View Full Version : Bush Feels Obama Underminging His Staff's Role in OBL Stike
High Class v. No Class
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2011/05/04/2011-05-04_expresident_bush_feels_obama_undermining_his_st affs_role_in_osama_bin_laden_stri.html
WASHINGTON - George W. Bush won't be at Ground Zero with President Obama Thursday in part because he feels his team is getting short shrift in the decade-long manhunt for Osama Bin Laden.
"[Bush] viewed this as an Obama victory lap," a highly-placed source told the Daily News Wednesday.
Bush's visit to the rubble after the 9/11 attacks was the emotional high point of his presidency, but associates say the invitation to return with his successor was a non-starter.
"He doesn't feel personally snubbed and appreciates the invitation, but Obama's claiming all the credit and a lot of other people deserve some of it," the source added.
"Obama gave no credit whatsoever to the intelligence infrastructure the Bush administration set up that is being hailed from the left and right as setting in motion the operation that got Bin Laden. It rubbed Bush the wrong way."
Bush spokesman David Sherzer said Bush "appreciated the invite, but has chosen in his post-presidency to remain largely out of the spotlight."
Associates familiar with his thinking say Bush does not believe Obama or his handlers wanted to exploit his presence. But the tag-team idea "was for the benefit of Obama, and Obama withheld credit from people Bush believes deserved it," a source said.
Asked about the matter at Thursday's White House briefing, spokesman Jay Carney said "this is a moment of unity for Americans and a moment to recall the unity that existed in this country in the wake of the attacks on 9/11.
"We completely understand that he's not able to come, but…the invitation was made in that spirit," Carney added.
Since leaving office in 2009 the 43rd president has stuck to a rigorous code of silence about criticizing Obama.
After Obama telephoned him on Sunday evening with the word Bin Laden was dead, Bush issued a statement calling it "a momentous achievement."
"I congratulated him and the men and women of our military and intelligence communities who devoted their lives to this mission," Bush added.
In his remarks to the nation Sunday night Obama mentioned Bush in passing, noting that "I've made clear, just as President Bush did shortly after 9/11, that our war is not against Islam."
The closest Obama came to praising his predecessor's efforts was indirect: "Over the last 10 years, thanks to the tireless and heroic work of our military and our counterterrorism professionals, we've made great strides" in the war against Bin Laden's Al Qaeda terror network.
High Class v. No Class
True that.
blacksmoke
05-05-2011, 06:44
MSM puts it as Obama made OBL capture/kill a priority when he came into office and Bush gave up a long time ago. Can anybody here give any insight on the matter, or would it be a big time violation of OPSEC?
ReefBlue
05-05-2011, 06:54
MSM puts it as Obama made OBL capture/kill a priority when he came into office and Bush gave up a long time ago. Can anybody here give any insight on the matter, or would it be a big time violation of OPSEC?
What insight? During his election run up, debates and after getting into office, Obama said getting him was a priority. During more than one press conference, Bush said he wasn't concerned with Usama, that he had been marginalized and doesn't think about him any more.
greenberetTFS
05-05-2011, 07:07
High Class v. No Class
Absolutely...........;)
Big Teddy :munchin
What insight? During his election run up, debates and after getting into office, Obama said getting him was a priority. During more than one press conference, Bush said he wasn't concerned with Usama, that he had been marginalized and doesn't think about him any more.
Presidents and other political critters of all sorts often have to say all kinds of things for any number of reasons, either real or imagined. Context is important to understanding what is being said, why, and what it may mean or what it was meant to convey at the time.
Kudos to those dedicated worker bees who actually git 'er done day in and day out for the good of the nation in spite of what a politician may be saying.
Richard :munchin
Bush actually said in an interview that OBL was no longer a priority. That his where abouts weren't a great concern to the U.S.
I've got to believe that Bush was of this mindset when making such a statement.
All war is deception.
Sun Tzu
IMO, Richard's last post is spot on.
Hats off to all those who work selflessly for the good of the nation while politicians talk.
Red Flag 1
05-05-2011, 07:59
Bush leads; obama follows.
This is true on nearly all issues IMHO.
RF 1
What insight? During his election run up, debates and after getting into office, Obama said getting him was a priority. During more than one press conference, Bush said he wasn't concerned with Usama, that he had been marginalized and doesn't think about him any more.
When do you see more bucks-during hunting season or at any other time of the year BUT hunting season?
I don't blame GWB at all for refusing to go. You'd think zero had made the headshot himself the way he's taking credit for all of this.
Getting ready for work this morning I was listening to the radio and heard this sound bite played back by the host, he was disgusted. I almost puked.
