SEALs slam Obama for using them as 'ammunition' - The Firearms Forum

raven818 · 05-01-2012, 04:54 PM

SEALs slam Obama for using them as 'ammunition' in bid to take credit for bin Laden killing during election campaign

Serving and former US Navy SEALs have slammed President Barack Obama for taking the credit for killing Osama bin Laden and accused him of using Special Forces operators as ‘ammunition’ for his re-election campaign.

The SEALs spoke out to MailOnline after the Obama campaign released an ad entitled ‘One Chance’.

In it President Bill Clinton is featured saying that Mr Obama took ‘the harder and the more honourable path’ in ordering that bin Laden be killed. The words ‘Which path would Mitt Romney have taken?’ are then displayed.

Besides the ad, the White House is marking the first anniversary of the SEAL Team Six raid that killed bin Laden inside his compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan with a series of briefings and an NBC interview in the Situation Room designed to highlight the ‘gutsy call’ made by the President.

Mr Obama used a news conference today to trumpet his personal role and imply that his Republican opponent Mr Romney, who in 2008 expressed reservations about the wisdom of sending troops into Pakistan, would have let bin Laden live.

‘I said that I'd go after bin Laden if we had a clear shot at him, and I did,’ Mr Obama said. ‘If there are others who have said one thing and now suggest they'd do something else, then I'd go ahead and let them explain it.’

Ryan Zinke, a former Commander in the US Navy who spent 23 years as a SEAL and led a SEAL Team 6 assault unit, said: ‘The decision was a no brainer. I applaud him for making it but I would not overly pat myself on the back for making the right call.

‘I think every president would have done the same. He is justified in saying it was his decision but the preparation, the sacrifice - it was a broader team effort.’

Mr Zinke, who is now a Republican state senator in Montana, added that MR Obama was exploiting bin Laden’s death for his re-election bid. ‘The President and his administration are positioning him as a war president using the SEALs as ammunition. It was predictable.’

Mr Obama has faced criticism even from allies about his decision to make a campaign ad about the bin Laden raid. Arianna Huffington, an outspoken liberal who runs the left-leaning Huffington Post website, roundly condemned it.

She told CBS: ‘We should celebrate the fact that they did such a great job. It's one thing to have an NBC special from the Situation Room... all that to me is perfectly legitimate, but to turn it into a campaign ad is one of the most despicable things you can do.’

Campaigning in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Mr Romney responded to a shouted question by a reporter by saying: ‘Even Jimmy Carter would have given that order.’

A serving SEAL Team member said: ‘Obama wasn’t in the field, at risk, carrying a gun. As president, at every turn he should be thanking the guys who put their lives on the line to do this. He does so in his official speeches because he speechwriters are smart.

‘But the more he tries to take the credit for it, the more the ground operators are saying, “Come on, man!” It really didn’t matter who was president. At the end of the day, they were going to go.’

Chris Kyle, a former SEAL sniper with 160 confirmed and another 95 unconfirmed kills to his credit, said: ‘The operation itself was great and the nation felt immense pride. It was great that we did it.

‘But bin Laden was just a figurehead. The war on terror continues. Taking him out didn’t really change anything as far as the war on terror is concerned and using it as a political attack is a cheap shot.

‘In years to come there is going to be information that will come out that Obama was not the man who made the call. He can say he did and the people who really know what happened are inside the Pentagon, are in the military and the military isn’t allowed to speak out against the commander- in-chief so his secret is safe.’
Rival: Mr Obama has questioned whether Mitt Romney would have done the same

Senior military figures have said that Admiral William McRaven, a former SEAL who was then head of Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) made the decision to take bin Laden out. Tactical decisions were delegated even further down the chain of command.

Mr Kyle added: ‘He's trying to say that Romney wouldn't have made the same call? Anyone who is patriotic to this country would have made that exact call, Democrat or Republican. Obama is taking more credit than he is due but it's going to get him some pretty good mileage.’

A former intelligence official who was serving in the US government when bin Laden was killed said that the Obama administration knew about the al-Qaeda leader’s whereabouts in October 2010 but delayed taking action and risked letting him escape.

‘In the end, Obama was forced to make a decision and do it. He knew that if he didn’t do it the political risks in not taking action were huge. Mitt Romney would have made the call but he would have made it earlier – as would George W. Bush.’

Brandon Webb, a former SEAL who spent 13 years on active duty and served in Iraq and Afghanistan, said: ‘Bush should get partial credit for putting the system in place.

‘Obama inherited a very robust package with regards to special ops and the intelligence community. But Obama deserves credit because he got bin Laden – you can’t take that away from him.

