Obama Announcement: OSAMA BIN LADEN DEAD

Uh, hello guy? HELLO? Just because they conscripted doesn't mean they weren't professional. Far from it.

Yes, it does. And note that "professional" does not equate with "competent". The German military was the outstanding fighting force of the war.

^ Yes it does. Professional means a paid army of a country or faction. A volunteer army is be definition not conscripted. Conscription vs volunteer has no bearing on it's status as a professional army.

When people use the term "professional army" isn't that usually meant to imply something above and beyone the fact that they're paid? In addition to a high level of organization and training, when I hear the term, I think either volunteer or mercenary...but not conscript.

Yes, but I didn't address that as it was not under debate. As far as conscript that has nothing to do with professional or not. I would consider that both the USSR and Israel did/do have professional militarize despite their having the draft. The US was a professional army in WWII. That is always how I've understood the definition.

Regardless of the definition of professional, the difference between the WII German military and al-quaida remains clear.

I'm opposed to capture as opposed to battlefield casualty. If, for instance, one were arrested walking through an airport then yeah, try him under the law.

Looked up this thread in light of recent events, and decided to quote this post in light of some not-so-recent events.

I'm not much for conspiracies, but I still have trouble believing a lot of this event.

Dude was on dialysis for how many years as the most wanted man "alive" before being found in a suburb and killed in what was essentially a crackhouse bust?

yet no body... conveniently dumped at sea.

the phrase "2 minute hate" keeps swirling in my mind as I wonder if his real name was Goldstein

Come on, man. Even Federal Fetus ain't this stupid.

It wasn’t just any suburb. It was a retirement community for ISI officers (Pakistan’s CIA + FBI & the interlocutor for US aid to supporting the Mujahideen against the Soviets).

ISI has been playing both sides for forever so the idea that elements would help hide one of their greatest assets is not inconceivable.

Like I said, I'm not much for conspiracies... this one for me is more about a collection of "hmm?".

As it happened, I went to boot camp with someone who was on the Carl Vinson when this took place and confirmed that they did, in fact, dump a body out to sea.

Whether it was bin Ladin's body OTOH....

Yeah, Bin Laden is alive, they gave him plastic surgery, and an accent coach, and turned him into Benedict Cumberbatch.
This story was made into "Star Trek Into Darkness" to hide it all in plain sight.

Na, more that he was dead long before.
Hence the "Goldstein" reference.


although I like this theory too

Doesn't make sense, Turkey. If you're going to lie about Bin Laden being alive when he isn't, you're not going to decide to "kill" him just for a PR boost - you keep milking that cow.

never said it was for the PR, more that the idea of him was no longer needed/useful.


how ya gonna work the boogie man factor with the guy everyone immediately associates with being Bert to OBL's Ernie? for all the evil he aided in dude looks like the stock photo Boomer next the main man.



but hey, I've managed to head canon Burton's PotA into the continuity

Goodbye, blue sky. Goodbye.