Yes, the US probably could have taken Bin Laden alive given some additional effort.

[TheWraith]

The helicopters could have tear gassed the compound to try and incapacitate the combatants, then sent troops in wearing masks. Or they could have hit each room with multiple flashbangs and stun grenades. Or gone in quiet, attempting to disable any perimeter security and using sound-suppressed weapons on any sentries, in order to catch Bin Laden sleeping.

Each of these has their own risks associated, mostly in the form of increased risk to US troops. But that's almost beside the point when you consider the situation. If you are a criminal, and you resist arrest using deadly force, you are likely to be killed. Period. Bin Laden was, in effect, a criminal resisting arrest. Once either he or his bodyguards started firing on US troops, Seal Team Six reacted correctly by putting down the threat.

There is no obligation, even for civilian law enforcement, to try and preserve the life of a criminal who is attempting to kill you. The US troops of Seal Team Six were not required to take extra risks to preserve the life of a criminal, potentially at the cost of their own. That person has forfeited any rights they had to fair treatment or fair trial. It is the point where the justice system ends: as Cicero said, in the face of arms the law falls silent.

[JustFiveMoreMinutes]

1. Ah, those great Could Haves, Might Haves, What Ifs.........

... friggin TOTAL waste of time!

YAWN.

[TheWraith]

2. But second guessing is fun!

:sarcasm:

[Bicoastal]

3. Hell, Obama had the option of bombing the place from the air.

I'm glad there were survivors--a lesser President would have settled for "collateral damage."

[MilesColtrane]

5. Those SEALS did a hell of a job.

23 children and 9 women survived the fire fight. The only non-combatant casualty came as the result of Bin Laden's cowardice.

Good call by Obama to not simply lob explosives from the air.

[OHdem10]

4. You would never have known Osama was therre or killed.

You would simply know you dropped the bomb.

Kinda hard to fly a plane as low as Helicopter.
Helicopter evaded being picked up on Radar. since,
this had to be done without the knowledge of the
Pakis, the bomb was not a good option.

[TheWraith]

9. Could you explain how that has anything to do with anything that I said? nt

[Capitalocracy]

6. I totally agree killing him if he resisted was the right thing.

I just want to know, was the order capture or kill, or was the order kill do not capture? I think it's important.

[AsahinaKimi]

7. From what I have read and seen on video today..

They really didn't know if he was truly there, till they searched room by room. There was a fire fight, and they had no choice but to shoot to kill. I had also read elsewhere that Obama had ordered Bin Ladin to be killed, and that Team 6 was sent in for one reason only, to "take out" the enemy. I don't have any links, but this is stuff I have found on videos and news stories here on DU.

[pipi_k]

8. It's possible, but...

where would he be held?

What country in its right mind would want to hold him for trial? Any country that did hold him would be targeted by his supporters for some pretty nasty stuff.