Joe Klein: President Bush 'Deserves Both Credit and Blame' for bin Laden Killing
In his May 2 Swampland blog post "Osama Gone, and Now...", Time's Joe Klein makes some arguably contradictory assertions in his thoughts on the role former President Bush played in ultimately finding and killing Osama bin Laden:
George W. Bush deserves both credit and blame here. He deserves great credit for amping up the human intelligence and special operations sectors of the intelligence community, which made this success possible. These, and little more, are precisely the tactics and level of engagement that the war against al-Qaeda required from the start; it is, and should have been, a special forces war. Bush’s decision to divert attention from the goal by going to war in Iraq seems more disproportionate and foolish every day–does anybody believe that Saddam Hussein would have survived the Arab Spring?
But if Afghanistan was and always has been a special forces war -- even under Bush -- how was engaging in a more conventional military operation in Iraq a diversion?
Even if it diverted public attention, is Klein arguing the U.S. military and U.S. intelligence establishment cannot handle two military theaters of operation at a time? If so, shouldn't Klein be more outspoken in his critique of Obama for starting a third theater of military operation in Libya?
And why is Klein so sure that the Arab Spring protests would have happened in an alternate universe in which the U.S. and its coalition had never ousted Hussein from power? Even if it would have, how could he be sure that Hussein would not relinquish power short of a coup d'etat by his own military? How could Klein be so sure that Saddam's military and security forces would have turned on him, rather than prop up his regime indefinitely as is the case with Gadhafi in Libya.
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Comments
July 2007: The US Senate doubles the bounty on bin Laden to 50 m
Submitted by upcountrywater on Mon, 05/02/2011 - 5:01pm.
million Bucks....
So who gets the cashhhhhh?
You Didn't Build That.
Hopefully, the Navy SEALs that nailed him.
Submitted by Phryj1 on Mon, 05/02/2011 - 5:05pm.
Although, I would not be surprised in the least if it all ended up in Barry's re-election fund.
Progressives seem to be completely averse to facts and logic. Apparently, reality has a conservative bias.
Maybe Custorial Interviews included bribes...
Submitted by Rover on Mon, 05/02/2011 - 6:21pm.
We've been told that the initial information was derived from custodial interviews.
That gets me thinking waterboarding, etc., but maybe it included bribes as well.
If so, I'd say they earned the money.
Doesn't mean we have to let them out of Gitmo. They'll be the richest terrorists in the cell block.
reward
Submitted by Zepppo on Tue, 05/03/2011 - 10:14am.
Anyone involved in National security including the military and the president is not eligble for the reward.
If we hadn't gone to Iraq,
Submitted by Phryj1 on Mon, 05/02/2011 - 5:03pm.
chances are Saddam would've been a major player in the Arab Spring uprisings, and we would've been dragged into it kicking and screaming, only against a much better armed Saddam with support from other middle eastern powers. Saddam's Iraq would been a serious agitator. With it still in play, Arab Spring could very well have been the dawn of World War 3. Thank God we never had to find out.
Progressives seem to be completely averse to facts and logic. Apparently, reality has a conservative bias.
Wrong. Arab Spring would not
Submitted by Zippy on Mon, 05/02/2011 - 8:51pm.
Wrong.
Arab Spring would not have happened.
Day 2 of Iraqi Freedom. The US gained another friend in the war on Terror.
Momamar Qaddafi decides to obey the UN sanctions. Especially the "No More Terrorist training camps.
It was reported here. Somewhere.
Libya and US were good friends. Till Barry Soortoro showed up.
More blame here too
Submitted by MaximusBraveheart on Mon, 05/02/2011 - 5:14pm.
See Obama's Islamic PC pandering is no use! Wake up man!
Headline: Islamic scholars criticize bin Laden's sea burial
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110502/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_bin_laden_sea_burial
snip in-part:
CAIRO – Muslim clerics said Monday that Osama bin Laden's burial at sea was a violation of Islamic tradition that may further provoke militant calls for revenge attacks against American targets.
Although there appears to be some room for debate over the burial — as with many issues within the faith — a wide range of senior Islamic scholars interpreted it as a humiliating disregard for the standard Muslim practice of placing the body in a grave with the head pointed toward the holy city of Mecca.
Sea burials can be allowed, they said, but only in special cases where the death occurred aboard a ship.
Bin Laden's burial at sea "runs contrary to the principles of Islamic laws, religious values and humanitarian customs," said Sheik Ahmed al-Tayeb, the grand Imam of Cairo's al-Azhar mosque, Sunni Islam's highest seat of learning.
A radical cleric in Lebanon, Omar Bakri Mohammed, said, "The Americans want to humiliate Muslims through this burial, and I don't think this is in the interest of the U.S. administration."
.... snip
President Barack Obama said the remains had been handled in accordance with Islamic custom, which requires speedy burial, and the Pentagon later said the body was placed into the waters of the northern Arabian Sea after adhering to traditional Islamic procedures — including washing the corpse — aboard the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson.
But the Lebanese cleric Mohammed called it a "strategic mistake" that was bound to stoke rage.
-- Maximusbraveheart -- Is TRUTH knowable? Moral Relativism is the abandonment of Truth. Truth is knowable. Truth conforms to Reality. Reality is observable by evidence & witness in this day & from history. Relativism is Sesame Street play land.
Sea Burial ?????
