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Killing Bin Laden. It will be interesting to learn who helped and protected him for years.
National Review ^ | 05/02/2011 | Jim Lacey

Posted on 05/02/2011 6:58:08 AM PDT by SeekAndFind

As someone who lost friends on 9/11 (my office was then on the 82nd floor of Tower Two), knowing that the man responsible for the brutal murder of nearly 3,000 Americans is dead is deeply satisfying. It is even more gratifying knowing his death came as a result of American military action.

In the long term, I believe there is tremendous value in announcing to all those planning to do us harm that we will never stop coming after them. In a very Roman manner, the United States proved to the world that we will never stop searching and that there is no place to hide from our just wrath. Although the Islamic fascists who have declared war on America have always been able to recruit sufficient fanatics willing to kill themselves so as to advance their vile cause, the leadership has always been more circumspect. With few exceptions these men value their lives highly.

Perhaps the knowledge that their actions will inevitably lead to America’s hunting them to the ends of the earth, intent on their death, will cause them to pause and reconsider attacking us in the future.

Even if Osama’s death does not put an end to the Islamic threat, it is still important for Americans to know that their country can and will sustain a manhunt for however long it takes.

Despite this great success, in the near to medium term I expect little change. Since shortly after 9/11, Osama has been little more than a figurehead. Even prior to 9/11 his only real value to the movement was as a source of funds. When those funds dried up so did most of his authority to command. Moreover, since 9/11, the U.S. military has done an outstanding job in tearing the original al-Qaeda to shreds. Osama truly represents the last of al-Qaeda’s old guard. The rest are dead or being held at Gitmo.

Surely, there is value in killing such an important inspiration to the Islamic-fascist movement. At the very least, jihadi morale will plummet — for a time. Unfortunately, the new al-Qaeda does not need bin Laden to continue operations. Long ago, al-Qaeda shifted to a decentralized organizational structure capable of attacking American and other Western interests without any guidance from the top. Thankfully, American military and intelligence agencies continue to pursue these scattered organizations with utmost ferocity. These ongoing American military operations are what keep us safe.

The war against Islamic fascism is far from over. Winning it will require relentless pursuit of our nation’s enemies in a brutal war that is often fought in the shadows. We have taken a huge step forward in this war, but victory remains a distant goal.

America has much to celebrate this morning. But it is too early to let our guard down.

We are, however, a little closer to the day when we can.

Over the next few days and weeks, we will find out a lot more about how Osama was discovered and how Special Operations Forces broke into his compound and killed him. I already have one question: How could Osama have lived in a huge compound — some say a mansion — since at least August (likely much longer) without coming to the attention of Pakistan’s all-pervasive intelligence service? That they were not aware of his presence is all the more unbelievable as it appears that his residence was in a town dominated by a Pakistani military base. Moreover, he was living in a compound at least eight times larger than any other house in the area, one constructed only in 2005. Did Pakistan’s intelligence service really miss it?

It is, however, to the credit of the Pakistani military that they provided valuable support for the attack, as it appears the American assault helicopters launched from a Pakistani airbase. Still, in a country as chaotic as Pakistan it is possible that one hand does not know what the other is doing. Other scenarios are, however, just as likely: We may not have told the Pakistanis the ultimate target, or when presented with evidence that we knew Osama’s location the Pakistanis may have decided he was no longer worth trying to protect.

Despite the fact that our special forces were on the ground only 40 minutes, I assume that they did not leave the compound before emptying it of everything of intelligence value. It will be interesting, therefore, to see if Osama’s movements over the past ten years are recorded on some computer disk now in our possession. I also expect that we may now possess a treasure trove of information that will fill in a number of intelligence gaps.

At the very least, we will likely discover whom Osama counted among his friends. I for one never considered it possible that he could have hidden so long in Pakistan without help from some very important persons in that country, and without the financial support of other persons in the region. No one his age and with his physical ailments can long survive hiding in a cave. So, it will be very interesting to discover who helped and protected him all these years.

— Jim Lacey is professor of strategic studies at the Marine Corps War College. He is also the author of The First Clash.


TOPICS: News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: osamabinladin
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1 posted on 05/02/2011 6:58:14 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

Whose name is on the deed?...........


2 posted on 05/02/2011 6:59:21 AM PDT by Red Badger (Mitt Romney: The Harold Stassen of the 21st century........)
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To: SeekAndFind

I don’t think there’s any question about who protected him: Elements within the Pakistani government and ISI. Their history of coups, corruption, and duplicity speaks for itself.


