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Subscribe to RSSRepublican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said Wednesday that President Barack Obama’s decision not to release photos of Osama bin Laden’s corpse is a “mistake” that could “unnecessarily prolong” the debate over what the United States should have done in the wake of the al Qaeda leader’s death.
“I respectfully disagree with President Obama's decision not to release the photos,” Graham said in a written statement. It's a mistake.”
Graham, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and a leading Republican voice on national security issues, does not dispute that bin Laden has been killed but argues that definitive public proof would underscore his demise and protect the nation’s interests.
"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,” he 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.”
Earlier this week, Graham raised concerns about the speed with which bin Laden’s body was buried at sea – a move that administration officials said was in accordance with Islamic law.
“This idea of disposing the body within 24 hours because of tradition bothers me a bit because we will be under attack as to whether or not it really was him,” Graham said on Fox News Radio. “And I’m not so sure that was a wise move.”
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Another Republican idiot........
Republicans will always look for a way to descredit Obama. Public viewing of a photo is another form of long-form birth certificate mentality. If they insist, let the leadership of Congress and those in charge of security & military see the photo on a need to know, top secret basis. Have some decency!
Graham is an idiot..a typical GOP
Senator Graham is wrong.
There's an old saying: Believe half of what you read and none of what you hear. Our government is hiding something.older
When are people going to see the Republican and Tea Parties for what they are. EXTREMISTS. These groups are no better than the Imams that spread hate in the middle east. With Sara Palin at the helm how can they not be seen as such.
Again this president is damned if he does and damned if he doesn't. No matter what he did it this same man and all those like him would be saying it was wrong if he had made the decision to publish the photos.
If you believers of death of Osama can tolerate watching JFK getting shot in the head with brain splattering all over the car, jumpers from 9/11 squashing all over the ground, the collapse of the twin buildings over and over and...then why the hell we can't see one photo, at least one shred of proof that if he in fact is dead? You believers are being brainwashed by Obama's pussyfooting! Pay close attention to his body language and it is so obvious!
Osama Been Gotten was problaby shot with an AR-15. His face is gone, and then they would say, "It doesn't look like him." Good decision Obama.
I have thought all along that the photos should not be released. Now that Senator Graham has weighed in, I'm sure the President was correct.
I support the President's decision but on the other hand a head shot of Bin Ladin can't be half as bad as a head shot of Donald Trump
Frankly, my dear, I want to see the MF dead's face, I want to see him with his brains blown out. After the number of Americans he ordered to be killed, we DESERVE to see him in the throes of agony. We deserve to know that his family can see him in the throes of agony and to know it hurts them like hell. That's what he has done to us and I believe in an eye for an eye. Obama's a pussy. Sitting up there taking credit for something he had nothing to do with. The decision to release the photo belongs to SEALS. They put their lives on the line to kill that piece of @!$%#, they deserve to make the call.
Not only you're such a sad little person, but an ignorant one also. Do you really believe in this STUPID statement you made:
The decision to release the photo belongs to SEALS.
Do you know anything of Military Service, and who the Commander is?
You're one stupid broad!
Hey Patricai Paulson..........
Why don't you THROES yourself off a train you IMBECILE!!!
Paulson: You're pathetic. That sums it all up--social class, education, intellect....
Why don't you THROES yourself off a train you IMBECILE!!!
Good Lord, this person gets a star and can't even spell the insult right?
Please President Obama, DO NOT LISTEN to Franklin Graham at all or any Republicans that want you to show the public the pictures. They are just trying to get you in trouble with the world and to not win re-election after your superb performance with the military in holding OSB responsible for his terrible deeds!
Sounds like you are worshipping Obama. Who's they? Your assumption is wrong. You need proof of your wife or husband's death or death certificate in order to get life insurance right? I rest my case.
grizzlyowl28, you've rested your case, and the jury has returned a verdict, and you lose again. I'm pretty damn sure facial recognition, a number of eye witnesses, DNA confirmation, among other things would satisfy the insurance companies. I've read several of your posts here and get the idea you have not even listened to anything that has gone on around this story. You are acting like, since you haven't seen a picture, that nobody has confirmation it was bin Laden or not? Wow. Are you denying the deaths of nearly 3000 people on 9/11 as well? I'm sure those poor families that lost loved ones, had no body to bury, no closure, would love to punch you in your damn face right now.
What are they afraid of?
the simple truth....
Man, you white folks are so pathetic, nothing this President does is good enough for you, and you don't have the guts to admit, it's racial, you don't like this man because he has African blood running through his veins.
This President does not have to bow to republican pressure of releasing photos. Naval Seal Team 6, plus all the white folks who sat around in the War Room, with the President, didn't you see them, 8 white men, one white woman, President Obama, they saw what happened during the operation, during “REAL TIME,” and that's all that needs to be said, or done.
you can't accuse people of racism with the opening statement "man you white folks are so pathetic". better luck with your future postings
Yes I can. If you took a poll so far, you'll see it's all, old, white, republican men who want to see the photos. It is, what it is, racism is as American as Moms Apple Pie, and ya'll can't stand President Obama because of the African blood running through his veins.
and we couldn't stand President Bush because? and people hated Bill Clinton because? And Bush Sr? And Reagan? And Carter? HATING is as American as apple pie and your posts prove it
Graham sounds like a bucket of sour grapes. Anything to discredit the courage and discipline that he and the Bush administration was able to muster. I think Graham should put Trump on this one too...
