"What can you do when fighters surround themselves with civilians including children."
You can act on the basis that there are non-combatants in the area - you do not kill hostages - we've been here before with you.
It was never necessary to kill bin Laden and it would have been a far greater diplomatic victory - not to mention justice seen to be done, had he been taken and tried.
The argument that hostages might have been taken to free him is far outweighed by the threat of reprisals yet to come for his death.
Your arrogant assumption that only those in the compound would heve been killed doesn't even hold water - it would depend where the bomb landed, and an assuption that a 2,000lb bomb would restrict damage to within a confined area is bloody nonsense.
This was an act of revenge with no consideration of how many would be killed, and has proved to be an utter diplomatic shambles, comparable only with the shootout at the OK Corral.
Jim Carroll