‘My friends that work in Special Operations Command (SOCOM) that have been on video teleconferences with Obama on these kill or capture situations say that Obama has no issue whatsoever with making decisions and typically it's kill. He’s hitting the kill button every time. I have a lot of respect for him for that.’

But he said that many SEALs were dismayed about the amount of publicity the Obama administration had generated about SEAL Team Six, the very existence of which is highly classified.

‘The majority of the SEALs I know are really proud of the operation but it does become “OK, enough is enough – we’re ready to get back to work and step out of the limelight.” They don’t want to be continuously paraded around a global audience like a show dog.

‘Obama has a very good relationship with the Special Operations community at large, especially the SEALs, and it’s nice to see. We had the same relationship with George W. Bush when he was president.’

It was ‘stretching a little much’ for Mr Obama to suggest only he would have made the decision. ‘I personally I don't think Romney would have any problem making tough decisions. He got a very accomplished record of making decision as a business professional.

‘He may not have charisma but he clearly has leadership skills. I don’t think he'd have any problem taking that decision.’

Clint Bruce, who gave up the chance of an NFL career to serve as a SEAL officer before retiring as a lieutenant after nine years, said: ‘We were extremely surprised and discouraged by the publicity because it compromises the ability of those guys to operate.

‘It’s a waste of time to speculate about who would and wouldn’t have made that decision. It was a symphony of opportunity and intelligence that allowed this administration to give the green light. We want to acknowledge that they made that decision.

‘Politicians should let the public know where they stand on national security but not in the play-by-play, detailed way that has been done recently. The intricacies of national security should not become part of stump speeches.’

http://tinyurl.com/6u5kd3p

jstgsn · 05-01-2012, 05:05 PM

I would bet good money that our fearless leader would mess his pants if he ever shot a gun. Due to my fear of black suburbans pulling into the driveway I will say no more.

BlackEagle · 05-01-2012, 05:16 PM

BBC News is trumpeting his surprise visit to Afganistan,emphasising that it is just one year after OBL's death.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-17916489

Arianna Huffington: Obama's bin Laden Ad 'Despicable'...http://www.newsmax.com/US/huffington...mo_code=EC81-1

Name: RAMFNLclr-050112-courage-CO_jpg.jpg
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Name: RAMFNLclr-050112-courage-CO_jpg.jpg
Views: 180
Size: 227.2 KB

bamajoey · 05-01-2012, 06:11 PM

I bet if the truth was known, Valarie Jarrett, Butch Clinton and Leon Panetta made the decision then told obummer. Then he promptly wet his panties.

Bobitis · 05-01-2012, 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bamajoey

I bet if the truth was known, Valarie Jarrett, Butch Clinton and Leon Panetta made the decision then told obummer. Then he promptly wet his panties.

+1

C'mon peeps...

The guy couldn't pick out a dog from the shelter.

ObieWan, ObieWan, ObieWan...

ObieWanna a cracker? Oh wait... He did that already.

raven818 · 05-01-2012, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bobitis

+1

C'mon peeps...

The guy couldn't pick out a dog from the shelter.

ObieWan, ObieWan, ObieWan...

ObieWanna a cracker? Oh wait... He did that already.

Whatta get get when you cross an Oreo and a Cracker?

Old Grump · 05-02-2012, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by raven818

Whatta get get when you cross an Oreo and a Cracker?

and a glass of milk and slab of cheese.

Lunch and dessert.

Old Grump · 05-02-2012, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Here is the hard truth. Clinton is singularly responsible for every American that has died because of bin Laden.

If Obama were a man and a leader he wouldn’t need to use the blood of others to paint himself as worthy of reelection.

http://mychal-massie.com/premium/oba...h-seal-team-6/

Click on the link and see what Michael Massie really has to say about our fearless resident of the White House and his Toadie mouth piece.

Guts3d · 05-02-2012, 12:40 PM

I still wonder about the burial at sea and all of the secrecy surrounding that. Sounds fishy.

armoredman · 05-02-2012, 06:09 PM

Dear Leader and I have one thing in common - neither one of us can hold a candle to a real US Navy SEAL. Difference is, I know it.

LyleLovett666 · 05-03-2012, 12:26 PM

What would you expect from the most classless,white trash to ever inhabit the WH.

Marlin T · 05-03-2012, 03:17 PM

You have to see this ad.

Quote:

Includes an ad from the Veterans for a Strong America, "Why does President Obama take so much credit for killing Bin Laden?" Obama politicizes and takes credit for the work of Navy Seal Team 6, the real heroes who killed Bin Laden. Obama was playing golf during this military operation and was interrupted to be briefed in the situation room at the White House.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fRFY1yvQOc

raven818 · 05-03-2012, 03:58 PM

Quote:

He's really Barney Fife

At least, Barney was likeable.

bamajoey · 05-03-2012, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guts3d

I still wonder about the burial at sea and all of the secrecy surrounding that. Sounds fishy.

