Obama Special Announcement 10:30 PM eastern (5/1/2011)

[DougHeil]

While I agree the decision to go in was a risk, the percentage of the risk is what is up for debate in my mind. I also don't really put much into what a member of any current administration might say about things. We all know a member isn't going to make the admin look bad or anything else if he/she wants to keep their job.

I have heard from a few that we were at least 95% sure bin laden was there on that morning. Yes, the 5% is a big risk, but was it really? Let's not forget we had surveillance very nearby the "castle" for months. With our capabilities, I can't say we had some kind of choice but to go get him. The only other choice we had was the "how". We certainly didn't want to bomb the place. So yeah, what options were there?

I'm not diminishing the decision Obama made, but simply making the point that I do not think it was that tough a decision to make. Besides, does anyone really believe we didn't have Pakistani's on the ground, and even ex military living right next door who wasn't helping us out? Of course we did.

 

[RonG]

While I agree the decision to go in was a risk, the percentage of the risk is what is up for debate in my mind. I also don't really put much into what a member of any current administration might say about things. We all know a member isn't going to make the admin look bad or anything else if he/she wants to keep their job.

I have heard from a few that we were at least 95% sure bin laden was there on that morning. Yes, the 5% is a big risk, but was it really? Let's not forget we had surveillance very nearby the "castle" for months. With our capabilities, I can't say we had some kind of choice but to go get him. The only other choice we had was the "how". We certainly didn't want to bomb the place. So yeah, what options were there?

I'm not diminishing the decision Obama made, but simply making the point that I do not think it was that tough a decision to make. Besides, does anyone really believe we didn't have Pakistani's on the ground, and even ex military living right next door who wasn't helping us out? Of course we did.

Wow Doug, you heard from a few that they were 95% sure? That is amazing considering just how seceret this was... How can someone that knows the people you do, be unemployed? You are like the the Heath of politics for this forum.

 

[Scrote Squad]

Doug is just salty that Obama made a tough call and actually deserves credit for something. Doug's hatred for Obama (and most democrats) clouds his judgment. Had a republican president made this decision and saw the same success with the mission, I have no doubt that Doug would sing his praises louder than Stephen A Smith talks during a Sportscenter interview.

 

[cavman]

While I agree the decision to go in was a risk, the percentage of the risk is what is up for debate in my mind. I also don't really put much into what a member of any current administration might say about things. We all know a member isn't going to make the admin look bad or anything else if he/she wants to keep their job.

I have heard from a few that we were at least 95% sure bin laden was there on that morning. Yes, the 5% is a big risk, but was it really? Let's not forget we had surveillance very nearby the "castle" for months. With our capabilities, I can't say we had some kind of choice but to go get him. The only other choice we had was the "how". We certainly didn't want to bomb the place. So yeah, what options were there?

I'm not diminishing the decision Obama made, but simply making the point that I do not think it was that tough a decision to make. Besides, does anyone really believe we didn't have Pakistani's on the ground, and even ex military living right next door who wasn't helping us out? Of course we did.

I don't know man, but that call to go in the way they did was risky. His chance to get a second term was riding on that mission. If Osama was not there it would have been a political nightmare and we would have looked like fools. Also what if a chopper was shot down and everyone killed?

I know hard core republicans really want to down play this whole thing so Obama gets as little credit as possible and does not get a boost come election time. The fact of the matter is, we went in undetected killed our target and sent the rest of the Arab world into a panic. I also think Bush would have made the same call and that if things went wrong the dems would have gone ape shit as well. There is always huge risk to just run up in a country pull off some Jack Bauer shit and then on top of that tell them you want the tail section of your chopper back and get your way.

 

[DougHeil]

Doug is just salty that Obama made a tough call and actually deserves credit for something. Doug's hatred for Obama (and most democrats) clouds his judgment. Had a republican president made this decision and saw the same success with the mission, I have no doubt that Doug would sing his praises louder than Stephen A Smith talks during a Sportscenter interview.

I've said it was a good call. I've also said there was no other call to be made. What's false about that? How would our great men and women feel if he did not make that call? The other side to all's argument is that he waited too damn long. Almost long enough for bin laden to be tipped off at some point and sneak out without being seen. You see, there are two sides to this. Many don't want to acknowledge it, but gosh, we knew this place existed last august or so. Our guys built a recreation of the place in order to practice every contingency possible. Of course we knew he was there. What other option did we have but to go get him? None. Doing nothing would have been disastrous long term. Oh sure, we knew bin laden was mostly there but we decided to not do anything. That would have went over real well.

