President Obama’s Great Victory in the War Against Terror: Let us Praise Him, and Put it in Perspective
First, I think one has to acknowledge that the capture and killing of Osama Bin Laden is a major victory for both President Obama and our country as a whole. As President George W. Bush acknowledged in his statement:
This momentous achievement marks a victory for America, for people who seek peace around the world, and for all those who lost loved ones on September 11, 2001. The fight against terror goes on, but tonight America has sent an unmistakable message: No matter how long it takes, justice will be done.
Other Republicans, including those who have been critical of President Obama’s policies, made the right call. Tim Pawlenty, one of the Republican hopefuls for his party’s nomination, said:
I want to congratulate America’s armed forces and President Obama for a job well done. Let history show that the perseverance of the U.S. military and the American people never wavered.
And Rep. Peter King, whom Democrats and liberals have criticized for his congressional hearings on the threat of Islamic radicalism, said:
In 2001, President Bush said, “We will not tire, we will not falter and we will not fail.” President Bush deserves great credit for putting action behind those words. President Obama deserves equal credit for his resolve in this long war against Al Qaeda.
One might argue that President Obama’s policies on fighting terror have more in common with President George W. Bush than with those of Bush’s leftist and liberal critics. He has not closed down Guantanamo contrary to his campaign promises; he has continued to engage in the kind of tactics in fighting terror condemned regularly by the ACLU and the leftist Center for Constitutional Rights; and he has finally decided to try imprisoned suspected terrorists by military commissions, rather than civilian trials.
Nevertheless, the success of this mission now gives the president the credentials he was previously missing as a commander-in-chief who put into action a covert plan whose details were kept from Pakistani intelligence and other officials and that took eight months to finalize before the president gave the word to move ahead and take Osama down at his secret mansion in Pakistan.
At NBC’s website, White House correspondent Chuck Todd and his colleagues made some wise observations. They first correctly noted that the 2004 election was fought over national security, and the Democrats’ choice of John Kerry and New York City as their convention site dramatized their weakness on national security and helped lead to Bush’s re-election:
While it’s doubtful that Osama bin Laden’s death will have as long of a political impact — especially in this fast-changing, short-term memory media landscape — it will surely shape the contours of next year’s presidential race. For starters, it will hover over the first Republican debate set for this Thursday, even if it’s not a direct question. It also will highlight the GOP field’s foreign-policy and national-security credentials, or their lack thereof. And it amounts to Barack Obama’s top achievement as president.
I would go so far as to argue that were the election to be held this week, the death of Osama bin Laden would guarantee President Obama’s election victory. Fortunately, however, the campaign will most likely not be over national security issues, but rather on the overall outlook of President Obama and his team on how to carry out foreign policy, and on the domestic economy and the nature of the president’s domestic proposals, including ObamaCare and the growing debt from unsustainable entitlements, including Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security.
As for the significance of Osama’s defeat, no one has characterized it better than Paul Berman. Militarily, the war against Islamic terrorism and radicalism is far from over. But as Berman points out:
Those concluding phrases in Obama’s speech, the ones that invoked the Pledge, were a moment of eloquent truth. The phrases made clear that our military and intelligence agents have hunted down bin Laden not just because he was a bandit, but because we uphold our own doctrine, which is the doctrine of democracy. Bin Laden and most Americans have always been in agreement on one point, after all, which is the question of what has the war been about. The war has been a struggle over principle. It has been a struggle between the Islamist fantasy of founding a theocracy versus the democratic principle of promoting and defending a reality of democratic freedom.
Berman praises Obama’s speech as eloquent, which it certainly was, but alone among commentators, he chastises the president for a partisanship others have not noted. Berman writes:
He said not one word about the war in Iraq. He may believe, and many people believe, that our war in Iraq has been nothing but a diversion from the central struggle, which is the manhunt for bin Laden. But these two things, the struggle in Iraq and the struggle in Af-Pak, have not, in fact, been separate and distinct. The war in Iraq, once we had overthrown Saddam, became a war directed largely against Al Qaeda. Ayman Al Zawahiri made clear that Iraq had become, for a while, the central front in the larger war between Al Qaeda’s version of Islamism and America’s version of liberal democracy. And, in Iraq, we managed to grind down the forces of Al Qaeda. The Islamic State of Iraq never did become a state. Iraq was Al Qaeda’s second chance, after Afghanistan, and the second chance, like the first chance, was defeated. I wish that Obama had said something about America’s victory over Al Qaeda in Iraq.
Somehow I don’t think this ‘get’ will fix the deficit, revive the economy, lower the unemployment rate or reduce the cost of gas and food.
Yes, this will help his chances for re-election… and I do not care. I want my President to do his job. If he does, then good on him. I will not engage in partisan nonsense about this.
Do not engage in petty politics with this. It just makes one look like a douchebag. How is he ever going to consider doing what is right, if we won’t give him credit when he does? When you get what you want, you say thank you.
Obama deserves a backhanded compliment. “Good job using the intelligence acquired from Gitmo and secret CIA prisons using methods that you condemned. I am sure all your anti-war buddies will agree that it was better to assassinate OBL than to bring him back to the US to be tried in a court of law.”
Proove it came from Gitmo? You are saying things that you can’t proove.. You have no idea.. You complain, but you have freedoms that others’ dream of, but you complain.. You say, things full of hate, but still complain.. Your life is being protected, by military.. but you complain.. What would you do? since you can be critical and you understand things far better than the president, run for office..
Hey you would get my vote, just because.. How would you answer questions about global warming.. Or economic strategic factors among world trade? do you even know what that is? or even a tariff?
Do you even know how the military operates?
Tried in court.. LOL you are funny.. You can’t seriously think that they where going to try to handcuff him and fly him back .. really? Have you ever been a soldier? We try to complete the mission and get back home.. We protect our buddies lives.. he resisted.. would it been better to give him the opportunity to arm himself and kill an american soldier..
