Eight reasons why Obama was right not to release photos of Osama bin Laden's body
President Obama said today he decided not to release photos of Osama Bin Laden's body that were taken to confirm his identity after he was killed. Here are eight reasons why he's right.
President Obama listens during one in a series of meetings discussing the mission against Osama bin Laden, in the Situation Room of the White House, May 1.
(Credit: Photoshot/Newscom)
1. Death photos can carry an emotional wallop, and these may rile many Muslims needlessly and perhaps cause retaliation on Americans.
2. It's standard practice in US death-penalty cases not to release images of the executed.
3. Why imitate the jihadists who post gruesome pictures of their victims?
4. Many Al Qaeda supporters won't ever be persuaded that he's dead. Most of the world is already convinced.
5. With the Arab Spring, the world is moving beyond Al Qaeda quickly. Why parade Osama bin Laden's image before the public even more?
6. Let's spare children the sight of such bodily violence.
7. The body of Osama bin Laden is not a trophy. It was his actions, not his body, that were the worse manifestation of a losing ideology that justified purposeful killing of innocents.
8. Let's now focus on further tasks to suppress jihadists.