There has been some debate over how much credit President Obama — who ultimately pulled the trigger — should get for killing Osama bin Laden versus Bush who set up all the methods of the war on terror that Obama ultimately followed. Let’s do a scorecard!
Now, Obama definitely gets some credit. He okayed the operation which could have ended very poorly considering they were going into Pakistan without permission. He also apparently insisted on getting people there on the ground and not just bombing the compound to make sure we could get confirmation that Osama was killed. So at least two really good points in his favor.
As for Bush’s credit, it looks like the information used to find Osama was obtained from someone held at Guantanamo. Also, it looks likely that the information was obtained by “enhanced interrogation techniques” — as Leon Panetta tellingly won’t deny that it was. And the big break in finding Osama may have been obtained by someone captured in Iraq. And, finally, the people who ultimately killed Osama were THE DICK CHENEY ASSASSINATION SQUAD!
So, adding that all up it is:
Obama 2, Bush 4
And I’m being pretty generous to Obama since I’m not deducting points for being against Gitmo, against waterboarding, and against going into Iraq. I don’t know if Obama was against the Dick Cheney Assassination Squad, but even if someone is super liberal, it’s hard to imagine him being against something so awesome! I also guess that’s why they won’t release video of the raid on the compound, because seeing Osama taken out by guys riding dinosaurs and armed with laser cannons would be a sight too awesome for a civilian to handle.
“It’s surprising what you can accomplish when no one is concerned about who gets the credit ” – Reagan
“It’s surprising what accomplishments you can take credit for when the press
is too busy humping your leg to be concerned
about who did anything before 1-21-2009” – Obama
Well, now it’s coming out that, at the very least, Obama took 16 hours – and had to “sleep on it?” – before making the no-brainer decision to get Osama. And, according to Atlas Shrugs, may have been trying to kill the mission…which would be very plausible:
http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/2011/05/skulking-towards-bin-laden-obama-overridden-by-military-and-intel-officials-in-takeout-of-obl.html
Kudos to our Commanders and Chief…present and past. 100% of credit goes to the USA!
“guys riding dinosaurs and armed with laser cannons would be a sight too awesome for a civilian to handle.”
Actually the Obamaites were ok with all of that but the “Vader’s Raiders” tats and shoulder patches were too numerous to edit out.
“guys riding dinosaurs and armed with laser cannons would be a sight too awesome for a civilian to handle.”
Actually the Obamaites were ok with all of that but the “Vader’s Raiders” tats and shoulder patches were too numerous to edit out.
I’m with Conservatarian and Frank J. They both get credit, and the entire country gets credit. I’ll take some amount of credit. Plus, I don’t want to be like liberals who hate George Bush so much that they could fault him for any action, no matter how successful.
The problem with taking credit is that yo have to pay it back….
Kudos to everyone involved, even the guys who feed the dinosaurs. Dinosaurs can get mighty hungry.
Considering he just back-tracked on the photo, I say give credit where it’s due.
Thank you, Hillary, for having the balls to push that wimp into killing bin Laden. But you should have let the world see the demystified picture of bin Laden. So, while I’m ticked at that, I do apprecaite someone in the administration has balls.
Apparently Panetta issued the kill order while Obama dithered. Indeed, Obama was dragged in off the golf course and then informed the mission had begun. See: http://socyberty.com/issues/white-house-insider-obama-hesitated-panetta-issued-order-to-kill-osama-bin-laden/
I can’t wait to find out who else was being hidden in that Pakistani compound. Amelia Earhart? The Lindberg baby? Bigfoot?
Makes perfect sense to me. Risk the lives of the Navy Seals so that we can get proof that he’s dead rather than just drop the bombs. Then, quickly dispose of the body and hide the photos so there’s no proof. Obama just bein’ Obama.
Son of Bob, we could go on for a while on this, but I believe the use of the SEALs instead of a bomb was the right call. I think most U.S. Presidents would have acted similarly.
The only aggravation I find from this entire matter is the left looking upon what appears to be Obama’s mistake (Waiting sixteen hours) as a sign of his utmost strength, calm, and brilliance.
@Marko,
I’m okay with using the Seals as well, as long as we’re actually going to release the proof that these guys risked their lives to get.
At this point, does a member of this administration saying that he or she has seen photos, the body, etc. have any validity whatsoever to anyone in the world? Nope. And, whatever happened to the idea of news media carrying news…instead of just select propaganda that they think we can handle?
