I wonder if the news just announced of an event that took place on direct order of the President of the United States, will change the mind of this guy I know, and so many others like him, who believe that our president is a secret Muslim terrorist who wishes to destroy our country.
My guess: no.
As was said, as I listened, by a woman whose husband was killed on 9/11, it doesn't seem right to celebrate the death of a person, but in this case it most certainly does. I await with great interest learning more details of the intelligence gathering, the mission, and the orders that led to the killing of Osama bin Laden.
No way to know, at this point, to what extent various factors were at play; but I've argued here many times that, in the battle against terrorism, having friends abroad is an important factor. Despite the way it's been characterized by the RWS™ and this guy I know, the extent to which Barack Obama has reached out to mainstream Muslims can only be a good thing; and since the early word is that the operation began with a "tip," one might be correct in assuming that our perception as willing to work with moderate Muslims, and not at war will all of Islam since Obama took office, could have been a factor in the willingness of whoever it was to cooperate. To all but the teabaggRs and the entire class of RWS™, it would seem an obvious point. (That guy I know considers Obama's statement that we're not at war with Islam to be damning. I consider it to be the opposite, obvious, and wise.) Was it a factor here? Who knows?
Another thought: Obama knew all of this was afoot, remaining silent, while all the bullshit attention was being paid to the Trumped-up birtherism.
Likely, there will be threats of reprisals, increased security measures -- maybe even attacks of retaliation. But -- too easy to say, maybe -- worth it.
And, given the poison suffusing our politics since the election of a black man as president, I await with a certain paradoxical eagerness the response from the RWS™; how Fox "news" will spin it. (They won't be able to erase this, though.)
No question: an amazing occurrence. Stunning. Needed. Deserved. Requiring further reflection.
They will find a way to give George Bush the credit. Or ROnald Reagan.
ReplyDeleteOr the Founding Fathers' Christian Heritage. Or Donald Trump.
They are just never going to allow Obama to get the credit.
Sid:
ReplyDeleteHe did it right. He got the info. He kept it secret. He too k his time. He sent the right people. It doesn't seem as if he micro-managed the mission or the guys who did it. He did it well and he made me proud. His speech was perfect. I was proud of our president. This from someone who did not vote for him and still has questions about many of his policies.
It will be a while before we get more details...and we will never get all of them because there is a level of secrecy that is needed. I may be wrong but the words he spoke about when Osama was killed rang a bell in my head and raised my respect for our President a notch higher.
There is no way this man could have been brought back to the United States alive. It would have become a circus that would've been beyond description. Think of what any trial or tribunal would've been like. Think of arranging security for such. Too, it would've likely set off attacks everywhere (which may still come in "retribution").
I go to sleep tonight proud of my country and proud of my President - regardless of his political affiliation.
Bravo Zulu to him.
Larry
Well said, Larry. (Mike, too; but Larry is coming at it from the other side.)
ReplyDeleteHere's the spin Fox put on it. Very creative!
ReplyDeleteI'm quoting somebody from last night, maybe Sully, but this was just badass all the way around. Patience, solid intelligence, no leaks at all, what sounds like a perfectly executed mission. Politics will continue while we wait for somebody to write the history, and it will always be the economy, stupid, but again: Badass.
ReplyDeleteIt will be hard to give much credit to Dubya, due to the inconvenient truth that he disbanded the CIA bin Laden Task Force in July of 2006.
ReplyDeleteI feel a grim sense of closure at yesterday's announcement. Like MLK Jr, I cannot feel joy at the death of anyone, even an enemy.