You have to act quick.. besides America is not the “world police”.. And you really think bin laden was going to just surrender? seriously..
I agree. When Obama finally does something right, he deserves some credit for it, even if his one right thing involves doing what Bush would have done. Not giving him that credit, indicates excessive partisanship, and a lack of connection with reality. He definitely would have taken heat if the operation had failed.
And its not like we dont lack plenty of things Obama did wrong to criticise him for. Doing one thing right, however important it might be, does not forgive the thousand wrong things he has done.
I have read all the comments on this website and all the Bushies seem to think that it was his policies at Gitmo that brought us to this day. If Bush attained such a mountain of info with his Gitmo policies, why didn’t Bush get Osama? Don’t you all feel embarrass on this website trying to politicize and get credit for Bush where credit is not due. If you guys were the families of 9/11 victims and Bush spent his entire presidency not being able to catch Osama but our current President Obama focused on where Osama actually is and got him, would you give Bush credit?
The sad part of all this is that Bush never focused on Osama, he focused on Iraq. To now have all of his Bushies try to claim credit for him doesn’t do any justice for the families of 9/11 victims. Don’t use this day to give Bush redemption because it will go down as the biggest lie in history.
Do not engage in petty politics with this.
If you’re simply saying that people should give credit where credit is due, I’m fine with acknowledging that Obama let the Navy Seals get Bin Laden when his first instinct might have been to prohibit the mission for one reason/excuse or another, like upsetting our alleged allies, the Pakistanis.
But if you’re trying to wipe the slate clean for all of the things Obama has done – or failed to do – then you need to make a far better case for it to convince me and many of the others here at PJM. One appropriate action in over two years does not undo all the bad things Obama has done during his time as President. That would be like forgiving Hitler the Holocaust and WW II simply because he was – famously – a dog lover and kind to small children. Or forgiving Stalin for the Gulags and man-made famines that he engineered because he was an avid gardener.
People are – or at least they should be – evaluated on the sum of everything they are and do. While a good act on the part of a person who has previously not been impressive should be acknowledged and encouraged, it should not be assumed that the person is now squeaky clean and beyond all criticism.
We need to keep an eye on Obama. His involvement in the taking of Bin Laden is a pretty positive thing but it may just be a fluke. He should not get re-elected simply on the strength of one small but symbolically important success if the rest of his track record is dismal.
Just my two cents worth….
Well said!
Right you are. Obama has gotten what he has so far, by riding on the back of someone, anyone, that could advance his status.
At such a momentous occasion, Bush would have made the announcement surrounded by his closest military advisors, whom had just been in the room with him, witnessing the event.
Bush would have had his Secretary of Defense, at least, by his side.
But, they had to make separate announcements???
Obama makes the announcement by himself? To show his strength? Makes me gag!
There’s disunity in the ranks, and it shows.
Cybergeezer got it right when he analyzed the theatre of the announcement. It was obvious that POTUS was taking credit for the operation. True, he made a risky call, but his statements Sunday night and last night laid out his strategy for combatting Republicans and all other challengers. I wrote a short blog here: http://clarespark.com/2011/05/02/obl-and-the-obama-strategy/. I don’t think it is hyper-partisan to analyze the language of a politician, especially when he comes out to speak without any military leaders.
Glad to see you know Bush so well… That you know what he would of done.. Are you a phsycic.. or Clairvoyent.. must be..
You just love to hate..
Back during Clinton’s reign, when he did what the Republican Congress forced him to do, I used to say, “Who cares if it’s the Republicans’ policies, at least Clinton is carrying them out; they are being put in place.”
Now, years later, Clinton gets credit for balancing the budget. The Democrats crow about it endlessly.
Yes, I’m glad “Obama” got bin Laden (he would have us think he all but flew in and pulled the trigger himself). And I’m sure there were good reasons that he put off the mission for many months before authorizing it. I also suspect there’s some reason(s) he didn’t dare put it off until just before the 2012 election. And I do wonder if he’s a little miffed about all the patriotism and love-America being exhibited; it’s not what he wants the world to see, or even the many American “victims” he champions–what if they become so enlivened that they want to do something to make America better, like get a job, contribute to her success?!
So yes, credit where credit is due, but regret if this overshadows the destruction he and his people are wreaking here on the home front.
But the traitor-moslem-communist-in-chief is NOT “doing right”. He threw his moslem brother under the bus for political gain. And he continues to deliberately destroy our economy, weaken our defenses, open our borders, kill babies, promote sex perversion, etc., ad infinitum. For which of these wonderful ventures shall we praise and thank the moslem mahdi? For encouraging the substitution of Sharia for our constitutional rights? For aiding and abetting every moslem uprising he can find? For so inflating the economy that the dollar is dying and the life savings of the thrifty have been stolen? For imposing absolutely malicious rules of engagement on our military- rules which give tremendous advantage to our enemies? For continuing to boost the lie that “Islam is a great/peaceful religion” when both history and the Koran deny that contention? Wake up, dummy!
It was a truly remarkable action, involving years of intelligence fieldwork and will do much to enhance the CIA’s sorry reputation. Celebration is justified and the President, who had often pledged to hasten this day, is entitled to be proud that it happened on his watch. It will certainly help his campaign for re-election. It is unfortunate that he could not resist the use of “I” and “my” in an effort to put a personal claim on its success. Surely you didn’t expect to hear about any Bush-era accomplishments against Al Queda?
“It is unfortunate that he could not resist the use of “I” and “my” in an effort to put a personal claim on its success.”
Maybe he should’ve landed in a jet on an aircraft carrier with a big “Mission Accomplished” sign in the background.
GWC didn’t put up the sign – the crew did.
Oh for the last time: that “Mission Accomplished” was about the Ship’s mission. It was a coming home deck party and this is a standard sort of thing. It was not a statement by Bush or the GOP. What s wrong with you people? Why can you never tell the truth?
Why do you always lie?.
Bush went out of his way to not politicize 911 and the WOT.
