Yeah, We Got Him
So as you may have heard, President Obama managed to do in just 2 years what President Bush failed to do in 8. He got bin Laden.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
Saladin was right. It means nothing and everything.
It means nothing because bin Laden wasn't really in charge of anything or leading anyone. Al Qaeda isn't a monolithic organization with bin Laden at the top making plans and issuing directives. It's more like a franchised operation with each cell doing it's own thing.
Actually, even that is probably giving them too much credit. It's more like a Justin Bieber Fan Club. Anybody who wants to start a chapter can do so and there isn't really any oversight, control or even unity of purpose.
So killing bin Laden has no impact on al Qaeda.
But it also means everything because killing bin Laden is a symbolic end to the 9/11 saga. If 9/11 was Pearl Harbor, killing bin Laden was Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Bin Laden started it, we tracked him down and finished it.
It also means everything because it effectively closes the door on "old school terrorism". For over 20 years, radicals like bin Laden have sought out and corrupted disaffected Muslim youths by manipulating their faith in Islam and promising them martyrdom for killing infidels.
That tactic has completely failed. The terrorists have not accomplished a single one of their goals and people willing to shove a can of C4 up their ass are becoming fewer and farther between. Especially in the wake of the so called Arab Spring.
The youngest generation of Muslim youth are saying "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Just wait a fucking minute. You are offering me a better life by killing myself? I think I'd rather have a better life like the Egyptians by waving signs and yelling until the dictator leaves. Thanks, but no thanks! You can shove that C4 up your own ass!"
The Muslim world is changing and they would much rather have peace and prosperity in this world than 72 virgins in the next.
REPUBLICAN HYPOCRISY
Obama had barely been sworn in as President before Republicans started telling everyone "Don't blame the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan on Bush! Obama is Commander in Chief now! The Buck Stops With Him! These are his wars now!"
But as soon as it was announced that Obama, as Commander in Chief, had ordered Seal Team Six to cross into Pakistan, secure bin Laden's compound and that Obama had personally given the authorization to take bin Laden out, those same Republicans started crying FOUL! "Obama can't take credit for getting bin Laden! Bush did that! He started it so he gets the credit for killing bin Laden!"
You can't have it both ways, fuckwads! Suck it up and swallow it! Bush failed to get bin Laden.. Obama didn't. Obama got the job done!
NOT EXACTLY A CAVE MAN
The popular narrative has been that bin Laden was "on the run" and cowering in caves along the rugged Afghanistan/Pakistan border, unable to poke his turban-wrapped head out for even a minute lest a Predator Drone spot him and ass-rape him with a couple of Hellfire missiles!
But that turned out not to be the case. He was hiding in plain site, in a house better than yours, and living cushy comfort! I'll let David Graham of The Daily Beast describe it:
"The location came as a surprise to many: Abbottabad is the center of Pakistan’s military training, and it’s just over 30 miles from Islamabad, the nation’s capital, as the crow flies: at first glance, an unlikely location for a wanted fugitive. But the compound where bin Laden was found offered some key clues as to who might be inhabiting it.
It was largest home around, and its inhabitants reportedly kept to themselves and kept the house incredibly well fortified. American intelligence officials were shocked to discover the compound’s elaborate security. Photos reveal a drab, boxy white house, but one surrounded by high walls, ranging from 12 to 18 feet tall and topped with barbed wire. The mansion was valued at around $1 million, but had no telephone or Internet service—although it did have a large satellite dish. Besides the building itself, a large perimeter was marked off with high walls. In one part of the yard, residents reportedly burned their trash, presumably to avoid detection, while neighbors set theirs out for curbside collection.
The mansion, now ravaged and partly burnt, is relatively new, having been built in 2005. Despite the precautions the residents had taken, its size immediately led U.S. officials to conclude that it had been built as a haven for a high-profile target—perhaps specifically for bin Laden himself. “We were shocked by what we saw: an extraordinarily unique compound, that sits on a large plot of land, relatively secluded, and which is eight times larger than other homes in area," one official told Yahoo News.
There are around a dozen homes nearby, but it was by far the largest and tallest, with its three stories sticking up for some distance amid a landscape of wheat and vegetable fields. None of its windows faced the street, and there was even a privacy wall around a terrace.
