Real Reason US Military Buried Osama Bin Laden at Sea

Why did the U.S. bury Osama Bin Laden at sea? It doesn't really seem like an arbitrary choice, and it wasn't. This is the Arabian Sea, the place where in 2011, after being discovered and killed at its compound in Pakistan by Navy SEALs, Osama Bin Laden, one of the world's most violent terrorists, founder of Al-Qaeda, and the man responsible for the deaths of thousands of innocent men, women and children, was buried at sea by the U.S. Army within hours after his death. The method was chosen for very specific reasons. But before we get to Bin Laden's death, here's a quick recap of why this monster was once one of the most sought-after terrorists in the world, not that anyone could ever forget. Osama Bin Laden was the most wanted terrorist in the world, the man responsible for orchestrating and executing the 9-11 attacks on the United States. Bin Laden had been violently opposed to U.S. presence in the Middle East since the 1980s. Following the attacks of September 11th, Bin Laden was forced into hiding and hunted for nearly a decade. After managing to escape U.S. forces in Afghanistan through the Tora Bora Mountains at the end of 2001, Bin Laden sought refuge in the Waziristan region of Pakistan. He would eventually move into a large, fortified compound outside the city of Abbottabad. Avoiding detection and capture through extreme secrecy, Bin Laden reportedly lived on only a single section of the house and did not leave for more than five years. He had no phone or internet and used couriers to communicate messages, almost entirely avoiding public scrutiny. But by tracking one such courier, U.S. intelligence eventually came to suspect the compound as Bin Laden's hideout. Eventually, Bin Laden was located and killed by U.S. Navy SEALs in a raid on May 2nd, 2011. Codenamed Operation Neptune's Spear, the raid was a significant development in the 21st century. However, instead of bringing his body back to the United States for burial or handing it over to his family, the U.S. government chose to bury him at sea from the aircraft carrier Carl Vinson. This decision raised questions and sparked debates among lawmakers, experts, journalists and the public. What were the reasons behind this decision? And what were its implications for the U.S. and the global war on terror? As with many aspects of the war on terror, the decision to bury Osama Bin Laden at sea was primarily based on practical and political considerations. According to the U.S. government, the main reasons for this decision were to prevent his grave from becoming a site of pilgrimage for jihadists and to respect Islamic burial customs, which require burial within 24 hours and in a simple shroud facing Mecca. Moreover, the U.S. officials argued that they did not want to create a physical memorial for Bin Laden that could inspire his followers and perpetuate his ideology. In a statement, the White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said that the decision to bury Bin Laden at sea was in accordance with Islamic practice and tradition and was prepared in accordance with the laws of war. An unnamed senior U.S. official told Time magazine that we are ensuring that this is handled in accordance with Islamic practice and tradition. This is something that we take very seriously, and so therefore this is being handled in an appropriate manner. This logic was similar to that expressed by Pakistani officials about Bin Laden's compound. No locals or journalists were allowed to enter and one year after Bin Laden's death, the compound was demolished. While no official reason was given, reporters at the time noted that Pakistani intelligence analysts have expressed worries that the location could become a shrine for Al-Qaeda sympathizers. Alongside this worry were concerns about optics as the government did not want the compound to continue to symbolize Pakistan's incompetence, since Bin Laden had lived for so long in a house close to a major Pakistani military installation without being detected. Similarly, some speculated that Bin Laden's quick burial by the U.S. was done partially to draw less attention to a decade's worth of failures to capture or kill him. And while the decision by the U.S. to get rid of Bin Laden's body at sea was made far more quickly, it was not without controversy. A number of experts and commentators from across the Islamic world argued that the move violated both international laws and Islamic traditions. Professor Nasser Hussain, an expert on Islamic law and ethics, argued that the U.S. government should have consulted with Muslim leaders and scholars before making the decision. In an interview with CNN, he said, The Islamic tradition is very clear on this matter, that the dead body of a Muslim should be treated with respect and dignity and should not be disposed of in such a manner. In Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim country, the burial was similarly condemned by top Islamic leaders who stated that, a Muslim, whatever his profession, even a criminal, their rights must be respected. There must be a prayer and the body should be wrapped in white cloth before being buried in the earth, not at sea. Others similarly criticized the decision for a lack of transparency and accountability. The U.S. government did not release any photos or videos of Bin Laden's body, citing concerns about inflaming anti-American sentiments and compromising the operational security of the SEALs. However, this decision fueled conspiracy theories and speculation about the authenticity of the raid and the fate of Bin Laden's body. Conspiracy theorists like InfoWars radio show host Alex Jones made wild claims about the killing being an excuse for a military crackdown and the rampant speculation spread quickly to social media sites. The conspiracies even led the mother of one 9-11 victim to question the authenticity of the burial, stating, Is it true or false? I don't know. To me, it seems strange that they disposed of it and no one besides whoever was right there knows what happened. Conspiracies and disbelief about Bin Laden's death were also widespread in the Muslim world. