New York Times: White House Weighs ‘The Photo’

[Poll_Blind]

From the New York Times:

WASHINGTON — To release or not to release?

That question is bedeviling the Obama administration, as White House officials try to determine whether the burning desire among Americans to view an actual photo of Osama Bin Laden’s dead body outweighs the potential harm that release of such a photo might cause, by further inflaming Bin Laden’s disciples around the world.

A photo taken after Bin Laden was shot and killed by Navy Seals in a daring midnight raid on his compound clearly depicts the Al Qaeda leader, according to one official who has seen it. “It looks like him, covered in blood, with a hole in his head,” the official said.

A growing clamor of voices, mostly from the political right, has been demanding proof that Bin Laden really is dead. Beyond partisans and conspiracy theorists, though, many ordinary Americans who are searching for closure to the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon also want to see the ultimate proof.

PB

[snooper2]

1. Wait till people figure out there is video as well..

[tekisui]

2. They are publicly weighing. Privately, I assume it is already planned.

[DefenseLawyer]

3. They need to release it.

Can bin Laden's disciples be further "inflamed" at this point? You will never convince the nuts that it's valid no matter what, but releasing the picture will keep the "they never showed us the body" meme from gaining a foothold with lot of low information (but non-crazy) people out there. Get ahead of the story and just release the picture.

[FarLeftFist]

4. They should go the birth certificate route,

And wait until they come up with their insane conspiracy theories so they all look crazy then release the photo.

[Poll_Blind]

5. Actually, heh heh, I like that option a lot! I would love to see a couple Senate repugs caught on..

...film like that. That would be delicious fodder for commercials in 2012.

PB

[Poll_Blind]

6. CNN: More Details On Osama bin Laden Photos

CNN: More Details On Osama bin Laden Photos:

The senior U.S. official also says the White House received 3 sets of photos Monday. The photos included:

1. Photos of OBLs body at a hanger after he was brought back to Afghanistan. This is the most recognizable with a clear picture of his face. The picture is gruesome because he has a massive open head wound across both eyes. It's very bloody and gory.

2. Photos from the burial at sea on the USS Carl Vinson. Photos of OBL before the shroud was put on and then wrapped in the shroud.

3. There are photos of the raid itself that include photos of the two dead brothers, one of OBLs dead son (adult adolescent, maybe approx 18 yrs old) and some of the inside scene of the compound.

The official says the challenge is that the picture that includes the most recognizable image of OBLs face - from the hangar in Afghanistan - is so gruesome and mangled its not appropriate for say the front page of the newspaper. On the other hand, this is the one that is most identifiable as him.

PB