If the Birthers will only believe what they want to believe, regardless of the flagrant facts, what is to convince a radical Islamist?
And why should we go out of our way to motivate more of these radicals to kill our troops. Becauase some draft dodgers wants to see some lurid photos.
By withholding the photo's and dumping his body into the depths Obama has taken control over the situation.
Controlling these events on our terms seems to square up all the control we've lost over the last 10 years.
If you don't think your life has changed much, just go to a airport or public place where large groups have gathered and you'll see heavily armed Police and extra security.
The costs incurred by OBL and his nut followers in HUGE.... I hope he rots in Hell....
I don't agree with the Senator that the whole point of sending in soldiers rather than bombs was to prove they had killed Osama to the outside world, it was to prove it to themselves first and foremost and give them a chance to capture him alive if they really had any intention of doing that which seems unlikely.
If Obama cured cancer the GOP and Tea Baggers would say he should not have done that it's bad for our economy! The hospitals and the insurance industry can't make money Obama is bad for jobs.
They got to stop smoking there tea bags.
Graham is wrong in my opinion. Not because like in the poll question I think it would serve to stoke the flames of terrorists and encourage them to retaliate. I really don't think it would.
It just doesn't seem like the professional thing to do. People are either going to believe the administration or they won't. Just like the Birth Certificate issue. I'm frankly tired of people thinking that our leaders should bend over backwards to prove pointless issues to the general public. It's a waste of time and energy. The public should be focussed on actual important things.
If seeing this photo of a dead man makes the difference between you believing the administration and/or re-electing Obama then frankly you're an idiot. For anyone claiming that the gov't is hiding something by not releasing the photo, I have one word for you. Photoshop. Even if they didn't have the photo it'd take little to no effort to forge one. They don't care about trying to fool you. And you're grasping at straws to think otherwise.
it might upset the extremists but the arab world expects to see the photos. they posted a fake pic in some publications and they have shown beheadings of westerners on their television stations
You believers of Osama death, it has nothing to do with Republicians or Democrats, it has a lot to do with how we percieve things. Stop making a politcal arguements and start using common sense! Besides, both parties are just the same. Jesus Christ revealed to the world that he died on the cross, his proof made the world believed he did in fact died for our sins. The people of this earth wanted proof so Jesus gave them the proof. Without proof, without explanation as to why body of Osama was dumped in the sea, without @!$%#load of accurate information, without Obama or even Trump validating the so-called photos, then there is no Osama. Simple as logic!
Wait, did you just end that comment with the word logic? Wow.
yes, thank you.
That wasn't a compliment.
Christianity is based on Faith, not proof. If you're trying to equate the two, then you and every other Christian would need to see photos of Jesus on the cross, right? But you (I'm assuming) and all others are taking someone elses word for it, correct?
Obama did validate the photos, the facial recognition, the DNA, along with countless other people, Republican or Democrat alike. Even bin Laden's own family identified him. But you don't want to take their word for it? Your comparison fails the logic test.
The President and most of the GOP leadership agree that the pictures should not be released. That's good enough for me. The conspiracy theory crazies will always claim the entire thing was another government cover up. These people, of course, have mental problems that most rational people now understand and ignore.
And so it begins with the partisan bull crap. Of course they weren't going to attack Obama about the operation, but now they'll pick on the small crumbs to try to make themselves look better. At the end of the day, how are ANY of their candidates going to stand up to the "are you ready to be commander in chief" against Obama? They know this. So they'll try to pick on the little things around this to discredit him. Senator Graham should do his homework. Conspiracy theorists wouldn't change their mind because of a photo. The extremists aren't even coming out and saying bin Laden is still alive, they are actually admitting he's dead.
The only reason we saw photos of Saddam's death is because it was the end result of an Iraqi trial of their dictator. That was for the people of Iraq to know, that even though they were oppressed for so many years, their new government is different and that justice had been served. That was the Iraqi people, not us. So to say WE did one thing with Saddam and another thing with bin Laden is apples to oranges. The more comparable scenario is when we showed photos of his dead sons. And that got Americans killed.
President Obama knows that his decisions have a negative side to them, whether it's conspiracy theorists or whatever. If this operation had failed, he know only he, not Bush, would get full blame. But he also knew Bush would get some credit if it succeeded. What mattered was doing the right thing. And he's doing the same thing with the photos. And to assume he's making off the cuff decisions and not thinking about the big picture is severely underestimating him. Sure, you could argue he's in campaign mode, call him campaigner in chief, whatever you want. At the end of the day, he risked his 2012 re-election with his decision on this operation. And it was the right thing to do.
Really: Good Post!
Nice Post. I am a conservative. I agree with the Prez on this one. Everyone involved did a fine job for the American People. The bld is dead, good riddance.
So Ms. Lindsey is upset too dam bad, I guess if it were released and our military men and women who are still fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan were being killed off in larger numbers because the photo incited an already whacked out group of radicals Lindsey would run out screaming that President Obama doesn't support the troops, go back to your room Lyndsey and let the grown ups govern.