3 posted on 05/02/2011 7:04:00 AM PDT by edpc (Tagline under construction: Your American Recovery and Reinvestment Act dollars at work.)
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To: SeekAndFind
60 miles from the Pakistani capital, next door to their training facility .... the two-faced backstabbbers known as the Pakistani Government have some serious explaining to do!



Good riddance to this POS!!!


4 posted on 05/02/2011 7:04:56 AM PDT by canuck_conservative
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To: edpc

In my haste, I also forgot to include portions of the Pak military.


5 posted on 05/02/2011 7:05:04 AM PDT by edpc (Tagline under construction: Your American Recovery and Reinvestment Act dollars at work.)
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To: SeekAndFind

If the answers are embarrassing to the current administration, they will be filed in the same place holding B.O.’s college transcripts.


6 posted on 05/02/2011 7:07:20 AM PDT by Clink (Conservatives believe it when they see it. Liberals see it when they believe it.)
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To: SeekAndFind

I do hope that the compound was search and that cell phones and computers were taken by the Seals.


7 posted on 05/02/2011 7:12:38 AM PDT by killermosquito (Buffalo, Detroit (and eventually France) is what you get when liberalism runs its course.)
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To: SeekAndFind

A CIA report from 2002 indicated that the Clinton White House knew exactly where he was on one occasion, but he was visiting several Saudi princes who were in negotiations to buy $14 billion dollars of US fighter bombers. So they let him go. There was big corporate money involved.

If anyone doesn’t think big money kept him safe for all these years, you’re living in a fantasy land.


8 posted on 05/02/2011 7:20:08 AM PDT by warchild9
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To: SeekAndFind
How could Osama have lived in a huge compound — some say a mansion — since at least August (likely much longer) without coming to the attention of Pakistan’s all-pervasive intelligence service? That they were not aware of his presence is all the more unbelievable as it appears that his residence was in a town dominated by a Pakistani military base. Moreover, he was living in a compound at least eight times larger than any other house in the area, one constructed only in 2005. Did Pakistan’s intelligence service really miss it?

I believe the answer is so obvious, even a caveman could see it...

The Pakistani government (or at least their military) were directly complicit in harboring Bin Laden, just as sure as the Taliban harbored him in Afghanistan. BUt we again show that we have a double-standard in regards to this fake "War On Terror". This fits right in with our other obviously manipulated actions:


Mumbarik must go (Egypt) - handing Egypt over to the Muslim Brotherhood (AQ)

Libya - we/NATO must support the "rebels" - also backed by the Muslim Brotherhood (AQ).

We have played so very nice with Pakistan throughout all of this for a variety of political reasons - yet the average "Joe" has believed all along that Osama was in Pakistan. And for him to have been found living in Islamabad in a "neighborhood" with Pakistani generals and officials...

9 posted on 05/02/2011 7:28:12 AM PDT by TheBattman (They exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature...)
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To: warchild9

Remember from time to time over the years, Al Jazeera would air tapes from Bin Laden? I always wondered about that, because I figured somebody, somewhere, had to deliver these messages to Al Jazeera; had to pick up the tapes from someone who definitely knew where he was hiding.

Yes, he had high level protection all these years. With the joy that he is now learning his fate is something other than having 72 virgins, I hope we learn more details about how he was able to hide all these years.


10 posted on 05/02/2011 7:36:18 AM PDT by Dilbert San Diego
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To: SeekAndFind
Where the hell are all those war protesters, those human rights activists, those Democrats proclaiming "this war is lost", those "Gitmo must be closed" putzes, those "Bush and Cheney are war criminals" idiots... I guess all is well now that it a Marxist is pulling the levers.
11 posted on 05/02/2011 7:39:24 AM PDT by dps.inspect (the system is rigged...)
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To: canuck_conservative

The photo on the left... Where did that come from ?


12 posted on 05/02/2011 7:40:01 AM PDT by Celerity
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To: Dilbert San Diego

Someone still has to kill Zawahiri. I attended a speech by Steve Coll a few months ago, and he claimed that Zawahiri is General Giap to bin Laden’s Ho Chi Mihn. That was the analogy he used. Gotta get ‘em both.

Anyway, Obama just needs to point out that bin Laden was killed “under his watch,” and ANY of the weak Republican presidential candidates now yakking it up will slink away.

I’m just waiting to see how big a jump in the polls the Black Messiah will enjoy from this.


13 posted on 05/02/2011 7:44:05 AM PDT by warchild9
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To: Dilbert San Diego

And I’m sure, by now, he knows that his god is not who he thought he was...


