They did not contact Pakistani officials until our people were out of the Pakistani forces. No Pakistani forces were engaged and no one other than those on the compound were killed.
Won't discuss documents or other evidence recovered from the compound. Says we're examining it.
They had only circumstantial evidence to suggest Osama was there. It was based on targeted analysis of intelligence (sounds like predictive behavior analysis.)
They first identified the courier, then the compound.
Claims not to know whether Osama got his hands on a weapon or whether he fired during the "firefight." He used a woman as a shield. (Sounds to me like Osama did not have a weapon, was not one of the ones engaged in the firefight but was shot after he pulled the woman in front of him.)
There was family at the compound. A female was in the line of fire that reportedly used as a human shield to shield him "from the incoming fire." {Again, it sounds to me like Bin Laden wasn't involved in the firefight.)
There's discussion about what to release to the public: DNA results, photos, etc. They don't want to release information about intelligence operations that would prevent them from using those techniques again in the future.
The residence was in the courier's name. There was debate about what to do. Some people at the table thought there was insubstantial circumstantial evidence to believe Osama was there. The CIA was confident. Brennan supported the decision. The President made a gutsy decision. (says as a compliment, as in courageous, not risky.)
Burial at sea done in accord with Muslim traditions. It took place earlier today. The course of action and subsequent decisions have been developed over the past several months. Over the last several weeks, it was looked at: if he was captured, where would he go, if he was killed, what would we do with him. It was determined his disposal would be by a burial at sea in strict accordance with Muslim customs.
Muslim law requires burial within 24 hours and they would not have been able to do that if they had to deal with foreign governments.
Question: How secure was the white sheet he was buried in? Answer: military burials at sea are common. Was Iman there? Answer: Appropriate people (e.g. religious person) were there.
Won't say who they consulted after his death and before his burial.
Last night they didn't have some of the confirmation. Today they can say with 99.9 percent certainty it was bin Laden.
This was done without consultation with Pakistan. Pakistan is expressing understanding and appreciative there were no casualties outside of the compound.
Calls al Qaida and bin Laden "old news." This will start the demise of al Qaida. Makes it sound like it will be quick.
There were dry runs of the raid, "they had trained against it numerous times."
Outer features of compound were studied intensively. They planned the raid based on where they interpreted people would be. (Translation: predictive behavioral analysis?) The stupid reporter interrupts him just as he's talking about the person who shot bin Laden.
Casualties besides Osama: Courier, courier's brother, bin Laden's son, and bin Laden's wife (not his son's wife.) So bin Laden used his wife as a human shield?
Calls al Qaida "a mortally wounded tiger that may have some life left in it."
The wife: When she fought back and there was an opportunity to get bin laden, she was positioned in a way that indicated she was being used as a shield. He doesn't know whether she placed herself there, whether the son placed her there, or whether Osama put her there. He only knows she was used as a shield (by someone to protect Osama.)
The end of Brennan's q and a:
My Translation on the shield issue: Osama didn't use his wife as a shield, she probably voluntarily rushed to protect him. Also sounds like she was armed ("She fought back.") Otherwise they would be talking about what a coward he was. Now the media will trumpet that Osama used his wife as a shield and was a coward when Brennan specifically refused to say that.
Why did no one ask what was done with the couriers' bodies or Osama's wife and son's bodies? Were they also buried at sea? If not, will autopsies be done which might shed some light on their positions when killed?
President Obama will discuss the raid tonight.