The Democrats did–and still do–everything in their power to politicize it.
You need to do a little soul searching, there Joseph, and stop being a tool for Left-wing propagandists. They hate you nation; they hate you.
About OBL:
1) This is a victory, but it is not a “great victory”. It is one raid! The whole WOT and all of the last 10 years have not been about one man. This is just a preposterous supposition. It has been about changing the order of that part of the world. We are acting like it is VE-day or something. It is not. It goes to show just how ridiculous the American people have become. Our enemies still stand in the field. They in fact gain advantage. Have you had a look what has been happening in the ME ths year?
2) It most certainly is not a “victory for Obama”, no matter the lies the press tell. In fact, viewed from the perspective of this point of his presidency, this “victory” is mostly accidental so far as he s concerned. He used the accumulated policies and mechanism set in place by the Bush Administration to deal with 911 and the WOT, polices that the Left railed against for close to 8 years, and then hypocritically left in place and utilized for this “victory”. Just what did Obama do? OK a raid? Please do not tell me that it was due to a “change in management”. Obama could not manage a hot dog stand.
3) If the death of OBL does cause Obama to be re-elected then America deserves what it gets: The Republic will have proved, having seen at length the grim reality of having Anti-American, “Post American”, Marxist imbeciles in power, that it is incapable of rational self-government or even minimal common sense.
4) If Obama had the slightest decency, honor or capacity for his position, he would have called GWB on stage and use this as a time to address the entire nation and not just his constituents, and give credit where credit is due. That he did not do this tells us all we need know about him. No matter what claptrap the MSM spews, history will not judge this man well. Parallel to this, GWB has shown again what a fine man he is in his refusal to use this moment for selfish reasons.
5) People should consider the notion that OBL, who was already terminally ill, was given up in a three way deal between Obama, the Taliban and the Pakistani regime. Killing OBL is a part of the deal. It gave Obama an out and potentially gets the USA out of AfPAk and perhaps Iraq too. Lost in all of this is the fact that that Pakistanis where allowing him to live n splendor 2 hours drive from the capital. If am right the Islamicists lose little and gain much n handing up OBL.
A great victory? It well might be a Pyrrhic one.
If true, then BZ. Nice to see him get something right.
Still, he has lied and misrepresented the facts for so long this somehow seems fishy.
Wish I felt different
.
“…it amounts to Barack Obama’s top achievement as president…”
If Chuck Toad and his fellow Obama loyalists recognize assassination by remote as BO’s greatest achievement, what more is there to say about his dismal hands-on health-care energy and economic policies?
Pawlenty and King’s graciousness in praising Obama versus obama’s small minded inability to praise his predecessor speaks volumes about character and Obama’s lack thereof.
This president has about as much class as a discarded Coney Island Whitefish floating in the sewer.
Carter had his Camp David Israel-Egypt peace treaty success, Bush Sr. oversaw one of the most one sided military victories in history, Desert Storm, Obama oversees UBL hunted down and killed. Carter and Bush Sr. both lost their bids for reelection, Carter was still considered weak on national security and the economy was lousy, Bush Sr. lost because of a recession. If Kaddafy(sic?)manages to hold out in Libya, if there are new foreign policy embarassments/screw ups, if there are successful retaliation terror attacks, and most important – if the economy is flat or we tip into recession or inflation goes way up – Obama is still toast in 2012.
Enjoy the moment, there are still plenty of problems. I write this from on Ft Hood Army Base, the reaction that I see is basicly muted. No visible HOOAH feeling that I can see among the troops I have encountered. In my college class here on Ft Hood there was no talk about UBL getting killed, just class subject. I myself find this a bit startling, I was still active duty when 9/11/01 occurred and at Ft Hood, I remember the various reactions. Now this success just seems another day in the war here, troops heading out, some coming back, and training continues. Just thought the folks here at PM might find this useful to know.
Rifle 308
Obama’s victory????
NO WAY! I am blaming BUSH!
If this cleans the record of someone who walked out on and Israeli Prime Minister, has butchered the Israel/Palestinian process for sane dialogue, has trembled and disappeared at the sight of Iranian revolutions, stuttered…hemmed and hawed at the Egyptian uprising, has been a slacker and lagged far behind as the Middle East erupted…has been incoherent in the tactics and policies and intent on Libya…
…if this whitewashes 20 years of fawning over a stream of racist and anti-Semitic invective from a “dear friend” and “mentor”…
…if a bullet in bin Laden’s brain is the price we have to pay to forget all the hurled insults, the lifted middle fingers, the “bitter clingers”, “enemies”, “teabaggers”…
…then bin Laden’s death was too high a price to pay.
The courageous acts of daring and skill by our men in uniform can give off all the reflected starlight of glory, for every sideline sitter who wants to bask in it. But it does NOT transform a crappy Commander in Chief into a great one, by this one deed. Any more than one home run by Mario Medoza turned him into Babe Ruth or Hank Aaron.
And if this leftist crowd wants to crow over the “hit”, then they should stand ready to accept the failure to keep us safe when the counterpunch arrives.
If going into Iraq to fight al Qaeda was “bad”…then going into Pakistan must be measured as well. And, stumbling into Libya as well.
The leftists would have had a spitting fit…if we killed wives and children and grandchildren…under a REPUBLICAN administration.
Where are the daily counts of “grim milestones” today?
Radical Islam and radical leftism are twin sisters under the skin. Put them together and you get Louis Farrakhan.
Nearly a decade after 9/11…by killing bin Laden we didn’t slice the head of the snake….we simply chopped off its loudest rattle. Maybe that’s what is meant by the phrase “leading from behind”.
But, if GITMO detention is a “recruiting device”…then this is the draft of the century.
It could get very ugly. When it does…look for a return to the pattern of the disappearing act, Part XXIV.
Well, it’s official, “enhanced interrogations,” “torture,” works. It’s all Bush’s fault, but I see Obama is taking credit for getting numero uno, dead or alive. So, who really controls those Pakistani nukes?
