White House modifies Osama bin Laden account
White House modifies Osama bin Laden account
Some of the details relayed by John Brennan, right, have been modified by the White House. | AP Photo
CloseBy JOSH GERSTEIN | 5/2/11 11:37 PM EDT Updated: 5/3/11 7:53 AM EDT
The White House backed away Monday evening from key details in its narrative about the raid that killed Osama bin Laden, including claims by senior U.S. officials that the Al Qaeda leader had a weapon and may have fired it during a gun battle with U.S. forces.
Officials also retreated from claims that one of bin Laden’s wives was killed in the raid and that bin Laden was using her as a human shield before she was shot by U.S. forces.
At a televised White House briefing Monday afternoon, Deputy National Security Adviser John Brennan said bin Laden joined in the fight that several residents of the Abbottabad, Pakistan, compound put up against the Navy SEALs during the 40-minute operation.
“He [bin Laden] was engaged in a firefight with those that entered the area of the house he was in. And whether or not he got off any rounds, I quite frankly don’t know,” Brennan said.
At a Pentagon briefing earlier in the day, a senior defense official said bin Laden used a woman as a human shield so he could fire shots. “He was firing behind her,” the official said.
In another background briefing early Monday morning, a senior administration official also said bin Laden put up a fight. “He did resist the assault force. And he was killed in a firefight,” the official said.
However, during a background, off-camera briefing for television reporters later Monday, a senior White House official said bin Laden was not armed when he was killed, apparently by the U.S. raid team.
Another White House official familiar with the TV briefing confirmed the change to POLITICO, adding, “I’m not aware of him having a weapon.”
“The bottom line is the team that entered that room was met with resistance and took appropriate action,” said a third American official.
The White House on Monday night declined to elaborate on the nature of the resistance bin Laden allegedly put up. However, an official confirmed that the Al Qaeda founder was shot twice, once in the head and once in the chest.
At the Monday evening briefing for TV reporters, a senior official also corrected what Brennan described earlier as “my understanding” that the woman who acted as a shield for bin Laden was one of his wives and was killed.
“A different guy’s wife was killed,” a different official familiar with the briefing for TV reporters said Monday night. Bin Laden’s wife was “injured but not killed,” the official said.
Another official familiar with the operation said it did not appear that any woman was used as a human shield, but that the woman killed and the one injured were hurt in the crossfire. The official said he believed Brennan had mixed up the episode involving bin Laden’s wife with another encounter elsewhere in the compound.
“Two women were shot here. It sounds like their fates were mixed up,” said the U.S. official. “This is hours old and the full facts are still being ascertained as those involved are debriefed.”
In another discrepancy, Brennan said during his on-the-record briefing that bin Laden’s son Khalid was killed in the attack. However, the official White House transcript had the counterterrorism adviser saying it was another son, Hamza, who perished in the raid.
The White House didn’t offer a reason for any of the changes. However, Brennan noted during his televised briefing that his information came from reports from the scene as well as live video feeds of the raid. “I wasn’t there,” he said.
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CAROLINAUNC
Party: IndependentReply #1
May. 2, 2011 - 11:51 PM EST Thank you CIA and our military.
Our Campaigner-In-Chief made sure Usama Bin Laden received a proper Islamic burial. WHY??? Because he wants the Muslim vote.
The event was a make-believe drama designed to be used for Obama’s upcoming re-election campaign."
Will he bring the troops home and put them along our border? NO! WHY??? Because he wants the Hispanic vote.
Obama, Pelosi, Reid and the other liberals, along with the biased media, Unions, Soros, AARP, Acorn, etc., based the entire 2008 campaign on lies. They spent two years destroying our country and governing against the will of the American people.
They'll spend the next year and a half doing a few good things just to get re-elected. Then they will spend four more years destroying the people of the USA. GOD HELP US ALL!
I will not vote for a Democrat.
ReplyQuoteReport Abuse Rush Youngberg
Party: ConservativeReply #2
May. 3, 2011 - 12:00 AM EST So, let the muddled mystery begin. Revisionist history is more likely to be believed if only one version is given.
ReplyQuoteReport Abuse PDXOR
Party: IndependentReply #3
May. 3, 2011 - 12:10 AM EST Hey Carolina,
Just a thank you would be enough!
We gave junior eight years to find Bin Laden and all we got was "I just don't think about him that much."
ReplyQuoteReport Abuse know
Party: N/AReply #4
May. 3, 2011 - 12:24 AM EST Obama, Pelosi, Reid and the other liberals, along with the biased media, Unions, Soros, AARP, Acorn, etc., based the entire 2008 campaign on lies. They spent two years destroying our country and governing against the will of the American people.
