So this is what happens when conspiracy theorists are allowed to go mainstream.

Last month, we learned a sizable percentage of the United States refused to believe the President of the United States was actually born in the United States, despite innumerable logical problems with that scenario. They were (and many remain) people who said, in so many words, "I don't like Barack Obama, so I think he's capable of doing almost anything--even a near-supernatural amount of subterfuge and fraud." It wasn't a logical dislike based on policies and issues; it was pure hate, motivated by fear and visceral distrust.

Now, this week, when every single level of government (including those who are unelected and nonpartisan) confirms the death of a common enemy, we are about to see how far that fear and distrust extends. In any other era, the President's decision to not release pictures of the blood-and-brains smeared corpse of a potential martyr, a savior to many in the world's most unstable region, would seem like good common sense. Today, it's risky. Already Sarah Palin has essentially double-dog-dared the President to "show us the body." There have been no outright accusations of conspiracy from mainstream politicians just yet, but I am sure they are not far behind.

But this is EXACTLY what happens when snake-oil salesmen like Glenn Beck and Jerome Corsi and others are given a national spotlight! When Beck, a paid TV personality (and you'd be amazed how much credibility that alone gets you in some circles) does that Old Testament voice of his, mixing new partisan politics with age-old "they're all out to get us!" crap, OF COURSE people are gonna get scared. And doubtful. And start stockpiling weapons and food and precious metals.

It's going to be really interesting to see how this whole thing plays out. Are we going to see a rash of "Show Us The Photographs!" posts on message boards and social media sites? Will Deathers go mainstream, the way Birthers ultimately did? President Obama learned his lesson last week, I think, to not underestimate the power of the new craziness. When the Crazies are on your TV sets, wearing suits and ties and appearing in-between sponsored commercial breaks, just about anything can happen...

In fact we have seen pictures of lots of dead or dying people. I find the explanation for the refusal to release these photos weak at best.

We can't trust this government anymore. It lies every which way to Sunday. It chooses what we get to hear, then we are told that we are democracy, despite the fact that the most important power is determining what access to information we have, and when you evaluate our system based upon that, we look like a dictatorship.

That's it.

They kept that from the American people! How the Hell dare they keep their military operations secret and say they are transparent? It was only after they killed him that the President tell the world that they intended to kill him! Last we knew the CIA has closed up the Bin Laudin capture group.

Now they don't want to show a picture of a dead man with an eye blown off and brain matter streaming down his face.

The nerve!

as a single monolithic entity. Dude, even the official 9-21 narrative posits a conspiracy . . . by the hijackers. Funny how no one calls proponents of the official 9-11 narrative 'conspiracy theorists'.

First, bin Laden died in a firefight. Two days later, we learn he was actually unarmed (White House confirms it.)
First, bin Laden used one of his wives as a 'human shield.' Two days later, we learn the woman was not his wife and he did not use her as a 'human shield' (White House confirms that also).

You can dismiss this as 'fog of war' static if you like. To me and many others here on DU, it smells and feels like people trying to get their cover stories straight, i.e., a 'conspiracy' to defraud the people of the United States.

You should also remember that the U.S. government insisted that the U.S.S. Maddox had been fired on in international waters in the Gulf of Tonkin by North Vietnamese naval vessels until, 54,000+ American deaths later, it turned out to have all been a lie concocted by a Democratic administration to dupe Americans and the American Congress into support for a land war in southeast Asia, almost exactly like the non-existent WMD in Iraq.

I agree it will be interesting to see how the whole thing plays out. Just today, there were reports that bin Laden's 12-year old daughter saw him executed in front of her after he had been taken into custody by U.S. forces. If true, that diminishes our moral standing juzt a bit, wouldn't you say? I guess we'll just have to see whether that's true and what other crucial detials become 'inoperative' (Nixon's spokesperson Ron Nesson's euphemism for lies by the Nixon Administration).

Edited for clarity and typos.

came out that wasn't really bin Laden, the claims he was seriously ill and suffering from kidney failure, requiring daily dialysis, etc., and etc., all the times a counterfeit bin Laden was used to raise the terror alert level, and on and on.

This is not anything like the birthers' beliefs, such as they are. Suspicion and doubt regarding bin Laden's death- this time- are actually pretty well-founded even if we truly did get him, which by all indications we did.

I can't blame people for holding to conspiracy theories on this one, I really can't. Even my own credulity has been strained one too many times regarding this man to take anything I hear about him at face value ever again.

Unreccing the OP for bearing a false premise.

It's so transparent

Not you specifically, mind you, but us, we, we're the one who want that to be the narrative, it feeds into our insecurities and doubts. That's how the spectacle works.

because the military feels it would put them in danger. Rove even said in so many words that the best evidence OBL was really dead was the vows of revenge from Al-Queda.

And the left wing stuff actually has basis in fact. The world is a weird place indeed.

Not to worry though, reality has a liberal bias.

....must not have enough faith, love and belief in their President and country....

....it seems our domestic ghouls will just have to content themselves with hearsay, gossip and the forthcoming conspiracy theories....as for me, I no longer give a shit and plan to watch I Love Lucy first thing in the morning....

Apparently the folks making that argument are incapable or unwilling to see the utter lack of logic in their position.