An, the irony, we can’t water board ‘em and violate our “fundamental core values” according to Obama, but we can do a pre-trial execution shooting him in the face while he’s unarmed. Oh well, at least we were considerate of Muslim sensibilities for body disposals within twenty four hours and so he’s feeding the fish at twenty thousand fathoms. There’s nothing like an expedited carbon cycle; hope he’s enjoying his 72 virgins–well slap my fingers with a nun’s ruler, according to Peter the Beinhart that’s probably an anti-Muslim racist attitude.
Marc Malone is right on. Recognizing necessary unity in a waters edge moment is an essential part of what makes America exceptional.
I said this in the excellent companion piece Richard Fernandez posted. Obama is just now experiencing his George W Bullhorn moment. And it comes at an oppertune time, having just relieved Gates for Panetta and given Gen. Patreaus his new assignement.
He must lead. I can’t stand barely to watch this guy, ok. But. He is my President. Enjoying way too much poking a finger in Trumps eye while playing footsy with a second rate SNL comedian was an eternity ago.
This is as profound a watershed moment as what overtook George Bush when he draped an arm around a weary fire fighter on that rubble and …he became the President…for every American. Even those apopolyptic with BDS.
Partisanship has to end at the Waters Edge or we announce ourselves as no longer fit as country to lead the free world.
Conservatives have got to stop drinking the Weekly Standard kool aid that somehow 10 years of war in the middle east hasn’t been a key ingredient in our toxic addiciton to debt. That said defict is merely a domestic spending problem.
I likewise agree with Ron’s adroit analysis when quoting Mr Berman. But parcing partisanship has to stop now. We are not just talking life and death here, but world peace or world war.
Obama has to step up and earn it now. No more leading from behind, no more deep deliberation for six months and then a muddled half foot forward, no more posturing and no more empty speeches. He must seize this moment and become everyones President. And lead the Free World.
Likewise, this is the moment when all the rest of us are called to act as well. To set aside differences and support the man in doing it. Who knows, just like 9/11, we might even see an outbreak of bipartisanship as well – to help facilitate some tough domestic choices needed too.
This war against Islamists has been too long and too much on the backs of the American people alone. Our blood our treasure sacrificed so China and Russia can go off with Chavez and bleed us more? Is the Strait of Hormuz just an American protectorat? Is Trump really a clown in the eyes of his fellow citizens (who may or may not vote for him) when he loudly claims we have been taken via the kind of trade/oil aggreements we live with?
What has been the loudest bang delivered up in the middle east until the delightful news yesterday?
The facade of dictatorship in the region is crumbling. Is ‘Bush lied people died’ what is on the lips of those standing up and demanding freedom? Is the farce that ‘we asked for it’ likewise to blame as in American troops present FURTHER RECURITMENT OPPERTUNITIES?
No. It may be that we are beginning to see the fruits of an historic new era in the Middle East. Now is the time we in the west demand that the wealthy OPEC nations get on board and act like adults who take responsiblity for their own neighborhood.
To do so Obama has to lead. Time to earn that Nobel Mr President.
Sorry, dude; Never gonna happen. There’s no “there” there. No capability; No vision; No leadership ability.
He does know how to fertilize parasites. You may see a bump in the parasitic index, temporarily. But, Obama has a keen knack of snatching defeat out of the mouth of victory.
Demanding freedom in the middle east? I think you are seeing the effect of high fuel and food prices. Egypt is being taken over by anti-American Islamists. Great job leading from behind BO.
Very Kum-by-ya of you Phoenix48. I will acknowledge Barack Obama is the president of the United States, but he is not my president. As a white middle aged Christian male, his entire ideology and world view is alien to me. Once I knew Barack Obama was the next president I took my flag off my house and it hasn’t been back up in 2 1/2 years. It will go up again if, and only if, the public decides to elect leaders other than by the American Idol method. While exited we finaly Bagged Bin Laden and proud of our military, it saddens me that this will help Obama. This will only help him to reelection and the completion of fundementally changing America into something I do not want. So no, I do not feel as one with the community organizer,and I never will. If thats sour grapes, call me vinegar
Obama: “My Muslim Faith” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKGdkqfBICw
The deliberate and rapid Islamization of the United States is a much greater threat than Osama Bin Laden ever was.
It is extremely alarming for America and the Free World that President Obama has appointed Muslim Brotherhood operatives to key positions in the government.
Report–Obama quietly appoints Muslim Brotherhood to key posts
February 15th, 2011
http://www.examiner.com/conservative-in-national/report-obama-quietly-appoints-muslim-brotherhood-to-key-posts
The only conclusion one can come to is that the goals of the Muslim Brotherhood are shared by the American government. The complete annihilation of civilization and Muslim conquest.
It is well known that the goal of the Muslim Brotherhood is global Islamic conquest, including the conquest of America.
And subjugation of all nations under extremely cruel Islamic sharia law where women are treated as inferior and defenseless non-Muslims have no human rights.
From the document of the Muslim Brotherhood in North America:
The process of settlement is a “Civilization-Jihadist Process” and all the word means. The
Ikhwan [Arabic for brothers] must understand that their work in America is a kind of grand Jihad to eliminate and destroy the Western civilization from within, and sabotage its miserable house by their hands and the hands of the believers, so that it is eliminated, and God’s religion is made victorious over all other religions.
It is a Muslim’s destiny to perform Jihad and work wherever he is and wherever he lands until the final hour comes, and there is no escape from that destiny…”
In the Judeo-Christian nation that is America, President Obama is unable to hide his rabid hate for G-D, the Bible, Judaism and Christianity:
Obama Mocks & Attacks Jesus Christ And The Bible http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hi-V_ilJu0w&NR=1
Since Obama delayed his announcement so long last night, preempting Trumps time, why didn’t he schedule a second announcement for his sycophants this afternoon around 12:00 P.M., and take the same time to delay appearing?
