memeorandum: Civilization Vindicated — It took an advanced society … (Wall Street Journal)

2:05 PM ET, May 4, 2011

Top Items:

For Obama, Big Rise in Poll Numbers After Bin Laden Raid — Support for President Obama has risen sharply following the killing of Osama bin Laden by American military forces in Pakistan, with a majority now approving of his overall job performance, as well as his handling of foreign policy …

Jake Tapper / Political Punch:

Gates, Clinton Advising President to Not Release OBL Photograph; Obama Increasingly Concerned No Good Would Come from It — President Obama is increasingly doubtful that there's a compelling reason to release a photograph of Osama bin Laden's corpse, ABC News has learned.

Discussion: The Jawa Report, New York Magazine, Michelle Malkin, Gawker, Political Byline, The Page, Weasel Zippers, Big Peace, George's Bottom Line, Riehl World View, Agence France Presse, JammieWearingFool, Pundit Press and Althouse

Mushtaq Yusufzai / Alarabiya.net English:

Bin Laden's daughter confirms her father shot dead by US Special Forces in Pakistan — Senior Pakistani security officials said Osama bin Laden's daughter had confirmed her father was captured alive and shot dead by the US Special Forces during the first few minutes of the operation carried …

Discussion: Los Angeles Times, Wall Street Journal, Patterico's Pontifications, Weasel Zippers, Libertarian Republican, Guardian, Runnin' Scared, The Gateway Pundit, msnbc.com and Don Surber

New York Times:

Bin Laden Raid Revives Debate on Value of Torture — WASHINGTON — Did brutal interrogations produce the crucial intelligence that led to the killing of Osama bin Laden? — As intelligence officials disclosed the trail of evidence that led to the compound in Pakistan where Bin Laden was hiding …

Brian Montopoli / CBS News:

Obama: I won't release bin Laden death photos — In an interview with Steve Kroft for this Sunday's 60 Minutes, President Obama says he won't release post-mortem images of Osama bin Laden taken to prove his death. — Video of the comments will appear on the CBS “Evening News” on Wednesday.

Discussion: The Hill, Agence France Presse, The Hill, The Page, Little Green Footballs, Taegan Goddard's …, Pundit Press, CBS News and Associated Press

Jonathan Allen / The Politico:

Osama Bin Laden had cash, was ready to flee — Osama bin Laden had cash totaling 500 Euros and two telephone numbers sewn into his clothing when he was killed — sure signs that he was prepared to flee his compound at a moment's notice — top U.S. intelligence officials told members of Congress …

Discussion: The Raw Story, CNN, newsfeed.time.com, Gothamist, New York Times, FrumForum, Mediaite, blogs.telegraph.co.uk, Online NewsHour, The Daily Caller, Washington Post, Jihad Watch, USA Today, News Desk, Wonkette, Gawker, Pundit Press and Balkinization

Daniel Strauss / The Hill:

GOP Intelligence chief opposes release of bin Laden photos — The Republican chairman of the House Intelligence panel opposes releasing photos of Osama bin Laden's body. — In a statement, Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.) said releasing the photos would endanger American troops in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Discussion: The Politico, The Blaze and FrumForum

Jamelle Bouie / American Prospect:

The Mystery of Osama bin Laden — Apparently, America's Twitter-using teenagers aren't sure why this Osama bin Laden guy is a big deal: — These results were drawn from Yahoo search (which, apparently, still exists), and the good folks at Yahoo offer a little context: … - Is Osama bin Laden dead?

Discussion: This Just In, Guardian and The Agitator

Charles McChesney / Syracuse Post-Standard:

Onondaga Nation leaders blast ‘Geronimo’ codename for Bin Laden — Onondaga Nation Territory — Leaders of the Onondaga Nation blasted as “reprehensible” the code name used for Osama bin Laden in the commando assault that killed him: “Geronimo.” — “We've ID'd Geronimo,” U.S. forces reported by radio Sunday to the White House.

Discussion: msnbc.com, The Wire, Indian Country Today …, Theo Spark, Pajamas Media and MyFox Orlando

Glenn Thrush / The Politico:

Bush declines NYC invite — Former President George W. Bush has declined to visit Ground Zero on Thursday. — AP Photo — Former President George W. Bush has turned down President Barack Obama's invitation to join him at ground zero on Thursday, citing his desire to avoid the media glare.

Discussion: Guardian, CNN, This Just In, Scared Monkeys, Pajamas Media, POWIP, msnbc.com, Weasel Zippers, Fox News, Michelle Malkin, Left Coast Rebel, Simply Left BehindThe …, sisu and Washington Post

Mitchell Landsberg / Los Angeles Times:
Dalai Lama suggests Osama bin Laden's death was justified

Discussion: Babylon & Beyond, FrumForum and The Raw Story

Rasmussen Reports:
86% Approve of Obama's Decision to Kill bin Laden

Discussion: Power Line, Hit & Run, The Daily Caller and Lynn Sweet

Pete Kasperowicz / The Hill:
Bill would withhold aid until Pakistan shows it did not harbor bin Laden

Discussion: National Review

The Note:
Congress to Examine “Inappropriate” and “Devastating” Use of “Geronimo” Codename in bin Laden Mission

Discussion: Online NewsHour and Proof Positive

Matthew Daly / Associated Press:
Senate official: Wrong to link bin Laden, Geronimo

