Administration Backs Off Tale Of Osama Bin Laden Using Wife As Human Shield

[Hissyspit]

Source: Talking Points Memo Muckraker

Administration Backs Off Tale Of Osama Bin Laden Using Wife As Human Shield

Ryan J. Reilly | May 3, 2011, 9:45AM

It was a fitting end for the America's most wanted man. As President Barack Obama's Deputy National Security Adviser John Brennan told it, a cowardly Osama bin Laden used his own wife as a human shield in his final moments. Except that apparently wasn't what happened at all.

Hours later, other administration officials were clarifying Brennan's account. Turns out the woman that was killed on the compound wasn't bin Laden's wife. Bin Laden may have not even been using a human shield. And he might not have even been holding a gun.

The narrative first unfolded in a televised briefing at the White House.

- snip -

But as Politico's Josh Gerstein reports, there's still debate over whether the woman who was killed was being used as a human

Read more: http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/05/administration_backs_off_tale_of_osama_bin_laden_using_wife_as_human_shield.php

[Solly Mack]

1. k/r

[Turbineguy]

2. Let's hope it wasn't like that.

It would make John Brennan look.... well..... republican.

[justiceischeap]

3. I don't think the tape of the mission needs to be released but a transcript of some sort

could be created that accurately reflects what happened without giving away classified info. It's been reported, by Rachel I think, that the entire mission was "live" for the President and his staff to watch as it unfolded. Why there is misinformation is beyond me when there is no need for it.

[Poll_Blind]

4. Those who watched the full press briefing know this. By the fourth time he was asked the...

...same question, he was backtracking and parsing words. I think it comes as the second question (possibly) from the reporter with the heavy Russian accent who leads with questions about the legality of the killing and I think his follow-up question gets the more "detailed" response.

John Brennan started out throwing around "human shield" but by the end of his press conference it was clear that was bullshit.

PB

[Turborama]

11. The whole press conference is available online

White House video and transcript in GDP: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=433

YouTube vid in the videos forum: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x580258

[sharp_stick]

5. Yet another example

why people should wait a few days after a massive and free flowing story such as this gets going. When you have a bunch of military guys moving fast they will all have different debriefings that need to be analyzed and worked on to figure out what really happened.

[Hoyt]

6. Exactly -- don't think they had time to check marriage certificates, etc.

To me these are minor details. It's not like they are lying to us about WMDs.

[niyad]

7. minor details, as in complete fabrication? not just a marriage license, but the whole scenario--

makes me think of the jessica lynch story

[AtheistCrusader]

8. I was thinking Pat Tillman, but I think you have the better reference.

[Hoyt]

10. So you don't believe any of this happened?

Or, do you just think they ought to wait months to get the story straight by reviewing films, interviewing everyone involved, and the like?

Jessica Lynch was a pretty small part of a whole botched war of mass deception.

[JuniperLea]

17. Thanks for proving my point...

Rushing to judgment, assumptions, a microwave quick mix... all wrong, not helpful, and possibly causing harm. Why can't we just wait until we know what the deal is before rushing to conclusions?

[JuniperLea]

15. Thank you!

This makes me furious. Speculation and assumptions only do harm at this point. There is no microwave quick mix for this and rushing to judgment is just stupid.

[Hissyspit]

20. Whose rush to judgment? Those who assume the official story is always true?

First-day lies have a way of becoming the truth no matter what happens in the days after.

[JuniperLea]

22. I don't consider anything "official"

When it comes from 'unnamed white house aids' and the like. We have only begun to get the facts.

[EFerrari]

25. The White House, including Brennan, watched in real time.

The story will continue to develop but waiting for the American media rarely gets you very much.

[trud]

9. that house

anybody else think that's a tacky looking house? Not only a terrorist, but no taste.

[Name removed]

12. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[robinlynne]

13. It sounded strange because the first stories said his wife identified his body.

if I recall correctly the identification story came from the WH. (not sure)

[RaleighNCDUer]

14. Yeah, I thought it was frunny right off when they said that he used his wife

as a human shield, and she was killed, while also saying they knew it was him because his wife identified him.

[opihimoimoi]

16. Video footage must not confirm story...such is clarity when sound is included...

[chill_wind]

18. K & R. n/t

[tekisui]

19. And......we're off! Here come the holes in the official story,

the backtracks and contradictions. This is going to be riveting.

[Puregonzo1188]

21. Did anyone other than a coalition of hyper-jingoist and uber-partisan liberal Democrats believe this

?

And no, I never thought I'd put this two groups together.

[xchrom]

23. Recommend

[suffragette]

24. K&R

[Rage for Order]

26. "But the rest of our story is true. Promise!" n/t

[FiveGoodMen]

27. Exactly!