WHAT 'GUTSY CALL'?: CIA MEMO REVEALS ADMIRAL CONTROLLED BIN LADEN MISSION

[txradioguy]

http://cdn.breitbart.com/mediaserver/Breitbart/Big-Peace/2012/04/26/Screen%20Shot%2020120426%20at%20105809%20AM.png

Today, Time magazine got hold of a memo written by then-CIA head Leon Panetta after he received orders from Barack Obama’s team to greenlight the bin Laden mission. Here’s the text, which summarized the situation:

Received phone call from Tom Donilon who stated that the President made a decision with regard to AC1 [Abbottabad Compound 1]. The decision is to proceed with the assault.

The timing, operational decision making and control are in Admiral McRaven’s hands. The approval is provided on the risk profile presented to the President. Any additional risks are to be brought back to the President for his consideration. The direction is to go in and get bin Laden and if he is not there, to get out. Those instructions were conveyed to Admiral McRaven at approximately 10:45 am.

This, of course, was the famed “gutsy call.” Here’s what Tom Hanks narrated in Obama’s campaign film, “The Road We’ve Traveled”:

<snip>

Only the memo doesn’t show a gutsy call. It doesn’t show a president willing to take the blame for a mission gone wrong. It shows a CYA maneuver by the White House.

The memo puts all control in the hands of Admiral McRaven – the “timing, operational decision making and control” are all up to McRaven. So the notion that Obama and his team were walking through every stage of the operation is incorrect. The hero here was McRaven, not Obama. And had the mission gone wrong, McRaven surely would have been thrown under the bus.

The memo is crystal clear on that point. It says that the decision has been made based solely on the “risk profile presented to the President.” If any other risks – no matter how minute – arose, they were “to be brought back to the President for his consideration.” This is ludicrous. It is wiggle room. It was Obama’s way of carving out space for himself in case the mission went bad. If it did, he’d say that there were additional risks of which he hadn’t been informed; he’d been kept in the dark by his military leaders.

Finally, the memo is unclear on just what the mission is. Was it to capture Bin Laden or to kill him? The White House itself was unable to decide what the mission was in the hours after the Bin Laden kill, and actually switched its language. The memo shows why: McRaven was instructed to “get” Bin Laden, whatever that meant.

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Peace/2012/04/26/Get-bin-laden-memo-CYA

[Eupher]

I'd like to compare GWB's approach to waging war with Lord Zero's:

GWB: [To his commanders:] - "You got everything you need? Yes? Then let's go."

On Wednesday, March 19, 2003, I [GWB] walked into a meeting I had hoped would not be necessary. The National Security Council had gathered in the White House Situation Room, a nerve center of communications equipment and duty officers on the ground floor of the West Wing. The top center square of the secure video screen showed General Tommy Franks sitting with his senior deputies at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia. In the other five boxes were our lead Army, Navy, Marine, Air Force, and Special Operations commanders. Their counterparts from the British Armed Forces and Australian Defense Forces joined as well.

I asked each man two questions: Do you have everything you need to win? And are you comfortable with the strategy?

Each commander answered affirmatively.

Tommy spoke last. “Mr. President,” the commanding general said, “this force is ready.”

I turned to Don Rumsfeld. “Mr. Secretary,” I said, “for the peace of the world and the benefit and freedom of the Iraqi people, I hereby give the order to execute Operation Iraqi Freedom. May God bless the troops.”

Tommy snapped a salute. “Mr. President,” he said, “may God bless America.”

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/40075575/ns/today-books/t/excerpt-president-bush-his-own-words-iraq/#.T50zf6tYuH8

Zero: [as described in the OP above]

[Kyle Ricky]

So one put it in the hands of another to keep out of it, and the other took on the situation on his own accord. As it appears, Obama had nothing to do with the death of Bin Laden. God I miss Bush. He makes this tool we have for a President now look like a douchenozzle.

[obumazombie]

If you follow the Magic Negro inaction figure's career he has a congenital habit of leaving himself plenty of wiggle room. More wiggle than jello nailed to a wall, and plenty left over to vote present, or just own inaction, whatever seemed most appropriate at the time.