I don't know if it is true or not, but this is what I heard.

The TRUTH about Bin Laden's burial at sea

Osama Bin Laden Given Religious Funeral Prior to Sea Burial
Published May 02, 2011

Osama bin Laden was given a religious funeral prior to his burial at sea,
senior military officials told Fox News.
Religious rites were conducted on the deck of the USS Carl Vinson
aircraft carrier at about 1:10 a.m. Monday in the Persian Gulf .
In accordance with Islamic practice, bin Laden was washed and wrapped in
a white sheet before buried at sea at 2 a.m. local time, senior U.S.
military and intelligence officials said.

Then, "In accordance with common US Navy SEAL practice, the Team pissed
on him, stuck a pulled pork sandwich in his mouth and a kosher hot dog up
his a$$, and pushed the Mother F***er overboard with the other garbage,"
a senior SEAL officer said.

(Oorah!! - Job well done!)

05-01-2012, 04:54 PM	#1
raven818 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Jax, Fl. Contributor Posts: 4,423	SEALs slam Obama for using them as 'ammunition' SEALs slam Obama for using them as 'ammunition' in bid to take credit for bin Laden killing during election campaign Serving and former US Navy SEALs have slammed President Barack Obama for taking the credit for killing Osama bin Laden and accused him of using Special Forces operators as ‘ammunition’ for his re-election campaign. The SEALs spoke out to MailOnline after the Obama campaign released an ad entitled ‘One Chance’. In it President Bill Clinton is featured saying that Mr Obama took ‘the harder and the more honourable path’ in ordering that bin Laden be killed. The words ‘Which path would Mitt Romney have taken?’ are then displayed. Besides the ad, the White House is marking the first anniversary of the SEAL Team Six raid that killed bin Laden inside his compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan with a series of briefings and an NBC interview in the Situation Room designed to highlight the ‘gutsy call’ made by the President. Mr Obama used a news conference today to trumpet his personal role and imply that his Republican opponent Mr Romney, who in 2008 expressed reservations about the wisdom of sending troops into Pakistan, would have let bin Laden live. ‘I said that I'd go after bin Laden if we had a clear shot at him, and I did,’ Mr Obama said. ‘If there are others who have said one thing and now suggest they'd do something else, then I'd go ahead and let them explain it.’ Ryan Zinke, a former Commander in the US Navy who spent 23 years as a SEAL and led a SEAL Team 6 assault unit, said: ‘The decision was a no brainer. I applaud him for making it but I would not overly pat myself on the back for making the right call. ‘I think every president would have done the same. He is justified in saying it was his decision but the preparation, the sacrifice - it was a broader team effort.’ Mr Zinke, who is now a Republican state senator in Montana, added that MR Obama was exploiting bin Laden’s death for his re-election bid. ‘The President and his administration are positioning him as a war president using the SEALs as ammunition. It was predictable.’ Mr Obama has faced criticism even from allies about his decision to make a campaign ad about the bin Laden raid. Arianna Huffington, an outspoken liberal who runs the left-leaning Huffington Post website, roundly condemned it. She told CBS: ‘We should celebrate the fact that they did such a great job. It's one thing to have an NBC special from the Situation Room... all that to me is perfectly legitimate, but to turn it into a campaign ad is one of the most despicable things you can do.’ Campaigning in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Mr Romney responded to a shouted question by a reporter by saying: ‘Even Jimmy Carter would have given that order.’ A serving SEAL Team member said: ‘Obama wasn’t in the field, at risk, carrying a gun. As president, at every turn he should be thanking the guys who put their lives on the line to do this. He does so in his official speeches because he speechwriters are smart. ‘But the more he tries to take the credit for it, the more the ground operators are saying, “Come on, man!” It really didn’t matter who was president. At the end of the day, they were going to go.’ Chris Kyle, a former SEAL sniper with 160 confirmed and another 95 unconfirmed kills to his credit, said: ‘The operation itself was great and the nation felt immense pride. It was great that we did it. ‘But bin Laden was just a figurehead. The war on terror continues. Taking him out didn’t really change anything as far as the war on terror is concerned and using it as a political attack is a cheap shot. ‘In years to come there is going to be information that will come out that Obama was not the man who made the call. He can say he did and the people who really know what happened are inside the Pentagon, are in the military and the military isn’t allowed to speak out against the commander- in-chief so his secret is safe.’ Rival: Mr Obama has questioned whether Mitt Romney would have done the same Senior military figures have said that Admiral William McRaven, a former SEAL who was then head of Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) made the decision to take bin Laden out. Tactical decisions were delegated even further down the chain of command. Mr Kyle added: ‘He's trying to say that Romney wouldn't have made the same call? Anyone who is patriotic to this country would have made that exact call, Democrat or Republican. Obama is taking more credit than he is due but it's going to get him some pretty good mileage.’ A former intelligence official who was serving in the US government when bin Laden was killed said that the Obama administration knew about the al-Qaeda leader’s whereabouts in October 2010 but delayed taking action and risked letting him escape. ‘In the end, Obama was forced to make a decision and do it. He knew that if he didn’t do it the political risks in not taking action were huge. Mitt Romney would have made the call but he would have made it earlier – as would George W. Bush.’ Brandon Webb, a former SEAL who spent 13 years on active duty and served in Iraq and Afghanistan, said: ‘Bush should get partial credit for putting the system in place. ‘Obama inherited a very robust package with regards to special ops and the intelligence community. But Obama deserves credit because he got bin Laden – you can’t take that away from him. ‘My friends that work in Special Operations Command (SOCOM) that have been on video teleconferences with Obama on these kill or capture situations say that Obama has no issue whatsoever with making decisions and typically it's kill. He’s hitting the kill button every time. I have a lot of respect for him for that.’ But he said that many SEALs were dismayed about the amount of publicity the Obama administration had generated about SEAL Team Six, the very existence of which is highly classified. ‘The majority of the SEALs I know are really proud of the operation but it does become “OK, enough is enough – we’re ready to get back to work and step out of the limelight.” They don’t want to be continuously paraded around a global audience like a show dog. ‘Obama has a very good relationship with the Special Operations community at large, especially the SEALs, and it’s nice to see. We had the same relationship with George W. Bush when he was president.’ It was ‘stretching a little much’ for Mr Obama to suggest only he would have made the decision. ‘I personally I don't think Romney would have any problem making tough decisions. He got a very accomplished record of making decision as a business professional. ‘He may not have charisma but he clearly has leadership skills. I don’t think he'd have any problem taking that decision.’ Clint Bruce, who gave up the chance of an NFL career to serve as a SEAL officer before retiring as a lieutenant after nine years, said: ‘We were extremely surprised and discouraged by the publicity because it compromises the ability of those guys to operate. ‘It’s a waste of time to speculate about who would and wouldn’t have made that decision. It was a symphony of opportunity and intelligence that allowed this administration to give the green light. We want to acknowledge that they made that decision. ‘Politicians should let the public know where they stand on national security but not in the play-by-play, detailed way that has been done recently. The intricacies of national security should not become part of stump speeches.’ http://tinyurl.com/6u5kd3p __________________ Firearms and Salt Water Fishing Retired 42 Years LEO -->

