The Reluctant Assassination of Osama

Did Barack Obama want to assassinate Osama bin Laden? He may have at some point, because he gave the ultimate order, or allowed it to happen. But I suspect the president was deeply ambivalent.

It’s not just his postmodern worldview that suggests this reluctance. It is the discombobulated aftermath of the killing, the weirdly botched reportage featuring such events as cabinet members in the situation room supposedly watching a (we learned) non-existent streaming video of the action and the statement that bin Laden — who had been under surveillance for months from a CIA safe house — was living in a million dollar mansion.

That was dialed down within a day or two to $250,000 and then revealed, in videos, to be close to a slum. In fact, OBL’s squalid living conditions made the hated Guantanamo seem like the Four Seasons. If the SEALs had taken him alive, it would have been an upgrade.

Indeed, it was those SEALs that were the only ones who performed their part with professionalism. Everything else seemed ad hoc, as if thrown together at the last moment after, one guesses, various parties finally convinced, or even forced, the president to act. There was no preparation for the aftermath, no apparent plan of how to inform or not inform the public of this cataclysmic event when such a decision was in many ways as important as the action itself. What resulted was an embarrassing blabbermouth display of public contradiction. Some of this can be justified by the fog of war, but not to the extent we saw. Something more was at work and I think it was a reluctant president.

(Compare the aftermath of this enterprise to last year’s putative Mossad assassination of an Hamas leader in Dubai. The Israelis were absolutely silent, as they almost always are, about their actions. Could the US have done the same about the bin Laden assassination? Not entirely. The conditions are different. But a certain amount of judicious silence until the facts were known would have been a vast improvement. )

And we get to see something of who or what he was. It’s a strange case. On one level his absurdly bad dye job on several of the videos — not to mention the one with the now grey-bearded Al Qaeda chieftain channel-surfing himself on television — is hysterically funny. It makes him look like some cheesy huckster from the far reaches of the cable listings.

On another level, however, the videos are blood-curdling, revealing a bizarre sociopath lost in his own weird narcissistic world.

Bin Laden was an odd bird indeed, but odd in the sense that serial killers and mass murderers are odd, trapped in their own paranoid universes, not unlike Charles Manson, who lived under similar conditions at the Spahn Ranch.

And just like Manson, Osama was able to attract acolytes. Unfortunately, however, in the case of the Saudi, those acolytes were exponentially more powerful and numerous, including, evidently, a significant portion of the Pakistani intelligence service and military. Indeed, he still undoubtedly has millions, even hundreds of millions of acolytes.

You might think that the promulgation of these videotapes would give some of them pause, but I suspect it will only be minor, if at all, and that the monster will become a martyr of Che-like proportions, mythologized even by (or especially by) those who participated in turning him in. The “strong horse” may have been felled but his persona and ideology will live on. The societal mental illness that created and housed bin Laden runs too deep.

Consider for a moment why he was able to subsist in near plain site in Pakistan. No matter who ultimately passed the word (Michael Ledeen and others have some interesting theories) he was hidden for five years by the Pakistanis.

Why? Because they hate America? Sure, to some extent. And, yes, there were no doubt internecine rivalries and power struggles involved. But most importantly it is Islam itself that motivated bin Laden’s protectors. They are true believers. He was God’s man or their god’s man. They would never turn him in.

On a related note, one thing that caught my eye among the welter of bin Laden coverage was an actual quote from the funeral prayer supposedly read by the Navy when the mass murderer was tossed into the sea. It’s on Andrew Bostom’s blog. (Bostom was properly concerned with whether this prayer goes on to curse Jews and Christians, as it normally would, but the passage used is even more disturbing in its way.)

“O Allah, forgive him, have mercy on him, pardon him, grant him security, provide him a nice place and spacious lodgings, wash him (off from his sins) with water, snow and ice, purify him from his sins as a white garment is cleansed from dirt, replace his present abode with a better one, replace his present family with a better one, replace his present partner with a better one, make him enter paradise and save him from the trials of grave [sic] and the punishment of hell.”

“Replace his present family with a better one, replace his partner with a better one”? This is the religion we are asked to respect? I don’t know about you, but I think it’s horrifying.