[sybilll]

I knew it was all kabuki theater.  I follow Mark Knoller of CBS (part of the WH press pool) on twitter and even he admitted they had a hard time getting Chicago Jesus off of the golf course.  Go back and look closely at the Situation Room picture.  He took off his golf shoes, but they put a jacket on him to hide his golf shirt.  http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/Felsenthal-Files/May-2011/In-the-Situation-Room-with-Obama-Bill-Daley-Dressed-for-the-Occasion/

[Eupher]

I dunno, gang.

Part of me says, "You can't have it both ways. Either Obama is directly involved with the planning, reviewing, approving of this particular op, or he defers to his commanders to make the decisions regarding timing, saving the important 'go' or 'no go' decision to himself. If he micromanages the op a la LBJ and what he persistently did in Vietnam, i.e., 'No, the harbor in Haiphong isn't a viable target today because we're negotiating with the North Vietnamese in Paris and we don't want to piss them off,' he's just that -- a micromanager who can't disengage enough to allow his commanders to make the ROE and basic operational decisions.

"Or, he does disengage, goes and plays a round a golf and returns in time for the festivities."

If I were a senior commander, I'd want the latter kind of decision-maker as CIC.

In other words, "Mr. President, the 'Go' or 'No Go' decision is yours to make. If you give me a 'Go', kindly get the **** out of my way and let me do my job."

If that means that Zero goes and plays golf while Seal Team 6 is on the way to the op and he returns in time to get the latest sitrep, so be it. That's what I'd prefer having.

[txradioguy]

I dunno, gang.

Part of me says, "You can't have it both ways. Either Obama is directly involved with the planning, reviewing, approving of this particular op, or he defers to his commanders to make the decisions regarding timing, saving the important 'go' or 'no go' decision to himself. If he micromanages the op a la LBJ and what he persistently did in Vietnam, i.e., 'No, the harbor in Haiphong isn't a viable target today because we're negotiating with the North Vietnamese in Paris and we don't want to piss them off,' he's just that -- a micromanager who can't disengage enough to allow his commanders to make the ROE and basic operational decisions.

"Or, he does disengage, goes and plays a round a golf and returns in time for the festivities."

If I were a senior commander, I'd want the latter kind of decision-maker as CIC.

In other words, "Mr. President, the 'Go' or 'No Go' decision is yours to make. If you give me a 'Go', kindly get the **** out of my way and let me do my job."

If that means that Zero goes and plays golf while Seal Team 6 is on the way to the op and he returns in time to get the latest sitrep, so be it. That's what I'd prefer having.

But the problem lies in the fact that he didn't and more importantly didn't want to make the call...as the evidence is now reenforcing.  He had Valeri Jarrett in his ear telling him not to do it.  Panetta and a few others knew this might be the best chance ever and Obama was waffling...so they put the plan into action and briefed a throughly lost in the sauce President after the wheels had started turning.

It's the equivalent of Clinton purposely not answering the phone to give a go or no go on a bombing mission to get bin Laden..choosing instead to watch a golf tournament.

When your whole life is crafted and shaped by one political calculation after another...you don't know how to think on your feet and make a snap decision...Obama proved that with the Bin laden raid.

He had to be told what decision to make.  I mean really...he had to be pulled from the freaking golf course to make the biggest decision of his Presidency.

I don't want a micro manager...but at the same time I damn sure don't want someone who's indifferent to the whole damn show and only concerned about HIS political career.

Now why is all of this important now?  Because Obama...being the perennial campaigner he is...plans to use bin Laden's death and getting the troops out of Iraq to blunt any claim by Republicans that Democrats are soft on terrorism.

He's going to go out and lie to the people and claim he's tough on National Defense and his opponent isn't.  How do we know he's tough?  Easy he days...I killed bin Laden and we transitioned Iraq into a stable credible Democracy.

You and I know it's not true...but he's gonna run that way...and we've already seen the first shot fired from that gun.


That is why this new memo...supporting the existing evidence...is so important now.

[Eupher]

But the problem lies in the fact that he didn't and more importantly didn't want to make the call...as the evidence is now reenforcing.  He had Valeri Jarrett in his ear telling him not to do it.  Panetta and a few others knew this might be the best chance ever and Obama was waffling...so they put the plan into action and briefed a throughly lost in the sauce President after the wheels had started turning.

