Wednesday, May 2, 2012

From John

The link is to an article on the President's role in the raid on Osama bin Laden's house last year. As someone who grew up with the belief that bragging was not a great character trait I do find it a bit distasteful.

Read it, and the link.

10 comments:

Brian said...

This is a steaming pile, Gino.

Mukasey was the third AG in the administration that didn't catch bin Laden. The butthurt is strong in that one.

Beyond that, I fail to see how the passage he cites constitutes an escape clause for the President in terms of responsibility. It makes it clear that the specifics of operational control are delegated to the military professional in charge. Doesn't that seem like...kind of a good idea?

As far as bragging goes...I don't think it's especially wise to hold up the guy who (sort of) flew a jet onto an aircraft carrier to give a speech in front of a banner that said "MISSION ACCOMPLISHED" when the war in question was just about to really turn to shit as a model of executive humility.

Does Obama have a certain swagger about this? Sure. He FUCKING CAUGHT BIN LADEN.

And if Bush had done it, the same people who are complaining would be clamoring to put him on Mt. Rushmore by now.

Gino said...

so, yer ok with him bringing all the attention on himself one year later, but not Bush in the moment.
is that it?

(btw, i'm not defending Bush, or criticising him.
but there is a distinction.)

Brian said...

I'm not really sure I see the difference.

Besides, Mukasey's piece spends most of its time on 1) the memo before the raid, 2) the speech given immediately after, and 3) (his one valid criticism) the trumpeting of intel, also immediately thereafter. That's what I'm arguing with.

Mr. D said...

Meh. Obama is taking his victory lap now. He might as well enjoy it, because the defeats are going to be coming in bunches soon, starting with the Supreme Court.

Foxfier said...

"When given the choice between something that was totally, utterly, horribly moronic and doing this, I did this! Love me!"

...

Yeah, not going for it.

Gino said...

he took the victory lap last year. he was entitled to it then, so to speak. but doing it again is the issue.

if anything, he should be visiting seal team 6 to say 'thanks, again. i'm proud of you.'

Foxfier said...

Maybe he should be visiting my brother's former co-workers' graves.

His "lap" bullshit put them in their graves.

And I doubt my formerly Obama voter brother will forget that.

May he experience something highly unpleasant but short of eternal damnation.

Bike Bubba said...

OK, Brian, let's try this: did Roosevelt put the killing of Admiral Yamoto into a campaign ad, or give credit to the Navy flyboys and code crackers who downed his plane?

Sorry, friend, but Mukasey--not the guy responsible for getting Bin Laden anyways--is right here. Obama's inverting the patterns of real leadership; credit to your subordinates, responsibility to yourself.

Brian said...

You guys sure do respond to the dog whistle...

Gino said...

i try not to.