He could have preempted a big chunk of Limbaugh, and got the word out to his greatest followers; You know, the ones that can’t stay up that late on a school night, because their parents won’t let them.
Are you suggesting that Obama delayed his annoncement about Bin Laden to shift the public’s attention away from Donald Trump’s reality show “Celebrity Apprentice”?
Actually I think you are suggesting much more than that; I think what you’re trying to say is that Obama halted a national security operation and ordered everyone involved, including the Navy SEALS, specifically NOT to go in and kill Bin Laden until a few hours before Celbrity Apprentice airs.
Hey! I like that theory!
You got a helluva story there, Captain! I salute you.
he did it to take attention away from the royal wedding sillies
I wish this was an Obama turnaround, a true tacking to the right (or just the center). Just don’t see it. If I were a conspiracist and more of a cynic, I’d say this could have been accomplished sooner, but Obama desperately needed a poll boost right now. Well, I guess I am a cynic, but not really a conspiracist.
just a quick note: while most neo cons here were busy looking for his birth certificate he was busy killing Bin Laden!!!!!!!!!!
Oh, snort!!!
I gotta make sure I’m not drinking coffee when I read your comments.
what the hell is a neo-con ffs?
Actually, the extent of his contribution was not to interfere with the CIA using the lead they had developed at Gitmo – which he would have shut down (if he could have). It will take weeks for the truth to sink in, but it will.
Miriam…a couple things for you:
1) What’s a “neo con?” (Love to hear libtards try to explain it…most of them think anyone to the right of Che = Neo-con)
2) You think everyone on the right was a birther? Try again toots.
3) Most importantly…OBAMA DIDN’T KILL OSAMA!!! SEAL team 6 did.
Obama deserves credit for this. Indeed the charge that his presidency was soft on the enemy has always been false–as evidenced by the moans of the Left at his stepped-up Predator strikes in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
If the economy fails to improve, then he will be defeated despite this very real victory. Just as George H. W. Bush was in ’92, despite his sky-high approval ratings after Operation Desert Storm.
“The war has been a struggle over principle. It has been a struggle between the Islamist fantasy of founding a theocracy versus the democratic principle of promoting and defending a reality of democratic freedom.”
This comment from Berman displays fuzzy thinking at its best. The conflict is NOT over principle. The US is not at war with anyone who merely indulges in or rants about fantasies of Islamic theocracies or a resurgent Caliphate. It is a war against people who think that gratuitous murder in wholesale lots is a legitimate form of political expression, no matter what their end goals or imagined justifications for their atrocities may be.
I’m a bit bemused by glib claims that “Bin Laden’s death is a tacit rebuke of all those who questioned Obama’s toughness on foreign policy”. It doesn’t obviate the clear fact that up until now, except for a bit of early promise when he allowed the military to shoot a few Somalian pirates, Obama has been a total weenie in international affairs. He still has a great deal to make up for. As for the future, the fact that, in one recent instance, he has begun to approach being worthy of the office he holds, is no indication that he will continue to do so. Based on his performance to date, I expect him to lapse into his customary torpor about foreign affairs immediately. We shall see soon enough; will he put Pakistan’s nuts in the vise and really torque it down, or not? Attempts to screw over the United States should have very painful consequences; is Obama the president to do that?
The talk today reminds me of Clemenceau’s comment about Woodrow Wilson. He said that he’d never known a man who talked so much like Jesus Christ but acted so much like Lloyd George. Obama talks far too much like a poor man’s Leon Trotsky. The only time he comes close to redeeming himself in practice is when he acts like a shadow-puppet of George Bush. Odd position to have put himself in, isn’t it?
It is actually a war of civilizations, not a war against mere “murderers”. If the latter were the case, the left wing dodge about this being a “criminal matter” would actually be right.
The Left actually knows that this is a clash between the West and Islam, but they are just dishonest about it. They too wage war against the West. They appear to be winning, BTW>
I’m glad Obama followed through on what Bush started, and that he got it right on authorizing this mission. That was a presidential moment, indeed.
Now we see what comes next. I haven’t forgotten all the criticisms about the Iraq war that it was a distraction from the “real job” of finding bin Laden (here just south of Berkeley, etc.). What happens now? I also remember the Vietnam War era thing of “Let’s just declare victory and go home”–is that what will happen here? What about the rest of the Middle East and North Africa? (Not to mention what now with Pakistan, given the enthusiasm for bin Laden there and the tardy recognition there was something suspicious about that large compound?)
In other words, there are still questions about where Obama’s heart lies. This successful mission is useful politically, in very many ways. Will Obama use this as a stepping stone to actually leading, or for the purpose of running (for election or otherwise)?
And is he sufficiently competent to follow up on this?
How much of the left will this thrill, how much will it alienate, and is this sufficient to ice re-election? This hasn’t changed from being a long war just yet.
My own impression of Obama’s approval and final “go-ahead” for this months’ long planning effort is that he had no choice.
I give Obama credit only as signing off on this order as Commander-In-Chief. Eventually, someone would’ve leaked out his objections (had they in fact been apparent) and then we’d have some very smelly political fans.
This is no victory for Obama, who’s been fighting Bush’s plans in so far as he feels he can succeed politically; Obama’s approval of this attack was based upon his reading of politics, not Islamist Terrorism.
Compare this military action with his Cairo speech and his bowing and apologizing.
Obama is Janus incarnate.
The left thinks so; a Janus with killer drones.
“And it amounts to Barack Obama’s top achievement as president.”
Make that “only” achievement. But thanks, we’ll take it.
I disagree….this is not an “achievement” of Obama’s….it’s an achievement after rigorous, painstaking research and planning, with closest coordination between our Intelligence folks and vaunted Military.
