It was Osama Bin Laden's choice NOT to submit to a trial.

[pnwmom]

In front of the Hague, in the U.S., or anywhere else.

If he'd wanted to, he could have made arrangements to turn himself into authorities in Pakistan, or any cooperating embassy within Pakistan, and arrangements could have been made for a trial.

Instead, the Seals arrived and he fought back. His choice.

[Desertrose]

1. RIGHT. Like he would have ever made it to a trial alive.

You are kidding, right?

[pnwmom]

5. The U.S. would have been obligated to protect him once he came

under U.S. control. Same with the U.N.

I'm not kidding.

[Desertrose]

14. I totally believe you believe that....

However.....accidents happen. Things go wrong....we are not known for always taking great care of prisoners in our control...

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

2. Those Seals should have let him kill them if he didn't surrender

That pretty much sums up some here on DU's "We need to take the higher ground" attitude.

[gratuitous]

3. Ooh, another eyewitness report!

So, what kind of weapon did bin Laden have? Was it single shot, semi-automatic, or full automatic? How was it that in this intense gun battle, all the bad guys got killed but none of the good guys got so much as a hangnail? Talk about American exceptionalism! I'm sure there's a thrilling story to be told; I asked someone else who claimed definitively that bin Laden "fought back" or that he exchanged fire with the SEALs, but I haven't gotten a response.

[pnwmom]

6. I don't need an eyewitness report to know that he could have turned himself in

anytime over the last 10 years -- and chose not to.

[Name removed]

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[pnwmom]

18. The Hague would have been ready to prosecute Bin Laden if he'd turn himself in.

The UN hasn't accused Obama of any crimes against humanity. It would be ludicrous for Obama to turn himself in.

[On the Road]

9. If You Are Taken by Surprise at Night

by a group of elite commandos with a well thought-out plan and their choice of weaponry and protection, and all you can do is lunge for a firearm, it's not likely you're going to do too much damage.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

10. It was probably one of those evil assault rifle with deadly assault clips with more than 10 rounds

He had always said he would not be taken alive and chose to fight knowing he would be killed. He believed he was a holy warrior and this got him martyr status, 72 virgins, etc. I call it death by SEAL.

[RZM]

11. 'He fought back' may be just a rumor, though I doubt it was one concocted by the US

Fighting back makes Bin Laden look like a martyr who died a good death battling the infidels. Personally, I hope he got it without time to realize that anything was happening.

[TheWraith]

23. Probably because 4 people can't outshoot 24 expert US spec-ops troops.

Particularly when one of those 4 people is an old man trying to hide behind his wife. And doubly so when the US troops are wearing body armor that will stop the standard 7.62x39mm cartridge fired from an AK-type automatic rifle.

[Mz Pip]

4. Thank you for

such a common sense post. I shouldn't be suprised at some of the comments condemning us for not brining bin Laden to trial - like that ever really was an option. Bin Laden was wanted for over 10 years and certainly wasn't showing any sign of turning himself over to International authorities.

We are not the bad guys in this one.

[leveymg]

7. Turn himself into the authorities? The military academy was across the street,

Who the hell do you think had him chilling behind those 18 foot walls, and why has Obama been so constantly incensed at Pakistan?

[pnwmom]

8. You're confirming my point.

IF he had wanted a trial, he could have arranged to turn himself in.

He chose not to.

[leveymg]

12. Why do assume that he was free to do anything?

It looks entirely possible that he was under some kind of "house arrest" for the last couple years.

[pnwmom]

13. Let's pretend you're right. What about the previous 8 years? He could have

arranged to turn himself in anytime over the last 10 years.

[leveymg]

15. I'm not sure why you're posing this hypothetical. 99 out of 100 DUers would agree that he

got what he so richly deserved. Has there been any justice in the previous 8 years that he might have turned himself in? Precious little for anyone involved. This doesn't redeem that. I only hope it brings some closure to the thoroughly horrific era since 9/11 - but, the crimes go on because so much has gone unexamined and unpunished.

[pnwmom]

17. It's not a hypothetical. Numerous DUers have been saying today

that Bin Laden should have been taken to trial, and questioning whether he needed to be killed.

[leveymg]

20. A trial would have been inconvenient.

Killing him was a lot easier, so that's what they reportedly ordered, and that's what the SEALs did.

Simple as that.

[pnwmom]

21. He reportedly fought back. Under those circumstances,

killing him was completely justified.

[leveymg]

22. Justified? Perhaps. Necessary, Not.

If he was within shot twice in the right eye range, he was certainly within stun grenade tossed in the room range. If they had wanted to capture him alive for trial, they would have. But, they didn't - that would have been very inconvenient.

Am I angry at this outcome. Hell no. Am I glad . . . too many bodies under the bridge for that.

Simple as that.

[bluestate10]

19. 1000% agree. And OSBL got immediate justice. Likely lost has first

two games of chess with satan.

[Name removed]

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