It's the equivalent of Clinton purposely not answering the phone to give a go or no go on a bombing mission to get bin Laden..choosing instead to watch a golf tournament.

When your whole life is crafted and shaped by one political calculation after another...you don't know how to think on your feet and make a snap decision...Obama proved that with the Bin laden raid.

He had to be told what decision to make.  I mean really...he had to be pulled from the freaking golf course to make the biggest decision of his Presidency.

I don't want a micro manager...but at the same time I damn sure don't want someone who's indifferent to the whole damn show and only concerned about HIS political career.

Now why is all of this important now?  Because Obama...being the perennial campaigner he is...plans to use bin Laden's death and getting the troops out of Iraq to blunt any claim by Republicans that Democrats are soft on terrorism.

He's going to go out and lie to the people and claim he's tough on National Defense and his opponent isn't.  How do we know he's tough?  Easy he days...I killed bin Laden and we transitioned Iraq into a stable credible Democracy.

You and I know it's not true...but he's gonna run that way...and we've already seen the first shot fired from that gun.


That is why this new memo...supporting the existing evidence...is so important now.

I can't argue your points at all - I'm fully in agreement with you. There is no question that Zero waffled and ducked and dodged and listened to Jarrett and did nothing but reflect on what golf shirt he was gonna wear on the course that Sunday.

And there's also no question that Zero is using this military success as his own political victory.

I did read early on - I think it was in Chuck Pfarrer's book just what you're inferring - that Zero waffled so much that Panetta made the decision to Go, thereby being the fall guy when and if the op went bad. And there's no question that Panetta would've been thrown under the bus, because that's how Zero rolls. But there was some controversy about Pfarrer's book because, natcherly enough, it doesn't square with Zero's official accounting of how it went down.

Pfarrer is a former Seal Team 6 commander, IIRC, and thus doesn't have anything to gain by lying about his research and by his own account at the end of the book, he acknowledges that he's pissed off a bunch of people, not the least of which was Admiral McRaven (protecting his boss, maybe?). At any rate, I don't disagree with your points.

I'd prefer the Bush style of management - make the decision, take the accountability, and make sure folks have what they need to get the job done.

Zero wants all the credit where there is some, and then deniability when there isn't.

I'd trust a ****ing snake more than that guy.

[CG6468]

"Gutsy" needs to be changed to "gutless."

[thundley4]

It was not a gutsy call, in fact it was anything but. It could be said that it was the only call that could be made.  If Obama had not given the go ahead on this mission to to get bin Laden and that fact came to light, he would have been doomed.

Headline:

"Obama denies military chance to capture/kill bin Laden"

No way was he going to let that happen, nor would have any other president.

[Eupher]

It was not a gutsy call, in fact it was anything but. It could be said that it was the only call that could be made.  If Obama had not given the go ahead on this mission to to get bin Laden and that fact came to light, he would have been doomed.

Headline:

"Obama denies military chance to capture/kill bin Laden"

No way was he going to let that happen, nor would have any other president.

Not so fast, thundley.

Despite the intel, it still wasn't absolutely certain that OBL was in the compound. They had all kinds of solid hunches, and they even calculated the height of the guy that would walk in a covered area concluding that he was 6'4" and fairly close in height to OBL, but they didn't know for certain.

They didn't know for certain until Geronimo was ID'd in the exchange, roughly 60 seconds after the Seals arrived. Another 30 seconds later, he was dead.

[thundley4]

Not so fast, thundley.

Despite the intel, it still wasn't absolutely certain that OBL was in the compound. They had all kinds of solid hunches, and they even calculated the height of the guy that would walk in a covered area concluding that he was 6'4" and fairly close in height to OBL, but they didn't know for certain.

They didn't know for certain until Geronimo was ID'd in the exchange, roughly 60 seconds after the Seals arrived. Another 30 seconds later, he was dead.

Still, the fact remains that he didn't have a choice, but to give the go ahead for the mission.  If it had leaked out that we had intel about the possible location of bin Laden, but did nothing to act on it, then Obama would have been toast.   And since Obama did give the go ahead, you can bet that the intel was pretty damn solid.