Praise them, as they’re not permitted to say anything about the details.
everyone forgets the giant 888 ton gorilla in this
the fact that our ground forces are in the regions has as much to do with the success of this mission as the special ops/intelligence strike team
having our army and marines on the ground roosts all these vermin from their hovels; allowing the intelligence elements to do their thing; and, ultimately, getting the goods on enemy combatant #1
our military action has been an overriding success DESPITE the interference and, at times, subterfuge against those involved with WINNING
HURRAY obama for leading from behind and giving the OK (what in the hell is he going to do? say no? “no, i dont think it’s a good idea to get bin laden, guys, just too many things going on, you know.?”
for all the obama fair weathered fan boys (where have they been lately) you guys should you tube all of the enhanced interrogation “haters”; obama, pelosi, durbin, holder, all the msm, ad vomitatum…
and get straight on your positions regarding entering an “ally’s” country, unannounced, and undetected and eliminating with extreme prejudice (no tribunals, or civil trials)
having a deep and fond affection for george bush (and hating yourselves for it) yet publicly and electorally supporting bush’s antithesis is disturbing and needs professional attention
I think I caught the end of a clip where boobama said “we pulled off what nobody else could do in a decade”
Talk about something falling in someones lap!
frickin blow me!
My perspective: At long last, Obama does something USEFUL.
Sounds like he and his team did a good job of shepherding this operation from start to finish. He deserves credit for good leadership and not wussing out. Despite his kowtowing to various unsavory regimes, he at least seems to understand that Pakistan is not our friend. Hope he can continue to apply that lesson where it will do some good.
However, this says nothing about his domestic policy. Like his election, the death of Bin Laden doesn’t give him a mandate to turn the US into a progressive wet-dream welfare state. Credit where credit is due, but no “get into the White House free in 2012″ ticket.
P.S. – far from being a unifying event, Bin Laden’s death seems to be just another opportunity for the American left and right to hate each other. Remember how long the national unity lasted after 9/11? Same deal.
Republicans control the House (no RINO McCain or RINO Graham to screw things up) so why not pass legislation overturning Obama’s executive order banning “enhanced interrogation” and then lets see if the Dem senate will vote it down or Obama will veto!
Wow.! Looks like I got deleted by RR. I left a comment (twice, in fact) hours ago. How disappointing. I guess he can only take so much truth on a given day.
LMFTFY: He can take only so much mindless, adolescent regurgitation of Left-wing talking points in a day.
(That you me you Joseph.)
So it is with most adults.
LMFTFY: He can take only so much mindless, adolescent regurgitation of Left-wing talking points in a day.
(That you me you Joseph.)
So it is with most adults.
Is that bracketed remark really how adults talk? I thought adult talk was more coherent somehow.
If it comforts you to think so, Goose. Actually, RR drops loaded phrases like ‘the myth that “Bush lied us into war,”‘ then deletes challenges to them because they’re indefensible. But this is PJM; so what else is new?
Kudos to Obama for following the policy of Clinton/Gore.
After the Cole attack of 2000, Clinton/Gore were preparing to go after bin Laden, but the election intervened, and Bush decided he wasn’t that interested.
After 9/11, when special forces were belatedly sent to Afghanistan, they were close to capturing bin Laden when they were called back to pursue Bush’s priority: Iraq.
And we all remember Bush later saying he wasn’t that much concerned about bin Laden.
So it took Obama coming into office to revive the Clinton/Gore determination to get bin Laden, making it the CIA’s top priority.
And it has finally paid off.
“After the Cole attack of 2000, Clinton/Gore were preparing to go after bin Laden…”
LOL. They did exactly nothing, which is about what the Great Black Dope would have done, had he been president in 2001. A few air strikes into Afghanistan, a la Libya, and that would have been it.
We never would have been in Afghanistan or Iraq if it was up to dolts like Obambi, and there isn’t much chance we would’ve gotten Bin Laden, or all the other murderous scum we’ve capped or captured over the last ten years. Luckily, we had Bush II in charge instead of some liberal moron like Clinton, Carter or the current wanker…and, because we had a real American in office, instead of a lefty wimp, it became rain death down on terrorists time, despite the best of efforts of Obambi and co. to sabotage the war effort at every turn over the next several years.
The only thing Obambi gets credit for is doing an abrupt volte face once he got into office (to protect his own political ass), and retaining all the Bush policies he’d spent years attacking.
See you have to realize you posting things on here and real soldiers like myself may read it.. You really have no clue what you are talking about.. Seriously! no clue.. I can care less who the president is.. But you have no idea! what goes on.. Bush had two missions OIF and OEF.. and I will leave it at that..
What you see now is the American Military spewed about the globe in efforts to get two men, Sadaam and bin laden.. Leaving the land of the free wide open. Now soon maybe more troops to Libya.. The American military is not that large..
I’ve been in many missions so don’t talk like you know who did what and why this was that.. you have no clue..
John Q: You are spouting a complete fiction. Clinton could nit care less about OBL–he was mostly worried about his next BJ, his so-called “legacy” and setting up the political career of his wife. He was not even interested in Gore’s run (he most likely want him to lose so that Hillary could run in ’04).
Gore? Gore was little more than a busboy in the Clinton WH. How silly to imagine that he was “out to get OBL”, he was out to feather hs nest, just like his daddy before him, and just like any other corrupt Democrat machine Pol from the South. He was setting up his Warmist scam back back then, when he was not serving as a Clinton Bagman. Gore is of a type, and if you were old enough and perceptive enough you would know just what that type was.
There may be the odd Democrat or two out there that care abut the nation, but they hold no public office anywhere.
Democrats could not care less about The Republic.
What a tool you are.
It would seem impoosible for the Left to not rewrite history to suit their self serving fantasies.
Clinton had a real opportunity to kill bin Laden before 9/11, and passed it up. They claimed they had this neato plan ready to get bin Laden after it came out how they failed before 9/11. Plans are a dime a dozen.
Tracking down bin Laden started under Bush and finished under Obama. Considering bin Laden seems to have had help from folks in the Pakistan gov’t the amount of time it took is understandable.