They'll spend the next year and a half doing a few good things just to get re-elected. Then they will spend four more years destroying the people of the USA. GOD HELP US ALL!
Protect our beloved country from people like yourself who can see no common good, who see only a country divided against itself, polarized into "virtuous" Republicans (as you fashion yourself), and "vice-ridden" Liberals (absolutely everyone you disagree with).
Obama is not destroying our country. He just destroyed a terrorist who has killed thousands of innocent people, including nearly 3,000 on 9 / 11.
Work hard at UNC. Harder than you are. And work on opening your mind. So sad to see a young person who is so narrow in her thinking.
ReplyQuoteReport Abuse Alamo888
Party: N/AReply #5
May. 3, 2011 - 12:26 AM EST My File: Classified - Top Secret - Level III - Shutdown - Dead-Dead - Triple Tiered Microfiche - Access - Major Generals and above with the need to know. Problem is only the "bad" guys need to know.
We have to accept "Obama's word" this was Bin Laden. During the past eight months there would have been time to replace Bin Laden with a body-double.
The Seals did their job - however someone else did the DNA testing. Bin Laden's body was dumped into the ocean before a "second opinion" could be established.
My experience, and the reason my file is so highly classified is to "block" a second opinion.
Obama delivered the Bin Laden package "too" neatly tied-up - "too" convenient dumping the "evidence" into the ocean.
Something about this whole mess with Obama announcing his run for a second term, Beck being forced-out of FOX [expressly because Obama 2012 election was coming-up] "sudden" appearance of a "computer-generated" birth certificate, Obama worshiping [photo] in a Washington D.C. Mosque, the anti-American and pro-Muslim lines from his books, and television interviews [see below] and now as stated above Bin Laden's body dumped into the ocean preventing a "second" opinion.
Obama could have settled the issue of his birth certificate once and for all by scanning the "actual" birth certificate to disk - complete with coffee cup and or rusty staple stains.
For my money Obama remains a problem for national security. This "kill" Bin Laden or his body-double to gain an "increase in poll ratings" will cost hundreds perhaps thousands of lives taken in "revenge" by terrorist.
Following information was collected from books written by Obama, and television interviews.
"It's my intention to disarm America to the level of acceptance to our Middle East Brethren."
"I will stand with the Muslims should the political winds shift in an ugly direction."
"I am proud of my Muslim, er, uh, my Christian faith."
"As I've said about the flag pin, I don't want to be perceived as taking sides."
"There are a lot of people in the world to whom the American flag is a symbol of oppression."
"And the anthem itself conveys a war-like message. You know, the bombs bursting in air and all. It should be swapped for something less parochial and less bellicose."
"We should consider to reinvent our National Anthem as well as to redesign our Flag to better offer our enemies hope and love."
"If we as a nation of warring people, should conduct ourselves as the nations of Islam, whereas peace prevails, perhaps a state or period of mutual concord between our governments."
"I will seek a pact or agreement end hostilities between those who have been at war or in a state of enmity, and a freedom from disquieting oppressive thoughts."
"We as a Nation have placed upon the nations of Islam an unfair injustice."
"My wife disrespects the Flag for many reasons."
"Together she and I have attended several flag burning ceremonies in the past."
"I will stand with the Muslims should the political winds shift in an ugly direction."
Obama's refusal to produce his "actual" birth certificate [rather than certified copy] speaks volumes.
My .com web site contains a copy of Obama's "computer generated birth certificate" as well as my [handwriting analysis hobby 22+ years] suspicions that signatures and dates on document are forgeries.
Certified handwriting expert or not - I still have "fun" messing with the heads of corrupt authorities. More than 300 pages of legal documents were destroyed [have copies] to hide evidence from my file by authorities expressing concerns over my "hobby."
Again: Obama's refusal to produce his "actual" birth certificate [rather than certified computer generated copy] speaks volumes [so what is he hiding?].
Most importantly did anyone notice the horrified expressions on Obama's and Clinton's faces during the firefight? Perhaps their horror was concerning Bin Laden's body-double being taken "alive."
Scroll directly to the bottom of my .com to view "opinions" about Obama.
ReplyQuoteReport Abuse know
Party: N/AReply #6
May. 3, 2011 - 12:27 AM EST Rush Youngberg: May. 3, 2011 - 12:00 AM EST
Revisionist history is more likely to be believed if only one version is given.
Whose version do you believe? That of the bin Laden family?
ReplyQuoteReport Abuse GOPunishAmerica
Party: NAReply #7
May. 3, 2011 - 12:28 AM EST Bottom line. Bin Laden is DEAD.
Obama 2012 !
ReplyQuoteReport Abuse BenTylerBurkhardt
Party: IndependentReply #8
May. 3, 2011 - 12:35 AM EST Another 4 more years of Obama...
