A lot of the photos you talk of were leaked, it would not be ethical to release an image of someone who has been shot in the head at close range, it is probably quite messy and would be an idiotic thing for an official entity to do.
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If it's the photos I think you are talking about, the site I read said they were taken by a Pakistani security official.
Quote:
Pictures allegedly showing the results of US special forces' assault on Osama bin Laden's hideout in Abbottabad. Reuters, who released all but the first picture shown here, have said: 'The photos [were] taken by a Pakistani security official who entered the compound after the early morning raid on Monday. The official, who wished to remain anonymous, sold the pictures. Reuters is confident in their authenticity'.
So it's OK for the government to release video of the burnt corpses of two US troops being dragged through the streets by insurgents and have it shown on pre-watershed news, but we can't see public enemy #1 with a hole in his head.
I find it disturbing that people would actually want to see such images, I don't have any doubt that it wasn't bin laden. I don't think people want proof, they just want to see a sick image of a dead terrorist.
There's always some excuse.
Extremists are extremists. They're devising whatever plans they can 24/7. Seeing an image of bin Laden's body isn't going to make them work any faster. Until they do release a picture - I hope they eventually submit to overwhelming backlash - then I will always think that it stinks. It wouldn't be the first time the US have said people are dead who aren't.
Richie, the people who want to generally see such photos can just do a Google search. I used to take pictures of scenes of death - mostly car accidents - for a living and I certainly do not go outof my way to search for such images, but seeing bin Laden's body not only strengthens proof that he is in fact dead, but it's quite simply a morbid curiosity. I wanted to see Hussein's hanging and I did.
It might not be the first time but I haven't heard anything from al-Qaeda saying he isn't dead and is still pretty much alive. But if you don't want to believe that he is dead, then don't.
If they did release the photo, it would not stop speculation at all. Depending on how much damage to the face he has due to the shots, could change the way he actually looks and people will be like "Lol that's not him" or some crap. But either way, the decision has been made.
In actuality, if there are photos, someone in the government is bound to sell them. The offer would be far too high to refuse.
There will be few who won't look at it. Like I said, morbid curiosity. The same reason why everyone looks at car accidents when they drive past in the hope of catching a glimpse of gore. It's a natural part of the psyche.