks for the chuckle! You should win post of the day!
So most of this thread is a great big festering pile of retardation.
Spanky, I kinda figured You was 1 of them"They're all Pretty at Closeing Time kinda Guys".
Treasure trove is right. Good move by the President and the special ops team.
Great Intel but putting out the names of terrorists only lets them know we are on to them. Maybe their actions should be observed during this time. I'm sure there are some things and names that will remain secret. I wonder if any Pakistani officials were on that list?
I don't think anyone will be publishing those names...but the investigations will certainly gain some new "persons of interest."
The need to encrypt is neither reduced nor increased by having internet access. The two things are completely unrelated.
You encrypt your data when there's a chance that the machine may be physically taken. In this case, they should have encrypted the data anyway, since it's so sensitive.
For our sake and the world's, I hope they were stupid and didn't encrypt. I'll bet this is the case.
You're right Autodrive, but it is possible they felt less need to encrypt if they believed safety was assured by setting up a sneakernet in a friendly environment. Let's hope so.
Nice article.
You want to hear something interesting along the same lines? When the wall came down in E. Europe, 2 American journalists made their way to the Soviet Union immediately. They wanted to find out two things:
What did they have in way of records on Lee Harvey Oswald, and
What became of Hitler's body.
______________________________________________________
At Potsdam, Stalin told the allies that Hitler's body had been recovered and buried.
Adolph Hitler and the bodies of the Goebells family were moved from one burial site to another over the years. They were then buried for the last time in a city on the Elbe. In 1970, their bodies were dug up and cremated. Their ashes were scattered in a river.
For a long time the Russians kept Hitler's skull, which clearly showed the bullet from the self-inflicted shot. I believe they disposed of the skull years ago so that no remains of Hitler remain on this earth.
Oswald records revealed nothing. The Soviet Union wanted him to leave the country, as he was useless to them.
The Russians were afraid after the death of JFK that they were going to be blamed for the assassination. They were hoping against hope that Oswald didn't do it. So they did their own investigation, hoping they could find someone else.
But to their dismay, they realized that yes it was Oswald who was the killer.
And now, for the juicy part!
POPCORN TIME!!!
I wonder if they wrote their passwords down and taped them to the bottom of the computers because they couldn't remember.
Off the thread but a question..
From today's Christian Science Monitor....
The top 5 Al Qaeda leaders still hiding in Pakistan
Osama bin Laden was not the only Al Qaeda leader hiding in Pakistan. The US believes there are others, including people on its list of Most Wanted Terrorists.
- Ariel Zirulnick, Correspondent
1. Ayman al-Zawahiri
Ayman al-Zawahiri, an Egyptian citizen who founded the Egyptian Islamic Jihad militant group, is widely expected to take over for Osama bin Laden as the leader of Al Qaeda. He was already considered the group’s central ideologue and one of the brains behind the 9/11 attacks.
Surprisingly no word on him at all...not even a mention.
Wondering if the Pakistanis have any intel on him. Maybe check the real estate listings.
I know where there's a big, well-secured place north of the Capital. Nice neighborhood, close to law enforcement, well kept until recently vacated. The garden is a mess due to a helicopter accident, but the price of scrap metal just might pay for replanting.
...and we took title on Sunday.
I am so proud of our President and all our troops this week. Now we know that they have been up to their necks in secrecy, surveilance, and surreal planning for an unknown outcome and not a peep from anyone until their COMMANDER spoke first.
That is true military bravery and honor on their part as well as the entire administration leadership. Obama runs a tight ship folks!
This WILL go down as a game changer politically; both on the domestic front and internationally.
I also liked the fact that they did test runs of the mission ahead of time and there were no leaks of that either. And from what I've read, there were differences of opinion over which way to do the mission, so there was open discussion of options, etc. until the President decided. I call that leadership.
...and the cryptographers at the NSA are bright, highly motivated math geniuses that have been breaking codes since before WW II. They are more than capable of breaking encrypted data. Also, by publishing names ans adresses or having people think the US now has their name helps break up terrorist sleeper cells which form the terrorist network. If you can disrupt the cells, there are lass bad guys.
No Republican should agree to a NBC sponsored debate as they are no more than an extension of the Obama re election camp.
This is why Obama's decision to go with the SEAL team was the best decision, even though it was a highly risky one. If we had bombed the compound, there is no way that we could have retrieved all this information that could possibly lead to the further crippling of Al-Quaida. The burying at sea was also genius, because now there is no place that his followers can go to set up a shrine for him. As far as releasing the photos, I don't see where it is necessary. Obama has nothing to prove by doing this, because we all know full well that there is no way in hell that Al-Quaida would tolerate their legend to be believed to have been taken out by the "Infidels" if he were still alive.
I agree kalexa, in fact I see nothing to come from releasing the photos other than enraging the Arab world.