ReplyQuoteReport Abuse Longhorn
Party: N/AReply #9
May. 3, 2011 - 12:42 AM EST When Bush captured Saddam alive in 2003, it assured Bush a second term in 2004.
ReplyQuoteReport Abuse Mike South Korea
Party: NAReply #10
May. 3, 2011 - 12:45 AM EST We should all give credit to President Obama for having the guts to make a decision. Thank you Mr. President. Saying that won't change my vote in 2012. President Bush gave him all the tools to accomplish the mission...communications between the intelligence services, restoring the capabilities and morale of the special forces (Seals) decimated during the Clinton years, interrogation techniques. For those reasons President Bush deserves our gratitude and respect.
Most of all we should be thankful to the Military and Intelligence agencies for a job well done.
ReplyQuoteReport Abuse Neo In The Matrix
Party: RepublicanReply #11
May. 3, 2011 - 12:49 AM EST Obama can't get his story straight on supposedly killing bin Laden, much like he can't get his birth story straight. Color me skeptical, but why so many discrepancies? In any event, Bush for all intents and purposes already neutralized bin Laden way back in 2002. This is basically moot. What is pertinent is America's economy, unemployment rate, gas prices, and defiicts. We already know where the Obama stands on all of those issues. America continues to descend into darkness. I pray God allows us to make it to 2012 so we can vote this clown out....
ReplyQuoteReport Abuse Neo In The Matrix
Party: RepublicanReply #12
May. 3, 2011 - 12:50 AM EST CAROLINAUNC: May. 2, 2011 - 11:51 PM EST
Then they will spend four more years destroying the people of the USA.
This is a lie. The Dems will spend the next forty years in exile.
ReplyQuoteReport Abuse TeaPartyJesus
Party: N/AReply #13
May. 3, 2011 - 12:53 AM EST CAROLINAUNC: May. 2, 2011 - 11:51 PM EST
I will not vote for a Democrat.
Happily, after Obama's brilliant foreign policy coup......
We dont need your vote. But thanks for playing.
ReplyQuoteReport Abuse Ricky Dikuloa
Party: NAReply #14
May. 3, 2011 - 1:01 AM EST CarolinaUNC - the Democratic Party does not need or want the vote of nutbags like you. Michelle Bachman seems more like your kind of fruitcake.
ReplyQuoteReport Abuse tallgrassman
Party: N/AReply #15
May. 3, 2011 - 1:04 AM EST So now the stories start to diverge. Where is the body? Where are the pictures/video of the body? Helmet cams?
ReplyQuoteReport Abuse xufapemu
Party: LiberalReply #16
May. 3, 2011 - 1:05 AM EST Asked if harsh interrogation techniques at Guantanamo Bay played a role in obtaining intelligence on bin Laden’s whereabouts, Rumsfeld declares: “First of all, no one was waterboarded at Guantanamo Bay. That’s a myth that’s been perpetrated around the country by critics.
“The United States Department of Defense did not do waterboarding for interrogation purposes to anyone. It is true that some information that came from normal interrogation approaches at Guantanamo did lead to information that was beneficial in this instance. But it was not harsh treatment and it was not waterboarding.”
ReplyQuoteReport Abuse concerned08
Party: IndependentReply #17
May. 3, 2011 - 1:07 AM EST It is ashame for all the partisan bickering. We should be happy OBL is dead after all the horrible terrorist acts he has orchestrated since the mid 90's. Whether Obama is re-elected or not because of OBL death is not important. What is important is all the families who have lost their loved ones because of this evil man can at least have some comfort knowing he dead.
God bless America and bless all those young brave men who pulled off this dangerous task.
ReplyQuoteReport Abuse Neo In The Matrix
Party: RepublicanReply #18
May. 3, 2011 - 1:14 AM EST concerned08: May. 3, 2011 - 1:07 AM EST
God bless America and bless all those young brave men who pulled off this dangerous task.
I agree with this, if indeed bin Laden has been killed. Obama deserves no credit and should be voted out. If nothing else, American can come together over that fact.
ReplyQuoteReport Abuse boaz
Party: DemocratReply #19
May. 3, 2011 - 1:28 AM EST What a pathetic joke all you Republicans are - can't stand the fact that President Obama made a tough decision and it worked. Your own smallness gets in the way of appreciating the fact that bin Laden is dead. Sorry, and you are trying to convince your dumb minions that George Bush deserves the credit for this victory. You are all too hateful for wards.
ReplyQuoteReport Abuse DarkRiderDLMC
Party: IndependentReply #20
May. 3, 2011 - 1:40 AM EST God bless America and bless all those young brave men who pulled off this dangerous task.
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