Bin Laden, SEAL's and bombs

[ldmaster]

It's been bugging me the past few days.

If reports are correct we knew he was there for some time. Drone's have probably been surveiling the area for that time also, not to mention keyhole satellites and ground penetrating radar, etc.

There was a brief report that Obama considered bombing the compound a while back, but didn't want any question to be raised about whether Bin Laden had been killed.

So, instead of a JDAM strike - he sent in dozens of American soldiers to risk death - to score a point, to get a photo.

It's not like we haven't bombed HUNDREDS of "suspected terrorists" locations in Pakistan already, that barrier had already been breached - there would have been little political fallout.

let's also consider that they had the time and resources to strip his lair of intelligence assets. Given the loiter time they've admitted to having, how lawful is an order to "kill him"? Capturing him would certainly have been an option. Reports are that he did not have a weapon in or near his hand when he was killed. Just because we hate him so much, do we now execute criminals without benefit of ANY trial? If they can do it to Bin Laden, they can do it to any one of us -

Ooops, they already have -

Anybody remember Mrs. Randy Weaver holding her baby when she was drilled by Lon Hoiriuchi? Yeah he was evil, etc... That's not my point, many of you wont get my point - so be it.

If the whole idea was to kill him, then a bomb would have done it without any risk to any soldier. If more than one helicopter had crashed, we'd have a bigger toll for this "op". I'm guessing they had spares in orbit, but don't know for sure, at some point arabic television should release someone doing video of the operation.

The point is that I do not care enough about being "sure" Bin laden was dead to risk a single american soldier's life. We don't/won't know about ANY casualties from this op simply because they never ever report casualties that occur during these things.

If they'd landed and NOT found Bin Laden, then we wouldnt' have heard a DAMN thing about this operation. I'm wondering how many other similar operations have been performed, with negative results, that we haven't heard about.

I can't help but think that this is a political move for Obama's re-election campaign, moreso than it was about getting Bin Laden. He's a politician and politicians in general think VERY little of a soldier's life, as long as they get some political juice out of it.

The spin being put on his "leadership talents" concerning this are sickening me.

That being said, i'm 100 percent certain that each and every soldier in on this op would have volunteered to do it - but that's beside the point. We could have done it without risking a single life.

Arabic TV and media sources are already saying it was a hoax, and the politicians knew that nothing we did or showed could convince them he was dead. This was PURELY for the western press.

I think that if we'd brought his corpse back to the USA and put it on display, that they could have raised BILLIONS in revenue from the $100 bucks they could have charged to look at him. I know I'd have paid it.

I'm hoping nobody got more than a scratch, Bin Laden wasn't worth a single drop of a soldier's blood. yeah, yeah, I know - it's what soldiers sign up for, etc... that's not what's buggin me though.

Thoughts?

[Scanker19]

Instead they will risk IEDs going to meet a fucking sheik about some god damned water project, to help "rebuild" bumfuckistan to make them good little allies.

[bowhunter]

Obama is a piece of shit and unless we come up with better candidates it looks like he has the election in the bag anyways. So I don't think he needs to gloat for that reason. I am doubting the whole thing at this point but if it did happen it was worth the risk! Anyone would have volunteered for that experience, even a crazy guy from greeley with a sword. We have risked more lives for stupid shit, at least this risk paid off.

[Hoosier]

Hey guise, time to stock up!



H.

[NukeRJ]

I have to say that I seriously doubt that any of seal team 6 and the support elements stood up and asked to sit this one out when they were given the warning order. I know for a fact that if it was my team that got picked to go shoot it out with Osama, I would have just asked if it was capture or kill. And hoped for the latter.

Besides, anyone on that mission is set for life in the contracting world. Plus what better pick up line than "I'm the guy who shot bin laden in the face"

[tmjohnson]

I see your point. But proving Bin Laden was dead was more politically powerful than just a bomb on the compound. I hate to see those soldiers in harms way. My youngest son is one of those soldiers. If the politicians would get out of the war and let the soldiers do what they are trained to do, the war would be over alot sooner.
Americans needed to prove to the muslims we will get justice

[Ridge]

They ruled out an airstrike because of the potential for civilian casualties (indeed there were something like 20 unarmed civilians in the compound alone).

You guys are trying to find some political reason to piss all over one of the biggest victories in the war on terror? Seriously??

[Hoser]

Not political at all. Not even close.

The amount of intel we have possibly gained could be huge.

I doubt anyone that had anything to do with the Operation had to be talked into going...

[ChunkyMonkey]

It's a good thing Osama died.

The brownie point comes as bonus no matter who the POTUS is. Even if it gives huge credit to someone whose fundamental beliefs are completely opposite from mine, I am glad Osama is DEAD.

[ghettodub]

Hey guise, time to stock up!



H.