Was Osama Bin Laden my neighbour?

[kpete]

Was Osama Bin Laden my neighbour?


Dawud Wharnsby, Canadian born singer songwriter, moved to Abbottabad in Pakistan to be close to his wife’s grandparents. On Monday May 2, 2011 he found that this quiet town was suddenly the centre of an international incident. Osama Bin Laden had apparently been living there until US forces stormed his compound and shot him dead. Dawud reflects on local reaction amidst the poverty that he witnesses all around him.


Gosh, I thought that Chai seller looked familiar! Tisk tisk tisk... friends:
as Benjamin Franklin is reported to have said,
"Believe none of what you read and half of what you see."
*****

Around 1:00 am, while my family and I were sleeping, I awoke to the sound of a helicopter, gun-fire and then an explosion which shook the house. We live near a military academy where we always hear gun-fire, helicopters and explosions - so I didn't think much of all the noise other than, "Gosh, does that academy have to conduct their training manoeuvres at such crazy hours!" (I am against guns and modern warfare and living next to a military academy is the only thing about this otherwise quiet town of Abbottabad that I dislike, but we wish to stay near to my wife's grandparents who have lived here most of their lives.)

The next morning, we received a call from my in-laws in America who had been watching Geo News the night before and heard about a helicopter crash in a residential district of Abbottabad. They wondered if we were alright or had been awakened by any noise. They expressed concern that the news story seemed “odd” and my wife and I agreed. Normally the local Pakistani Military Academy (PMA) would not use helicopters in our mountainous region for “test” manoeuvres, but rather, only for flying in/out military officials or perhaps for occasional air surveillance during academy events - and rarely at night. Thus, we were all somewhat confused.

A few minutes later we received a nervous call from another American friend living in Pakistan who was concerned for our security and urged us to “keep a low profile” - not because of an accidental helicopter crash in our neighbourhood, but because President Obama had just announced that Osama Bin Laden had been captured and killed near Abbottabad.

.................

MORE:
http://www.emel.com/article?id=85&a_id=2375

[Demeter]

1. Let the Great Unraveling Begin

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. What's unraveling?

[Demeter]

4. The Poorly Knitted Tale of "Osama vs. Obama"

Characterized by complete lack of independent witnesses, evidence, recordings, etc.

Here is one genuine, uncomplicit independent witness, and he's gonna talk to the neighbors, and we might actually find out what went down.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

5. So far what he says is completely consistent with the official report.

He heard helicopters, gunshots and then an explosion. How is that an "unraveling"? Helicopters flew in, the SEALS shot bin Laden, then the SEALS blew up the damaged helicopter. No inconsistencies there. Unless this guy was in there with the SEAL team, he hasn't got much else to offer.

I don't understand why DUers are so eager to find "evidence" that the Obama administration is falsifying this event in some way.

Anyhow, bin Laden is dead and I'm glad. As far as I'm concerned the bastard could have been crocheting doilies when they got him. Kudos to the SEALs.

[Demeter]

8. It's what he doesn't say or know that is the issue.

He doesn't know his neighbor was Osama, has no reason to believe he was or wasn't, but I'm sure he will be asking the questions that the MSM won't or can't.

[seabeyond]

10. ok, you make an accusation that is meaningless then go onto what "he doesnt say" then

conclude he didnt know osama was there. huge ass..... so?

you have nothing. not a thing. yet you have accused all over the fuckin place. pretty damn pathetic

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

12. That's the whole point - the guy doesn't know *anything.*

So how can he "unravel" the official account? Nothing he says is inconsistent with what has been reported. Some Canadian musician living in the same town heard helicopters and gunshots in the middle of the night, and that's IT?

He makes some interesting observations about how one might think of the killing of OBL, but he has no facts at all - nor does he claim to have any. Like I said before - unless he was in that house with the SEAL team, he can't offer any useful new information. Nothing is "unraveling."

[Renew Deal]

6. So you didn't read the article.

Obviously

[Demeter]

7. Yes, I read the entire thing, thank you for asking

and I didn't stop there. I've read several analyses pointing out the holes in the "official" reports, as well as reasoned from known facts (as opposed to official propaganda).

[Renew Deal]

9. The article has nothing to do with what you said.

His experience is identical to the twitter report which is identical to the official story.

[BobbyBoring]

14. Did you read this one?

http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90777/90851/7366885.html

One of the first I read. I just wish the story hadn't changed so many times between Monday and today. This article helps explain why the helicopters looked a little unfamiliar.

[alcibiades_mystery]

15. Pffft

More nonsense.

[movie_girl99]

3. thanks for posting this...n/t

[NV Whino]

11. Excellent article

Thanks for posting.

[crickets]

13. Straightforward and eloquently written, this account actually doesn't say much about the events

surrounding bin Laden's death. Since Dawud Wharnsby wasn't there, merely awakened from sleep down the road, it makes sense that he doesn't talk about events more specific than a few phone calls afterward, as well as police roadblocks which keep his wife from getting to work the next day.

The bulk of the article is a very sensitive and well formulated expression of thoughts about how people react to such news, an explanation about how the outlook and reactions of Pakistanis might differ a great deal from what we expect, and why. The why is the most important part of the piece, and well worth reading.

Thanks for posting this, kpete.

[kpete]

16. yep

i always like different perspectives as well...

peace, kpete