Yesterday I analyzed what went right with regards to the killing of Osama Bin Laden. Today I will look at what either went wrong, or has the potential to be very wrong.
First let me again state that President Obama did virtually everything right with regards to the mission. Conservatives can praise him because we are not motivated by blind hatred of the man. The left should try this approach with George W. Bush and see if they can upgrade him to human status. If they cannot find anything positive thing to say about him regarding the War on Terror, then they need to look inward and see how far down in the depths they have sunk.
Both Mr. Bush and Mr. Obama contributed to the killing of Bin Laden. Only hyper-partisans would deny this.
Now while Mr. Obama got much right, there are some concerns.
He needs to release the photos showing a dead Bin Laden. I can understand waiting a couple of days so as not to spoil the initial jubilation. Yet unless there is proof that Osama’s death certificate was swapped with Osama’s birth certificate and both were secretly born in Israel to Orthodox Jews, what is the delay? If Mr. Obama has a national security reason, he should tell us what he can without compromising sensitive information. The photos may be gruesome, but we need to see them.
No, I do not think the death was faked and that Bin Laden is playing shuffleboard on a cruise ship near Palm Beach. So just release the pictures.
One area of criticism with Mr. Obama I am going to dial down is his lack of graciousness with Mr. Bush. He was totally right to call Mr. Bush after the mission was completed before the general public knew. Yet he was wrong to not be more gracious toward Mr. Bush in his nine minute speech to the nation.
I am dialing down this criticism because Mr. Obama did call Mr. Bush again and invite him to participate in a ceremony on Thursday at Ground Zero. Thursday, May 5th is the National Day of Prayer. I want to see in the coming months if Mr. Obama can finally put his animosity toward Mr. Bush aside. It would actually raise his own standing if he did, and disarm his conservative critics on the issue. Time will tell.
What Mr. Obama may get wrong regarding Bin Laden is that so far there is no hint that he will use this successful operation as a precedent. He could kill Khadafi in Libya and Assad in Syria tomorrow, and be totally justified in doing so. He should repeal the executive order banning the targeted killings of foreign leaders.
Syria is a tougher case to make because they did not directly attack the United States. Mr. Obama could simply watch Benjamin Netanyahu do the deed from Israel and then stay silent. Getting out of the way is good enough. George W. Bush gave Ariel Sharon a virtually free hand in dealing with Arafat, and this was proper.
Libya should have been carpet-bombed every day since Reagan did it in 1986. Khadafi did murder Americans over Lockerbie, Scotland. There is no statute of limitations on murder. Mr. Obama has every right to take out Khadafi, and he should do it. His reasons for killing Bin Laden apply very well to Khadafi.
Another thing that Mr. Obama is definitely getting wrong is his refusal to acknowledge that the George W. Bush War on Terror policies are right. They absolutely must be kept in place. Karl Rove labeled seven things that the Bush Administration did.
1.) Al Qaeda were treated as enemy combatants, not common criminals.
2.) Rendition.
3.) Enhanced interrogation techniques. They are not torture. (John McCain is a hero. That does not automatically make it unpatriotic to disagree with him on this issue.)
4.) Military tribunals. No more civilian trials for terrorists.
5.) Guantanamo Bay.
6.) Donald Rumsfeld transforming the military.
7.) Intelligence reform. The Chinese walls set up by Clinton appointee Jamie Gorelick had to come down.
Mr. Obama cannot have it both ways. He cannot take credit for killing Mr. Bin Laden while disavowing the Bush policies that allowed for the process to get to the final stage.
Congressman Peter King stated that waterboarding of Khalid Sheik Mohammed absolutely was use dto obtain the nickname of a courier who Bin Laden trusted. Even the liberal Washington Post back Congressman King.
Liberal radio host Alan Colmes appeared as a guest of Bill O’Reilly and piously declared that Donald Rumsfeld disputed the claim made by Mr. King. Yet one hour later, Rumsfeld told Sean Hannity that he never said that. What he said was that nobody was waterboarded at Gitmo. People were waterboarded and then later brought to Gitmo. This is a far cry from saying waterboarding did not yield the intelligence information. Mr. Rumsfeld absolutely backed Mr. King, and Mr. Colmes should admit he screwed up. As Warner Wolf used to say, “Let’s go to the videotape.”
Mr. Obama has to know deep down that coercive interrogation methods cannot be ruled out. Therefore, he should not allow liberal ideology to get in the way of sound policy. He must continue these policies.
He got the Bin Laden killing right because policies set up by Mr. Bush did not handcuff him. Yet Mr. Obama has handcuffed himself over the past couple of years, resulting in the dreadful decision to initially have KSM receive a trial in New York. This political correctness has led to Fort Hood, the Christmas Day Bomber, and other plots that were total security failures. Dumb blind luck prevented tragedy in some cases.
