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Killing Osama (Oliver North)
Creators Syndicate ^ | May 6, 2011 | Oliver North

Posted on 05/05/2011 6:54:28 PM PDT by jazusamo

WASHINGTON, D.C. — It took nine years, seven months and 21 days to pinpoint the man who plotted, paid for and perpetrated the terror attacks of 9-11-01. When a U.S. Navy SEAL team finally found Osama bin Laden in the third-floor bedroom of a comfortable house in a suburb of Islamabad, Pakistan, they killed him.

Last Sunday's complex and highly successful operation validates Ronald Reagan's maxim for terrorists after U.S. Navy SEALs captured the murderous hijackers of the Achille Lauro in October 1985: "You can run, but you can't hide." Afterward, one of the participants penned a corollary: "Don't bother to run — you will only die tired."

Those axioms were validated again last Sunday by a 24-man Navy SEAL task force and aircrews from the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment — the "Nightstalkers" — when they took out the world's most wanted terrorist.

These "Operators" — part of the same "Tier One" Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) unit the Reagan administration employed in Grenada in 1983, and two years later during the Achille Lauro hijacking, are now the focus of public acclaim and controversy thanks to the O-Team's insatiable thirst for public approval.

President Barack Obama's surprise announcement at 11:35 p.m. Sunday night, "The United States has conducted an operation that killed Osama bin Laden," has generated well-deserved accolades for those who planned and executed the mission. Unfortunately, it has also prompted extraordinary criticism, speculation and damaging revelations about operational capabilities that ought to remain classified at best or uncertain at least.

Within hours of Obama's announcement, unnamed administration officials were providing what turned out to be conflicting details on what transpired in Abbottabad. This transparent attempt to show how closely the White House "supervised" the operation only served to stimulate a tsunami of controversy and obscure the extraordinary courage and skill with which the raid was carried out.

The O-Team should have known the so-called mainstream media's quest to find fault with the U.S. military would not be placated by the narrative they had released. The potentates of the press demand to know:

"Did the SEALs 'botch' the destruction of a damaged MH-60 helicopter" at the compound?

"Was there a 40-minute firefight with the SEALs or not?"

"Did the president personally order bin Laden killed?"

"Why the haste to give this murderous terror leader a Muslim burial at sea?"

"Why not release photos of the dead terror kingpin?"

At the United Nations, America's critics now want to investigate whether Osama bin Laden's human rights were violated. Pakistani officials, implausibly claiming they knew nothing of the al-Qaida founder's presence in the compound, are complaining about violations of their sovereignty. A Native American tribal leader has even groused about bin Laden's code-name: "Geronimo." And in Congress, anti-military doves insist we should immediately pull U.S. troops out of Afghanistan.

None of this had to happen. All the White House had to do once they knew bin Laden was dead was to say nothing. That's the way it's supposed to be for covert operations. When asked, respond with: "No comment."

Such a course of action would no doubt result in extraordinary speculation. Photos of the tail section of a U.S. MH-60 helicopter and images of the dead taken by Pakistani authorities after the raid would still get published, and global "social networks" would be full of rumors, theories and supposition for weeks or months. But intricate details on intelligence means and methods, tactics, techniques and procedures, numbers of U.S. personnel involved and unique communications equipment and capabilities would remain matters of conjecture.

Inevitably, there would be unconfirmed "leaks" from officials in Washington and Islamabad. Yet, the message to America's enemies would still be the same. Be afraid. Be very afraid. After all, that is the reason we have JSOC.

A "we will not confirm or deny" statement from the White House in the aftermath of the JSOC operation would have made it more difficult in the short-term for Obama to appear "decisive" and "hands on." But years from now, when the full story was finally revealed, he would have been seen as more "presidential." It also would have made it easier for those friends we do have in Pakistan to continue cooperating with our military and intelligence services.

Some lessons learned:

Our Special Operations troops are world-class athletes who employ remarkable technology while taking enormous risks. Only a small handful — like Navy SEAL Medal of Honor recipient Michael Murphy, for whom a destroyer was named this week — are ever recognized for their courage.

Second, the enhanced interrogation techniques approved in the Bush administration worked. Thank you, GWB.

Third, U.S. bases in Afghanistan were essential to the success of the operation. The ayatollahs running Tehran's nuclear weapons program are hoping we quickly pull out of Iraq and Afghanistan.

Fourth, the decision not to release "death photos" of bin Laden was right. Bowe Bergdahl, a U.S. Army soldier, is still being held by the Taliban. Enough said.

