Deader than a Doornail
Just released: Osama Bin Laden has been killed in a CIA operation. US ground forces were involved. The USA is in possession of his body. DNA testing was be done.
The President is due to speak soon. Updates to this post will be supplied as information becomes available.
The impact on the troops will be tremendous, according to military spokespersons.
The man-hunt is over but we must continue to be vigilent. We can never let our guard down. The war against Al Qada is not over.
The President’s Speech:
@Starryflights Even a broken clock is right twice a day, so I will grant you that it is a great day to be President.
According to the latest reports from ABC News, it was Khalid Sheikh Mohammed who gave up the nicknames of four couriers that eventually led to UBL’s demise. If true, it has to be the ultimate irony that one of the strongest critics of Gitmo and harsh interrogation techniques (Obama) is the President who, as a result, was able to use this intelligence to take out Bin Laden.
@Kelly3406 I imagine he’ll be just as generous with credit to George Bush for the success that resulted from these methodologies as he is with blame for anything he has not been able to accomplish yet.
Can we not just accept that this was an “American” victory? I assure you that the serious effort to locate Bin Laden’s lair did not begin with an order from President Obama to Leon Panetta in June 2009. In fact, the final and definitive identification of the key courier took place in 2007-2008 (couriers are one of the critical places you look when trying to track down a terrorist organization). Following that courier’s spoor to Bin Laden took time and hard clandestine work, especially on operational turf which is not exactly friendly and where your local liaison “friends” cannot always be trusted. That was one Hell of a piece of work by our Clandestine Service officers and their sources in a situation where mistakes and/or betrayal can mean your own death. And all praise as well to the SEAL team, our ultimate warriors and champions who go where others may fear to go. Do not look at this with political eyes. Everyone involved, from the very top to the bottom of the chain of command and all through those years of work was one thing and one thing alone: an American working to the best of his or her ability for country and countrymen.
Where President Obama appears to deserve applause, in my opinion, is for acting exactly like a C-in-C must act when there is a change of command and the goals of the mission remain essentially the same. From what I have read thus far, the C-in-C went to the troops, affirmed their mission, and promised them his full backing and support. And, even more, he must have promised them that, when they came up finally with the actionable intelligence, HE would see to it that action was taken. That is all the Clandestine Service needs. Ronald Reagan did that in my time. George W. Bush did it after 9/11. And Obama did the same. Moreover, he fulfilled his promise by pulling the trigger as he apparently said he would do. You cannot ask for more. An “American” victory that took time because these things are seldom easily or quickly accomplished.
Might I add that, while you celebrate this notable victory, do not let down your guard. Al-Qaeda is far different than many another terrorist organization. Through operational dispersal it seems to have become a Hydra, a serpent with many heads. In bringing Osama bin Laden to justice, we have managed to cut off the head of the birth mother. The offspring are still out there. Depending on the reactions of those offspring, this war may not be over by any stretch. I think the President knows that all too well.
The current members of DevGru will soon become legendary. They will finally answer the age old question….Can a man ever drink too much free beer and tire of too much freely offered sex.
@Moon-howler
I’m going to wait until its warm….and drink A LOT of beer
@Cargo, you let me know when it happens.
@Wolverine, Only one person got real political and that person is taking a vacation from this blog. I believe most Americans are celebrating Bin Laden’s demise without much thought to the politics of terrorism. And one can never stop celebrating the greatness of the US military.
Proud of my USN Bros…
http://www.gettingaround.org
@Wolverine Hopefully this move wasn’t largely symbolic and needlessly provocative. But right now it feels damned good!!!
@Elena
Well said, Elena. The way the burial was handled is a demonstration that our military is not made up of terrorists.
I don’t think celebrating death is good. I think we can remember those who suffered and still suffer and be thankful they might feel at least a little relief that justice has been served. The rest we should leave to the Great Spirit and Karma which have a way of dealing with dead terrorists and murderers.
Trump wants to see Osama’s Death Certificate. I suppose the WH could even release the photos of Osama’s head blown apart, and certain folks will still doubt. So let’s see what’s next. We’ve got a golden opportunity to say “we did what we came here for” and leave Afghanistan…let’s see how smart our leaders from both sides of the aisle really are.
@Slow
Agreed. Time to leave. Great opportunity.
@Bruce Roemmelt
I don’t care who ya are…that’s funny right there…..
Go Navy! Buy sailors a beer!
Oh, not because of the Seals. Just because that should be the default action! 😉