Our invasion of Afghanistan prevented a lot of terrorism, bin Laden and his organization was heavily damaged. Our invasion of Iraq got rid of the biggest trouble maker in the Middle East, then it offered the Arab peoples the possiblity of real democracy as opposed to the choice of strong-man gov’t or Islamism. How this will ultimately play out is unknown, but the Arabs have a chance at freedom.
Could we have caught bin Laden earlier, during the initail invasion of Afghanistan? That is simply unknowable. More troops on the ground would have upped the odds. The choice by the DoD and Pentagon was to try the “light footprint” strategy. I believed then and now that was a mistake.
Oh yes, the SF guys were there pretty early, remember them on horseback with Northerb Alliance fighters, routing the Taliban?
So enough with the historical revisionism, it reeks of childish posturing, the Left trying to play – “we be tough to!”
Rifle 308
Ah, more right wing fantasies.
Let’s take a detour into the reality based community, so derided by the right:
When Clinton got an intelligence report that OBL was on his way back to the training camp, he ordered a cruise missile sent to destroy it. Bad luck -, OBL’s companions wanted to go to Kabul that day, so OBL wasn’t there when the missile arrived.
It’s true that OBL was believed to be part of a hunting party with parts of the UAE government, so there could have been another opportunity to get him. Clinton nixed the attack then because an attack that could take out the leaders of one of our few allies in the Arab world didn’t seem a great idea.
When Clinton met GW for a briefing during the transition, he told Bush that his priority should be Al Qaida. Bush said no, his priority was Iraq. And when Clinton national security staff were briefing the incoming staff, Berger took the unusual step of a principal coming into a lower level briefing to emphasize that going after Al Qaida should be the national imperative.
After the Cole attack, it wasn’t immediately certain that Al Qaida was behind it, so a raid into Afghanistan wasn’t launched right away. By the time the CIA was able to confirm that Al Qaida was indeed responsible – well, we know who was in the WH then.
As for protecting national security – remember when LAX was bombed in January 2000? No? That’s because it didn’t happen. When word came in of a potential millennium attack on the US, Clinton/Gore set up a dedicated war room to get constant updates from all agencies, as well as getting the word out to be extra alert and report anything. And an alert customs agent did in fact apprehend the would-be bomber based on his seeming nervous. (Would he have been caught anyway? We can’t say – but the point is that Clinton/Gore took the threat seriously, and made sure that all agencies were on the alert.) Compare that to Bush’s lackadaisical response to the numerous threats of an attack coming in 2001. There are many in the antiterrorist community – yes, I’ve had conversations – who believe that if Gore had been president as most voters wanted, 9/11 could well have been averted.
Note also: the intelligence on the Abbottabad compound could not definitely confirm that OBL was there. If the raid had taken place, and OBL not been there, Obama would have had egg all over his face. But he was willing to take that chance to get OBL.
Okay – those were few words from the reality based community.
We now return you to your normal programming…..
You are right! Obama was taking a chance.. Because you have no clue if the target is their or not.. You are basing it on gut, surveilance and intellegience.. At times as good as it is, can be misleading.. It was no definate that bin laden was at the compound the only definate was that had a track on bin laden’s courier and it was a Gut call.. and sometimes you have to go with your gut, in this instance it paid off..
But is bin laden wasn’t in their.. man what would the headlines read..!?
“who believe that if Gore had been president as most voters wanted”
is it trolling when the troller believes that which is being trolled?
Given the nature of American Exceptionalism I have witnessed in my life, I am most grateful to be back in the cute little state of Israel. Nor is there as of yet any proof that Osama bin Laden was killed several days ago, while many people from all sides of the political spectrum believe he has been dead for years.
The response on these threads (the dominant response) shows just how successfully the same Mainstream Media that conservatives denounce daily is able to convince these conservatives instantly when pride and patriotism are at stake.
OK, give Obama credit because this takedown of UBL occurred on Obama’s watch.
But the chase of UBL’s courier was begun under GWB, and the info that started the chase was obtained through enhanced interrogation, which Obama and the left have always claimed was useless.
The tracking of the courier who led our spook agencies to the UBL compound was well under way long before Obama was sworn in. It was an ongoing operation that came to fruition under a new President.
But, Obama gave his little speech and used I, me and my throughout, and never acknowledged the significant role GWB played in this event.
You sure about that? I’m a soldier.. So where are you getting this info? Because if somebody told you the integrity and targets of a mission, You will have to know it’s false that information is classified.. My orders are classified and not to be shared.. So who told you that Bush had “Op orders” to track a courier?
Don’t make things up.. that’s not how a military operation works..
I hear obama is throwing his hat in the ring to get a piece of the reward. after all he was responsible for OBL death.
Get ready for the next round. America keep your head on a swivel.
I don’t like Obama, but I have to give credit where it’s due and compliment him on pulling this off very nicely.However, we can’t lose sight of the fact that even a stopped clock is right twice a day!
With all the other things he is doing to this country that suck, he still doesn’t have my vote in 2012.
“He said not one word about the war in Iraq.”
He didn’t mention the war in afghanistan either, really. Or Libya. Or Iran. Or the Arab uprisings. He was talking about the killing of OBL. But the right will always find something to carp about.
“But the right will always find something to carp about.”
Someone is mirror imaging again….
Rifle 308
Wow. I find it interesting that all these media folks seem to think that the conclusion of the 9.5 year mission to get Bin Laden makes him a shoe-in for re-election.
While I praise the tenacity and professionalism of the intelligence agencies and Tier 1 operators that hunted this rat to ground, and acknowledge what a great achievement it is…
…what Barry is more responsible for, and that directly affects ALL of us on a daily basis, are the things like…
…$5.00 a gallon gas…
…20% hike in health insurance premiums over the past year…
…declining dollar…
…double digit unemployment…
etc., etc., etc.
We are WORSE off in all areas of life after 2.5 years of Barry and his Democrats.
I would not call that a “shoe in.”
Let me explain something to you.. Prices will continue to rise.. As prices rise every decade or even year.. It’s not 1920.. It’s 2011.. So crying about cost of gas will do nothing but dry out your tear ducts..
