President Obama said on Wednesday that he will not release photographs of Osama bin Laden’s bloodied body to prove to skeptics that the U.S. killed him. “There is no doubt that bin Laden is dead,” Obama said. “We don’t think that a photograph, in and of itself, is going to make any difference.”
The photographs would be an “incitement to additional violence or propaganda,” he said. “That’s not who we are.”
Obama’s decision came as a surprise to some, after CIA Director Leon Panetta said the day before that he had no doubt a photograph would ultimately be shown to the public.
However, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Defense Secretary Robert Gates opposed the release of the photo.
“We don’t trot out this stuff as trophies,” Obama told CBS News’ “60 Minutes.” “We don’t need to spike the football.”
Support for Obama’s decision came from an unlikely allies, congressional Republicans.
“Imagine how the American people would react if al Qaeda killed one of our troops or military leaders, and put photos of the body on the Internet,” said Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. “Osama bin Laden is not a trophy. He is dead, and let’s now focus on continuing the fight until al Qaeda has been eliminated.”
Sen. Scott Brown, R-Mass., who saw only fake photos of a dead bin Laden on the Internet, said the real photos would “inflame the sensibilities of others throughout the world and potentially put our men and women in harm’s way.”
Obama said he is not concerned with proving anything to skeptics who say bin Laden is still living.
“The fact is, you will not see Osama bin Laden walking this Earth again,” Obama said.
When asked what his reaction was when he saw the photos of bin Laden’s dead body, Obama said, “It was him.”
