UN Rights Chief Seeks Details on Bin Laden Killing

[humbled_opinion]

GENEVA – The U.N.'s top human rights official says the global body wants details on the death of Osama bin Laden.

U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay says the raid on the al-Qaida leader's hideaway in Pakistan "was a complex operation, and it would be helpful if we knew the precise facts surrounding his killing."

Pillay has frequently stressed the importance of respecting international law during counter-terror operations.

But in a statement Tuesday she acknowledged that "taking him alive was always likely to be difficult."

Pillay says had bin Laden been captured he would likely have been charged with the most serious offenses including crimes against humanity.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110503/ap_on_re_eu/un_un_rights_bin_laden_1

[Canuckistanian]

1. It would have been more helpful to take bin Laden alive

The information taken from him might have even saved more lives.

But, blood revenge must be taken, I suppose.

[rpannier]

2. It also would likely have been more an operation that would have cost more lives

It is afr more difficult to take someone alive than dead

[Canuckistanian]

3. Then so be it.

A few dozen lives in exchange for thousands. With the added bonus of perceived justice, just like the US got at the Nuremburg Trials.

This looks like pure, unadulterated revenge as it stands now.

I aspire to something more.

[humbled_opinion]

6. I am not so sure

No American Seal members were even wounded in this assault, seems like it was very skillfully undertaken probably to the point where OBL's bodyguards didn't have time to react...

[ProSense]

4. "I have no doubt he would have been..."

U.N. rights boss asks U.S. for facts on bin Laden killing

<...>

It was always clear that taking bin Laden alive was likely to be difficult, she said, noting that U.S. authorities had stated that they intended to arrest him if possible.

"This was a complex operation and it would be helpful if we knew the precise facts surrounding his killing. The United Nations has consistently emphasized that all counter-terrorism acts must respect international law," Pillay said in a statement issued in response to a Reuters request.

In Washington, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder defended as lawful Tuesday the U.S. operation to go into Pakistan that resulted in the death of bin Laden and the taking of his body.

"If he was captured and brought before a court, I have no doubt he would have been charged with the most serious crimes, including the mass murder of civilians that took place on 9/11, which were planned and systematic and in my view amounted to crime against humanity," said Pillay, a former U.N. war crimes judge.

[humbled_opinion]

5. True

There is no doubt he would have been charged and I will go further and say have been found guilty of crimes against humanity. I guess it all depends on how the events of his death unfolded. Once we get a firm response on exactly what happened it will allow a more informed opinion to be developed. We certainly don't want any kind of assasination charges or other breaches of the Geneva Convention to be leveled at the USA....