Was THIS Osama's funeral?

[Generic Other]

NBC News and news services
Updated: 5:27 p.m. MT Sept 13, 2006

U.S. military officials tell NBC News they had “high-level” Taliban fighters in their gunsights during a July reconnaissance flight but decided not to fire. The decision to pass on the target angered some in the military, but commanders say they have “no regrets.”

Army intelligence officers say the grainy black-and-white aerial photo taken by a Predator drone and obtained by NBC News on Tuesday shows some 190 suspected Taliban militants standing in several rows outside near a vehicle in Afghanistan.

The military said Wednesday that the group seen in the Predator image was apparently gathered for a funeral at a cemetery.

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/14823099

[Warpy]

1. I see a truck and figures in orderly ranks

I don't see the coffin held aloft, nor do I see a hole in the ground.

I am unconvinced. The fuzzy white stuff between the ranks and the truck could be a speaker's platform with a guy in white robes on it. In fact, the grey shadow in the middle does look like another figure.

This doesn't look like a funeral. This looks like a review of the troops.

[Generic Other]

5. Who can trust anything they say at this point

It just seems odd that they released this last week, Rove brags of an October surprise, and the French seemingly jump the gun with the claim that Osama died. Makes my tinfoil antennae start vibrating like crazy!!

[Roon]

2. I just asked this question and couldn't find the pic to post

I'll delete my thread because I really want to hear everyone's thoughts on this.

[Beelzebud]

3. Or was it the Taliban Marching Band?

I'm done looking at vauge satellite photos, and having people tell me what to see.

I learned not to trust crappy images like this when we invaded Iraq.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

6. lol

The Taliban Marching 100. The vision is rich.

[Generic Other]

11. The Taliban doesn't even believe in music

I see no instruments in this picture. LOL.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

4. Wow. Could be?

[goforit]

7. Nah... Osama is still on an island drinking Martinis with Ken Lay.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

8. I heard a date on MSNBC

(that bastion of truth) of August 23? So if this was July, too early?

[rasputin1952]

9. 190 "#2's"...

If this was a legitimate target, why didn't they take out these "high level" Taliban fighters?

[Bucky]

12. Among other reasons, it turns out the drone wasn't armed.

It's been revealed that the satellite/drone that took the shot wasn't armed. Military protocal also prohibits killing people at a funeral. Yeh, I know it's weird, but that's what the experts are saying.

[petronius]

20. But weddings are apparently legitimate targets?

Very strange - we can torture people like crazy, but once they're dead their friends get to bury them in peace?

:shrug:

[dkofos]

10. Could have been

Maybe that is why they didn't fire on them.

* didn't want to disrupt obl/ubl funeral out of respect to his old and dear friend

[razors edge]

13. in Fux's own words

http://www.foxnews.c

Usama bin Laden has died a peaceful death due to an untreated lung complication, the Pakistan Observer reported, citing a Taliban leader who allegedly attended the funeral of the Al Qaeda leader.

"The Coalition troops are engaged in a mad search operation but they would never be able to fulfill their cherished goal of getting Usama alive or dead," the source said.

Bin Laden, according to the source, was suffering from a serious lung complication and succumbed to the disease in mid-December, in the vicinity of the Tora Bora mountains. The source claimed that bin Laden was laid to rest honorably in his last abode and his grave was made as per his Wahabi belief.

About 30 close associates of bin Laden in Al Qaeda, including his most trusted and personal bodyguards, his family members and some "Taliban friends," attended the funeral rites. A volley of bullets was also fired to pay final tribute to the "great leader."

om/story/0,2933,41576,00.html

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

14. Well If So, Then They Held The Funeral At Least A Month Early.

That would be kinda strange.

[Generic Other]

16. Or months late if we believe Faux News report

See post # 13

[Whoa_Nelly]

15. They pass on suspected Taliban militants grouped together

and blow up suspected insurgent homes in Iraq where no insurgents are found and innocent people are killed. :wtf:

Am not saying that a gathered group of people who are under suspicion of being, but not proven to be, Taliban should be fired upon, but the reporting of what US military officials told NBC, nakes no sense whatsoever...unless the US Gone-Mad-Government really does want the Taliban to be the ruling government of Afghanistan. After all, Uncle "Dead Eye" Dick did go to Afghanistan in early 2001, and gave the Taliban over $40M of OUR money upon their promise to stop growing poppies for drug trade.

(Eureka! That's it! The US government wants the drug trade to continue, so is allowing the Taliban to regroup and gather strength in numbers and poppy fields! :wow: :sarcasm: )

[mike_c]

17. no no no-- that is CLEARLY a mobile biological weapons laboratory....

Or a mobile rocket launcher-- see the rows and rows of WMDs lined up, ready to load onto the launch vehicle? There's an uncanny similarity to this photo from IRAQ:





:rofl:

[Generic Other]

21. They're screwing up all their lies

I can't wait to see how Bush takes crdit for this one!

[dkofos]

18. Does anyone know when this picture was taken??

According to one report I read this morning Aug.23 was given as the date of death.

Was the picture taken on Sept. 4??




http://msnbc.msn.com/id/14963302/
According to this report, Saudi security services were pursuing further details, notably the place of his burial.

“The chief of al-Qaida was a victim of a severe typhoid crisis while in Pakistan on August 23, 2006,” the document says. His geographic isolation meant that medical assistance was impossible, the French report said, adding that his lower limbs were allegedly paralyzed.

The report further said Saudi security services had their first information on bin Laden’s alleged death on Sept. 4.

[Generic Other]

19. MSNBC claims it was a July photo

But who believes anything any of them say anymore?

[Nimrod2005]

22. Oh man, could have been easily!!!

If there is coffin in from of them during prayers, then YES YES ans YES! Need a closeup to see what is in front?

[alfredo]

23. It's the Afghani school of dance's production of

River Dance.

[Generic Other]

24. No no no! Taliban don't dance!

Even death dances are frowned upon. Taliban shoot people and terrorize women. Oh and grow poppies.

[alfredo]

25. No, this is a splinter group called the Log Cabin Taliban.

[Generic Other]

26. I'm in the taliban and I'm okay,

I'm in the taliban and I'm okay,
I pray all night and I shoot all day...

[alfredo]

31. I put on my new burka and cruise for little boys.

[Mr_Spock]

27. Just because we have a picture to link to

...doesn't mean it's anything out of the ordinary. I'm sure they have lots of funerals there as we are killing them daily.

[Generic Other]

28. Nothing MSM does is without ulterior motive

My tinfoily cap is spinning. I've come to trust my instincts.

[Renew Deal]

29. "It's not OK to bomb a cementary, but it's OK...

to turn the place into a cemetary."

Surprising wisdom from Artie Lange of the Howard Stern Show.

[malaise]

30. I was driving in traffic a while ago

and asked the better half the same question. The only problem is that he supposedly died September 4th. Clearly that was some important man in the organization.