Barbara Walters slobbered over the "courage, and the guts, and the coolness" of President Obama in ordering the assassination of terrorist Osama bin Laden. "It was enormously, enormously courageous," she said of the president's decision to commence the mission to kill or capture the al Qaeda leader.
"President Bush tried, President Clinton tried, but Barack Obama was the one who had the courage and the guts and the coolness," Walters said of the mission before being drowned out in applause from the audience.
Read more: http://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/matt-hadro/2011/05/04/barbara-walters-gushes-over-obamas-enormously-courageous-decision-kill-b#ixzz1LWaT4Ztw
kawaishi
05-06-2011, 10:22
Unfortunately, people have a very easy story written for them. President Obama was elected and two years later the US kills UBL...it's a nice little package with a cute Navy SEAL bow on it. It's enough to give the MSM a leg quiver.:D
I doubt that the people who did the heaviest lifting since 9/11 will get the credit that they deserve.
Should one successful terrorist attack take place in this Country before the election, this bin Laden shit will fade like a fart in a typhoon.
Security needs to remain priority one.
The Reaper
05-06-2011, 10:30
The POTUS' poll numbers are up more than 10 points since before the take-down.
This op may have handed the POTUS another term.
TR
The POTUS' poll numbers are up more than 10 points since before the take-down.
This op may have handed the POTUS another term.
TR
I hope not, and in away Sir, I'm going to have to disagree ..... not while gas prices are were they are, the economy is still struggling, and unemployment has largely remained unchanged since Barry has taken office.
Bush the Sr had Panama AND the victory in the Gulf, but was only a 1 term President.
Just like the echo from the shot that Killed Bin Laden has faded away, so too will this in the minds of this country as they struggle with their daily lives.
Old Dog New Trick
05-06-2011, 10:45
The POTUS' poll numbers are up more than 10 points since before the take-down.
This op may have handed the POTUS another term.
TR
Nah, it's a balloon...the smallest pin prick of truth and disclosure will burst it worse than the housing market or jobless reports.
Just a speed bump in an otherwise potholed path ahead. He has now (against the advice of his handler) played the trump card and the deck will be reshuffled over the next two-years...
BingoBango
05-06-2011, 11:28
Nah, it's a balloon...the smallest pin prick of truth and disclosure will burst it worse than the housing market or jobless reports.
Just a speed bump in an otherwise potholed path ahead. He has now (against the advice of his handler) played the trump card and the deck will be reshuffled over the next two-years...
Agreed wholeheartedly. With the combination of the media's ability to cram the latest breaking news down our throats combined with societies ADHD, this whole shebang will be long forgotten in a couple months.
With the combination of the media's ability to cram the latest breaking news down our throats combined with societies ADHD, this whole shebang will be long forgotten in a couple months.
...thats why 'photos' arent being released.
Its better to "leak" them pre-election to remind everyone
Mark my words-his base is violently anti-violence. Kooky.
This will bite his ass eventually.
Mark my words-his base is violently anti-violence. Kooky.
This will bite his ass eventually.Agreed.
I augur that the three specific points of contentions will be (a) that the mission was to kill Bin Laden and (b) that he was unarmed when he was shot. The discourse over (a) and (b) will lead to more calls for ALL of the photos and video of the raid to be released. The White House's refusal to accommodate these outrageous requests will lead to the third point: (c) that the current administration's pledge of transparency is a sham.
Senator Feinstein (D-CA) was trying to spin the details this morning (i.e. a weapon was in the room and Bin Laden was either reaching for it or would have reached for it). To me, this type of spin control is misguided but a consequence of the Democrats' argument that GWOT is largely about intelligence/CT/law enforcement and not so much about finding and killing sworn enemies of civilization.
To be clear, I think the nation is almost ten years over due for a debate over the nature of GWOT. And while I agree with Bush the Younger's view of GWOT, I also think that elements of liberal position are intellectually sustainable. What I resent is how politicians on both sides of the aisle short-circuit opportunities for debate for the sake of expediency.
My $0.02.
Badger52
05-06-2011, 12:47
Senator Feinstein (D-CA) was trying to...(puke). Ahem. We are all blessed that we have courageous people to send who actually get things done when they are sent after raising their hand in oath. Maybe Chris Mathews got another tingle down his leg.
Caught a piece on O'Reilly last night that discussed at some length (for a TV piece) just how long a rabbit-trail that actually is to get a varmint. What was put in place, who was there to keep doing it over the years, and who executed it in the end is about a long list of dedicated people that the zero is not on. This is about alot of folks & not him.
