Indeed.

[the_future_modernes]

Osama bin Laden's last hours come into focus as White House revises its story

In the hours after Bin Laden's death, US officials briefed that he had put up a fight and shot at the Seal 6 team that stormed the second and third floors of his hideout. Other details suggested he used one of his wives as a human shield.

The White House confirmed that neither was true. Bin Laden was unarmed, was shot in the head and chest, and his wife had been wounded in the leg while rushing towards the special forces before he was killed.

The administration was considering whether to release the photos of the Saudi fugitive's body to counter claims in the region that he had not been killed at all. "There are sensitivities about the appropriateness," said spokesman Jay Carney. "It is fair to say it is a gruesome photograph."MORE

UN human rights boss questions U.S. on legality of bin Laden killing

UNITED NATIONS — The UN's chief human rights official led calls by rights activist organizations on Tuesday for Washington to explain whether U.S. forces lawfully killed Osama bin Laden.


The request by Navi Pillay, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, came even as the world body continues to falter over its multi-year bid to define terrorism.


Pillay's bid also appeared to contradict the position held by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, who on Monday described the U.S. action as a "watershed moment in our common global fight against terrorism."


The mixed messages are likely to heighten critics' claims that the UN's human rights apparatus is frequently quick to probe for abuses by Western democracies — even as it appears to limit its criticism of some of the world's established human rights abuser states.

...


Amnesty International said it was seeking "greater clarification" about what went on, while New York-based Human Rights Watch said "law enforcement" principles should have applied.


"If he wasn't shooting at the soldiers, the killing should be investigated," Brad Adams, Human Rights Watch Asia director, said in Bangkok at the launch of a report on Thailand.


"People are saying that justice has been done, but justice has not been done. Justice is when you arrest someone and put them on trial."
MORE

I do not like this at all.

Comments

[thejeopardymaze]

This really doesn't surprise me, legality hasn't mattered for quiet a long time in this country, only power.

It's funny, the fact that it might not have been illegal feels pretty minuscule to me in comparison to everything else that has been done the past decade. Not that I wish to downplay the problems with this, or anything. I do worry about how the impact of the killing might affect Pakistan, I can imagine worse things done in the future that could further destabilize the region-or is already being worked on.

[thejeopardymaze]

I also worry about the possibility of retaliation with a dirty bomb, the UK is already on alert over this.

[nagasvoice]

I've commented elsewhere that it doesn't feel over, it feels more like waiting for the other shoe to drop. I have other questions on things like" How did bin Laden have a compound in Pakistan without the government there knowing about it? And surely an action in Pakistan would have to abide by the law there, not here? We don't let companies or military forces from other countries come into sovereign territory here in the US and act like their laws take precedence, aside from the teeny tiny sovereign territory within their embassies. Does anybody else wonder if this particular raid took place when reported, or do we wonder if it happened earlier and the report was kept on ice till it was convenient? (Yes, as lies go, it wouldn't be the hugest one out there, as I really do suspect folks like Cheney of more greater crimes that that, but I digress.)
I can see where logistical difficulties might make it virtually impossible to arrest bin Laden and take him out of there--but they were able to remove his dead body from the country.

The US government has the power to get away with its hypocrisy

[thejeopardymaze]

Whether invading Iraq, Afghanistan, etc, it's not terribly legal either, but like I said before, governments with that kind of power will use it, legal or not. At least for now.

There has been speculation that what bin Laden really wanted to do was to bankrupt the States, I'd say he's won whether he lived or died. I'm sure US bankruptcy was inevitable, but he just speed it up a bit more than expected.

Re: The US government has the power to get away with its hypocrisy

[nagasvoice]

I daresay he'd be delighted if that was his main legacy, if only to slow us down from the world cop "my way or else" stuff on our part.

Intervesting interview

[thejeopardymaze]

http://www.truthdig.com/avbooth/item/robert_baers_take_on_bin_laden_20110504/

I'm much more sure about Saudi Arabia government involvement in 9/11, and share Justin Raimondo's suspicions about Israel withholding vital information before the attacks than the government of Pakistan's supposed involvements, but it's not like I'm an expert in political science. If any Pakistan politicians might have connections, I have a feeling it doesn't involve the entire government, being the region is a bit unstable and may be headed for worse at this rate. The right hand not knowing what the left is doing kind of thing.

In the US, to be more accurate

[thejeopardymaze]

I shouldn't act as though all the members in this community are from the same place, or anything, and it's too late for me to edit.

[thejeopardymaze]

might not have been illegal

Bah, I meant 'might not have been legal'!