Certainly not Biden. Probably not Hillary - during the campaign she had a major chip on her shoulder about being able to make tough military decisions, but I can’t see her making this particular call either.
This had the enormous potential to be a another career-killing Operation Eagle Claw if it went wrong, and even if it went right to heavily antagonize an unstable ally with nuclear weapons, a large terrorist contingent trying to take over the country and a longstanding simmering war with India. To sign that off took a little more than a pen; it took balls the size of basketballs.
Thanks for the jet fuel for enough :roll eyes: to circle the sun. There was no downside to killing OBL. The only downside was that we would do so without massive collateral damage of innocents and not piss off a government. A small SEAL team strike, properly executed would do that. The Team thought they had the opportunity to be successful, so at that point, the risk was greater of NOT giving the okay. Think Bill Clinton’s problem X 1,000, because this was after 9/11. If he had the opportunity and didn’t take it, and it got out, he’d be toast.
Like I said, I give him a pat on the back for making the call. But characterizing it as “gutsy”? Please.
Let’s just hope that Obama doesn’t injure himself patting himself on the back. Though he might be able to then put in for a Purple Heart. Maybe John Kerry could issue it to him.
There’s no downside to successfully killing bin Laden. There’s a *huge *downside to attempting to kill him, failing, and getting a bunch of American soldiers killed. As has been pointed out, there’s precedent for that sort of backfire: Carter’s botched attempt to rescue the hostages in Iran. There’s a good argument to be made that Carter lost the election because of that.
I’d make the distinction that there is no downside to successfully killing bin Laden *or *attempting to kill him and something goes wrong and he escapes. The attempt itself would have been viewed as the right thing to do both here in the U.S. and abroad. The attempt itself is a positive for Obama. Now, I do agree that if the failed attempt resulted in a bunch of soldiers being killed, then that would be a downside. It would matter how, why, and how many. As far as the pure political calculation, I’d say it would have taken as much guts to not give the order.
My main point is that when the military came to him with this Black Ops plan, is was fairly laser-focused, with little apparent risk that the SEAL team was going to be in real jeopardy. Though, yes, shit happens.
Its hard to see how someone who named himself after a world famous explorer could be so short sighted, but keep reaching. Someday, you might be able to convince yourself fully
Obama made a hugely gutsy calculation and put his reputation on the line. He went against the suggestions of his VP and the military brass in the room. Everyone else wanted to play it safe but thankfully, only Obama had the courage to make the call. It was easy for everyone else, their political futures and jobs weren’t on the line, they could afford to play it safe. Obama didn’t, and because of that, his decision is even more spectacular. This man deserves more than a pat on the back, he deserves the heartfelt thanks of every American whose lives were affected on 9-11. Too bad you can’t see that.
Oh, I thank him for making the call. absolutely. But that mean the decision was a profile in courage. Sorry, It just wasn’t. He made the right call. Good for him—and everyone! “Gutsy”? “Hugely gutsy”? “Spectacular”? Nope.
Bull SHIT. You think whoever the Republican candidate turned out to be in that alternate universe couldn’t have mounted a successful campaign based on “He tried and failed. Obama isn’t the right person to defend our nation”?
Republicans can barely even stomach giving him credit for a successful attempt. Do you really think a failed attempt would have gotten him an attaboy? God, you are delusional in every way possible.
This is just a matter of PR. I’m sure if Obama had strapped on a cod-piece and flown out to an aircraft carrier to annonce that the Mission was Accomplished, magellon would have a totally different opinion on the matter.
Well, given that it would be an entirely different event, my opinion would no doubt be different. But please, pray tell, what would my opinion have been, Karnac?
I know you were being sarcastic, you little ass, but I’m asking you what your point was. Or are of you of the mind that sarcasm is used to not make a point? So, Karnac, what is it you are so sure of?
Well, yeah, but think about the snark! What size codpiece would Obama need, compared to needle-dick Bush? How about the extra sacs for each of his grapefruit-sized brass balls? What if they find out Obama’s wallet has “Bad Motherfucker” inscribed upon it?
Look, you’re a reasonable poster – I wouldn’t bother with this post if you weren’t – but this is a shitty thing to say. You don’t get to write off a long-maligned and historically persecuted religious minority, in aggregate, as a “worthless herd.”
Maybe, just maybe, you might want to think about getting two synapses firing before you type. Or was it just your jerking knees causing your lameness to appear?