Seen above, the Pentagon has released home videos of Osama bin Laden that it attained during the Navy Seal raid that killed the terrorist leader.

Most revelatory:

He loved watching videos of himself on TV. Yes, he was that guy.

“Guys guys, check out this part…..WHAMMO, hahahahaaha! Right in the face of the infidels! Heh! Guys, HEY, guys, watch this! Are you watching? Shhhh, listen…YOWZA! Ouch, that one’s gotta hit close to home! Oh man, Allah Ackbar. Guys, watch this part…”

Totally deserved it.

All joking aside: I think it does reveal a bit of what’s not talked about, which is that despite insistence that the movement was to re-establish an Islamic caliphate to rule over the region, there was no shortage of ego and cult of personality behind Bin Laden’s efforts and the following he attained.

Like so many before him, he had charisma. Pundits and journalists mistake his soft speech and thoughtful pauses for a lack of it, but that’s misleading. It was a different type of charisma that Bin Laden exuded which gave him the appearance of a thoughtful, reflective holy man. Charisma is not exclusive to extravagance and pounding your fist on the podium during oratorical rants.

Like Carlos the Jackal and so many other terrorists before him, the more involved he became in the movement the less it became about the actual movement itself, creating a level of self-deification owing either to egomaniacal delusion or outright insincerity. This does not mean we should not examine the means and the cause. Rather, no matter who or where we are, caution should always be exercised when a man becomes bigger than the movement he propogates.

This is what fundamentalism in all its forms always, inevitably, breeds.

12 Responses to Home video from Osama bin Laden’s compound reveal he was THAT GUY

  1. Sue says:

    I bet if he’d had a facebook page, his profile would have been him with the duckface and peace sign – reflected in his bathroom mirror.

  2. jimitre says:

    This video leaves me with so many questions. Why is the power strip mounted on the wall? What’s with the extra TV and the flat screen monitor? Did he occasionally throw knives at the screen like Shredder? I suppose we’ll never know.

  3. Ann says:

    I understand it’s a million dollar compound in Pakistan, but couldn’t he have gotten an secret designer to spiff up the place? Just kidding.

  4. CoolMom says:

    Spiff it up? How about a CHAIR to sit in?? All that cave dwelling must have left him with a need to be on the hard floor…

  5. mmcdonald says:

    Heard he made his people watch his wedding videos too,all 54 of em!!

  6. mmcdonald says:

    The guy who took the picture told him”don’t hit FF osama,I’ve seen the ending before-you won’t like it”.

  7. Michael Rivest says:

    You are so right, Kevin. This is about fundamentalism.

    Without the cultural restraints we are so fortunate to have here, we’d be in the same situation. Every so often, one wacko breaks free in the US and shoots an abortion doctor, but those of like mind are quick to distance themselves from the act because they know the social sanctions are so strong and immediate.

    Yet we musn’t fool ourselves – they are here, and just as nuts.

  8. Jerzy Obratsz says:

    He live like pig dog in much filth, is wonder not sick of many disease. Happy the death of him is now.

  9. jakester says:

    New BinLaden fish food flakes are out, use caution, may contain lead.

  10. luvpudders says:

    My cousin used to visit from Europe every year, earn a lot of US money, then return to Europe and live like a king (his words). He had no family, no life, spent no money, and lived in a dump. This is very much what his apartment looked like. Is that living??? Our chipmunks live better than this.

  11. mmcdonald says:

    I had to check my kids room to make sure he wasn’t hiding there when I saw this video,your cousin doesn’t need to go to Europe to see pig sties like that.

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