Mr. President, You Are The Leader of a Team. Act Like One.

archer wrote:

Joe wrote: The article had it right, it was a gutsy mission, not a gutsy call. The pres is in full time marketing mode now, with low approval ratings, and a failing economy, what did he personally have to lose? Seems like it was an easy "call". What was the risk if nothing was found? Pakistan is not Iran, Syria or Libya. Doesn't seem like it was all that hard to fly in and out of there undetected.

I disagree...It seems like their was enormous risk....bin Laden may not have been there, they didn't have real solid evidence he was....other people were killed before they even knew if bin Laden was there........the seals might have been detected and shot down by the pakistanis, we may have lost some American lives...that would not have played well in Peoria....missions like this carry enormous risk of failure and I am sure Obama knew that if this mission failed he would be vilified and could very well lose in 2012 because of that failure. Yet he chose to go ahead with this mission, knowing the risks, because it was the right thing to do. It WAS gutsy, and saying that it wasn't diminishes what the Seals accomplished.

So this was basically like a mini Iraq invasion without 100% certain intelligence....kinda sounds familiar but the president is a D and not an R.

archer wrote:

Joe wrote: The article had it right, it was a gutsy mission, not a gutsy call. The pres is in full time marketing mode now, with low approval ratings, and a failing economy, what did he personally have to lose? Seems like it was an easy "call". What was the risk if nothing was found? Pakistan is not Iran, Syria or Libya. Doesn't seem like it was all that hard to fly in and out of there undetected.

I disagree...It seems like their was enormous risk....bin Laden may not have been there, they didn't have real solid evidence he was....other people were killed before they even knew if bin Laden was there........the seals might have been detected and shot down by the pakistanis, we may have lost some American lives...that would not have played well in Peoria....missions like this carry enormous risk of failure and I am sure Obama knew that if this mission failed he would be vilified and could very well lose in 2012 because of that failure. Yet he chose to go ahead with this mission, knowing the risks, because it was the right thing to do. It WAS gutsy, and saying that it wasn't diminishes what the Seals accomplished.

archer wrote: Well Obama certainly did put his reputation as Commander-in-Chief on the line with this decision. If it had failed he would be just another Jimmy Carter and the Republicans would have had a field day with it in the next election. And we might have lost some damn fine American soldiers......

You have gone from gutsy call, to risky, to anxiety over the decision, to "putting his reputation on the line". What is next? Really, it surprises me that any Obama supporters would want him to be referred to as the "gutsy" commander in chief. Not his style. He is more cautious, calculating, and reluctant to quickly use military force than previous presidents. At least that was his campaign style.

I give him credit for this successful mission and making Bin Laden a priority, and think it was handled very well by all involved. And the "gutsy call" criticism is aimed more toward the media and political operatives, not Obama. I doubt he really wants to be portrayed as the "gutsy Rambo terrorist killer". Just isn't his style. Unless he has changed alot since being in office.

Maybe it was a "politically gutsy call". We can agree on that.

Now if you'll excuse me, I am listening to "The Ballad of the Green Beret" by Staff Sgt. Barry Sadler on 60's XM Sirrus. Love that song! Go Gutsy Navy Seals and Green Berets!

OmniScience wrote:

archer wrote: I disagree...It seems like their was enormous risk....bin Laden may not have been there, they didn't have real solid evidence he was....other people were killed before they even knew if bin Laden was there........the seals might have been detected and shot down by the pakistanis, we may have lost some American lives....

The CIA and SEALS knew exactly where he was.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/05/06/uk-binladen-idUKTRE7415H120110506

Extensive surveillance of Osama bin Laden's hideout from a nearby CIA safe house in Abbottabad led to his killing in a Navy SEAL operation, U.S. officials said, a revelation likely to further embarrass Pakistan's spy agency and strain ties.

The U.S. officials, quoted by the Washington Post, said the safe house was the base for intelligence gathering that began after bin Laden's compound was discovered last August, and which was so exhaustive the CIA asked Congress to reallocate tens of millions of dollars to fund it.

Joe wrote: The article had it right, it was a gutsy mission, not a gutsy call. The pres is in full time marketing mode now, with low approval ratings, and a failing economy, what did he personally have to lose? Seems like it was an easy "call". What was the risk if nothing was found? Pakistan is not Iran, Syria or Libya. Doesn't seem like it was all that hard to fly in and out of there undetected.

Are you kidding? His entire presidency, possibly his very life was on the line...The man could'nt get born without it becoming a major lifelong scandal- Could you imagine the backlash from a botched mission were Americans died?... It would be The Bay of Pigs 2 and Obama would probably get assasinated over it...

Gutsy!

Vice Lord wrote:

Joe wrote: The article had it right, it was a gutsy mission, not a gutsy call. The pres is in full time marketing mode now, with low approval ratings, and a failing economy, what did he personally have to lose? Seems like it was an easy "call". What was the risk if nothing was found? Pakistan is not Iran, Syria or Libya. Doesn't seem like it was all that hard to fly in and out of there undetected.

Are you kidding? His entire presidency, possibly his very life was on the line...The man could'nt get born without it becoming a major lifelong scandal- Could you imagine the backlash from a botched mission were Americans died?... It would be The Bay of Pigs 2 and Obama would probably get assasinated over it...

Gutsy!

That was a great post- I don't want to see it on someones blog now- Read my signature everyone

Are you kidding? His entire presidency, possibly his very life was on the line...The man could'nt get born without it becoming a major lifelong scandal- Could you imagine the backlash from a botched mission were Americans died?... It would be The Bay of Pigs 2 and Obama would probably get assasinated over it...

Gutsy!

Sue Me!!!

Are you now trying to tell us that lovely lady is your mother?

VL, was it fotolia, which company did you use? Come clean...here's your chance!

Joe wrote:

archer wrote: Well Obama certainly did put his reputation as Commander-in-Chief on the line with this decision. If it had failed he would be just another Jimmy Carter and the Republicans would have had a field day with it in the next election. And we might have lost some damn fine American soldiers......

You have gone from gutsy call, to risky, to anxiety over the decision, to "putting his reputation on the line". What is next? Really, it surprises me that any Obama supporters would want him to be referred to as the "gutsy" commander in chief. Not his style. He is more cautious, calculating, and reluctant to quickly use military force than previous presidents. At least that was his campaign style.

I give him credit for this successful mission and making Bin Laden a priority, and think it was handled very well by all involved. And the "gutsy call" criticism is aimed more toward the media and political operatives, not Obama. I doubt he really wants to be portrayed as the "gutsy Rambo terrorist killer". Just isn't his style. Unless he has changed alot since being in office.

Maybe it was a "politically gutsy call". We can agree on that.

Now if you'll excuse me, I am listening to "The Ballad of the Green Beret" by Staff Sgt. Barry Sadler on 60's XM Sirrus. Love that song! Go Gutsy Navy Seals and Green Berets!

So I'm wrong because you all define gutsy differently than I do......my apologies, next time I decide to use the word gutsy I will ask for a consensus of opinions on how the conservatives are defining that word for the day.

Vice Lord wrote: That was a great post- I don't want to see it on someones blog now- Read my signature everyone

Thanks, I thought you would like my post. Now since you quoted me without permission, my lawyer will be contacting you. Or you can settle out of court for a case of beer. The gutsy decision is yours. Don't take too long, the clock is running.