If he dumps any info during a window of, say, STARTElectionEX -120 someone should play his clip back to him about how much better we are than them. (This will absolutely make the next State of the Union.)
Focusing on those who do, and their families that wait, is much healthier than whether one pol & his sycophants get mileage.
;)
Old Dog New Trick
05-06-2011, 13:17
Agreed.
I augur that the three specific points of contentions will be (a) that the mission was to kill Bin Laden and (b) that he was unarmed when he was shot. The discourse over (a) and (b) will lead to more calls for ALL of the photos and video of the raid to be released. The White House's refusal to accommodate these outrageous requests will lead to the third point: (c) that the current administration's pledge of transparency is a sham.
SNIP
To be clear, I think the nation is almost ten years over due for a debate over the nature of GWOT. And while I agree with Bush the Younger's view of GWOT, I also think that elements of liberal position are intellectually sustainable. What I resent is how politicians on both sides of the aisle short-circuit opportunities for debate for the sake of expediency.
My $0.02.
You might get some change back. :D
(Maybe not the place, but)
While I'm glad he's dead and that will surely save us some money in prosecuting him and feeding him on death row...we lost a great opportunity to make a bigger statement. If not for the bullet through his head, we might have captured the highest intelligence figure in AQ and paraded him around like the dog he is on a short public leash. GITMO would have been a fine place to hold him! What's the greater Muslim evil...humiliation or death?
Whether I agree or disagree with the pundits on both sides is without merit. This admin has proven time and again that it can't keep a secret and the truth is more damaging than the spin. I can't blame GWB for staying clear of the whole eventual mess. This will be BHO's downfall if not now, he may not want to seek reelection. Kerry found out old soldiers never forget, BHO will find out modern secrets are not kept - they're digitized and pixelated.
My biggest question is why now. If the intel was saying he's been there for several years (at least several months) why wait? Oh, I don't know, play that card next year or 18-months from now. This is bigger than me, is the end game an exit from AFPAC and a call to shut down billion $ aid support programs? To end the wars and withdrawal from the ME? Don't know.
I wonder if this goes back to Stan McC* and why he planned his early exit?
We live in interesting times for sure. :munchin
Nearly five years after George Bush vowed to bring Osama bin Laden to justice "dead or alive", it's the end of the line for the CIA's Alec Station, the unit dedicated to the hunt for the al-Qaida leader.
This article was published in July of 2006
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2006/jul/04/usa.alqaida
I think President Bush's role would have much more coverage had he continued publicly and administratively declaring OBL's capture a number 1 priority. The same thing happened (in a far lesser degree) to President Clinton after the 98 embassy bombings.
IMO President Bush didn't go because he chooses to stay out of the spotlight these days; not because he thinks the current President's actions are classless.
Unless the grand 'ol party can sponsor serious competition, a second term is almost guaranteed.
This article was published in July of 2006
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2006/jul/04/usa.alqaida
I think President Bush's role would have much more coverage had he continued publicly and administratively declaring OBL's capture a number 1 priority. The same thing happened (in a far lesser degree) to President Clinton after the 98 embassy bombings.
IMO President Bush didn't go because he chooses to stay out of the spotlight these days; not because he thinks the current President's actions are classless.
Unless the grand 'ol party can sponsor serious competition, a second term is almost guaranteed.
Yeah, well I'll send you a box of Kleenex if you're wrong.
Yeah, well I'll send you a box of Kleenex if you're wrong.
I'm an independent, so I have no idea who I'll be voting for come election time.
Expect a PMed address if I decide to vote for him and he loses. :D
I'm an independent, so I have no idea who I'll be voting for come election time.
Expect a PMed address if I decide to vote for him and he loses. :D
If I'd have known you in '08, you'd already have a box.
The thing is though, then what if Muslim terrorists captured Americans and threatened to torture or behead them unless Osama was released?
Fuck! Don't you get it? They've already won when you start thinking like that. Fear is a disease, dude, and you've been exposed.
That's what "terrorists" do; they instill terror.
Old Dog New Trick
05-06-2011, 21:00
The thing is though, then what if Muslim terrorists captured Americans and threatened to torture or behead them unless Osama was released?
It seems to be easier for terrorists...they don't weigh the consequences. They either torture or behead and they don't place much value on life in general.
No, we can't become like them or they have won. However, that doesn't mean we have to play nice.
mark46th
05-07-2011, 14:27
I don't blame Bush for declining the invitation to be at Ground Zero. After the way Obama ambushed Jack Ryan at the budget speech, if I received an invitation from BHO, I wouldn't say no, I'd say, "Hell No"!!...