Tuesday, May 03, 2011

The "Paper Tiger" Has Teeth

"America is a paper tiger" ~ Osama bin Laden

I've been too busy to comment on the termination of Osama bin Laden, and, as it turns out, that may have been a blessing.

Now that further information has surfaced, I can make a more informed comment.

Stop! Don't shoot!

Upon first hearing that Osama was dead, my first thought was, "Big deal. Someone else will just step in and take his place. It's not over." I still think that, except, his death is a big deal.

Then, I heard that Obama "authorized" the operation. He gave the "Kill" order.

Now, I admit I have little to no knowledge of military operations, and certainly less knowledge of covert military operations, but I seem to remember President George W. Bush authorized the military to capture and kill bin Laden a decade ago.

Was this authorization ever rescinded?

If not, Obama did not need to authorize the operation that resulted in the death of Osama bin Laden. Taking out bin Laden was the armed forces' mission, and has been their mission for the last ten years.

Mission accomplished.

Now, Obama is taking credit for this victory. This is the same man who campaigned on getting the U.S. out of the war by surrendering. He is also the same man who promised to close GITMO, and aggressively pushed for the prosecution of the CIA operatives who interrogated the Muslim terrorist detainees, calling our techniques "torture".

And yet, it was those very "techniques" that gave us the information that, in turn, led to Osama bin Laden's demise.

So, apparently, Obama gets the credit in spite of himself.

Two things bother me about the subsequent burial of Osama at sea:

I understand the stated reasons for burying him at sea, but they don't pass muster with me.

1. The first reason stated was they buried him at sea to prevent Osama's rabid followers from building a shrine at the site of Osama's grave. OK. So they have prevented Muslim extremists from creating a shrine to Osama on his gravesite. But, nevertheless, shrines can, and likely will, be created at his place of birth, place of death, and any of thousands of sites scattered in between.

So, what, if anything, did burial at sea accomplish, other than generate speculation that Osama might not really be dead? You know conspiracy theorists will have a field day with that one.

Remember the theories that Hitler was still alive somewhere and plotting his revenge?

At least there was never any doubt that Mussolini was dead.

2. The second stated reason for burial at sea was because Obama (apparently, since he had the responsibility of making such decisions) insisted we give bin Laden a proper Muslim send-off out of respect for the Islamic traditions and customs.

This offends me. How does this vermin deserve respect from us? From anyone? In my opinion, his body should have been placed in some very public place and left there with 24 hour video surveillance until his body decays into dust.

To hell with respect for Muslim tradition and customs. They are a false religion in the first place.

In my opinion, he shouldn't have been killed at all. Rather, he should have been captured and incarcerated for the rest of his life in a prison with no other inmates and no outside contact at all, ala Rudolph Hess in Spandau Prison. No newspapers. No TV. No DVD's, No computers. No visitors. At all. Until his lonely, anonymous death.

In this way, he becomes virtually ineffective as a leader of terrorists. He cannot be a martyr because he has not died a martyr's death. He becomes his own worst nightmare:

He becomes insignificant.

Osama bin Laden once famously said, "America is a paper tiger".

Evidently, this "paper tiger" has some pretty sharp teeth.

Cross posted at American Descent

15 comments:

Z said...

I can't imagine affording him an Islamic funeral of any kind after what he did to us on 9/11......and I'm hoping the reports that the Koran was read in English and then Arabic are wrong. Why English?
Maybe David "HOLY koran" Patraeus insisted...I wonder if he showed up in full Arab garb like he did at the last gathering with Arabs? ugh.

Ya, the tiger has teeth....sure feels better than all the appeasing we've had the last 2 1/2 years; and it sure felt amazingly good to see young people in DC and NYC shouting USA USA USA! Who knew? :-)

Always On Watch said...

President George W. Bush authorized the military to capture and kill bin Laden a decade ago.

Was this authorization ever rescinded?

If not, Obama did not need to authorize the operation that resulted in the death of Osama bin Laden.


Good catch, Mark.

Of course, I think that any President would make hay with the killing of OBL.

I'm not sure that capturing OBL was a good option, however. Whatever country held him as prison would be a target of retaliation. Worse, those who worked at such a prison -- as well as the families of the workers -- would have been targets.

Obama is incorrect with his statement: "The world is a safer place without Osama bin Laden." As far as I can tell, OBL wasn't of much power any longer, anyway. However, as a dead man, he may have quite a bit of power. According to what I read on the web this morning, OBL has a final statement to be released. I have no doubt that his final statement contains attack codes. I fully expect his final statement to be released -- at least, by Al Jazeera.

BTW, Mohammed's final statement consisted of marching orders: Kill the infidels and all that.

Eric said...

"Virtually every tool, apparatus, technique, and policy employed by the administration to effect a successful mission to kill Osama Bin Laden, they campaigned on ending. Now they claim credit for being gutsy and courageous, when none of this would have been available to them had they had their druthers. It's a darn good thing, in retrospect, that President Obama listened to President Bush rather than Sen. Obama."

--Rush Limbaugh


Amen, Brother. Yet despite this inconvenient truth, Obama STILL deserves credit. Bush piloted the boat out into the murky night, but Obama caught the fish.

Mark said...

I refuse to give any credit to Obama. A commenter at another blog posted this comment. I don't know where he got the info. He doesn't give it attribution. But it seems believable and in keeping with Obama's otherwise socialist, Muslim loving policies:

"Please get this out ASAP. Want specific people to know we know.

