Photo: White House
The New York Times is simply indispensable on big events like this. There's plenty of essential reading on their site, including an authoritative and dramatic account of the story behind the U.S mission. It includes this vignette of the crucial moment, from the Situation Room:
The code name for Bin Laden was “Geronimo.” The president and his advisers watched Leon Panetta, the C.I.A. director, on a video screen, narrating from his agency’s headquarters across the Potomac River what was happening in faraway Pakistan.
“They’ve reached the target,” he said.
Minutes passed.
“We have a visual on Geronimo,” he said.
A few minutes later: “Geronimo EKIA.”
Enemy Killed In Action. There was silence in the Situation Room.
Finally, the president spoke up.
“We got him.”
The only thing I would caution here is that the story will be based on briefings from the White House, whose aim is to burnish the president's image. It may well be, for instance, that in reality that moment played out like this:
A few minutes later: “Geronimo EKIA.”
Enemy Killed In Action. There was silence in the Situation Room.
Finally, the president spoke up.
“What's 'EKIA'?”
Lol
Posted by: simon kane | May 03, 2011 at 02:31 PM
HA.
Posted by: erin newby | May 03, 2011 at 02:43 PM
When Sadam was caught we saw him on tv. Nobody saw "Geronimo". CIA have to practice more in faking information like this and hire more actors. No terrorist act happened in 1-2 day interval. This also might be a proof and it is susspicious. Learn from KGB and Masad how to eliminate rats like Osama. More than probably no Osama existed ever. Just a motive to start wars and decrease unemployment by recruting homless and social unnecessary people "American Heros". I am here and I see how they are fighting terorist spending their time in PXes and Coffee houses with idiot faces.
Posted by: Alex | May 04, 2011 at 12:28 PM
Haha how retarded Alex.
Posted by: Jane Doe | May 04, 2011 at 01:01 PM
Well-considered to use the name of a US First Nation commander and resistence fighter as a code-name for a terrorist. Makes me doubt if intellectual capacity is a prerequisite in the US administration
Posted by: Karl Bolliger | May 05, 2011 at 06:24 AM
"The only thing I would caution here is that the story will be based on briefings from the White House, whose aim is to burnish the president's image."
these are the fave stories of the New York Times. don't even have to vet them.
Posted by: kjc | May 05, 2011 at 09:53 PM