Washington:
US glamorous politician Sarah Palin has flayed President Barack Obama's decision not to release photos of the deceased Osama bin Laden, urging him to stop "pussy-footing around" over the issue.
"Show photo as warning to others seeking America's destruction. No pussy-footing around, no politicking, no drama; it's part of the mission," the 47-year-old former Alaskan Governor wrote on micro-blogging site 'Twitter'.
Palin also compared President Obama's decision not to release the photos of the al-Qaeda founder to holding back his birth certificate. "Don't do kind of that birth certificate whole mocking of Americans for asking for it," she was quoted by the 'New York Daily News' as saying.
Obama had yesterday defended his decision not to release bin Laden's death photos to avoid inciting "additional violence" or to have them used as a "propaganda tool". "We don't trot out this stuff as trophies," he had said.
But Palin countered the decision by tweeting her disagreement. "No games. Just release the photos and get it over with," she said.
The former US Republican vice-presidential candidate added the President was giving fodder to conspiracy theorists, "especially in some Arab nations".
"We are anxious for the photos, the proof, to be revealed so that we can show those terrorists and say, 'We contained (Bin Laden), we contained that hatred and that evil, and we have the pictures to prove it'," she said.
However, she praised the President's chutzpah for getting bin Laden. "I think the president made the right call and knew that we needed to get in there and strike hard," she said.
The US Republican leaders have said that the decision of President Barack Obama not to release the pictures of Osama bin Laden is a "mistake".
"I respectfully disagree with President Obama's decision not to release the photos. It's a mistake," Senator Lindsey Graham said after Obama announced that he would not release the photos as this is against national security.
"The whole purpose of sending our soldiers into the compound, rather than an aerial bombardment, was to obtain indisputable proof of bin Laden's death. I know bin Laden is dead. But the best way to protect and defend our interests overseas is to prove that fact to the rest of the world," Graham said.
"I'm afraid the decision made by President Obama will unnecessarily prolong this debate," he said.
However a large number of lawmakers agreed with the decision of the US President.
"I share the President's view. In my opinion there's no, there's no end served by releasing a picture of someone who has been killed and I think there is absolute proof that Osama bin Laden was in fact the person that was taken into custody, was killed in the process in the firefight, but I don't think there's any necessity to release the picture," said House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer.
"I understand the President's decision and will not oppose it. While I have said that a photo release may be a good way to combat the predictable conspiracy theories about bin Laden's death, this is a decision for the President to make, and I respect his decision," said Peter King, Chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Committee.
"This is a time of heightened threat because there are those associated with Al Qaeda and terrorism who may want to attack once again, and to show the picture could be inflammatory," Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky said.
"What is the upside of showing the photos when there is a potential real downside to inspire those who are already angry at the killing of Osama bin Laden and spurring them on to take some kind of retaliatory action?" she said.