Posted on 05/05/2011 6:30:28 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
As lefties gloat over the political implications of Osama bin Laden’s demise, and the media ramp up an “Obama bounce” meme, conservatives should politely but persistently shift the conversation from politics to policy. In my latest column for Townhall, I draw on a number of fascinating news accounts elucidating how the our military and intelligence community finally nailed bin Laden. US officials describe a “mosaic” of intelligence that ultimately led a team of Navy SEALs to a compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan — suggesting that it took many years and myriad sources to pinpoint bin Laden’s precise location. As we now know, the central strand of intel involved one of bin Laden’s trusted couriers, Abu Ahmed Al-Kuwaiti; finding him was the key to locating his boss. The early evidence is in, and President Bush and his team should feel gratified and vindicated:
Osama bin Laden was found because the United States military exploited actionable intelligence extracted by subjecting terrorists to enhanced interrogation techniques (EITs) in secret CIA prisons, by questioning enemy combatants at Guantanamo Bay, and by capturing a top al Qaeda source in Iraq.
As long as some liberals remain intent on keeping political score, it must be pointed out that all three sources of these indispensible data points were direct or indirect results of Bush policies – EITs, Gitmo, and the Iraq war – that much of the American Left, including Barack Obama, fought tooth and nail.
Much of the evidence I cite to back up my thesis comes from two sources: A short AP story published shortly after the raid (and linked here by Allahpundit), and an incredibly detailed piece in London’s Daily Telegraph. A few key bits from the resulting information goldmine:
On the Guantanamo connection -
Secret American military files from Guantanamo Bay, leaked to Wikileaks and seen by The Daily Telegraph, suggest that al-Kuwaiti may have been with bin Laden ever since he disappeared from the Tora Bora mountains in Afghanistan in 2001.
The file for the Guantanamo detainee, Muhammad Mani al-Qahtani, who was to have been the “20th hijacker” on 9/11, contains a reference to the key US intelligence thread that led directly to bin Laden.
According to the file, al-Kuwaiti provided al-Qahtani with computer training for the mission to attack the US in the summer of 2001. Al-Qahtani was told by the lead 9/11 hijacker, Muhammad Atta, “to make reservations and buy airline tickets to Orlando for five individuals” including himself.
“Detainee [al-Qahtani] received computer training from al-Qaeda member Abu Ahmad al-Kuwaiti in preparation for his mission to the US,” according to the file, dated 30 October 2008.
On KSM, secret CIA “black site” prisons, and Enhanced Interrogation Techniques -
Current and former U.S. officials say that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the mastermind of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, provided the nom de guerre of one of bin Laden’s most trusted aides. The CIA got similar information from Mohammed’s successor, Abu Faraj al-Libi. Both were subjected to harsh interrogation tactics inside CIA prisons in Poland and Romania.
…
The CIA gained crucial information confirming the role of al-Kuwaiti from two inmates at Guantanamo Bay – Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and Abu Faraj al-Libi.
Al-Libi’s file, dated 10 September 2008, also refers to his contact with bin Laden’s personal courier, although he gives another name.
And on the Al Qaeda operative captured in Iraq:
The file suggests that the courier’s identity was provided to the US by another key source, the al-Qaida facilitator Hassan Ghul, who was captured in Iraq in 2004 and interrogated by the CIA. Ghul was never sent to Guantanamo but was believed to have been taken to a prison in Pakistan.
He told the Americans that al-Kuwaiti travelled with bin Laden…
The picture that emerges from al-Qahtani’s Guantanamo file supports statements given in the last 24 hours by US officials, who named Ghul as the “linchpin” in the intelligence operation to find bin Laden.
In short, Al-Kuwaiti’s existence was flagged by at least one Guantanamo Bay detainee, his role and pseudonym were confirmed by KSM and al-Libi, and his true identity was spilled by an Al Qaeda terrorist operating in Iraq. It’s no exaggeration to assert that all three of these intelligence “strands” may never — or perhaps would never — have materialized absent the controversial Bush administration policies listed above. These facts are not historical footnotes. They eviscerate a number of core left-wing articles of faith, including the flawed notions that President Bush “took his eye off the [Al Qaeda/bin Laden] ball,” that Iraq was unrelated to the larger war on terror, and that EITs are not effective — not to mention the ongoing obsession with shuttering Gitmo. As I conclude in the Townhall piece, Presidents Bush and Obama deserve significant credit for this massive accomplishment, and it would be intellectually dishonest to suggest otherwise:
Barack Obama ran for president, in large measure, as the anti-Bush. He was a prominent opponent of the war in Iraq. He promised to shutter the Guantanamo Bay prison. He pledged to ban certain EITs. Today, as president, he is rightfully receiving praise from virtually all quarters for his decisive order to take out the most wanted man in the world. Obama, his supporters, and indeed all Americans have every reason to celebrate that accomplishment. But they must also recognize and appreciate that actions and policies implemented by President Bush, often in the face of searing partisan criticism, played an inextricable role in identifying the dots that were finally connected and acted upon last weekend.
In response to bin Laden’s death, Americans of all partisan stripes should follow the example set forth by the current president and his predecessor: Credit the brave special ops forces who conducted the daring operation, offer political credit where it’s due, and celebrate this American achievement, which is a gift to all of civilization.