Submitted by MrShy on Mon, 05/02/2011 - 6:00pm.
In observance of islamic customs?..... my *ss.
Seriously, people, did we just capture, kill, and then ditch the evidence of the Hitler of our times into the sea on the night we killed him? He's not on U.S. soil now, for forensics?
We did this (well, if we did, if this whole thing happened -- now we have no evidence) out of respect to the cult that's at war with us???
All of this stinks to high heaven. Seriously.
- Shy Vinyl
Join Mr. Shy and The 1* Percent
"Ooey, ooey, Baby"
Submitted by SickofLibs on Mon, 05/02/2011 - 6:04pm.
Won't you let me take you on sea cruise?
Barry made his bones
Submitted by paragrouper on Mon, 05/02/2011 - 7:35pm.
in true Chicagoland fashion--a couple of shots and SPLASH!
Badda Bing, Badda Boom
LOL! That's a good
Submitted by MaximusBraveheart on Mon, 05/02/2011 - 10:53pm.
LOL! That's a good one!
-----------------------------------------
#1 Barry made his bones
Submitted by Paragrouper on Mon, 05/02/2011 - 7:35pm.
in true Chicagoland fashion--a couple of shots and SPLASH!
Badda Bing, Badda Boom
-- Maximusbraveheart -- Is TRUTH knowable? Moral Relativism is the abandonment of Truth. Truth is knowable. Truth conforms to Reality. Reality is observable by evidence & witness in this day & from history. Relativism is Sesame Street play land.
I just wish they would make up their minds
Submitted by ckc1227 on Mon, 05/02/2011 - 10:02pm.
They've been telling us for years that Osama doesn't represent true Islam, yet for some reason it was necessary to bestow one of Islam's highest honors by burying him within 24 hours.
This piece of crap lost any claim to being treated respectfully the day he killed 3,000 Americans. This PC crap makes me want to puke.
Klein can't help himself, he
Submitted by rbosque on Mon, 05/02/2011 - 6:07pm.
Klein can't help himself, he suffers from a severe mental condition where his head is permanently suck up his ass, affecting his reasoning ability.
Payback Finally
Submitted by desert3030 on Mon, 05/02/2011 - 6:08pm.
Wonder what number he is on now of the 72?
Nothing in years has been more pleasureable than that news he was "shot" dead. I thank Obama in more ways than the norm. Most importantly for the families of 911. Second that it was a Demorat who was in office. If it was a Republican we would have to have and inquiry as to see if torture was involved. Did he suffer needlessly at the end. Were any of his right voilate before or near the end. Are we sure he will receive all 72 woman?
Here's one guy who just doesn't give a crap about PC, good riddenace you miserable waste of dna.
Video: Obama Trying To Prosecute Cheney For The Policies That Le
Submitted by im41 on Mon, 05/02/2011 - 6:12pm.
Video: Obama Trying To Prosecute Cheney For The Policies That Led To The Death Of Bin Laden
http://conservativeblogscentral.blogspot.com/2011/05/video-obama-trying-...
They did a better job than I
Submitted by bmac50 on Mon, 05/02/2011 - 6:14pm.
They did a better job than I would have done.
First he'd get rapped in bacon from feet to neck then he'd get paraded through each place he was tied to on bombing and then he'd be buried feet down. Seeing he's already dead maybe a pigs head to replace his.
It wouldn't matter how they buried him, those idiots would find something wrong.
shouldn't Klein be more
Submitted by motherbelt on Mon, 05/02/2011 - 7:23pm.
shouldn't Klein be more outspoken in his critique of Obama for starting a third theater of military operation in Libya?
Oh, hell no! Don't forget, The Obama is the most commanding commander-in-chief EVAH!!
He can run three wars and still have time for golf!
Bin Laden's Afterlife
Submitted by jdhawk on Mon, 05/02/2011 - 8:01pm.
Bin Laden's Afterlife Surprise
After getting nailed by an M16, Osama made his way to the pearly gates. There, he is greeted by George Washington.
"How dare you attack the nation I helped conceive!" yells Mr. Washington, slapping Osama in the face. Patrick Henry comes up from behind:
"You wanted to end the Americans' liberty, so they gave you death!" Henry punches Osama on the nose. James Madison comes up next, and says,
"This is why I allowed the Federal government to provide for the common defense!" He drops a large weight on Osama's knee.
Osama is subject to similar beatings from John Randolph of Roanoke, James Monroe and 65 other 18th-century American revolutionaries.
As he writhes on the ground, Thomas Jefferson picks him up to hurl him back toward the gate where he is to be judged.
As Osama awaits his journey to his final very hot destination, he screams, "This is not what I was promised!"
An angel replies: "I told you there would be 72 Virginians waiting for you. What did you think I said?"
Klien What
Submitted by desert3030 on Mon, 05/02/2011 - 8:13pm.
You should have prayed the 72 didn't start out looking like Joy, Whoopie, Rachel, Randi, Cindi, Nancy, Debbie, Markie, oh you fill in the rest you guys know beauty queens. He would have asked for a Christians burial.
1000 years of history says NO!
Submitted by Injest on Tue, 05/03/2011 - 6:09am.
"does anybody believe that Saddam Hussein would have survived the Arab Spring?"
Seriously, does anybody believe that the Arab Spring would have happen had we not gone after and removed Saddam Hussein?
1000 years of history says NO!