Osama Bin Laden Dead: Barack Obama Praises Himself

COMMENTARY | President Barack Obama stood before the nation and the world Sunday to make a long-awaited announcement. Osama bin Laden, the man responsible for the murder of thousands of Americans on 9-11, was dead. As word spread, thousands flooded the streets of Washington and Ground Zero to celebrate and remember.

The first executive order signed by Obama as president was for the closing of Guantanamo Bay. When questioned about his plans to deal with the innumerable list of complications that would arise from closing the facility, bringing the detainees to American soil for public trials and his intent to pursue bin Laden in that same course, Obama was irritated.

"I refuse to be lectured on national security by people who are responsible for the most disastrous set of foreign policy decisions in the recent history of the United States," Obama said. These two years later, GITMO remains open and Obama's willingness to speak of it has vanished.

In April of 2009, Obama was brutally critical of the interrogation techniques being used with the approval of President George W. Bush. Obama sharply admonished the Bush administration for its use of water boarding, which he and his fellow Democrats decried as "torture" and "a mistake." How now will this president and his administration square those remarks with the fact that the key piece of intelligence that made the killing of bin Laden possible was acquired by the very policies they so viciously condemned?

Following the success of what is most likely the most significant counter-espionage effort in American history, President Obama was the first to claim credit.

"Today, at my direction, the United States launched a targeted operation against that compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan," he said. In his address, Obama used the word "I," "Me" or "My" 14 times. He mentioned the Navy SEALs, who risked their lives to carry out the operation, twice. The name of George Bush was never spoken.

The announcement of bin Laden's death marked a victorious day for our country. This moment has been long awaited. It was necessary, justified. The president should be commended for his courage as well as his wisdom.

Not only did Barack Obama blink on his many threats to dismantle the anti-terrorism policies established by the Bush administration, Obama maintained and expanded upon them all. The systematic breach of such promises has cost Obama dearly in the polls, especially among his most loyal supporters. What remains to be seen is whether or not the president will also be brave enough to admit that the Bush policies he once derided were ultimately responsible for this day of American triumph.

Sources:

Associated Press, "Obama says bin Laden must not be a martyr", MSN

Ewen MacAskill, "I believe water boarding was torture and it was a mistake", Guardian.co.uk

BBC, "Full Text: Obama on Osama Bin Laden's Death", Happy 98.9 FM, Africa

Patricia Campion, "Angry Protests Show Obama Slipping Among Former Supporters", Associated Content