Bin Laden killed

[Tonichelle]

What a great, intellegent leader Obama is!:thumbsup: US should be proud of their president! This has raised my admiration for him as a leader.

I fail to see how this one thing puts him above the men who had the seat before him. He took a phone call and said go ahead. It doesn't take a genius to know that's the option he needed to take. This was not just his effort. The CIA, Special Ops, Intel Reports all contributed greatly to this victory.

 

[Bluebonnet]

I fail to see how this one thing puts him above the men who had the seat before him. He took a phone call and said go ahead. It doesn't take a genius to know that's the option he needed to take. This was not just his effort. The CIA, Special Ops, Intel Reports all contributed greatly to this victory.

Of course, Bush decided to start Afghan fight. Obama continued. I know there are hundreds of thousands of people doing detail jobs. But Obama made critical decision and lead to the success. That was not the only option. There were three options on the table with 50 -50 opinions. He could have put it off and waited for more infos. I think it helped by his genius-like leadership and a bit luck.

 

[Olympia]

I would also like to point out that this risky venture could have gone another way. In 1980, Carter sent a team into Iran to rescue the hostages. The mission went wrong in every possible way and was aborted. One helicopter crashed into a transport aircraft inside Iran, with those aboard killed. The hostages were then scattered across Iran to make another rescue attempt impossible.

The failure of that mission led to many changes, including more intense training and greater cooperation among agencies. But it was a debacle that certainly helped to bring down Jimmy Carter's administration. He gave the order to start the mission, and he gave the order to abort it.

So a mission like this isn't a given. It's high risk for the people taking part and (less physically so) for the planners and the President setting it into motion. It takes a lot of skill and judgment and a cool head from the bottom up and from the top down. This time around, Obama could have decided to go after Bin Laden with an aerial drone, which would have been safer and as effective but which would have killed people in the area and not netted the body (or the computers and equipment the forces found in the house). He went for the riskier choice. He does deserve some credit for that. It wasn't just a rubber stamp on his part.

I'd also like to point out that the plan involved respectful treatment (as far as was possible) of Bin Laden's body. They buried him within 24 hours, I think, as is Muslim custom. They had a ceremony involving a native speaker of Arabic. The only thing they could not do was inter him on land, because it would have made his body available for followers to take at some future time and create a shrine around. That too took mature thinking and foresight. I don't know which person in the hierarchy of command made those choices, but they were good choices, both clever and ethical.

I'm sure George W. Bush would have been glad for the opportunity to be in charge on the day this mission was carried out, and so would John McCain. I would have been equally impressed with either of those two men if the circumstances had turned out that way. So I am impressed with Obama.

 

[Dee4707]

Excellent points Olympia.

Bluebonnet, I understand your comments come from a kind of jubilation. It's like working in a corporation. No matter how hard I work, my supervisor or the president of the company takes all the credit.

 

[CARA]

Excellent points Olympia.

Bluebonnet, I understand your comments come from a kind of jubilation. It's like working in a corporation. No matter how hard I work, my supervisor or the president of the company takes all the credit.

I agree.

 

[Blue Bead]

While I'm happy that they finally took this guy out, I have the feeling that whatever is left of Al Qaeda will be giving serious consideration to exacting revenge on any and all Americans, no matter where they are in the world. The mastermind of their organization may be communing with the fishes at the bottom of the ocean but those left behind, and assuming charge over that organization, will be out for any American's blood. This is not over by any means, IMO.

 

[Olympia]

While I'm happy that they finally took this guy out, I have the feeling that whatever is left of Al Qaeda will be giving serious consideration to exacting revenge on any and all Americans, no matter where they are in the world. The mastermind of their organization may be communing with the fishes at the bottom of the ocean but those left behind, and assuming charge over that organization, will be out for any American's blood. This is not over by any means, IMO.

That is certainly true, and it is scary. At first, my thought was, oh why did the U.S. stir the hornet's nest like this? But these guys were already after us. They were after us last year and tried to plant something in Times Square. They were after us a few years ago, with the guy who wore altered underwear onto a plane in Detroit. (By the way, the Detroit area has the largest Arab and Muslim population in the U.S., so this group was not exactly worrying about whom they would hurt with that action.) This group was after us to get revenge because of Iraq. They were after us to get revenge because of Afghanistan. They were after us to get revenge because of Palestine. And get this--this group was originally after us because we went into Afghanistan in 1980--on their side! We aided tribesmen who were fighting the Soviets at that time. So it's not as if we would have escaped their notice by not going after Bin Laden. The difference is, now we have their computers.

 

[Bluebonnet]

I would also like to point out that this risky venture could have gone another way. In 1980, Carter sent a team into Iran to rescue the hostages. The mission went wrong in every possible way and was aborted. One helicopter crashed into a transport aircraft inside Iran, with those aboard killed. The hostages were then scattered across Iran to make another rescue attempt impossible.

The failure of that mission led to many changes, including more intense training and greater cooperation among agencies. But it was a debacle that certainly helped to bring down Jimmy Carter's administration. He gave the order to start the mission, and he gave the order to abort it.

So a mission like this isn't a given. It's high risk for the people taking part and (less physically so) for the planners and the President setting it into motion. It takes a lot of skill and judgment and a cool head from the bottom up and from the top down. This time around, Obama could have decided to go after Bin Laden with an aerial drone, which would have been safer and as effective but which would have killed people in the area and not netted the body (or the computers and equipment the forces found in the house). He went for the riskier choice. He does deserve some credit for that. It wasn't just a rubber stamp on his part.