As for American liberals, they are as hypocritical as ever on this issue. They have two options. They can call for Mr. Obama to be impeached for war crimes (an idiotic idea). Or they can admit that sometimes presidents need to take drastic measures to save American lives. Even better, they could choose a “third way” and just say that everything in life is acceptable as long as a liberal is doing it, while conservatives are evil for doing the same things. Heck, the left does this now.
Politics used to stop at the water’s edge. Now it only does when conservatives are defending liberal presidents. The favor is never returned as conservative presidents get accused by liberal leaders of war crimes.
The lazy liberal slobs in the media must ask Mr. Obama exactly what he plans to do regarding these policies. He must give clear answers. He must not be allowed to take a victory lap while placing us at future risk.
Mr. Obama and liberals have also gotten wrong the attitude of the Arab Muslim world in the Middle East. Bin Laden is dead. They are showing zero gratitude. Apparently Barack Obama and George W. Bush are the same to them. American liberals may wish to pretend to grasp this. We need to stop kissing backsides and start kicking them. The George W. Bush “boot up their @ss” strategy is the right way.
Mr. Obama and liberals continue to be clueless about the attitude of the Palesimians. Hamas is yelling for revenge. That is a declaration of war. Obliterate all of the Hamas leadership now. Kill them all and let God declare them his worst mistake. There is no reason a single Hamas leader should be among the living right now. They are the same savages who handed out candy after 9/11.
Other people who got things wrong were useless, harmless, but still worthy of derision.
The American Indian community complained that the CIA used the code name “Geronimo” for Bin Laden. They are offended. I am offended that they would focus on utter stupidity. I am not interested in their feelings on this one. Let them name a newborn son “CIA Cracker” and call it even. I have nothing against American Indians. I loathe political correctness. Perhaps the American military should no longer defend them since soldiers yell “Geronimo” when jumping out of planes. I am more worried about those trying to blow up planes. American Indians know about being killed. They should focus on preserving life.
Priests who criticized those for “excessive celebrations” should become NFL referees and ruin that as well. The jubilation was totally appropriate. Celebrating justice is not celebrating murder.
Mr. Obama will see his deserved bounce in the polls evaporate in a couple of weeks when the glow fades. This happens to all presidents. Mr. Obama, contrary to MSNBC reports, is mortal.
Lastly, American liberals need to stop babbling about coming together and civility until they truly learn to mean it. George W. Bush loyally served his country. He was not a liar, warmonger, murderer, war criminal, or traitor. Those claiming he is are beyond the ability to engage in reasonable dialogue.
I am obsessed with combatting ideological bigotry, and the death of Bin Laden is another opportunity for leftists and Islamists to stop despising conservative Republicans and Judeo-Christian Westerners respectively.
When a liberal is told that the right rallied behind Obama while the left will not to this day, do that for Bush, the left has their simple, snide, smug answer.
“Mr. Obama deserves the praise. Mr. Bush deserves the scorn.”
After all, anybody disagreeing with this is either evil or an imbecile.
If the left does not give Mr. Bush his due, they will be the worst of all possible people. They will benefit from his actions while disavowing them simultaneously.
In a situation where much was done right, this is the biggest wrong. If the left ever decides to let policy trump politics, we will all benefit.
eric
“Both Mr. Bush and Mr. Obama contributed to the killing of Bin Laden. Only hyper-partisans would deny this.”
Yes. But not everything Bush nor Obama did helped us accomplish this.
“He needs to release the photos showing a dead Bin Laden.”
Maybe. Personally, I like the way he’s playing it. He can do the right thing even if it’s for selfish purposes. I’d swear the administration is planning the leaks of the photos over the next year-and-a-half or so. That’s politics for ya’. Mark my words… ;)
“He could kill Khadafi in Libya and Assad in Syria tomorrow, and be totally justified in doing so.”
Nooooo….. He’d be breaking both American and international law. If Khadafi happened to be killed during a NATO strike, then okay, that’s one thing. But if Obama pulled this OBL sort of operation on Khadafi and Assad, he’d be jumping way over the Constitutional line.
Neither Khadafi nor Assad ever directed a hit on America anything like 9/11. Constitutionally, the President may not attack another country or foreign target, except some maritime, without the direct consent of Congress. Congress long ago gave consent for this operation.
Here’s the crux of the failure of Rove’s argument:
“1.) Al Qaeda were treated as enemy combatants, not common criminals.
2.) Rendition.
3.) Enhanced interrogation techniques. They are not torture. (John McCain is a hero. That does not automatically make it unpatriotic to disagree with him on this issue.)
4.) Military tribunals. No more civilian trials for terrorists.
5.) Guantanamo Bay.
6.) Donald Rumsfeld transforming the military.