05-01-2012, 05:05 PM	#2
jstgsn Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Milford, Delaware Contributor Posts: 1,270	Re: SEALs slam Obama for using them as 'ammunition' I would bet good money that our fearless leader would mess his pants if he ever shot a gun. Due to my fear of black suburbans pulling into the driveway I will say no more. __________________ Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he will just kill you.

05-01-2012, 05:16 PM	#3
BlackEagle Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: UK Posts: 3,154	Re: SEALs slam Obama for using them as 'ammunition' BBC News is trumpeting his surprise visit to Afganistan,emphasising that it is just one year after OBL's death. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-17916489 Arianna Huffington: Obama's bin Laden Ad 'Despicable'...http://www.newsmax.com/US/huffington...mo_code=EC81-1

05-01-2012, 06:11 PM	#4
bamajoey Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Pensacola Contributor Posts: 1,256	Re: SEALs slam Obama for using them as 'ammunition' I bet if the truth was known, Valarie Jarrett, Butch Clinton and Leon Panetta made the decision then told obummer. Then he promptly wet his panties.

05-02-2012, 12:40 PM	#9
Guts3d V.I.P. Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Pittsburgh, Pa Posts: 166	Re: SEALs slam Obama for using them as 'ammunition' I still wonder about the burial at sea and all of the secrecy surrounding that. Sounds fishy. __________________ "I don't like the idea of gettin' shot in the hand" - Blackie from "Rustler's Rhapsody"

05-02-2012, 06:09 PM	#10
armoredman Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Proud to be in Arizona Posts: 1,367	Re: SEALs slam Obama for using them as 'ammunition' Dear Leader and I have one thing in common - neither one of us can hold a candle to a real US Navy SEAL. Difference is, I know it.

05-03-2012, 12:26 PM	#11
LyleLovett666 Former Guest Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Seattle Contributor Posts: 308	Re: SEALs slam Obama for using them as 'ammunition' What would you expect from the most classless,white trash to ever inhabit the WH.