From what I pieced together from various reports, Obama kept shutting down planned missions.
So, Panetta finally asked him “Under what conditions would you give the go ahead” and Obama (stupidly) outlined some.
Then Panetta made sure those conditions were put in place, and ordered the mission.
After the mission was started they called Obama off the golf course to tell him, and he tried to stop it (again).
Panetta (and possibly hilLIARy) took him aside and said they would go public if he did, and besides the mission was already underway- having met the conditions he explicitly gave.
Obama never ‘gave the order’ as he so bravely told everyone. He only took the credit.
He looked furious in that Situation Room photo. Livid.
I think Obama was in Vegas for a fundraiser and was out of pocket.