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Saturday, May 7, 2011
The Morning Scoop - Did Obama Watch the bin Laden Raid Live?
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The iconic White House Situation Room photo caught everyone's attention. President Obama and his national security team appear to be breathlessly monitoring the raid that located and killed Osama bin Laden. But the image left many wondering: was the president actually seeing the operation unfold in real-time on the screen in front of him? The Daily Beast's Ian Yarett reports on helmet cams and on how combat video works.
Pakistani officials tell The New York Times that the Obama administration has demanded the names of top-level intelligence operatives in order to find out whether or not they aided Osama bin Laden. It's the latest sign of growing tensions between Pakistan and Washington. Pakistan has always rejected demands to name operatives in its Inter-services Intelligence Directorate, which aided the fight against the Soviet Army in Afghanistan in the 1980s and is believed to have maintained close ties with bin Laden since.
President Obama nearly took out two top terrorist leaders in one week: A U.S. drone strike in Yemen on Thursday nearly killed radical American-born cleric Anwar al Awlaki, it was revealed Friday, but he appears to have survived. It was the first U.S. drone strike in Yemen since 2002. Despite the survival of al Awlaki, who inspired the Fort Hood shooter and the Detroit "underwear bomber," two-mid level al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula operatives died in the attack.
At least 26 people were killed Friday in the latest crackdown by Syrian police as both sides claimed victory in protesters' planned "Day of Defiance." Violence was reported in six towns, with the worst in Homs, Syria's second-largest city—where tanks rolled into town and at least 10 soldiers and 16 protesters were killed. Human-rights groups said they were encouraged by the thousands that turned out for the demonstrations, while the Syrian government pointed out that crowds were smaller than came out the previous Friday for protests. Meanwhile, worried about the crackdown, the European Union froze the assets and imposed a travel ban on 14 Syrian officials—although President Bashar al-Assad was exempt.
Maybe at least this will make it easier for Rep. Gabrielle Giffords to attend? The U.S. has delayed the final missions of the space shuttle Endeavour once again until May 16, at the earliest. The original April 29 launch was jettisoned after a heater malfunction. Giffords' staff has said she'll attend the launch again; she went out to dinner at an Italian restaurant in Houston Sunday night.
Obama finished the job, but taking out Osama bin Laden was one of the Bush administration's top goals. W.'s top aides, from key confidante Karen Hughes to Rumsfeld deputy Steven Bucci, reflect on the kill.
Classic Kentucky Derby by The Daily Beast The most exciting two minutes in sports take place at Churchill Downs on Saturday, with the running of the 2011 Kentucky Derby. See our photos of legendary horses, stars, and distinctive hats—that have graced the classic over the decades—along with the official mint julep recipe.
May 7: The Week in Viral Videos by The Daily Beast Video From Lady Gaga's sacrilegious "Judas" video and Michelle Obama's dance moves to a baseball stadium cheering bin Laden's death and Steve Carell leaving The Office, watch the week's buzziest clips.
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