[Eupher]

Still, the fact remains that he didn't have a choice, but to give the go ahead for the mission.  If it had leaked out that we had intel about the possible location of bin Laden, but did nothing to act on it, then Obama would have been toast.   And since Obama did give the go ahead, you can bet that the intel was pretty damn solid.

Not according to Pfarrer's book. There was no rock-solid evidence as to OBL's presence at that compound. They'd been watching it and they saw OBL's courier (IIRC), but they also saw wives and kids too. They simply were not sure. They had strong suspicions, and this was part of the risk analysis that was presented to Zero -- and no doubt played into his decision to make no decision until he could not delay any more.

You might have a case that Zero "didn't have a choice" but he also waffled and deflected and went golfing successfully until it became time for a decision.  And even then, there was more waffling.

I see this in the same light as the pirate incident in which members of Seal Team 6 took out 3 pirates, leaving the captain of the pirated vessel (name escapes me right now). Zero left waffling language in the ROE, saying that if it appeared that the terrorists were putting the captain in grave danger, it would be permitted to take out the pirates. Three Seals fired simultaneously from the aft section of a destroyer toward a small boat bobbing in the Arabian Sea and all 3 bullets found their marks.

Until the time that the commander on the ground made that call, they could still be out there bobbing around waiting for Zero to give the 'go' signal.

[DLR Pyro]

Looks like the SEALS aren't too pleased with obummer using them as props in his re-election camapign.

[NHSparky]

Looks like the SEALS aren't too pleased with obummer using them as props in his re-election camapign.

And this'll be sure to get play on the nightly news and MSM outlets on page one, above the fold.

Yup...any minute now...

[thundley4]

And this'll be sure to get play on the nightly news and MSM outlets on page one, above the fold.

Yup...any minute now...

It might make it on Fox news and that will be about it.

[formerlurker]

A former intelligence official who was serving in the US government when bin Laden was killed said that the Obama administration knew about the al-Qaeda leader’s whereabouts in October 2010 but delayed taking action and risked letting him escape.

‘In the end, Obama was forced to make a decision and do it. He knew that if he didn’t do it the political risks in not taking action were huge. Mitt Romney would have made the call but he would have made it earlier – as would George W. Bush.’

Brandon Webb, a former SEAL who spent 13 years on active duty and served in Iraq and Afghanistan, said: ‘Bush should get partial credit for putting the system in place.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2137636/SEALs-slam-Obama-using-ammunition-bid-credit-bin-Laden-killing-election-campaign.html#ixzz1tc3Q8NI6

[Kyle Ricky]

It might make it on Fox news and that will be about it.

The MSN will spin it into Obama's favor by saying that the people who made the statements aren't obama supporters, and want to see him fail.

[Gina]

friend on FB says this about Obama using it  "It's the only good thing that has happened in 3+ years, so in that respect I don't blame him   

[Kyle Ricky]

friend on FB says this about Obama using it  "It's the only good thing that has happened in 3+ years, so in that respect I don't blame him   

If he wants to use it as his highlight, so be it. Even he knows that he can't run on anything else. I wish he would run on the economy, health care, and raising taxes for the rich. He will then be toast and lose by a landslide.

[BlueStateSaint]

If he wants to use it as his highlight, so be it. Even he knows that he can't run on anything else. I wish he would run on the economy, health care, and raising taxes for the rich. He will then be toast and lose by a landslide.

If the Romney camp is smart, they'll give Obama a kudo or two for doing the raid, then hammer him on the economy, jobs, the debt, taxes, the military . . .

[Eupher]

If the Romney camp is smart, they'll give Obama a kudo or two for doing the raid, then hammer him on the economy, jobs, the debt, taxes, the military . . .

Yep. Stay on point, do not allow deflection.

Hammer, hammer, hammer away at jobs, the economy, ridiculous gas prices, his own failed budget, the list is endless but those would do for a start.

[Kyle Ricky]

If the Romney camp is smart, they'll give Obama a kudo or two for doing the raid, then hammer him on the economy, jobs, the debt, taxes, the military . . .

That would be a good strategy.

[thundley4]

Obama is in Afghanistan one year too late to kill bin Laden, wrong country too, but close.