RE Osama Bin Laden. Significant push to take him out months ago. Senior WH staff resisted. This was cause of much strain between HC and Obama/Jarrett. HC and LP were in constant communication over matter – both attempted to convince administration to act. Administration feared failure and resulting negative impact on president. Intel disgusted over politics over national security. Staff resigned/left. Check timeline to corroborate.

Now Intel already leaking to media facts surrounding how info obtained. Namely from enhanced interrogation efforts via GITMO prisoners. Obama administration placed in corner on this. Some media aware of danger to president RE this and attempting protection. Others looking for further investigation. We are pushing for them to follow through and already meeting with some access.

Point of determination made FOR Obama not BY Obama. Will clarify as details become more clear. Very clear divide between Military and WH. Jarrett marginalized 100% on decision to take out OBL. She played no part. BD worked with LP and HC to form coalition to force CoC to engage.

IMPORTANT SPECIFIC: When 48 hour go order issued, CoC was told, not requested. Administration scrambled to abort. That order was overruled. This order did not originate from CoC. Repeat – this order did not originate from CoC. He complied, but did not originate.

Independent military contacts have confirmed. Stories corroborate one another. This is legit.

The killing of Osama Bin Laden was in fact a Coup within Obama WH."

Speaking with additional contacts RE info.
HC - Hillary Clinton.
LP - Leon Panetta.
BD - Bill Daley.
CoC= Chain of Command or Commander in Chief

Fredd said...

There was really no doubt that Osama's 'paper tiger' comment was invalid, given the fullness of time.

I suspect he never thought that the 'paper tiger' would put a bullet through his head. Until a moment before his death.

Live and learn, I guess. Or, in Osama's case, die and learn.

Jim said...

"When 48 hour go order issued, CoC was told, not requested. Administration scrambled to abort. That order was overruled. This order did not originate from CoC. Repeat – this order did not originate from CoC. He complied, but did not originate."

What a pile of unadulterated effing bullshit!

You fruitcakes will believe anything, won't you.

Mark said...

Jim, I didn't say I believed it. I merely copied and pasted what a commenter at another blog posted. As I said, he didn't include attribution.

That said, It's perfectly natural to assume Obama would have resisted taking bin Laden since all his previously stated beliefs and policies are antithetical to The United States' Defense department and conciliatory towards our enemies.

I don't like Obama. I don't trust Obama. He is a liar and a Marxist, and his policies are harmful to my country. So, yes, I tend to believe (until proven wrong) anything negative about him.

Trader Rick said...

"What a pile of unadulterated effing bullshit!

You fruitcakes will believe anything, won't you."

Another brilliant and thoughtful comment by the anonymous troll "jim". When he goes off his meds, he really gets worked up, eh?

"jim", your amusing insights and unique viewpoints are truly remarkable. A true Man Without A Country, drifting in and out of sanity.

But, back to reality: Given O'Sama, I mean O'Bama's track record of blatant and shameful anti-Americanism, a scenario like this seems quite plausible. I really do hope there is patriotic and courageous resistance to O'Bama's passive treason, within the executive branch or the military.

Eric said...

Rick, your use of O'Bama makes me think of the Irish use, and I can't help but being offended! It offends me to think that Obama 'came from' Alabama. I live in Alabama. Alabama went to McCain.

We don't want Obama down here. We want a real born and raised in the US American for president. Obama may have been born here, but he wasn't raised [for most of his formative years] here. He studied radicalism here. And managed to fool the nation into electing him.

Please Rick, for my sake, no more O'Bama. He was not a member of the Crimson Tide's Basketball program. Give him to Auburn.

Jim said...

"I didn't say I believed it."

No?

"But it seems believable" "So, yes, I tend to believe (until proven wrong) anything negative about him."

"It's perfectly natural to assume Obama would have resisted taking bin Laden"

He said during the campaign that he would hunt Bin Laden down even if he were in Pakistan. So bullshit on your above quote.

"since all his previously stated beliefs and policies are antithetical to The United States' Defense department and conciliatory towards our enemies."

Bullshit. No further comment needed.

"A true Man Without A Country, drifting in and out of sanity."

Except that I've lived in this country for over 60 years and have been sane and lucid for all of them (except maybe a few days in the 60s). So as usual, Dick, you are full of ...oh whatever.

Mark said...

"He said during the campaign that he would hunt Bin Laden down even if he were in Pakistan. So bullshit on your above quote."

Right. And he wouldn't lie just to get your vote now, would he?

Jim said...

He said it. He did it.

Lone Ranger said...

Obama dithered for SIXTEEN HOURS before giving the go-ahead on the mission. He slept on it. What an immature way to respond to a crisis. And now he won't release any photos. The most transparent president in history is once again defying the will of the people and the spirit of a free country.

Jim said...

"What an immature way to respond to a crisis."

You mean when he took the time do decide among several options presented by his team? A team that did not provide a consensus to him? Options which could have serious and grave results?

Hater.

Jim said...

"Virtually every tool, apparatus, technique, and policy employed by the administration to effect a successful mission to kill Osama Bin Laden, they campaigned on ending."

This is false on several levels. But then it's Rush so it's to be expected. Case in point: Bush had abandoned the search of OBL, said he didn't really think about him anymore back in 2003. In 2005, his CIA closed down the OBL unit.

Obama restored catching or killing OBL to a very high priority and gave instructions to the CIA to hunt him down and catch him. 2 years later that order was fulfilled. He campaigned on it. He ordered it. It was done.