> > PANETTA ORDERED THE RAID ? ? Now THIS is believable.!
> >
> > This, forwarded by a Marine friend, is devastating if true.! And I for
> > one would bet it is.! !
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > “What Valerie Jarrett, and the president, did not know is that Leon
> > Panetta had already initiated a program that reported to him –and only him,
> > involving a covert on the ground attack against the compound.”
> >
> > Q: You stated that President Obama was “overruled” by
> > military/intelligence officials regarding the decision to send in military specialists into
> > the Osama Bin Laden compound. Was that accurate?
> >
> > A: I was told – in these exact terms, “we overruled him.” (Obama) I have
> > since followed up and received further details on exactly what that
> > meant, as well as the specifics of how Leon Panetta worked around the president’
> > s “persistent hesitation to act.” There appears NOT to have been an
> > outright overruling of any specific position by President Obama, simply because
> > there was no specific position from the president to do so. President
> > Obama was, in this case, as in all others, working as an absentee president.
> >
> >
> >
> > (Notice that Panetta is NOT in the room)
> >
> > This update comes some 24 hours after our longtime Washington D.C. Insider
> > first outlined shocking details of an Obama administration having been “
> > overruled” by senior military and intelligence officials leading up to the
> > successful attack against terrorist Osama Bin Laden. What follows is
> > further clarification of Insider’s insights surrounding that event.
> >
> >
> >
> > I was correct in stating there had been a push to invade the compound for
> > several weeks if not months, primarily led by Leon Panetta, Hillary
> > Clinton, Robert Gates, David Petraeus, and Jim Clapper. The primary opposition
> > to this plan originated from Valerie Jarrett, and it was her opposition that
> > was enough to create uncertainty within President Obama. Obama would
> > meet with various components of the pro-invasion faction, almost always with
> > Jarrett present, and then often fail to indicate his position. This
> > situation continued for some time, though the division between Jarrett/Obama and
> > the rest intensified more recently, most notably from Hillary Clinton. She
> > was livid over the president’s failure to act, and her office began a
> > campaign of anonymous leaks to the media indicating such. As for Jarrett, her
> > concern rested on two primary fronts. One, that the military action could
> > fail and harm the president’s already weakened standing with both the
> > American public and the world. Second, that the attack would be viewed as an
> > act of aggression against Muslims, and further destabilize conditions in
> > the Middle East.
> >
> > Q: What changed the president’s position and enabled the attack against
> > Osama Bin Laden to proceed?
> >
> > A: Nothing changed with the president’s opinion – he continued to avoid
> > having one. Every time military and intelligence officials appeared to
> > make progress in forming a position, Jarrett would intervene and the stalling
> > would begin again. Hillary started the ball really rolling as far as
> > pressuring Obama began, but it was Panetta and Petraeus who ultimately pushed
> > Obama to finally act – sort of. Panetta was receiving significant reports
> > from both his direct CIA sources, as well as Petraeus-originating Intel.
> > Petraeus was threatening to act on his own via a bombing attack. Panetta
> > reported back to the president that a bombing of the compound would result
> > in successful killing of Osama Bin Laden, and little risk to American lives.
> > Initially, as he had done before, the president indicated a willingness
> > to act. But once again, Jarrett intervened, convincing the president that
> > innocent Pakistani lives could be lost in such a bombing attack, and Obama
> > would be left attempting to explain Panetta’s failed policy. Again Obama
> > hesitated – this time openly delaying further meetings to discuss the issue
> > with Panetta. A brief meeting was held at this time with other officials,
> > including Secretary Gates and members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, but
> > Gates, like Panetta, was unable to push the president to act. It was at
> > this time that Gates indicated to certain Pentagon officials that he may
> > resign earlier than originally indicated – he was that frustrated. Both Panetta
> > and Clinton convinced him to stay on and see the operation through.
> >
> > What happened from there is what was described by me as a “masterful
> > manipulation” by Leon Panetta. Panetta indicated to Obama that leaks regarding
> > knowledge of Osama Bin Laden’s location were certain to get out sooner
> > rather than later, and action must be taken by the administration or the
> > public backlash to the president’s inaction would be “…significant to the
> > point of political debilitation.” It was at that time that Obama stated an
> > on-ground campaign would be far more acceptable to him than a bombing raid.
> > This was intended as a stalling tactic, and it had originated from Jarrett.
> > Such a campaign would take both time, and present a far greater risk of
> > failure. The president had been instructed by Jarrett to inform Mr.,
> > Panetta that he would have sole discretion to act against the Osama Bin Laden
> > compound. Jarrett believed this would further delay Panetta from acting, as
> > the responsibility for failure would then fall almost entirely on him. What
> > Valerie Jarrett, and the president, did not know is that Leon Panetta had
> > already initiated a program that reported to him –and only him, involving
> > a covert on the ground attack against the compound. Basically, the whole
> > damn operation was already ready to go – including the specific team support
> > Intel necessary to engage the enemy within hours of being given notice.
> > Panetta then made plans to proceed with an on-ground assault. This
> > information reached either Hillary Clinton or Robert Gates first (likely via
> > military contacts directly associated with the impending mission) who then
> > informed the other. Those two then met with Panetta, who informed each of them
> > he had been given the authority by the president to proceed with a mission
> > if the opportunity presented itself. Both Gates and Clinton warned Panetta
> > of the implications of that authority – namely he was possibly being made
> > into a scapegoat. Panetta admitted that possibility, but felt the