7.) Intelligence reform. The Chinese walls set up by Clinton appointee Jamie Gorelick had to come down.”
1) It doesn’t seem to have mattered. Do you have proof otherwise? No. You don’t.
2) Rendition had nothing to do with it. See above.
3) No. They had nothing to do with it. He’re wrong. It’s a lie. It’s all well known by now. He needs to read honest sources of news.
4) Whatever. Irrelevent again.
5) See above.
6) What???
7) Maybe.
What a wierd set of thoughts. Karl Rove is a lunatic.
JMJ
Probably, the location and subsequent killing of Ladin was more
due to the intelligence skills of the CIA Director, than anything
Obama did (other than approving a very risky operation).
Look, this mission almost failed..had the other helicopter also
ran into the ground. It was chat close. And what if the security
at the compound was a little better? Yes, Bin Ladin was caught
off guard, and didn’t wear a suicide vest. Had he done so,
no DNA, no verifiable proof. The fact that his wife confirmed
who he was..ah come on.
You know, Saddam Hussein had many doubles. Maybe, just maybe,
this guy killed was a double, DNA can be wrong you know. (Look
at the OJ farce).
Criminals and murderers make mistakes, and when they do,
it can be all over with.
Dumping him at sea, oh well. Some Muslims clerics are saying
this still violated Muslim burial rituals.
If he wasn’t armed, one can use the excuse of national security.
But isn’t that flimsy?
But, I am glad he is dead. There are others in the volitle M.E.
who are far more dangerous..like the leader of Iran..and Syria
to some extent.
Both of these people have killed far more than Osama could
dream.
A team of navy seals assassinating Alhadm..not that is
an accomplishment.
The Israelis use targeted assassinations..to the disapproval of
the I Love Arab crowd and hate Jews. It woiks guys.
Speaking of Arabs, hows bout those Hamas people. They say
they are in an infoirmal truce with their neighbors. So, why
the fuss over the unity?
Well, for starters, now the borders ( Egypt ) are open all day,
allowing smuggling of rockets and guerrillas unabated and
not observed. Does anyone think they wont get tanks, etc.
from Iran or Egypt for that matter?
Israel has been kind enough to allow humanitarian shipments
through their port of Ashdod into Gaza. Now what, should they
continue with Hamas openly stating its goals?
And what about the flotillas? Will they try to break the embargo
which is now moot?
W/O a land strip between the Strip and W. Bank, the Pales
aree still divided physically. Will they demand that strip
through the UNs creation of a state.
Isn’t Jordan really the authentic Pales state?
The losers (Pales) are now the winners in all 10 conflicts.
There were Pales irregulars among the Egyptian armies
in 48, 67 and 73. They chanced it and lost.
Lets assume the reverse..the Pales had won but one war.
Read Michael Oren’s account of what would have happened.
Yet there are liberal voices in the USA who beleve
the US “ungualified support” for Israel is aggravating
the Arab worlds attitude towards US and all the consequences
are derived from that.
Just watch PBS sometimes. It has hosts who like to interview
leftists and people who make their incomes faulting US Arab-Muslim
policies for all our troubles. If not for those stiff necked you know who.
How care they defend themselves? How dare they go against history and fight back? Why arent they “nice Jewish boys” and stop brying to
be fighters?”.
I recently watched a TV documentary showing a Ukrainian Russian
teenage girls experiences during the WW@ invasion of her village.
It surprised me how many SS men were used to line up innocent
people, put them into a pit, or at the edge, and simply fire on them.
Then sand or dirt was thrown over them to hide the bodies.
She survived by slepping with a Ukranian 20 year old.who saved
her and her family from the Krauts.
Oh how fast we forget, except of course Hamas which wants
to repeat WW2.
Is Obama and the liberals responsible for Hamas one might ask?
Yes, he could simply say, no to a Pales state with Hamas in the
government. He could force negotiations between the two sides.
He could back this up with deeds.
And yes, he could station a division of US marines in Israel.
Now that would be something to behold. On second thought
they might get in the way.
However, Bush did make one mistake. We should have
set up a care-taker government in Iraq within 3 months
and left the Arabs to kill one another, which they did
anyway.
I watched a PBS documentary the other day filmed in
northern Afghanistan. One thing, their militants are enthusiastic
about killing Infidels (Christians) and Jews.
Are you watching liberals? Stay tuned, you havent seen anything
yet.
Rendition…the greatest asset we have.
Trying the murderers in military courts, the 2nd greatest.
I have stopped counting how many of Obamas’ promises
he has violated. Are you observing David Axelrod?
That raid which killed Obama could have failed, and big time.
It was as close as a loose screw on the other copter.
The entire compound should have been bombed and bombed again
from the air..using 2,000 lbs bombs. Nothing would have survived.
Or maybe a baby tactical nuke..food for thought.