Technology is expanded.. everything will rise in price, and what will you do.. I mean you cannot tell anyone what to sell their merchandise for you cannot determine cost..
The art of business is the “profit”, if you are in business only to break even then get out of business.. A business is only as sucessful as it’s “profit”..
You cannot go in the grocercy store pick up a steak for $15 and tell the cashier, I should be paying $8 for this steak.. You don’t set the prices.. The government doesn’t set the prices..
America is a capitalist society..meaning that business’s have the right to compete.. Supply and Demand.. which gives it’s inhabitants the pursuit of happiness as anyone can start a business and sell.. There is no law that prevents this, as it is in other countries..
gee, GET A CLUE!
Of course the dollar is declining and the british pound is getting stronger.. I know you scream this isn’t fair.. But what’s the answer?
ONE WORLD CURRENCY
Hey, it’s coming soon!
But I sure don’t want to be here for it..
Uhm, is it just me or did 99% of the ‘get’ belong to military forces, the CIA etc., and not the President. He, as the commander-in-chief, just gave the go ahead that he was suppose to give. This says volumnes about our military. He was just in the right place at the right time to give the go ahead, anything else said about him and his ‘get’ is ingenuious at best.
It’s sad that ignorant people get to speak… You think all he said was “go” that’s all it takes? I can see you have never been a soldier and didn’t serve this country.. so probably shouldn’t even open your mouth about matters as such..
A soldier would say no such thing.. It’s more than the president saying “go” “OP orders have to be drafted” or “created”.. planning and strategy has to be in place.. the president does more than “go”.. it’s a joint effort..
I can barely stomach some of the I and me posturing underway, but what I find really disturbing is the opportunistic victory lap to Ground Zero on Thursday. Crass. With the tenth anniversary only a few months away, wouldn’t the decent thing be to wait until then? Oh, I just answered my own question.
In response to, “…the american public gets what is deserves”, please take note that, among that public are many individuals who, in fact, DO NOT DESERVE the oppression foisted upon them by their ignorant, amoral, stupid, criminal compatriots.
Here is the problem: There are many more evil people in the USA than good people. You can prove it by counting the votes. Even after discounting the votes of the ficticious, the dead, the aliens, the felons, those confined to asylums, the retarded, victory went to the Antisocial Personality-in-Chief
True, those wilfully ignorant, vicious, essentially evil persons do deserve to have the moslem messiah as their leader. But the rest of us do not. And we must find a legal, moral way to dispose of him before he destroys our economy and surrenders us to an islamic jihad.
Correction, sir! There are 6killings with deadly force (or weapons)/1000 inhabitants in the USA. While in Brazil (one of the world’s most violent country) there are 26 killings with deadly force (or weapons)/1000 inhabitants. USA is a law abiding nation, with a Constitution guaranteeing arbitration and justice. A third world, wretched nation like Brazil, without Constitutional guarantees, rampant corruption and a broken legal system has little or nothing to offer it’s citizenry.
“President Obama’s Great Victory in the War Against Terror: Let us Praise Him, and Put it in Perspective”
Obambi is like Truman in WWII, he stepped into the driver’s seat after it was already a done deal, with this important difference, Truman hadn’t spent years trying to undercut Roosevelt’s efforts to defeat Germany and Japan before he took over the presidency.
Or, to put it another way, creeps like Obama have done more over the years to help the terrorists than they have to defeat them.
I see you don’t get it.. Bush went into was on false pretense of Weapons.. and Saadam Hussein.. He left office.. It was not a operation in place to find bin laden.. That operation began when Obama got in office..
See you can’t just send people in.. There has to be operations.. Bush had no operation for bin laden.. The fact is Obama and his team planned and set up a great operation.. period.
From some sources it is related that the building in which OBL was killed was built around 2005 in Abbottabad some 30 miles from Islamabad, right out in the open, while Pakistan has been receiving some 1.5 billion in aid since 9/11.
Rather ironical then that many in the US have been attacking the loan guarantees and aid given to Israel which has through its research over the years provided American companies with immense wealth and technological advantages while always supporting the US politically, apart from building some apartments in Jerusalem.
For real thinkers of common sense logic, there is NO victory in the death of UBL. A feat….YES!
Taking out UBL is akin to taking out Americas military Joint Chief of Staff.
Approximately 14 plus years of developing heirarchy, structure and stragegy remains in place to continue.
A ‘victory’ is taking OUT all the components that feed the radical ‘ideology’ that drives these monsters of war(s).
Judge Napolitano said it perfectly, an unjust society will reap it’s ultimate demise.”O’s” ordering OBL killed violated (4) four international treaties and at the least (3) three Federal Statutes. A characteristic of this Administration’s actions are “act first, ask questions later.” I’m sure, we’re going to see a “ginning up” of Mr. “O’s” supporters for his re-election bid. If we’re going to trash our US Constitution by simply applying Fabian Socialistic philosophy to national and international trade, commerce and International Laws, we (the USA) will be no better than a third rate country…which we are engaged in becoming; legally, figuratively and in reality.
“Let us Praise Him”
Yeah, you do have to give the Great Black Dope some credit. After years spent doing everything he could to help terrorists, in an effort to get himself elected to high office, he was smart enough to abandon all his fake promises and stick with Bush’s policies once he got elected.
Great Black Dope? mmm.. what is the black stuff all about??
you people don’t get it.. know nothing of a military operation.. no nothing of proper procedure and planning.. The mission was covert. It had nothing to do with Bush.. This mission was not OIF or OEF..
“We soldiers don’t look for hi-fives and congratulations. We know mission is complete when targets are met.”
Good article by Robert Fisk in the Independent. His logical theory: Of course the Pakistani army and intelligence service knew where OBL was, and someone from either simply tipped off the US.
Makes a lot of sense. The Pakistani in question would be in mortal danger if his identity were known, so the US covered for him by putting out a story that long and arduous detective work finally paid off.