Despite reports to the contrary, President Barack Obama emphatically said today that he will not release an Osama bin Laden death photo to the public.
Photos taken after U.S. forces shot him dead Sunday clearly show the Al Qaeda leader's bloody, bullet-ridden face, which plenty of people want to see.
It appeared that the administration was on the cusp of releasing the graphic images, but Obama now says it's not gonna happen for myriad reasons.
In particular, Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton both advised Obama against inciting a backlash against the U.S.
Obama told 60 Minutes in an interview to air Sunday that "the risks outweigh the benefits" and that they wouldn't quash conspiracy theories anyway.
Some will "claim the photos are doctored anyway" and the risk is that the photos "will only serve to inflame public opinion in the Middle East."
The President continued his defense of not releasing the pictures:
"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."
"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." He makes a point.
What do you think, though: Release the bin Laden pics?
Veronika Vaeková Virginie Ledoyen Alessandra Ambrosio Ana Hickmann Carla Campbell
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