Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search

  • Advertisements

Editorial Board Blog

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.

By Clayton Jones / May 4, 2011

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)

Enlarge

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.

Skip to next paragraph

Recent posts

E-mail Permissions

Read Comments

View reader comments | Comment on this story

Photos of the day

05.27.12 »

Editors' Picks:

What happens when ordinary people decide to pay it forward? Extraordinary change. See how individuals are making a difference...

Pastor Jean Enock Joseph (c.) visits one of his projects in Croix-des-Bouquets, just outside Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital.

Jean Enock Joseph teaches self-help to lift Haiti

Pastor Jean Enock Joseph doesn't shy from Haiti's toughest problems. His message: Haitians have the ability to help themselves.

Become a fan! Follow us! YouTube Link up with us! See our feeds!