BREAKING: President Obama's 'gutsy' decision

[Turborama]

Source: CNN

May 2nd, 2011 02:25 PM ET - The decision by President Barack Obama to launch the assault that killed Osama bin Laden was one of the "gutsiest" calls by any president in recent memory, Obama's top counterterrorism adviser said Monday.

John Brennan, assistant to the president for homeland security and counterterrorism, said that despite intelligence indicating that bin Laden was in the compound in Pakistan, there was no certainty the al Qaeda leader was actually there.

Obama "made what I believe was one of the ... gutsiest calls of any president in recent memory," Brennan said.

Read more: http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/05/02/breaking-president-obamas-gutsy-decision/

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Some more snippets from that really detailed press conference http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2011/05/obama-aide-we-would-have-taken-bin-laden-alive/1?csp=34">via USA Today (I'll add the transcript when it goes online):

-- Obama and aides watched the operation in real time on video screens within the White House Situation Room. "Minutes passed like days," Brennan said. "It was clearly very intense."

-- It is highly likely that some Pakistani officials knew that bin Laden was "hiding in plain sight," in a "million dollar-plus compound" in a town where a military academy is located.

-- Operation planners were increasingly confident that their target was bin Laden, based on physical evidence and other factors, Brennan said (Obama was 6-4). DNA evidence sealed the identification, he said, enabling Obama and his team to tell the world, "we got him."

-- Brennan would not provide details about bin Laden's burial at sea, except to say it was done within Muslim tradition.

-- White House press secretary Jay Carney noted that, as a candidate, Obama said he would be willing to go into Pakistan if presented with solid evidence that bin Laden or other high value targets were hiding there.

-- Bin Laden and confederates used women as "human shields" during the shoot-out, Brennan said.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

1. -->

[Blue Owl]

2. Contrast that with Dubya's self-proclaimed "gutly" leadership

""Who knows if he's hiding in some cave or not... I don't know where he is. Nor do I -- you know, I just don't spend that much time on him to be honest with you."

-- George W. Bush, 2002

[Kolesar]

3. ¿Quién es más macho?

for all you SNL fans!

[spooky3]

4. yeah, but what about firing Meat Loaf?

:sarcasm:

I'm glad to see this report come out - sick of too much credit being given to Bush, as though Obama were merely a pencil pushing bystander.

[eleny]

5. W didn't have confiidence the Tora Bora intelligence data

Maybe he was too afraid to risk looking like Carter having a failed mission.

Obama felt they had enough to make a decision to go in and so he ordered that.

[loudsue]

8. The bush crime family didn't WANT to catch OBL. Too much money to be made

doing the PNAC thing.

[eleny]

16. Oh I definitely agree with you

But I think that's more Cheney who could then convince his hand puppet to do what he wanted by manipulation.

[Plucketeer]

21. I was thinking that too

There must've been groans from some contractors with this news.

[Kingofalldems]

6. Yeah! Yeah! Take that freepers--I know you're here

The world is laughing at you and your boy Rush.

[ClarkUSA]

7. "Obama was 6-4"?

[Turborama]

17. Yeah, not sure what that refers to.

I think it might have something to do with how many offials were for and against going ahead with the operation, or it could just be a USA Today typographical error. Will check the transcript when it goes online to find out.

[caraher]

18. That's supposed to be Osama's height

6 feet 4 inches

[Turborama]

19. Right, so USA Today made a terrible typo.

Thanks for clearing it up.

It's really early morning here and my analytical skills are lacking, time to crash out methinks.

[intaglio]

20. 6 to 4 bookmakers term

though it was a 60%/40% it was bin Ladin

[Kolesar]

9. I like...

[liberal N proud]

10. Kicked Ass and took names

[Iliyah]

11. Prez O took the

gutiest move to get OBL. Who would figure, I mean, let the corporate media tell it and a lot of people on both sides, that Prez O is weak, I tell you weak!

The gopers are fuming, many of the gopers' presidental want to be(s) can't even muster up a CONGRATS. That reminds me of a spoil brat.

[whoneedstickets]

12. He risked his Presidency on this, had the raid failed....

..he would have looked ineffectual as CinC. Echoes of Carter and the hostage rescue.

With such a downside, and the potential for only limited upside, this was a big risk.

Obama hit a home run!

[harmonicon]

15. Can you imagine what a disaster it would be...

if the US were to launch an attack inside of Pakistan which basically just killed civilians? Oh, yeah, that happens ALL OF THE FUCKING TIME. Failed? Our entire foreign policy is a failure. I don't think one little incident would make much of a difference.

[angstlessk]

13. where did you get that Obama kicking the door in thing a majob?

I tried to copy but it only gave me a static image...how can I get the whole schlemiel?

[Turborama]

14. Here's the link...

Just join up the gaps...

http : //29. media . tumblr . com/tumblr_lkjw0bSUM01qino4lo1_400.gif

Lasher was using it earlier here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=4834735&mesg_id=4835149

[Turborama]

22. More of what Brennan said via ABC...

Brennan, a senior advisor on homeland security, called this operation a "defining moment" in war against terrorist groups where they "decapitated the head of the snake."

The three to four hours Sunday night when operation was ongoing, Brennan described as "one of the most anxiety-filled times" and that "minutes passed like days."

Upon learning of bin Laden's death, Brennan said that President Obama reacted by saying, "We got him."

Brennan acknowledged that there were some who didn't think the president should have pulled the trigger on the operation to go after bin Laden, who believed it was too risky, it was not guarenteed that bin Laden was there or had concerns that the mission would not succeed.

More: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/osama-bin-laden-hid-wives-firefight-counter-terrorism/story?id=13507836

And another article focusing on what he said about Obama's "gutsiness": http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20058916-503544.html

[Turborama]

23. Photo from the Situation Room during the raid & video of what Brennan said...

President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden, along with members of the national security
team, receive an update on the mission against Osama bin Laden in the Situation Room of the
White House, in this May 1, 2011 handout photo. Pete Souza/The White House

Videos added to both of these links, which were posted above.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20058916-503544.html

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/osama-bin-laden-hid-wives-firefight-counter-terrorism/story?id=13507836

[bigworld]

24. who are all these people?

Gates, Biden, Obama, Clinton, Mike Mullen, Tom Donilon, but who else? Just curious.

[Turborama]

26. Here's the full list...

President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden, along with members of the national security team, receive an update on the mission against Osama bin Laden in the Situation Room of the White House, May 1, 2011. Seated, from left, are: Brigadier General Marshall B. “Brad” Webb, Assistant Commanding General, Joint Special Operations Command; Deputy National Security Advisor Denis McDonough; Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton; and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. Standing, from left, are: Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; National Security Advisor Tom Donilon; Chief of Staff Bill Daley; Tony Binken, National Security Advisor to the Vice President; Audrey Tomason Director for Counterterrorism; John Brennan, Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism; and Director of National Intelligence James Clapper. Please note: a classified document seen in this photograph has been obscured. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/whitehouse/5680724572/in/photostream/

I like this close up version as well...

[Turborama]

25. Full transcript and video (50mins) of the press briefing available online now

Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jay Carney and Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism John Brennan

Transcript: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/05/02/press-briefing-press-secretary-jay-carney-and-assistant-president-homela

Video: http://www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/video/2011/05/02/press-briefing