14 posted on 05/02/2011 7:47:39 AM PDT by dps.inspect (the system is rigged...)
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To: SeekAndFind
As just posted a few minutes ago, no gloating or gleeful celebrations are necessary, just a rapid run to justice for ANYONE who supported (or still supports), helped, aided, assisted, sympathized with, etc. Osama Bin Laden must be brought to justice.

ANYONE here having anything to do with him in a supporting role must be deported immediately. Mop up operation needs to be commenced post haste.

15 posted on 05/02/2011 7:53:14 AM PDT by MeneMeneTekelUpharsin (Freedom is the freedom to discipline yourself so others don't have to do it for you.)
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To: dps.inspect
It's not so much what you don't know that will hurt you. It's what you know that ain't so!"

Will Rogers

16 posted on 05/02/2011 7:56:59 AM PDT by MeneMeneTekelUpharsin (Freedom is the freedom to discipline yourself so others don't have to do it for you.)
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To: canuck_conservative; SeekAndFind; LucyT; Fred Nerks; Red Steel; little jeremiah

This was an alleged CIA operation?

Somebody’s poll numbers were tanking after General Patton-Trump shooting aggressively from the hip and “re-loading.” States proposing eligibility laws to be put on voting ballots. -———”Here are some scathing words from Hawaiian Miki Boot, and could this be a major factor in WHY the faked produced b.c. saw the light yesterday, a very big and loud hmmm???
“They have been doing incredible documentary acrobatics changing policy and procedure to fit Obama’s claims. And if that wasn’t bad enough, Oklahoma votes today on SB 91 the presidential certification bill which is expected to pass by a large margin and signed into law by Gov. Mary Fallin. The bill will then automatically become law within 5 days.
The Obama Public Relations machine decided today was the crucial day to release the recently cooked up Certificate of Live Birth betting its unveiling will influence enough members of the Oklahoma House to have second thoughts about the necessity of such a bill.”

Read the whole article, some controversies about the real delivery doctor!!!

http://www.thepostemail.com/2011/04/27/obama-supporter-unknowingly-confirms-bc-forgery/ “-——Kind as like when Hillary’s billing records from their Whitewater deal suddenly surfaced on a table/shelf in the W.H.???

The CIA operation, hmmm. Nobody could ever find the usurper attending Columbia university, but he was able to travel to Pakistan on a foreign Passport and working there for CIA(?) while claiming studying at Columbia. Now we see a shuffle of the stack of cards; Petreus in Afgahnistan is moving over to CIA and the boss there Panetta is moving out and into Pentagon instead of Gates who done the “dirty” works while Patriot LT.COL Lakin sacrificed on the alter of going to jail for asking for the “b.c.”(?)that COULD have been shown him????

http://atlahmedianetwork.org/?p=14761

Here’s a prophesy made before the present usurper in the whit-hut was “installed”(?)

Mr. “Boom-Shacka-Lakah” said then: “Mark my words” “Mark my words”

http://atlahmedianetwork.org/?p=14772

I’m elated that OBL has obtained room temperature for the sake of victims from 9/11. However, WHO are the people last night that shown on TV screen acted like the Palastinian after the 9/11 attack, and WHO is going to pay the real price-—ISRAEL—— after this “CIA”(?) operation as well as what have happened in Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Syria, Yemen, etc. And we will wind up with a dictatorship according to their plan unless we get a Honduras wake-up call?????


17 posted on 05/02/2011 7:58:38 AM PDT by danamco (-)
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To: canuck_conservative

Looks like a photo-shopped picture like the b.c.?

If the comparison photo is about ten years ago??

There’s no age change difference on the two pictures and the beard is exactly the same as we seen ten yrs ago, hmmm???


18 posted on 05/02/2011 8:04:14 AM PDT by danamco (-)
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To: Celerity; canuck_conservative

The photo is fake. Been floating on the net for years.


19 posted on 05/02/2011 8:22:47 AM PDT by ironman
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To: edpc; SeekAndFind
Perhaps the knowledge that their actions will inevitably lead to America’s hunting them to the ends of the earth, intent on their death, will cause them to pause and reconsider attacking us in the future.

Yep, that's exactly what we saw Bill Clinton doing on February 26, 1993, and after the Embassy bombings and USS Cole as well as when he had OBL in focus, but not ordered to fire at him, but went for an Aspirin factory, hmmm!!!!

20 posted on 05/02/2011 8:32:11 AM PDT by danamco (-)
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