After the Bin Laden op, what is the impact? Not on terrorism. Merged thread

[davidbfpo]

From the BBC:

A Pakistani doctor who helped the CIA find Osama Bin Laden has been sentenced to 33 years in jail, officials say.

Link:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-18175964

Leaving aside the personal impact and local matters I would argue that this imprisonment alongside the recent revelations about the betrayal of the second Underpants bomber does not help the West and other friends recruit volunteers who become helpers, informants and spies. Those who are coerced are very different.

Those standard reassurances we will keep your identity secret, known to a very few; we will protect you and go to the "nth" degree to get you out could be now viewed as worthless.

Incidentally Sir Colin McColl, ex-SIS Director, has remarked that recruiting helpers (in GWOT / CT) was adversely affected by the furore over human rights abuses.