The CIA marked the five-year anniversary of the successful operation to track down and kill Osama bin Laden by using their Twitter account to “live tweet” the events as if it were happening in real time. And they’re being criticized for the move.
The tweets contained some pretty cool graphics and information:
Join us beginning at 1:25 p.m. EDT today as we tweet the #UBLRaid as if it were happening today. pic.twitter.com/x8EBpW571f
— CIA (@CIA) May 1, 2016
Features
High walls/barbed wire
Double entry gates
No internet/phone connection
Trash burned not collected#UBLRaid pic.twitter.com/KyPIFPxA4d— CIA (@CIA) May 1, 2016
Daring #UBLRaid was an IC team effort & in close collaboration with our military partners.https://t.co/rklCIRLlgF pic.twitter.com/xZObdGeqPR
— CIA (@CIA) May 1, 2016
And, of course, the iconic photograph as the president and his team watched the events unfold:
3:30 pm EDT – @POTUS watches situation on ground in Abbottabad live in Situation Room#UBLRaid pic.twitter.com/59KPF7eUTr
— CIA (@CIA) May 1, 2016
The tweets also included the exact timeline and detailed key events at specific times as the day unfolded:
3:39 pm EDT – Usama Bin Ladin found on third floor and killed#UBLRaid
— CIA (@CIA) May 1, 2016
3:53 pm EDT – @POTUS receives tentative confirmation of positive identification of Usama Bin Ladin#UBLRaid
— CIA (@CIA) May 1, 2016
It was actually a pretty cool commemoration of an event, as ABC News reports, that represents one of the proudest missions of the agency:
“The takedown of bin Laden stands as one of the great intelligence successes of all time. History has been a key element of CIA’s social media efforts,” CIA spokesman Ryan Trapani said. “On the fifth anniversary, it is appropriate to remember the day and honor all those who had a hand in this achievement.”
He noted that the CIA has done postings to mark other historical events, including the Glomar operation, Argo, U-2 shootdown, and the evacuation of Saigon.
But, not everyone appreciated the display of pride and patriotism.
Apparently, the CIA celebrating how America finally delivered justice to an evil monster who engineered the murder of thousands of innocent lives created a micro-aggression for some precious snowflakes out there:
If you live tweet the Bay of Pigs invasion, call us. Otherwise, stop it. #UBLRaid https://t.co/RJ7gwLbh1P
— The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) May 2, 2016
https://twitter.com/NellaLou/status/726847095982813184
https://twitter.com/Hanksingle/status/726830935484698625
.@CIA pic.twitter.com/fVTpRJapcD
— Freddie Campion (@FreddieCampion) May 1, 2016
https://twitter.com/zstruver/status/726834465729695744
https://twitter.com/kiranraza_01/status/726864553406025730
https://twitter.com/katherinejnowak/status/726848361467273216
https://twitter.com/AaronCampeau/status/726838684448772096
Showing a dramatic re-enactment of the incredible events of that night can only help to educate people who may have forgotten the terrific work of our intelligence and military professionals over the course of the hunt for bin Laden. And I would think that anyone who considers it bad form, has a larger beef with the CIA and, for that matter, with America.
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