Tag: Osama bin Laden

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Trump Promotes Conspiracy Theory That Osama bin Laden Is Alive

Donald Trump
Donald Trump has been retweeting a conspiracy theory that Osama Bin Laden was not assassinated in 2011 but it was his ‘body double’ that was killed. From The Daily Beast:

President Donald Trump backed a budding conspiracy theory on Tuesday that four Americans were killed in the 2012 Benghazi attack to cover up the blood-sacrifice of Navy SEALs and the “fact” that Osama Bin Laden is still alive, marking what is perhaps the president’s strangest brush yet with far-right conspiracy theories.

Trump’s promotion of the new Benghazi conspiracy theory, which is fast gaining traction on the far right, came in the form of a retweet of a QAnon believer pushing the claim.

The president’s backing helped push the tweet about Benghazi above 14,000 retweets. Trump retweeted another video about the conspiracy theory later on Tuesday night, marking the second time he had promoted the Benghazi claims on Twitter.

The bizarre theory, which is outre even by the standards of the right’s usual Benghazi claims, also alleges that Osama Bin Laden’s body-double, rather than the terrorist mastermind himself, was killed in 2011.

(screen capture)
One of the Navy SEALS who actually went on the mission to kill Bin Laden responded:

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News Round-Up: October 29, 2019

My hubby, Michael Caprio, posing with just SOME of Olivia Newton-John’s gold albums
Some news items you might have missed: • Olivia Newton-John: My hubby, publicist Michael Caprio, is in Los Angeles this week with his client Olivia Newton-John, who will be auctioning off much of her memorabilia this weekend at Julien’s Auctions with proceeds going to the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness & Research Center. Above are just some of her gold and platinum records that will be available. And yes, the famous leather jacket and pants from the finale of GREASE are up on the block as well. #GotAMillion? • People: Queer Eye’s Karamo Brown, who was booted this week from Dancing with the Stars, says he’s “proud” of former White House press secretary Sean Spicer (who’s still in the hunt for the trophy) and feels like he’s connected with Spicer about LGBTQ issues. • Back To Stonewall: Self-loathing gays plan to lobby Congress AGAINST passage of The Equality Act. #smh • KIT212: If you happen to be appreciative of rugby butt, Kenneth has just the thing for you (below). More at the link.
James Tadasco (via kenneth-in-the-212)
• AP Fact Check: Donald Trump told reporters that he tried to warn people about Osama bin Laden in a book he ‘wrote’ in 2000 before the terrorist directed the attack on the World Trade Center on 9/11. Trouble is the Donald barely mentioned bin Laden and there was no “warning.” #WeCanReadDonald • Journal Express: What is up with these ‘gender reveal’ events getting violent? A woman in Iowa was killed by flying debris due to an explosion that came as part of a gender reveal celebration Saturday. • Jimmy Kimmel Live: When Barack Obama went on TV to announce they killed Bin Laden, he spoke for nine and a half minutes. Trump yesterday, when he announced they killed Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, did for 48 minutes. So, for further comparison, we thought it might be fun to mash-up Trump’s speech about al-Baghdadi with Obama’s on Bin Laden.

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Trump Criticizes Osama Bin Laden Mission: “We Should Have Captured Osama Bin Laden Long Before We Did”

Donald Trump on Fox News

Donald Trump raised eyebrows over the weekend when, during an interview with Fox News‘ Chris Wallace, he not only wouldn’t give credit to the capture and killing of Osama bin Laden during the Obama administration, but he criticized the mission saying it took too long.

From The Hill:

“Fox News Sunday” host Chris Wallace noted during a discussion with the president that retired Navy Adm. William McRaven has said Trump’s attacks on the media are the “greatest threat to democracy in his lifetime.”

Trump in response called McRaven a “Hillary Clinton fan” and “Obama-backer.”

“Wouldn’t it have been nice if we got Osama bin Laden a lot sooner than that, wouldn’t it have been nice?” Trump asked. “You know, living — think of this — living in Pakistan, beautifully in Pakistan in what I guess they considered a nice mansion, I don’t know, I’ve seen nicer. But living in Pakistan right next to the military academy, everybody in Pakistan knew he was there.”

“You’re not even going to give them credit for taking down bin Laden?” Wallace asked.

“They took him down but — look, look, there’s news right there, he lived in Pakistan, we’re supporting Pakistan, we’re giving them $1.3 billion a year, which we don’t give them anymore, by the way, I ended it because they don’t do anything for us, they don’t do a damn thing for us,” Trump responded.

Regarding being a “Hillary” fan or “Obama” fan, McRaven told CNN later that evening:

“I did not back Hillary Clinton or anyone else. I am a fan of President Obama and President George W. Bush, both of whom I worked for. I admire all presidents, regardless of their political party, who uphold the dignity of the office and who use that office to bring the nation together in challenging times.”

The McRaven/Bin Laden chat begins around 4:37 mark below:

It’s worth noting that back in 2011, Trump was more than pleased with the results of the Navy Seals and CIA.

On May 2, 2011, Trump gave this statement to Politico:

“I want to personally congratulate President Obama and the men and women of the Armed Forces for a job well done.”

“I am so proud to see Americans standing shoulder to shoulder, waving the American flag in celebration of this great victory.”

“We should spend the next several days not debating party politics, but in remembrance of those who lost their lives on 9/11 and those currently fighting for our freedom. God Bless America!”

I guess that good will goes away when you become a politician?

McRaven responded to the criticism in a statement doubling down on his assertion that Trump’s attacks on the media are “the greatest threat to our democracy” in his lifetime.

And it appears Trump has a short memory, because one reporter says McRaven was on the Trumpster’s short list for national security adviser.

Navy Seal Robert J. O’Neill, who actually shot bin Laden, chimed in saying the mission was ‘bipartisan’ and “We all wanted to get him as soon as we could.”

And when a MAGA troll questioned whether bin Laden was killed as soon as possible, O’Neill responded, “We could only fly so fast, bro.”

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Ohio: Romney more responsible for death of Osama bin Laden?

According to a PPP poll of likely Ohio voters, 15 percent of Republicans in Ohio think Romney is “more responsible” for bin Laden’s death than Obama, while 47 percent of Republicans are “not sure” whether Obama or Romney deserves more of the credit.

Six percent of the overall respondents gave Romney credit where credit is not at all due regarding the killing of bin Laden.

Thirty-one percent of them weren’t sure whether the president or the candidate deserves more credit.

And these people get to vote.