> > opportunity to get Bin Laden outweighed that risk. During that meeting, Hillary
> > Clinton was first to pledge her full support for Panetta, indicating she
> > would defend him if necessary. Similar support was then followed by Gates.
> > The following day, and with Panetta’s permission, Clinton met in private
> > with Bill Daley and urged him to get the president’s full and open approval
> > of the Panetta plan. Daley agreed such approval would be of great benefit
> > to the action, and instructed Clinton to delay proceeding until he had
> > secured that approval. Daley contacted Clinton within hours of their meeting
> > indicating Jarrett refused to allow the president to give that approval.
> > Daley then informed Clinton that he too would fully support Panetta in his
> > actions, even if it meant disclosing the president’s indecision to the
> > American public should that action fail to produce a successful conclusion.
> > Clinton took that message back to Panetta and the CIA director initiated the
> > 48 hour engagement order. At this point, the President of the United
> > States was not informed of the engagement order – it did not originate from
> > him, and for several hours after the order had been given and the special ops
> > forces were preparing for action into Pakistan from their position in
> > Afghanistan, Daley successfully kept Obama and Jarrett insulated from that
> > order.
> >
> > This insulation ended at some point with an abort order that I believe
> > originated from Valerie Jarrett’s office, and was then followed up by
> > President Obama. This abort order was later explained as a delay due to weather
> > conditions, but the actual conditions at that time would have been acceptable
> > for the mission. A storm system had been in the area earlier, but was no
> > longer an issue. Check the data yourself to confirm. Jarrett, having
> > been caught off guard, was now scrambling to determine who had initiated the
> > plan. She was furious, repeating the acronym “CoC” and saying it was not
> > being followed. This is where Bill Daley intervened. The particulars of
> > that intervention are not clear to me beyond knowing he did meet with
> > Jarrett in his office and following that meeting, Valerie Jarrett was not seen in
> > the West Wing for some time, and apparently no longer offered up any
> > resistance to the Osama Bin Laden mission. What did follow from there was one
> > or more brief meetings between Bill Daley, Hillary Clinton, a
> > representative from Robert Gates’ office, a representative from Leon Panetta’s office,
> > and a representative from Jim Clapper’s office. I have to assume that
> > these meetings were in essence, detailing the move to proceed with the
> > operation against the Osama Bin Laden compound. I have been told by more than one
> > source that Leon Panetta was directing the operation with both his own CIA
> > operatives, as well as direct contacts with military – both entities were
> > reporting to Panetta only at this point, and not the President of the
> > United States. There was not going to be another delay as had happened 24 hour
> > earlier. The operation at this point, was in effect, unknown to President
> > Barack Obama or Valerie Jarrett and it remained that way until AFTER it
> > was already underway. President Obama was literally pulled from a golf
> > outing and escorted back to the White House to be informed of the mission.
> > Upon his arrival there was a briefing held which included Bill Daley, John
> > Brennan, and a high ranking member of the military. When Obama emerged from
> > the briefing, he was described as looking “very confused and uncertain.”
> > The president was then placed in the “situation room” where several of the
> > players in this event had already been watching the operation unfold.
> > Another interesting tidbit regarding this is that the Vice President was
> > already “up to speed” on the operation. A source indicated they believe
> > Hillary Clinton had personally made certain the Vice President was made aware
> > of that day’s events before the president was. The now famous photo
> > released shows the particulars of that of that room and its occupants. What that
> > photo does not communicate directly is that the military personnel present
> > in that room during the operation unfolding, deferred to either Hillary
> > Clinton or Robert Gates. The president’s role was minimal, including their
> > acknowledging of his presence in the room.
> >
> > At the conclusion of the mission, after it had been repeatedly confirmed
> > a success, President Obama was once again briefed behind closed doors. The
> > only ones who went in that room besides the president were Bill Daley.
> > John Brennan, and a third individual whose identity remains unknown to me.
> > When leaving this briefing, the president came out of it “…much more
> > confident. Much more certain of himself.” He was also carrying papers in his
> > hand that quite possibly was the address to the nation given later that
> > evening on the Bin Laden mission. The president did not have those papers with
> > him prior to that briefing. The president then returned to the war room,
> > where by this time, Leon Panetta had personally arrived and was receiving
> > congratulations from all who were present.
> >
> > In my initial communication to you of these events I described what
> > unfolded as a temporary Coup initiated by high ranking intelligence and military
> > officials. I stand by that term. These figures worked around the
> > uncertainty of President Obama and the repeated resistance of Valerie Jarrett. If
> > they had not been willing to do so, I am certain Osama Bin Laden would
> > still be alive today. There will be no punishment to those who acted outside
> > the authority of the president’s office. The president cannot afford to
> > admit such a fact. What will be most interesting from here is to now see
> > what becomes of Valerie Jarrett. One source indicated she is threatening
> > resignation. I find that unlikely given my strong belief she needs the
> > protection afforded her by the Oval Office and its immense powers to delay and
> > eventually terminate investigations back in Chicago, but we shall see.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > HERE’S THE LINK:
> > _http://socyberty.com/issues/white-house-insider-obama-hesitated-panetta-iss
> > ued-order-to-kill-osama-bin-laden_
> > (http://socyberty.com/issues/white-house-insider-obama-hesitated-panetta-issued-order-to-kill-osama-bin-laden)

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.