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, a chef in Cairo, Egypt stated that he is still alive. He is a clever guy. He is no Hosni Mubarak. Another man in the Pakistani city of Peshawar told an interviewer that, I am sure he will conquer America first, then he will die. Amid the backlash, some commentators and lawmakers also argued that the U.S. government missed an opportunity to prove Bin Laden's death beyond any doubt and to deter his followers from seeking revenge. South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham stated in a Fox News interview at the time that rushing the burial to be in accordance with Islamic traditions may have been sensitivity taken too far. He argued that Bin Laden's body should have been brought back to the U.S. to make a documented case that this was Osama Bin Laden. Many condemned Graham and others as stoking conspiracies, especially after lawmakers assured that DNA testing had been conducted before the burial, confirming Bin Laden's identity. Republican Congressman Mike Rogers, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee and a former FBI agent stated that, through the DNA testing and other things, it is clear beyond a shadow of a doubt that this was Osama Bin Laden, based on the science. While some argued that backlash would persist until the government released photos of Bin Laden's death, the Obama administration eventually decided against the move, believing it would do little to change minds. As Brooks Jason, director of factcheck.org put it, it's certainly a hallmark of conspiracy theorists that whatever evidence is presented, they always find problems with it. Despite the controversy, the decision to bury Bin Laden at sea was not entirely unprecedented. The U.S. Navy has a long history of burying sailors and marines at sea and has developed procedures and protocols to ensure proper treatment of the remains. According to the Navy, the body of Bin Laden was washed, placed in a white sheet, and then put in a whited bag, which was dropped into the Arabian Sea from a U.S. aircraft carrier. The Navy also conducted a traditional Islamic funeral ceremony, which included reciting prayers and washing the body. Some intelligence experts defended the decision as a pragmatic and effective way of handling a delicate situation. John Brennan, who was the White House counterterrorism advisor at the time of the raid, said in an interview with National Geographic, we wanted to ensure that it was handled in an appropriate manner, that we were respecting the traditions of Islam and that this wasn't going to become some type of cause celebre that could ignite passions. Like others, Brennan also pointed out that burying Bin Laden at sea prevented his followers from creating a physical shrine or using his grave as a rallying point for their cause. A smaller group of Islamic scholars also defended the decision. Khalid Latif, a New York University chaplain and executive director of its Islamic Center, wrote in a column for CNN that when accounting for the greater good, the burial at sea was conducted in accordance with Islamic law. Latif noted that, humanity as a whole has a right that needs to be considered in regard to Bin Laden's burial. Who would want this man buried next to their loved one? Is it appropriate, especially after he caused such pain to so many, to put anyone in a situation where they might have been buried near or next to him? He also justified the burial as a measure of protection, both against those who would glorify Bin Laden and those who would try to desecrate his tomb on land. Yet some of the explanations given by officials for Bin Laden's burial at sea may have been inconsistent or incomplete. While the prospect of creating a shrine was almost certainly a factor, news stories from the time raised further speculation about the reasons behind the decision. Reporters from the Los Angeles Times and Christian Science Monitor found that an unnamed country had refused to take Bin Laden's remains for burial, necessitating his watery grave. Widely speculated to be Saudi Arabia, the refusal of his former home country to accept Bin Laden's remains or give him burial rights may have been another strong consideration in the decision not to return him to land. On a broader level, the burial at sea also highlighted the challenges and ethical dilemmas involved in dealing with the remains of a terrorist and enemies of the state. The treatment of Bin Laden's body raised questions about the moral and legal implications of killing and disposing of individuals who are deemed to pose a threat to national security. Some experts argued that Bin Laden's body should have been handled differently, either bringing it back to the US for investigation and prosecution, or by turning it over to his family or a neutral third party. However, the US government chose to follow its own procedures and protocols, which it believed were consistent with its values and principles. The burial at sea also had a symbolic and psychological effect on the US and its allies. It signaled the end of a long and painful chapter in the US history of terrorism, and the success of the US intelligence and military efforts in tracking down and eliminating one of its most wanted enemies. It also demonstrated the resolve and determination of the US government to fight terrorism and protect its citizens and interests. However, it also raised concerns about the potential backlash and retaliation from Bin Laden's followers and sympathizers, and the possibility of further escalation and violence in the region. Fears of backlash were particularly high in Pakistan and Afghanistan, where Bin Laden retained a large following, and where the US still had an important military, economic and diplomatic presence. The decision to bury Osama Bin Laden at sea is a fascinating story of the considerations involved in killing a man who cast a shadow over the early 21st century. While some experts criticized the sea burial approach for its lack of transparency and compliance with Islamic traditions, others defended it as a pragmatic and respectful approach to handling the remains of a notorious terrorist. The burial at sea also raised ethical and legal questions about the treatment of enemies of the state, and highlighted the challenges and dilemmas of dealing with the aftermath of terrorism. Overall, the decision was a reflection on the US government's priorities and values, and its commitment to combating terrorism and ensuring national security. Was the choice to bury Bin Laden at sea justified, or a rushed and poorly thought out decision? Let us know what you think in the comments below, and don't forget to subscribe for more expert military commentary and analysis.