Bin Laden killing was U.S. self-defense: Attorney General

[steve2470]

Source: Reuters

(Reuters) - The killing of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden by U.S. military forces was an act of national self-defense and he made no attempt to surrender, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said on Wednesday.

"It was justified as an act of national self-defense," Holder told the Senate Judiciary Committee, citing bin Laden's admission of being involved in the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania.

"If he had surrendered, attempted to surrender, I think we should obviously have accepted that, but there was no indication that he wanted to do that and therefore his killing was appropriate," he said.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/05/04/us-binladen-selfdefense-idUSTRE74353420110504

[Buzz Clik]

1. ... and your opinion of the article?

[steve2470]

3. A few points:

1- Does Holder know all the facts ? I sure don't. What kind of comprehensive briefing did Holder have ?

2- "National self-defense" ? That phrase struck me a bit odd but if OBL truly was a threat to a Navy SEAL, I'd go with "individual self-defense" before I'd say "national self-defense".

[JohnnyLib2]

5. It struck me as defensive and legalistic.

Not a comforting thought.

[OhioChick]

2. I don't think an explanation is needed regarding this animal n/t

[JohnnyLib2]

4. Too many admin figures speaking out, IMO.

There doesn't seem to be a coherent WH message at all. ???

[Buzz Clik]

6. +1

[Recursion]

8. Too many people with zero conception of how urban combat works...

...complaining that we didn't "try to capture him".

[Gregorian]

7. I think Sarah Palin did it. Snuck in with her wolf rifle, and the rest was history.

Actually, not far from the truth, I suppose.

[azurnoir]

9. For all the whining and moralizing about OBL's death

the fact remains that there was a standing international warrant for his arrest it was issued in 1998

Osama bin Laden was a wanted man well before the 9/11 attacks, before the attack on the USS Cole and before the US Embassy bombings in east Africa.

The first international warrant for his arrest was issued in April 1998 following a request not by the Americans or the Europeans, but by Colonel Gaddafi of Libya.

On March 16, 1998, five months before the al Qaeda bombings of the US Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, the Libyan Ministry of Justice named Bin Laden as the main suspect in a double murder that had taken place in the Libyan town of Sirte four years earlier.

The warrant was forwarded to Interpol in France, where it was formalised on April 15, 1998.

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Bin-Laden-Gaddafi-Libyan-Leader-Issued-Arrest-Warrant-For-Bin-Laden-Well-Before-9-11/Article/201105115984158?lpos=World_News_Second_Home_Page_Feature_Teaser_Region_0&lid=ARTICLE_15984158_Bin_Laden%2C_Gaddafi%3A_Libyan_Leader_Issued_Arrest_Warrant_For_Bin_Laden_Well_Before_911

OBL resisted arrest and we should all know how that goes