{"id":14625,"date":"2012-05-01T14:40:44","date_gmt":"2012-05-01T18:40:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/watchwomanonthewall\/?p=14625"},"modified":"2012-05-01T14:46:48","modified_gmt":"2012-05-01T18:46:48","slug":"seals-slam-obama-for-using-them-as-ammunition-in-bid-to-take-credit-for-bin-laden-killing-during-election-campaign","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/watchwomanonthewall\/2012\/05\/seals-slam-obama-for-using-them-as-ammunition-in-bid-to-take-credit-for-bin-laden-killing-during-election-campaign.html","title":{"rendered":"SEALs slam Obama for using them as ‘ammunition’ in bid to take credit for bin Laden killing during election campaign"},"content":{"rendered":"

Item #1 of 2<\/em><\/p>\n

By Toby Harnden<\/a> – PUBLISHED:<\/strong> 18:35 EST, 30 April 2012 | UPDATED:<\/strong> 10:42 EST, 1 May 2012<\/p>\n

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 \u2018ammunition\u2019 for his re-election campaign.<\/span><\/p>\n

The SEALs spoke out to MailOnline after the Obama campaign released an ad entitled \u2018One Chance\u2019.<\/span><\/p>\n

In it President Bill Clinton is featured saying that Mr Obama took \u2018the harder and the more honourable path\u2019 in ordering that bin Laden be killed. The words \u2018Which path would Mitt Romney have taken?\u2019 are then displayed.<\/span><\/p>\n

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 \u2018gutsy call\u2019 made by the President.<\/span><\/p>\n

Scroll down for video<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Obama looking smug and resolute defending himself for using this ad to win votes<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
Taking credit: President Obama has used bin Laden’s death as a campaign tool<\/strong><\/div>\n

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.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018I said that I’d go after bin Laden if we had a clear shot at him, and I did,\u2019 Mr Obama said. \u2018If 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.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

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: \u2018The 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.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018I 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.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

Mr Zinke, who is now a Republican state senator in Montana, added that MR Obama was exploiting bin Laden\u2019s death for his re-election bid. \u2018The President and his administration are positioning him as a war president using the SEALs as ammunition. It was predictable.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

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Obama (2-L), Biden (L) and Hillary (2-R), along with other members of the national security team, watching mission against Osama bin Laden in the Situation Room of the White House in Washington, DC USA, May 1, 2011.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
Target: Bin Laden, pictured in his compound in Pakistan, was killed a year ago<\/strong><\/p>\n
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Mission: Senior figures gathered to watch Navy SEALs invade the compound<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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

She told CBS: \u2018We 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.<\/span>\u2019<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Campaigning in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Mr Romney responded to a shouted question by a reporter by saying: \u2018Even Jimmy Carter would have given that order.\u2019<\/span><\/h3>\n

A serving SEAL Team member said: \u2018Obama wasn\u2019t 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.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018But the more he tries to take the credit for it, the more the ground operators are saying, \u201cCome on, man!\u201d It really didn\u2019t matter who was president. At the end of the day, they were going to go.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

Chris Kyle, a former SEAL sniper with 160 confirmed and another 95 unconfirmed kills to his credit, said: \u2018The operation itself was great and the nation felt immense pride. It was great that we did it. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Osama Bin Laden<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018In 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\u2019t allowed to speak out against the commander- in-chief so his secret is safe.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

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Mitt Romney is at 46% in the Rasmussen poll today, tied with Obama at 46%, May 1, 2012<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Rival: Mr Obama has questioned whether Mitt Romney would have done the same<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n

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. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Mitt Romney says he would have ordered bin Laden killed (New Hampshire)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Mr Kyle added: \u2018He’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.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u2019s whereabouts in October 2010 but delayed taking action and risked letting him escape.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018In the end, Obama was forced to make a decision and do it. He knew that if he didn\u2019t 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 \u2013 as would George W. Bush.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

Brandon Webb, a former SEAL who spent 13 years on active duty and served in Iraq and Afghanistan, said: \u2018Bush should get partial credit for putting the system in place.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Obama inherited a very robust package with regards to special ops and the intelligence community. But Obama deserves credit because he got bin Laden \u2013 you can\u2019t take that away from him. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018My 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\u2019s hitting the kill button every time. I have a lot of respect for him for that.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

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.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018The majority of the SEALs I know are really proud of the operation but it does become \u201cOK, enough is enough \u2013 we\u2019re ready to get back to work and step out of the limelight.\u201d They don\u2019t want to be continuously paraded around a global audience like a show dog.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Obama has a very good relationship with the Special Operations community at large, especially the SEALs, and it\u2019s nice to see. We had the same relationship with George W. Bush when he was president.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

It was \u2018stretching a little much\u2019 for Mr Obama to suggest only he would have made the decision. \u2018I 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. <\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2018He may not have charisma but he clearly has leadership skills. I don\u2019t think he’d have any problem taking that decision.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

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: \u2018We were extremely surprised and discouraged by the publicity because it compromises the ability of those guys to operate.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018It\u2019s a waste of time to speculate about who would and wouldn\u2019t 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.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Politicians 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.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

Watch the ad<\/strong><\/p>\n