I'd also like to point out that the plan involved respectful treatment (as far as was possible) of Bin Laden's body. They buried him within 24 hours, I think, as is Muslim custom. They had a ceremony involving a native speaker of Arabic. The only thing they could not do was inter him on land, because it would have made his body available for followers to take at some future time and create a shrine around. That too took mature thinking and foresight. I don't know which person in the hierarchy of command made those choices, but they were good choices, both clever and ethical.

I'm sure George W. Bush would have been glad for the opportunity to be in charge on the day this mission was carried out, and so would John McCain. I would have been equally impressed with either of those two men if the circumstances had turned out that way. So I am impressed with Obama.

It's true but for the reasons I can't explain, (I don't know what Bush would decide in the same situation.) seeing McCain's presidential campaign, I just can't imagine McCain does it. It required not only courage, but also cool head and intellectual sharpness. ...Enough praise for Obama from me. (On the other hand, I couldn't understand Obama's rationals behind Libya intervention.)

Excellent points Olympia.

Bluebonnet, I understand your comments come from a kind of jubilation. It's like working in a corporation. No matter how hard I work, my supervisor or the president of the company takes all the credit.

This is also true.

 

[CARA]

Among the 79 commandos involved in Operation Neptune Spear that resulted in Osama bin Laden's killing, there was one dog -- the elite of the four-legged variety.

Here's a picture of how our solders and canine friends fight war on terror side by side. I thought this was a particuarly moving pictur:
http://www.defense.gov/dodcmsshare/newsphoto/2011-03/hires_110301-F-RR679-717.jpg.

If you are interested, you can read a wonderful story of the history of "War Dog" by following: http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/05/04/war_dog?page=0,0.

Meanwhile, I pray that I don't hear from PETA.

 

[janetfan]

I have to say... I am not really a conspiracy theorist but... well... honestly, the whole "burial at sea" is completely fishy (no pun intended) to me. In fact, it seems Obama's words were oh so carefully chosen last night - he said "we have custody of the body now" - which might have been true at that particular moment. Seems like even the timing of the announcement was such as to avoid the whole burial of the body issue.

To be honest, I do not really believe that Bin Laden was killed yesterday. I do believe that there was a raid which killed some top Al Queda officials. I also believe that Bin Laden is dead - except that honestly I believe he's been dead for years. As of right now, I haven't seen anything to dissuade me.


"

"Al-Qaida confirmed the killing of Osama bin Laden Friday and vowed revenge"

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110506/ap_on_re_mi_ea/bin_laden_al_qaida

Do you believe Al-Qaida is playing along with the USA on this and if so to what purpose :think:

 

[dorispulaski]

What I hope from this is that the US will declare victory and withdraw from Afghanistan.

 

[let`s talk]

What I hope from this is that the US will declare victory and withdraw from Afghanistan.

Honestly, I doubt it will happen anytime soon. But I do hope I am wrong.

I actually have to agree with another poster. It's indeed fishy. On the other hand why would they need to "keep" him alive if he had been dead long time ago? To have the war going? And now, when they realized that it's impossible to have a clean win in such a place as Afghanistan, they declared him dead, and that gives them the reason to finish the war with the full victory! Politics is too always silly... :think:

 

[Mathman]

Yeah, it seems funny to think that President Bush killed him 5 years ago and kept his body on ice just so that President Obama could get the credit.

On the other hand, I am surprised that Obama didn't keep quiet until October of 2012, when he could have pulled Bin Laden's head out of a bag and crushed the Trump-Gingridge ticket.

 

[Bluebonnet]

What I hope from this is that the US will declare victory and withdraw from Afghanistan.

I hope so too.

I actually have to agree with another poster. It's indeed fishy. On the other hand why would they need to "keep" him alive if he had been dead long time ago? To have the war going? And now, when they realized that it's impossible to have a clean win in such a place as Afghanistan, they declared him dead, and that gives them the reason to finish the war with the full victory! Politics is too always silly... :think:

Too funny. I guess even if people saw Bin Laden's dead body, some would still have had doubt on whether that was Bin Laden himself or a Bin Laden look-alike.

 

[Dee4707]

Yeah, it seems funny to think that President Bush killed him 5 years ago and kept his body on ice just so that President Obama could get the credit.

On the other hand, I am surprised that Obama didn't keep quiet until October of 2012, when he could have pulled Bin Laden's head out of a bag and crushed the Trump-Gingridge ticket.

Math, I always love how you can sum things up.

 

[Olympia]

Yeah, it seems funny to think that President Bush killed him 5 years ago and kept his body on ice just so that President Obama could get the credit.

On the other hand, I am surprised that Obama didn't keep quiet until October of 2012, when he could have pulled Bin Laden's head out of a bag and crushed the Trump-Gingridge ticket.

Good way to put it, Math.

 

[Dee4707]

Cara, thanks for those sites. While my boss was traveling on business she said she was watching a lot of TV and saw a documentary about the dogs. I really want to see that. A lot of what she was saying was in those pictures in the above site. Thanks again.

 

[CARA]

Cara, thanks for those sites. While my boss was traveling on business she said she was watching a lot of TV and saw a documentary about the dogs. I really want to see that. A lot of what she was saying was in those pictures in the above site. Thanks again.

It's my pleasure. Dogs really are man's best friends, aren't they? I was really moved by the article, too.