The killing occurred during Obama’s watch. Big deal! Giving him credit for it is like giving Truman credit for VE Day after Churchill, FDR, Stalin, and their troops had done all the dirty work against Hitler.
If BO deserves credit for this kill, then Andrew Johnson deserves credit for saving the Union and destroying slavery. The day Lincoln died, General Johnston’s Confederate Army of Tennessee was still in the field, as were General Kirby Smith’s Trans-Missssippi forces. Pitched battles continued through July 1865, and the 13th Amendment wasn’t passed until Reconstruction, during JOHNSON’s presidency.
how about also giving Bush some credit for making Bin Laden’s organization irrelevant and ineffective at killing Americans LONG before he was found. It’s great we got him and all, but like Rumsfeld said, Bin Laden’s ability to harm Americans had been neutralized long ago. He existed for most of the last 10 years as a celebrity fugitive without any real power or influence. When he was found, he was just a poster boy. Sure he was guilty, sure we’d all like to see him dead, but how important was it for national security? Not very. We have only Bush and the strategies of his administration to thank for that. By the time Bin Laden was found, he was nothing more than a trophy to hold up and brag about – and not a 1st place or even 2nd place trophy, but “Participant”.
So Obama should get some credit too. Congratulations, Participant.
Obama should also get credit (if we are to believe his version of events) for assembling a military team, ordering them to enter a sovereign foreign territory without permission or even notice, and ordering the assassination of a foreign national AFTER that foreign national was taken into custody and was unarmed. A foreign national that his administration refused to refer to as terrorism, and refused to acknowledge that we’re even at war. That being said, this should have been classified as a police action to take an accused criminal into custody. Obama should then also get the credit for being judge, jury, and executioner. How every liberal of him.
The alternative was, of course, to take him into custody and put him on trial using the same limp-wristed liberal methods they insisted on when Bush was in charge –
The trial wouldn’t have lasted 5 minutes with a decent ACLU lawyer.
Lawyer, “Your honor, my client was abducted at gunpoint from a foreign territory, without extradition proceedings”
Judge, “Case dismissed. Mr. Bin Laden, you are free to go. Feel free to file a multi-billion dollar lawsuit. Also, please get Seal Team 6 in here to face charges for their actions.”
Obama doesn’t get credit because he doesn’t have a PIN.
Wait. Yes he does. A PINHEAD.
Kudos to Obama for approving this mission…
…but he could only see Osama from his house,
because he was standing on the shoulders of GW Bush .
and Cheney’s Armored Dinosaurs.
Geronimo deserves some credit too, the operation couldn’t have happened without him..
Has anyone thanked KSM, down in GITMO?!
Pass the word to the rest of the boys down there. OBL’s in Hell!
Their leader is probably having second thoughts right about now about his career choice.
In this age of PC the use of the name ‘Geronimo’ has some people upset> http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/2011/05/04/2011-05-04_code_name_geronimo_white_house_stays_mum_about_bin_ladens_code_name_native_ameri.html
Those SEALs spoiled my plan to get all the credit for being the first person to read Osama his Miranda rights…Mr. Bin Laden you have the right to remain silent. Anything you say or do can and will be held against you in the court of law, etc, etc. But noooo! They had to go and shoot him! Oh well, at least I still have Arizona to f**k with…….Eric Holder, foiled again, Washington DC.
Lastly, I’d like to thank all the little people who helped make this possible by dying at the behest and encouragement by US and Allied forces. Thank you dead enemies!
I score Bush 7 to Obama 0: Obama fiddled for months forcing as many as 5 meetings with the joint chiefs of staff even though they already knew where bin Ladin was located since August (for 8 months). Obama was UNWILLING to give the order and dawdled and waited. The only reason he relented was because of political pressure as now hundreds in intel by then knew they had bin Ladin’s location and it would have blown his 2012 election if someone in intelligence leaked he had flushed down the toilet the opportunity to get bin Ladin just like President Clinton refused, so he had no choice but to concede and give the order to flush the rat out of the hole and as soon as the great deed was done and the cheers rang up Obama went from being angry and annoyed about being dragged off the golf course into the situation room to puffing his chest and chin out and setting to make speeches how he alone was THE ONE who arranged it all and now plans to dance with spotlights on him at ground zero tomorrow for more endless shameless campaigning to a select few of the relatives of the dead from 9/11 so there will be no boos. It makes me sick. Thank God President Bush and Rudy Guiliani refused the invite to be at such a phony scene. Obama is treasonous, is phony, and deserves -O no credit. Bush deserves 7 because it is a lucky number and Bush did a great job.