Of course I hate this man. I loathe him. I also see the other side that too many refuse to talk about or even discuss. Of course, many of the same people who are now criticizing me about this also refuse to give tons of credit to Bush who actually put in place ALL THE TOOLS Obama is now using and used to find bin laden in the first place. In fact, Obama tried his best to get rid of those tools and has succeeded in getting rid of some of them. But gosh no; don't talk about that stuff as it doesn't push forward the Obama main agenda of being reelected. And BTW: if you all think this somehow gets him a second term, get back with me in 18 months. No way does it get him that term at all. Nothing has changed in the minds of most about Obama.

 

[BigErieCavsFan]

Nothing has changed in the minds of most about Obama.

I guess that means he will win again then?...

 

[Maximus]

While I agree the decision to go in was a risk, the percentage of the risk is what is up for debate in my mind.
I have heard from a few that we were at least 95% sure bin laden was there on that morning.

Percentage of risk??? Doug, wtf? Even if they were 100% certain bin laden was there it doesn't diminish the risk involved. The entire compound could've been wired with explosives. Imagine if OBL hit a switch that blew up the whole thing as soon as the copters landed. It was a very tough decision with a lot or risk...Obama deserves credit for it. Thank God it worked to near perfection.

 

[Damage]

Percentage of risk??? Doug, wtf? Even if they were 100% certain bin laden was there it doesn't diminish the risk involved. The entire compound could've been wired with explosives. Imagine if OBL hit a switch that blew up the whole thing as soon as the copters landed. It was a very tough decision with a lot or risk...Obama deserves credit for it. Thank God it worked to near perfection.

I'm gonna frame this post :chuckles:

 

[Noonan]

Looking at this purely from a political viewpoint, the risks far out-weighed the rewards. If this thing had gone sideways and US troops died without getting bin Laden, the GOP would have had a field day.

During the campaign McCain chastised Obama while playing the role of elder statesman and said the US flat-out should not go into Pakistan, even if we knew for certain bin Laden was there. Well, this exact scenario actually came to pass, minus the certainty. If the mission failed, Obama would have been easily attacked for having bad judgment, being incompetent, losing the trust of the army, lacking critical analytical skills and for not having a fundamental understanding of international diplomacy. The political gang-bang would have been epic.

On the flip side, Doug, you don't seem to have spent a moment thinking about the fact that you voted for the guy who said he would not have sent troops in to get bin Laden. If McCain was telling the truth that means bin Laden would still be alive today. Any second guessing there?

 

[Lee]

I'm gonna frame this post :chuckles:

Doesnt mean we all agree with his economic or domestic policies. But for sure, for one major, major decision, Obama got it right. And for those who vote on the right, doesnt mean we dont respect the Office of the Presidency. Sure he might be a liberal socialist, lol, but he is my liberal socialist and he made all of us proud to call ourselves Americans.

Just wish he would have been born in the US. :chuckles:

 

[DougHeil]

Sorry, I don't see the risk. We had bomb and explosive sniffing dogs with us. I'm very sure we didn't go in unless/until we knew we were safe. These guys don't fuck around. As far as anyone from Pakistan jumping us, etc, well, considering I believe we had help from them anyway, I see no risk for that either. I also don't think bin laden had a clue as he didn't have much security around either. Frankly, any risk of safety was really no risk at all. We just wouldn't go in if our safety was at risk. The main risk I was referring to was the risk of bin laden not being there at all. I saw that as almost zero percent. Again, we knew he was there.

BTW: I didn't know McCain had said that. I didn't like him anyway, but voted for him as the lesser of two terribles.

 

[Coyote]

AP sources: Raiders knew mission a one-shot deal

The U.S. deliberately hid the operation from Pakistan, and predicted that national outrage over the breach of Pakistani sovereignty would make it impossible to try again if the raid on bin Laden's suspected redoubt came up dry.

Yeah, nothing risky about this at all.

 

[A Squared]

AP sources: Raiders knew mission a one-shot deal



Yeah, nothing risky about this at all.

Sometimes you have to take high risks to get high rewards and this time it definitely payed off.

 

[Chardon]

Has anyone ever read the Art of War?

Sun Tzu wrote over 2500 years ago:

Secret operations are essential in war; upon them the army relies to make its every move.

The quality of decision is like the well-timed swoop of a falcon which enables it to strike and destroy its victim.

 

[Maximus]

Has anyone ever read the Art of War?

Sun Tzu wrote over 2500 years ago:

Secret operations are essential in war; upon them the army relies to make its every move.
The quality of decision is like the well-timed swoop of a falcon which enables it to strike and destroy its victim.

I could've sworn it was Yoda that said that...