In addition to its size, the compound’s proximity to the Pakistan Military Academy has raised eyebrows. The two complexes are just a couple miles apart, and CNN reported that just a week ago Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, chief of the Pakistani Army, had told graduating cadets that the “back of terrorism” in the country had been broken. It’s a stunning juxtaposition—analogous to one of America’s most wanted criminals hiding out minutes from West Point."
So while Americans were cowering in fear of the boogieman bin Laden, he was living in safety, comfort and luxury under the apparent protection of three regiments of the Pakistan Army.
SEAL TEAM SIX
But bin Laden's life of luxury ended as he was abruptly introduced to Seal Team Six.
"The members of Team 6 are all "black" operatives. They exist outside military protocol, engage in operations that are at the highest level of classification and often outside the boundaries of international law. To maintain plausible deniability in case they are caught, records of black operations are rarely, if ever, kept."
Remember Christian Bale's Batman in "The Dark Knight"? Seal Team Six is like a whole team of Batmans, armed to the teeth with the best firepower the American Military Industrial Complex can manufacture and with no silly code against killing.
And everyone of them carries a wallet just like this.
Apparently the technique they used to take out bin Laden was the venerable "double tap"."One of the dead was Osama bin Laden, done in by a double tap -- boom, boom -- to the left side of his face."
Here, I'll let Mark Zuckerberg explain.
My big question is, which one of those bad motherfuckers stared down the barrel of his assault rifle and double-tapped bin Laden? Trot that bad boy out! Let's have a parade and pin a medal on him! He'll be the biggest hero since Audie Murphy!
2012
I honestly don't see much point in even having an election in 2012. The economy is on the mend, everyone I know who used to be out of work has a job again. And bin Laden is dead. That's really the only campaign ad Obama will need.
"Yo, Republicans, I'm really happy for you and Ima let you finish, but, I got bin Laden."
Game over.
Although you wouldn't think it's even possible, all the Republicans can do is embarrass themselves even further. They already look small, inconsequential, petulant and whiny. Every time they open their mouths they just diminish themselves further.
They should just give up and get used to Obama serving 2 full terms.
Posts
15 comments:
How's that fruit of the poison tree taste?
It's looking like the info that lead to Bin Ladens demise was obtained through the water boarding back in 07. If I recall correctly, you were calling for prosecution of much of the Bush admin for torture and war crimes, or something to that effect. None of us can have it both ways xo. You cant condemn the tactics of the Bush era, then gloat about Obamas success which was reliant upon the tactics you detested so strongly in the not too distant past. At the end of the day, Obama has for the most part continued Bush era policy in terms of the "War" on terrorism.
The more things change, the more shit stays the same.
MM - I've only heard that claim made by 1 Republican who I'm not sure would even be in a position to know such details making that claim while pandering to the Faux News viewers.
I haven't seen or heard any credible evidence that torture was used to obtain any meaningful information.
I actually heard it on NPR first. CNN too, I think or fox. Lets see if it turns out to be true, I have a hunch it will. Either way, Obama won't win on the Bin Laden ticket , and the economy sucks balls as does the job market. Your boy is far from having the next election wrapped up. Plenty of time for shit to go sour between now and then. I think your loathing for the right has clouded your usually semi clear thought process, or something.
these virtual blowjobs you type in every other post (I am surprised you didn't thank obama for the great morel season)mean only one thing-you are insecure and keep trying to convince yourself that you voted for the right guy 3 years ago. taking credit for OBL is fine but everyone knows it had nothing to do with obama and/or bush, these agencies are doing what they are tasked to do and then just tell the president what happened, or he finds out in the news when they fucked up. just like Roosevelt dealt with most of wwii but truman got to make the victory announcement, this is just a case of good/bad timing.
lastly, I have no doubt that obama gets a second term, no one is running against him with any kind of presidential potential.not that you should be too happy, he didn't do much of what he promised, starting with his presidential order number one -gitmo and ending with (insert your own lame thing here).so relax, and give your virtual mouth a rest
here is a non-fox non-republican link to the torture quote
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=13512344
According to this AP report, the water boarding of KSM had nothing to do with this operation.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_bin_laden_hunt_for_bin_laden
"Mohammed did not discuss al-Kuwaiti while being subjected to the simulated drowning technique known as waterboarding, former officials said. He acknowledged knowing him many months later under standard interrogation, they said, leaving it once again up for debate as to whether the harsh technique was a valuable tool or an unnecessarily violent tactic."