Finally, we are told by the president's handlers that he made a "courageous" and "gutsy call" in ordering the SEALs to eliminate al-Qaida's founder, instead of doing it with a JDAM or a cruise missile. But given what we now know about where bin Laden was hiding — surrounded by an entire division of Pakistan's Army — that was never really an option.

Obama really had but two choices: Go with the JSOC mission or not go at all. He made the right decision. Regrettably, he also decided he wanted everyone to know about it.



TOPICS: Editorial; Foreign Affairs; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: 72versions; binladen; intelligence; obama; obltermination; olivernorth; opsec; shiftingstory
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To: jazusamo

God Bless Ollie. He’s right on all counts.

The world will not respect America until we clean out the slime and dreck at the top and on down through the shoulders of our presidential administration.


41 posted on 05/06/2011 4:43:36 AM PDT by TheOldLady
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To: jazusamo

I like Oliver North’s writings.

A few thoughts I would add are that OBL as important as he once was as One instigator of Islamic-terrorism- in-action (whatever one may call it), will, most likely, remain a figurehead (symbolic) for such ideology & actions. It is already history. My guess, he is/was more so for those in the West, than the majority of people in the ME, who have a different perpective on OBL and related matters. My rudimentary assessment is that most in the moslem world do not & have not subscribed to OBL-type ideology or actions.

Then again, it doesn’t matter if 95% don’t want it, if 5% have the will and want to carry out terrorist acts because of some perverted ideology, which they are taught. We have to worry about that 5%. And, that 5% can be far more organised than the rest, because they have the will, and, therefore, will find the means too.

Whether they (the WH & Co.) decide to release photos of his dead body or not is no longer relevant. It would’ve been infinitely better if the WH, once deciding to go public on this event, to have gotten its story-line & facts straight & communicated them accordingly than continuously changing them. Changing basic & critical details on an almost hourly basis did not help with natural skepticism & cynicism that often follow such major events, worldwide. It affects credibility & can be irreversible.

More Importantly, killing ‘figureheads’ (and leaders) such as OBL, is great, but killing the *Ideology* they spread, which, in turn, helps prompt terrorism, as well as what fuels it, are far better in the long term. IOW, go for the jugular i.e. the ideology (a set of beliefs & values & don’t give them oxygen). Otherwise, it can be the case of “the king is dead, long live the king”.


42 posted on 05/06/2011 6:01:15 AM PDT by odds
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To: lentulusgracchus

He looked exactly the same way when he made the announcement on Sunday night. In fact he looked pissed as hell he even had to make that announcement.


43 posted on 05/06/2011 6:17:25 AM PDT by bjorn14 (Woe to those who call good evil and evil good. Isaiah 5:20)
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To: the anti-liberal; NFHale; sickoflibs
what’s the difference between ‘Obama’ and ‘Osama’? Just a little bs

you should trademark that as a tagline...

44 posted on 05/06/2011 8:25:33 AM PDT by Gilbo_3 (Gov is not reason; not eloquent; its force.Like fire,a dangerous servant & master. George Washington)
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To: Gilbo_3

That is a teeshirt fortune in the making. Sell them outside Ft Campbell today and you won’t have to work for a month.


45 posted on 05/06/2011 8:26:50 AM PDT by Vermont Lt (How long before the Mall becomes Tahifir Sq?)
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To: jazusamo

I guess in the past what would have happened is that the President would have come out and said, “He’s dead. We will have no more to say on this.”

And then end it.

It would have been sticky for a couple of days. But they would not look like clowns.


46 posted on 05/06/2011 8:30:07 AM PDT by Vermont Lt (How long before the Mall becomes Tahifir Sq?)
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To: Travis McGee

Thanks.


47 posted on 05/06/2011 8:42:02 AM PDT by jwalsh07
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To: jazusamo
Col. North has the best and most accurate analysis of the mission and its godawful civilian commandants I have yet read.

I trust Oliver more than any military analyst on the scene today. I used to have trust in Fox's Col. Peters, but he's gone over to the grey side too often lately.

Go Ollie!

Leni

48 posted on 05/06/2011 8:57:03 AM PDT by MinuteGal
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To: jazusamo; Gilbo_3; antiliberal; hiredhand; Squantos; DoughtyOne; sickoflibs; stephenjohnbanker

“...At the United Nations, America’s critics now want to investigate whether Osama bin Laden’s human rights were violated. Pakistani officials, implausibly claiming they knew nothing of the al-Qaida founder’s presence in the compound, are complaining about violations of their sovereignty. A Native American tribal leader has even groused about bin Laden’s code-name: “Geronimo.” And in Congress, anti-military doves insist we should immediately pull U.S. troops out of Afghanistan....”

