Was Bin Laden already under the custody of Pakistan when we took him out?

[thewiseguy]

Living in a huge mansion at a military town with barbed wire, 18 feet walls, and security gates is not exactly how a highly sought after terrorist mastermind would hide. I think Pakistan's military or intelligence services already had Osama under their custody when we raided the place and took him out.

Or maybe it is possible they were using Osama as a bait to lure in the number 2 guy (Egyptian Doctor).

[EFerrari]

1. Possible. A kind of house arrest. n/t

[thewiseguy]

5. I think so too. They probably had done the DNA tests a while ago.

Otherwise they would not be so sure about killing Bin Laden when the DNA tests are still underway!

[EFerrari]

11. The problem I have with this, lol, is that there have been too many

credible reports of his demise long before this.

At the moment, I am agnostic before the buffet of bull we have been served up about bin Laden over the years. :)

[Codeine]

2. Custody?

More like protection.

[msanthrope]

4. Yep...absolutely he was under their protection. Notice how fucking quiet

they are about this raid???

[thewiseguy]

8. The last video from him came out in 2004 compound was built in 2005

I think they had him in their custody and that is why OBL went quiet since then.

[KittyWampus]

3. it sure sounds like Pakistan was knowingly caging the guy.

[Dappleganger]

6. Obviously

you have zero knowledge of how people live in high-risk areas of the world.

[EFerrari]

16. Well, I do know how that works and this home was outside

even that standard.

[MiniMe]

7. I think protection rather than custody

That is why we didn't tell Pakistan about it.

[PATRICK]

14. Some sort of protection

to be this publicly and stylishly castled. Probably had to decide between a life on the run from one Tora Bora to another and layering himself with at least factional help in the style he not only desired but needed for his health. None too swift from an intelligence point of view, especially with the US operating fairly openly inside Pakistan but his real security had to come directly or indirectly from Pakistani divisions. If there is an inside story of Pakistan's state assistance or betrayal one might think it is much less important than the end of America's most singular mission.

[fujiyama]

9. This administration was fucking brilliant

in not revealing this plan to the Pakistanis. It almost definitely would have leaked and got back to Osama.

This was very likely protection and I think it's a fair question to ask how much did Pakistan know? And how high in their military and intelligence apparatus did this protection go?

[thewiseguy]

12. I still think he was in their custody. Last video tape came out in 2004.

Compound was allegedly built around 2005. Osama had gone quiet in the previous years.

Why would they say we got him if their DNA matching tests are still underway? Answer is because Pakistanis had already done all these tests maybe with our assistance.

[Solomon]

10. For chrissakes. Obama has been complaining for a long time

even during the campaign, about Pakistan being complicit in dealings with Bin Laden. That's why he kept saying that if he had to go into Pakistan to get him he would. As I recall, no one else would go that far and it caused a lot of raised eyebrows.

Why can't people just deal with the fact that Obama wins here - even if you say it doesn't stop terrorism, or so what, he still wins.

[EFerrari]

13. What our governments say in public and what they do together

in private are not the same thing. This really has nothing to do with Obama winning or losing but about how things work.

[Yo_Mama]

15. Yeah

I always felt that President Obama was too aggressive, but maybe I was wrong.

There have been a lot of collateral victims in all this; if taking Bin Laden down allows us to back off and ramp down, then it is very, very good step which will save many lives in the future.

I don't think this will make anyone like us more, but it will make people in positions of power think twice about backing such attempts. Knowing that we would hunt a man for nine and a half years, and knowing that he was finally found and killed, shows seriousness. The fact that we had to go into a bunch of different countries to do it shows that we can be relentless. The fact that the attempt crossed two different administrations also sends a message.

And it is VERY true that Obama always said he would do this, and that he has been very aggressive about it. He is due the credit, such as it is. I do believe that 90% of the country will feel that this a victory and a step forward.

I feel great worry about our bombings in Yemen and Pakistan, not to mention what is happening in Libya. I cannot grieve over Bin Laden's death.

It also gives this administration a chance to declare victory and get out; that buys Obama and the country some leeway. I certainly hope he uses that leeway.