UPDATE – Larry Elder makes another good point in this vein:
Osama bin Laden was a) killed by a unit overseen by what New Yorker reporter Seymour Hersh denounced as Vice President Dick Cheney’s “executive assassination ring,” which was b) sent into action based on intel derived from the now-outlawed “enhanced interrogation techniques,” which were c) used on detainees captured during the George W. Bush administration, who were d) being held in now-outlawed “secret prisons” or in the intended-to-be-closed Gitmo.
That’s another feather in Bush’s cap. All of the detainees/informants involved in this story were captured on his watch.
Guy Benson is the Political Editor of Townhall.com — HotAir’s sister site — and hosts the Guy Benson Show. Follow him on twitter: @guypbenson
It may be a few years before the democrat party honors him as a hero of the democrat party.. for me he was always suspect.. still is.. and will remain a malefactor..
He was and still is a tool of the democrat party.. His tax cuts were merely a bone thrown to the conservatives.. He was and still is a BIG government republican..
Bush was a Big Government RINO who paved the way for Øbama!
Indeed!
I am frequently reminded of the words of Scripture (of Jesus!), "For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." (Matthew 23: 12)
President Bush has continued to humble himself, and is now beginning to be exalted. But his greatest reward is yet to come when he hears the words of the Father, "Well done, good and faithful servant!"
Some folks get older, but never get wiser. Some folks are given evidence but keep their eyes sealed shut because it goes against their pre-disposed template.
These are rough days for you, I'm sure. No place to put all that irrational anger.
Poor fellow......
What an idiot you are to think that "leadership, patriotism, integrity and genuine goodness" make up for his leading the charge on all sorts of Big Government experiments in Socialism and Fascism, including the bailouts, the expansion in socialized health care (Medicare), the proposed amnesties for illegal aliens, and the restrictions on free speech (McCain-Feingold).
Oh, look what the cat dragged in ...
Speak for your self, Bushbot.
Although people with your mindset often like to trumpet themselves as the only “real” conservatives, you are anything but — in fact, I often wonder if you aren’t Democrat plants. You talk the talk, but typically wind up causing considerable harm to conservative and Republican causes.
President George W. Bush was the most authentic religiously grounded conservative to occupy the WH in the post WWII era. (President Reagan’s conservatism wax politically grounded.) Yet it was conservatives who, listening to people with your mindset, allowed themselves to be turned against GWB and Republicans. It is people like you who made possible an Obama presidency, and I expect you will find a way to help get him reelected no matter what you might say to the contrary.
We all should be just like you and think that our own particular distortion of conservative POLITICS is the highest goal.
Anyone who disagrees with rabs' POLITICS, is necessarily an idiot, regardless of integrity, moral clarity, courage, Godliness or integrity.
Yes, sirreee.... you should think about running for political office rabs, and show the world that integrity is of no consequence to a 'true conservative' like you.
Thanks for putting your views in black and white for all the world to see. (Not that anyone would be surprised at your disdain for integrity).
Once again, emulating the intellectual capabilities and moral clarity of punk obama.....
(Do you practice, or does it come naturally to behave like a leftist?)
(Waiting for the rest of the boy band to arrive......)
If you're talking about G. Bush either Sr. or Jr. you overlook a lot..
Much as Obamas supporters do.. you can get uppity but you are overlooking a lot..
Just the border fiasco was a Chinese Fire Drill..
He increased and allowed to increase the width and scope of the federal government..
He did have to throw some bones to "conservatives".. but probably did it allow re-election..
AFTER re-election he lost all his controls by any conservative desires.. Most things he attempted to do turned into a circle jerk..
ALTHOUGH he was a better President than Zero Obama.. but what does that mean..
Obama is a proven traitor and seditionist trying to reduce american soverignty and hegemony...
Bush is a malefactor like John McLAme or Lindsey Graham..
Really. I voted for Jr. twice his father and brother (few times) as well..
But then I am not too smart... I am a republican..
Bush(all of them) are malefactors.. probably even the women..
Bush was Obama part 1, in some ways he was more dangerous than Obama by being a liberal/progressive Republican.
Think of this. Would congressional Republicans support banning safe light bulbs and forcing us on ethanol with Obama as president supporting it? like they did under Bush? How about stimulus #1 in 2008? How about TARP? Bush not only did bad things but he turned the Republican party into the liberal party.
Bush and Cheney have been very dignified and adult looking regarding this Bin Laden takeout, unlike their fruity worshippers living in La-La land. I respect that.
You should know by now that you are dealing with people driven by emotional and psychological need. Their devotion is irrational and as such is immune to fact based criticism of specific policy failures, personnel selections, and insults to his base. If they do not see the elitism, contradictions, vacillations and globalist fantasies of this very conflicted and self defeating man by now, it is because they cannot or will not. Either way, it is not going to happen.
People mistake him for a giant because history has set pygmies to either side of him.
true
YES!!
You can say whatever you want about your voting record. No way to prove it. But anyone who essentially calls the entire Bush family “malefactors” is either a Democrat or not rational — possibly both.
Well that cult was dramatically reduced in numbers late 2008 when they woke up to a Obama/Pelosi in power given to them from him, all a few days after he bailed out GM with TARP money that he previously sold as needed to save the country by saving the banks.
Now they live in that delusional fairy tale land where any day now the voters will wake up and see things their way, that Bush was a huge unappreciated success. But it never happens.
I demur that anyone calling George Bush "either of them" conservatives are not rational.. brain washed, delusional.. maybe all three..
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