At this point. Mr. Hale would like to stand and address these points one by one:

1. RE the United Nations “critic” and the “Human Rights” issue:
Dear What-ever-the-Hell-yer-name-is Interchangeable, Instantly Replaceable Leftist Retard: Let me make this perfectly clear for you. OBL gave up ANY chance at being treated like a human being the moment he made the decision and gave the go-ahead to have his raghead goathumping flunkies drive airplanes loaded with innocent civilians into American buildings loaded with other innocent civilians. If you have a problem with our treatment and disposal of trash, you can blow it out yer Collectivized Rectum. Be thankful that we as a Nation are still tolerant and patient with YOU. That could end real, real quick.

2. RE Pakistani Official Complaining about sovereignty:
Get down on your knees and thank God (the REAL one, not your child molesting prophet) that we didn’t go into full out World War II-style Retribution Mode on your worthless asses. You should also thank God that we have a pretty worthless assclown schmuck, much like yourself, in the White House right now, and not Ronald Reagan. If that were the case, you and the rest of your miserable scheisse-hole of a country would probably be a smoking hole in the ground for harboring that fecal pile.

3. RE Some “Native American” whining about Geronimo:
Get over it, Chief Rain-in-the-Puss. Suck it up. Geronimo was a fercious warrior (and an enemy of the United States at the time, I might add). We’re honoring him by naming an operation after him, because we are a warrior culture, and respect friend AND foe. Evidently, you’re too stupid to understand that, or you’ve been so thoroughly indoctrinated in tired, hackneyed libtard race, class, and gender warfare nonsense that your head is too far up your own arse to EVER be able to make sense. And by the way - I’m a “NATIVE American” too - I was BORN here, as was multiple preceeding generations of my family. How about just trying to be AMERICAN for once, and do some good for your country?

4. Anti-Military Congresscritters:
Get bent you stupid, retarded socialist diaperwipes. Your shoeshine boy in the White House couldn’t even make the decision to pull the trigger on OBL - he had to have Panetta make the call. Again - be thankful we’re a patient and tolerant people. That may end soon too.

That is all.


49 posted on 05/06/2011 9:22:49 AM PDT by NFHale (The Second Amendment - By Any Means Necessary.)
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To: NFHale

i love it Haledude, now tell us how you really feel...8^}


50 posted on 05/06/2011 10:10:12 AM PDT by Gilbo_3 (Gov is not reason; not eloquent; its force.Like fire,a dangerous servant & master. George Washington)
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To: NFHale

I regret that NFHale has but one post to make ... but you made it a post of the day!


51 posted on 05/06/2011 10:28:02 AM PDT by Servant of the Cross (the Truth will set you free!)
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To: jazusamo

Nice piece from Ollie. Go Navy Boxing. Thanks for posting it.


52 posted on 05/06/2011 10:33:31 AM PDT by Hemingway's Ghost (Spirit of '75)
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To: jazusamo
Obama really had but two choices: Go with the JSOC mission or not go at all. He made the right decision. Regrettably, he also decided he wanted everyone to know about it.

Obama's a narcissist; he always wants to let everyone know what he does, if he thinks it will help him politically.

53 posted on 05/06/2011 12:02:59 PM PDT by SuziQ
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To: Vermont Lt
I wish I could - I could use some cash... If you have the means, knock yourself out. Here's my rendition of a t-shirt:

I have another coming, I'll post it.

54 posted on 05/06/2011 2:48:23 PM PDT by the anti-liberal
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To: Gilbo_3

I had intended to address you in the above too.


55 posted on 05/06/2011 2:50:26 PM PDT by the anti-liberal
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To: Servant of the Cross; Gilbo_3

I passed out after I wrote it...head bounced off the keyboard...


56 posted on 05/06/2011 3:24:34 PM PDT by NFHale (The Second Amendment - By Any Means Necessary.)
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To: Vermont Lt; Gilbo_3

57 posted on 05/06/2011 3:28:06 PM PDT by the anti-liberal
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To: the anti-liberal
I made a mistake on the first (the question mark), so I fixed it.


58 posted on 05/06/2011 3:35:42 PM PDT by the anti-liberal
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To: the anti-liberal

thanks for the effort, saved for posterity...


59 posted on 05/06/2011 6:07:18 PM PDT by Gilbo_3 (Gov is not reason; not eloquent; its force.Like fire,a dangerous servant & master. George Washington)
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To: NFHale

[I passed out after I wrote it...head bounced off the keyboard...]

I BELIEVE it! Bitchin rant NFHale.


60 posted on 05/08/2011 6:47:12 PM PDT by Blue Collar Christian (Let's roll on this gunwalking thing already! NRA <BCC><)
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