I give credit to Obama for making the decision to take Osama out the specific way they did and most of all for doing it without Pakistan's knowledge. We've tried to buy their support and it hasn't worked. He basically gave them the big finger and along with that the very real threat that they'll be damn lucky to get one red cent in the future. I'll bet there was one person who pushed this approach hardest and I'll bet that person was Hillary Clinton. Kudos to Hillary! She knows how to tell time (3'o clock in the morning).
Midtown and Meesha have said the rest.
It is the Democrats who are being most hypocritical in this most recent episode (though as usual, there's plenty to go around on both sides).
For years they (you) condemned the war, the secret prisons, the "special interrogations" and constitutional abuses but now when their guy does it, they're all "USA! USA! 4 More Years!"
I note that we're still in 3 wars, one of which B.O. got us in to, and the rationalizations are already starting as to why we should now stay in Afghanistan.
I predicted 3 years ago that BO would be a two-term president, but it has nothing to do with OBL. It's because all presidents (with very few exceptions) are two-term presidents.
emawkc - I have yet to see any credible evidence that torture or extreme rendition were the source of any of the intelligence that led to bin Laden.
In fact, it appears that just plain, old fashioned intelligence work over the course of many years did the trick.
I'll go on record and say that I do not think that capturing or killing bin Laden could justify extreme interrogation.
Especially now. Osama bin Laden ceased to be a threat to us years ago. He was no more of a threat than Saddam Hussein was.
Taking out bin Laden was strictly a feel-good, symbolic victory.
And yes, it was illegal.
Virtually everything Seal Team Six and the Army Delta Force does is illegal. That's why no one knows who they are instead of dressing them up in Super Hero costumes and parading them in front of everybody.
Well, you're an idiot 'cause, as our Savior Ed Wood
pointed-out,
"All you [us] of Earth are idiots!"
So is Obama going to get us out of these meaningless wars now.
After all, since he gets the credit for getting Bin Laden, they are also HIS WARS?
And yet he just goes on and on.
By the way, loser, the economy is not "on the mend".
You Democrat swill is poisoning your mind.
Raytown Hack Legal Eagle and Mold Expert.
"I have yet to see any credible evidence that torture or extreme rendition were the source of any of the intelligence that led to bin Laden."
That's because you don't pay attention to my twitter feed... http://bit.ly/m6Agoa
The economy is on the mend? Seriously?! MODot just announced they are laying off 1200 people, Obama wants to tax people on the number of miles they drive, and unemployment is still absurdly high 2 years into the whole "hope & change" administration.
Businesses are changing "full time" status from 40 hours to 30 hours. Some local towns have cut their employees' hours down to 35/week. So on top of high gas/food prices, many people who are still employed are taking a 5-10% pay cut.
If you honestly think the economy is "on the mend" then you are extremely delusional.
BO had nothing to do with the death of OBL. These were an elite band of Navy Seals that BO wasn't even going to pay 2 weeks ago. He will probably get another Nobel Peace Prize for AGAIN, doing nothing. As far as the economy improving. I hardly think McDonalds hiring 5000 people nation wide is an answer to the problem.
First, Bush abandoned the hunt for bin Laden early on. Have we all forgotten the "I don't think about him much" comment? The guy was a douchbag.
Interesting that the anti-Obama folks in this thread have forgotten the the President has pulled about 100,000 troops out of Iraq.
I think the psychological pre-req for our getting out of Afghanistan was killing bin Laden. With that done, he will have more freedom to draw down there too. The main part of leadership is getting folks to willingly follow you. The crazy GOP-style leadership is just terrify and bamboozle the country into a minefield (ie, Iraq) and hope that it all works out.
As for the "three wars" thing, the Libya deal hardly qualifies as a war. We did what we could to keep Qadafi committing from mass-slaughter, and we got the Europeans to own most of that deal. That deal is only brought up by folks looking for thing to bitch about Obama with.
I think some of the folks commenting here let their dislike of Obama deny any of his achievements. It won't matter. He'll most likely win next year, and I look forward to his next term, when the 2012 election is behind him.
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