Thursday, November 22, 2012

Giving thanks that proper protocol was followed

As i sit here this Thanksgiving morning reading over the paltry news offerings of American media, I take solace and comfort in the fact that on Thanksgiving day in America, the mainstream media took the time and consideration to inform me and my countrymen that Osama Bin Ladin's burial rites and rituals were handled properly and in accordance with Islamic law.

I am sure that on this hallowed day, they have no idea how comforting and spiritually cleansing these revelations are.  It saddens me really, as I would much rather seen his body dragged through the streets and spat upon, as were countless victims subjected to that he commanded death over.

But then again, I guess that is just me.



Internal emails offer details on bin Laden burial

Internal emails among U.S. military officers indicate that no sailors watched Osama bin Laden's burial at sea from the USS Carl Vinson and traditional Islamic procedures were followed during the ceremony.
The emails, obtained by The Associated Press through the Freedom of Information Act, are heavily blacked out, but are the first public disclosure of government information about the al-Qaida leader's death. The emails were released Wednesday by the Defense Department.


Bin Laden was killed on May 1, 2011, by a Navy SEAL team that assaulted his compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan.
One email stamped secret and sent on May 2 by a senior Navy officer briefly describes how bin Laden's body was washed, wrapped in a white sheet, and then placed in a weighted bag.
According to another message from the Vinson's public affairs officer, only a small group of the ship's leadership was informed of the burial.
"Traditional procedures for Islamic burial was followed," the May 2 email from Rear Adm. Charles Gaouette reads. "The deceased's body was washed (ablution) then placed in a white sheet. The body was placed in a weighted bag. A military officer read prepared religious remarks, which were translated into Arabic by a native speaker. After the words were complete, the body was placed on a prepared flat board, tipped up, whereupon the deceased's body slid into the sea."

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