White House counterterrorism advisor John O. Brennan stated after the raid that "If we had the opportunity to take bin Laden alive, if he didn't present any threat, the individuals involved were able and prepared to do that." However, another US national security official, who was not named, told Reuters that "'This was a kill operation,' making clear there was no desire to try to capture bin Laden alive in Pakistan." Another source referencing a kill (rather than capture order) states, "Officials described the reaction of the special operators when they were told a number of weeks ago that they had been chosen to train for the mission. 'They were told, "We think we found Osama bin Laden, and your job is to kill him,"' an official recalled. The SEALs started to cheer."
Thoughts? Most evidence seems to be suggesting that there was no real intention to ever capture him alive.
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