Discussion: TigerHawk and protein wisdom

Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blog:
After, not during — Amid some inconsistencies in early Administration …

Discussion: CNN, Runnin' Scared, Hit & Run, LewRockwell.com Blog, Althouse, Washington Monthly, New York Magazine, Washington Post, CFR.org, msnbc.com and BLACKFIVE

Eli Lake / Washington Times:
‘Emir’ bin Laden oversaw al Qaeda from compound

Discussion: Weasel Zippers

The Atlantic Online:
The Situation Room Meme: The Shortest Route From Bin Laden to Lulz

Discussion: TechCrunch, Wizbang and Proof Positive, more at Techmeme »

Evan McMorris-Santoro / TPMDC:
TX Teacher Suspended After Telling Muslim Student 'I Bet You're Grieving'

Discussion: Houston Chronicle and Wonkette

Matthew Yglesias / Yglesias: Who Is Osama Bin Laden?

New York Times:
Bush Declines Obama's Invitation to Ground Zero

Discussion: The Politico, The Impolitic, Gothamist, Online NewsHour, City Room, msnbc.com, Booman Tribune, Outside the Beltway, Capital Tonight, Washington Monthly, Associated Press, The Hill and Politics

Daily Mail:
Obama took SIXTEEN HOURS to make up his mind about Bin Laden mission

Glenn Greenwald / Salon:
The illogic of the torture debate

Discussion: TalkLeft

BBC:
World ‘failed to track’ Bin Laden

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit, TalkLeft, Politics and Outside the Beltway

Massimo Calabresi / Swampland:
Ex-CIA Counterterror Chief: ‘Enhanced Interrogation’ Led U.S. to bin Laden

Discussion: Alan Colmes' Liberaland, The League of Ordinary …, Emptywheel, The Daily Dish, Time, RedState, The Page and Danger Room

John Yoo / Wall Street Journal:
From Guantanamo to Abbottabad — The bin Laden mission benefited …

Discussion: Right Wing News, Swampland, Outside the Beltway and Althouse

Ynetnews:
J'lem imam: Obama will soon hang

Discussion: NewsReal Blog, Harry's Place, Power Line, Atlas Shrugs and UNCOVERAGE.net

Michael Barone / Washington Examiner:
To get bin Laden, Obama relied on policies he decried

Discussion: RealClearWorld

Issues / Socyberty:
White House Insider: Obama Hesitated - Panetta Issued Order to Kill Osama Bin Laden

Discussion: Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Pajamas Media, Left Coast Rebel, Sense of Events, The Last Tradition, Atlas Shrugs, Bookworm Room, Vox Popoli, Pat Dollard, Pundit Press, iOwnTheWorld.com, Instapundit, Comments from Left Field and Taylor Marsh

Matt Schneider / Mediaite:
Lawrence O'Donnell: Time For ‘Bush/Cheney Fanatics’ To Learn From Obama ‘How To Fight Terrorists’

Discussion: The Other McCain, Datechguy's Blog and Alan Colmes' Liberaland

Andrew Cohen / The Atlantic Online:
The Unwelcome Return Of the Torture Debate

Discussion: Guardian, Crooks and Liars, FOK News Channel and Yeshiva World News

Andy Kroll / MoJo Articles:

Ex-Romney Campaign Chair: I'm Done With Mitt — A key Romney '08 campaigner jumps ship, saying he can't handle the candidate's ever-changing persona. — Post Comment — In the 2012 presidential race, New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary is make-or-break for Mitt Romney …

Discussion: CNN, The New Republic, TPMDC, msnbc.com, The Daily Caller, Hot Air and GOP 12

Quinnipiac University:

Ok For Romney, Huckabee But No Way For Palin, Trump, U.S. Voters Tell Quinnipiac University National Poll; No Clear Leader In Gop Presidential Pack — By healthy margins, American voters say they would consider or be enthusiastic about backing former governors Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee for president …

Discussion: Washington Wire, GOP 12, No More Mister Nice Blog, Washington Post, National Review, USA Today and Taegan Goddard's …

Wall Street Journal:

Civilization Vindicated — It took an advanced society to visit vengeance where it belonged. — It took steady application and a few tactical insights to pull off the 9/11 attacks. You could get box cutters through security at U.S. airports. Personnel were trained not to worry about box cutters.

Discussion: Cafe Hayek

Dan McFeely / Indianapolis Star:

Campaign grows to set early bump day for Trump — Many offended by remarks they view as racist — A groundswell of pressure is starting to build on Indianapolis 500 officials to dump Donald Trump as pace car driver at this month's race. — A Facebook page has rallied more than 7,500 supporters …

Discussion: CNN, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Politics and Ben Smith's Blog

Alexander Bolton / The Hill:

Reid dislocates his shoulder in fall during early morning run — Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) dislocated his shoulder and suffered a bump to the forehead after slipping Wednesday morning while exercising in the rain. — A spokesman for Reid said the Democratic leader fell …

Discussion: Gawker, FrumForum and New York Magazine

Simon Lazarus / Slate Magazine:

Paul Ryan's “Individual Mandate” — The Ryan proposal compels Americans to buy insurance—just like Obamacare does. — Even before President Obama's new health reform law was enacted, Republicans insisted that its “individual mandate” was an “unprecedented” assault on individual freedom.

Discussion: Washington Monthly, National Review, Washington Post, FrumForum, ACS Blog and Simply Left BehindThe …