Craig R. Kelso

Sunday, June 03, 2012

Man Hunt

It's been almost 6 years since I posted on this blog. I have been using Facebook to stay in touch with folks, but I wanted to post something with more content than I thought would be appropriate for Facebook. Here it is:

I fell for it. I let my interest in the search and end of Osama bin Laden get the best of me. I read the book Man Hunt: The Ten-Year Search for bin Laden-From 9/11 to Abbottabad by Peter L. Bergen. Admittedly, the auhor has invested a tremendous amount of time and energy into following and researching Osama bin Laden, and I enjoyed the book; except for the obvious political bias.

Bergen paints President Obama as a hero politician whose actions, statements, and decisions make all of the difference in locating and killing Osama bin Laden. Bergen is obviously a disciple of Barak Obama. It is no mystery why the book came out so soon after the event last spring.The author was given unfettered access to those he needed to interview so that the book could be published in enough time before the 2012 election to have an influence on voters. Yeah, I really fell for it., and so will many others.

The capure of Osama bin Laden was a world-changing event and, in my opinion, long overdue. I find it hard to believe that any president in Barak Obama's position would have had any difficulty making the same decision, given the circumstances. To place Barak Obama on a pedistal for the capture of bin Laden is laughable. Obama was simply wise enough to follow the advise of the U.S. intelligence community, who have evolved enough over time, because of previously botched rescue attempts, to be able to carry out the mission.

The more that I think about this, the more it stinks of politics. I can imagine Barak Obama, knowing that bin Laden is in Abbottabad, looking at a calendar and thinking, "What would be the ideal time to get bin Laden and still have enough time to use this this to my political advantage? I'll work backwards from the 2012 election and make sure there is enough time for a book to be written. Oh, and I know just the guy to ask, Peter Bergen! He is one of my most devoted followers!"

One part of the book mentions Joe Biden holding his Rosary beads in a conference room at the White House watching the mission to get bin Laden unfold. What good Catholic! Is this the same Joe Biden whose advocates for abortion and same-sex marriage? Earler in the book, it is stated that Biden's estimate of the chances of bin Laden being in Abbottabad was 40%. Is it hard to imagine the following conversation between Obama and Biden?

Obama: "Joe, when we get to this meeting, I want you to say that you think the probability of bin Laden being in Abbottabad is 40%, OK?"
Biden: "But, Mr. President, we already know bin Laden is there! That CIA agent, Maya, said she is 100% certain he is there, and the Pakistani doctor told us he's there."
Obama: " Yeah, I know! But, we want to make it look like we had to make a tough decision."
Biden: "Sure boss, anything to keep us in the White House!"

The doctor that is in jail in Pakistan for assisting the U.S. in finding bin Laden is there for a reason. Surely, he provided some kind of verification to the CIA that bin laden was in Abbottabad. And, Maya, the CIA agent portrayed in Zero Dark Thirty who spent a decade doggedly hunting down bin Laden's courier stated that she was certain that bin Laden was in the compound. Conveniently, nothing was mentioned in the book about either of these individuals.

The heroes in the killing of Osama bin Laden are JSOC, the CIA (especially, the CIA agent,  Maya) and Generals McChrystal and McRaven. President Obama simply agreed with their plans.