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Can US Offer Final Proof Of Osama's Death?
Can US Offer Final Proof Of Osama's Death?
The circumstances surrounding Osama bin Laden's reported death raise urgent questions over how the US is so sure it got its man.
US officials have said DNA testing has proved the al Qaeda leader was killed in a villa in Pakistan.
They have also identified him by facial recognition.
But photographs of Bin Laden after his reported death have not been released.
The fact his body was buried at sea has so far only added to the speculation, although as a Muslim, he had to be laid to rest as quickly as possible.
Under Islamic law, people can only be buried at sea if they died there, or if there is a risk their body will be exhumed or dug up if buried in the ground.
The release of a photograph purporting to show bin Laden's corpse - which was later confirmed to be a fake - added to the confusion.
Journalists have not yet had the opportunity to ask more than a few questions of the Obama administration about details of Bin Laden's death.
A former British ambassador to the US, Sir Christopher Meyer, told Sky News: "I imagine we will see proof.
"I can't concede the US president would go out to make a statement to the world that bin Laden is dead without being able to produce evidence that he is dead.
"I think we will see some evidence - DNA or photographic - to prove there is not still some phantom Osama bin Laden riding the Tora Bora mountains."
The announcement is not the first time the world has heard of Bin Laden's death. Claims that the US and Britain kept up a pretence he was alive in order to continue their war on terror have been dismissed as conspiracy theories.
It has been suggested that bin Laden died nearly 10 years ago during the battle for Tora Bora in Afghanistan, either from a US bomb or from kidney disease.
And as for his audio and video statements, their authenticity has continually been questioned.
One of his video statements, released just days before the October 2004 US presidential election, was said to have been crucial in helping George Bush secure a second term in office.
But his statement from December 2001, when he was seen to confess to the 9/11 attacks, has attracted the most attention.
Bin Laden had insisted numerous times, through the Arab press and in video statements, that he had no involvement with the atrocities. His sudden confession was picked up on by doubters.
Additionally, his appearance in the December 2001 video was markedly different. He sported a black beard, not his usual grey one, his pale skin had become darker and he had a different shaped nose.
He also looked in good health - a contrast to his earlier gaunt appearance - and critics have pointed to the fact he is seen writing a note with his right hand, although he was left-handed.
In total, Bin Laden is thought to have released around 40 statements since 9/11, many of them with clear references to events at that time.
When Uday and Qusay Hussein - the sons of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein - were killed in a firefight with US troops, authorities relied on photographs of their bodies to convince people they were dead.
And when Saddam himself was executed, video footage of his death and subsequent photographs seemed to give final proof of his death.
All we have is a story, whether true or not, all that matters is whether enough people are entertained by this story. Given the media response, it seems not, as it followed the much more popular wedding in the UK, not that most people paid attention to it either, but given the massive 'push' in the media and the near total lack of anything else to watch, it isn't surprising that nearly everyone saw some of it.
As for Mr. Laden? Am I the only one that remembers that the Afgan Northern Alliance was 'requested' to permit the Taliban/Al Ciada/Paki ISI personnel to leave when surrounded? How did the CIA accomplish that? Perhaps the same as those 'forked tongued' agents of the empire in the early 'American' frontier with the native people? Gifts of many dollars and promises of much more when the poppy fields were harvested? The options are many aren't they?
Seeing how Mr Laden was a 'company man' at the Agency, it shouldnt' be too hard to come up with some type of DNA 'evidence', but then given the state of the Firm these days, perhaps that is asking for too much? As it seems they have enough trouble photoshopping a simple birth certificate these days. Simple degradation of the system it seems.
Burial at sea is a nice way to eliminate the evidence, at least they learned something over the last few decades, though over coming such trophies is difficult for those overcomed with pride. It seems that in the end, it all comes down to 'who are you gonna trust'? Who are you going to believe with these stories? Discernment requries discipline in the gathering of evidence, which is important if you are putting your life in their hands.