60 Minutes interview excerpt released
STEVE KROFT: Did you see the pictures?
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: Yes.
STEVE KROFT: What was your reaction when you saw them?
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: It was him.
STEVE KROFT: Why haven’t you released them?
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: You know– we discussed this internally. Keep in mind that– we are absolutely certain this was him. We’ve done DNA– sampling– and testing. And– and so there is no doubt that– we killed– Osama bin Laden. It is important for us to make sure that very graphic photos of somebody who was shot in the head– are not floating around– as– an incitement to additional violence. As a propaganda tool. You know, that’s not who we are. You know, we don’t trot out this stuff as trophies. You know, the fact of the matter is this was somebody who was– deserving of the justice that he received. And I think– Americans and people around the world are glad that he’s gone. But– but we don’t need to spike the football. And– I think that given the– the graphic nature of these photos– it would– create some national security risk. And I’ve discussed this with– Bob Gates and Hillary Clinton and– my intelligence teams and they all agree.
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