The following editorial first appeared in the Chicago Tribune:
Clustering at their predetermined departure site, the two dozen American commandos juggled one heavy piece of carry-on baggage, a souvenir from their lightning visit to Pakistan. It was the lanky cadaver of a much-wanted global terrorist. But the two helicopters — the healthy Sikorsky Black Hawk and the backup Boeing Chinook — that choppered the raiders to Afghanistan also carried a delicious trove of electronic booty that may prove more valuable.
Tantalizing reports suggest that Osama bin Laden, one more baby boomer who liked digital toys, unwittingly bequeathed to his killers oodles of secret information.
CNN reports that Navy SEAL Team Six escaped with 10 hard drives, five computers and more than 100 storage devices such as DVDs, disks and thumb drives. Politico, meanwhile, quotes U.S. officials as saying the data devices hold “the mother lode of intelligence.” One unnamed source says, “They (the commandos) cleaned it out. Can you imagine what’s on Osama bin Laden’s hard drive?” Another delightful-to-read boast from an intel source: “Hundreds of people are going through (the data devices) now,” reportedly in Afghanistan and at CIA headquarters in Langley, Va.
Think about the implications. We don’t know whether bin Laden was a hoarder — one of those clutter-hugging people who can’t part with old sandals. But he apparently has spent six years inside what’s now the world’s most notorious hideout. If Saddam Hussein had to kill time in that dark little spider hole, bin Laden has had the run of a house packed with computer gear.
What are the odds that bin Laden’s impromptu estate included lots of intriguing info about his associates, their locations and their plans? We’d like to think those odds are excellent. So it wasn’t surprising to read a Time magazine interview Tuesday in which CIA Director Leon Panetta acknowledges capturing an “impressive amount” of fresh intelligence.
Imagine you’re one of bin Laden’s most-wanted associates. Some of those folks are capable of executing deadly retaliations. All of them, though, have to be scared. They recall better than most of us that, when U.S. and Pakistani operatives rolled up al-Qaida mastermind Khalid Sheik Mohammed in 2003, his computer hard drive reportedly included a wealth of carelessly stored data — including a list of bin Laden’s safe houses. And that was one computer.
How satisfying it would be to find in bin Laden’s files some clue to the whereabouts of his top aide, Egyptian physician Ayman al-Zawahri, or another of the senior al-Qaida terrorists who remain on the loose.
The faster that happens, the better. The death of bin Laden has done more than behead al-Qaida. More important, perhaps, the early repose of his soul is a crushing embarrassment for a group whose brand of Shariah-driven religious fanaticism has been falling from whatever favor it held in the Arab world. The motivation for bin Laden’s survivors to strike is strong. Surely they are mulling whatever assets they possess or dream they can procure — maybe a stray Russian nuke, a less sophisticated dirty bomb, or the viral makings of a smallpox epidemic.
This long-lasting threat of retribution from al-Qaida makes us all the more appreciative of the commandos who lit up bin Laden’s lair on Sunday morning. Panetta says the U.S. also considered flattening the compound with a high-altitude run by B-2 bombers, or launching a “direct shot” with cruise missiles. Those options, he says, were ruled out because they would cause too much collateral damage.
Obliterating the compound also would have denied U.S. warriors whatever intel they now glean from bin Laden’s gear. Here’s hoping that gear — and not that carry-on corpse — proves to be the raiders’ real terror coup.
Comments (11)
Add commentWho knows what they got? I'm
Who knows what they got? I'm not believing anything coming out of the Administration at this point. They're like a bunch of rats chasing their tails.
The only heroes in this whole senario are our military. Once again, mission accomplished.
You understand the president
You understand the president commands the military, right?
Who knows with this guy. I
Who knows with this guy. I know 'he had to ruminate on it for 16 hours'!!! I'm guessing he was a minor player (golf anyone?!) in the real scheme of things.
You're "guessing" he was a
You're "guessing" he was a minor player? Do you not see that you've already committed yourself to disliking him and that's just a post-hoc justification for it?
Calypso, are you channeling.....
Glen Beck? You make about as much sense as he does......think for a second before you type, ok?
Would you really want your president sending troops into harms way without carefully weighing all of the intelligence, all of the possible scenarios, the possible backlash of entering another country uninvited or having our military people captured or killed? It is actually the JOB to take all of the experts advice into account and make a thoughtful decision.
Not the kind of thing you dash off on a sticky note in between a phone call or two and your next meeting - or is that how you think these kind of decisions should be handled?
Well, it's true...
that the current administration hasn't lied about yellow-cake purchases, made suggestive comments about mushroom clouds, ignored intelligence that contradicted its aims and goals, or slashed counter-terrorism budgets the moment it took office. The official descriptions of the bin Laden raid clearly and openly state that he was not armed, nor was there a pitched and desperate battle, manufacturing hero stories a-la Jessica Lynch and Pat Tillman to inflame the jingoistic imagination of a nation. I agree - don't trust anything this administration does or says!! If Obama had parachuted into Pakistan wearing a flight-suit with a star-spangled banner, had dancing girls and a gospel chorus singing about the defeat of Satan by that old rugged cross and Uncle Sam, well, then I'd believe it all!
GOP deflect 101
I noticed the switch from WMB to...uh...craptacular rationalizations on the fly.
I noticed the switch from demanding birth certificates to the new list without missing a beat.
And you bet your AZ. that I noticed the shear lack of Obama's name attached to anything positive, and the gushing response to the military team for doing their job.
Now, pile in Calypso's unf'n believable postings compared to Bush practically prancing on stage with a "MISSION ACCOMPLISHED" sash and keep talking with a straight face.
Facts: 2005 Bush said "I don't care about BL, he doesn't matter, we've stopped looking" and Obama 2008 "We wil find him and bring him to justice/kill him".
Calypso, Fox is calling. Your lunchtime treat is ready. Apparently there is nothing Obama can do to win your favor and the GOP can do no wrong. Maybe that's why Obama isn't asking you or palin what your insanely simplistic thoughts are.
Lies upon Lies
The whole tale of the assassination of Bin Laden is replete with changing stories and suspicious actions. The story has been changing since Sunday night when it was announced on prime time tv. At the very least Pakistan officials knew of the location of Bin Laden. At the very worst, the CIA also knew of his location and may have been involved with his containment. The compound on an acre of land with 18 foot walls built in the last six years, looks more like a facility designed to keep someone in, rather than keeping someone out. It simply doesnt fit with a hideout for a man on the run. It is now reported that no one in the building where Bin Laden was was armed. It appears there was no resistance.The mission was admittedly a kill mission. Common sense indicates that Bin Laden would have been a valuable asset to bring in alive, put on trial, and then executed for all the world to see. If the alleged computer files are so valuable, it stands to reason he was much more valuable. Then there is the issue of burial at sea with no photos, no proof, for all the world to see. There is much more to this story than what the administration is feeding us. We are a nation of law and when POTUS can order assassinations of anyone in the world without Congress approving, and deny due process to the accused, we give up what we are as a people and a country. My comments no way reflect on our military tasked with these distasteful missions.
akromper - I like you more and more....
Good post, spot on.
Dingdong - I'll not even comment on your obviously deep knowledge of typical household conduct and construction in Pakistan, since you clearly are an expert who's spent years living on the ground there and knows exactly what's what...... first, I personally think the White House should have released NO information on the operation - and probably only did because in this day and age they know other sources are out there. We got him, it's done, our methods are secret, next question. Why do we need to know what color shoes everyone was wearing? Second - OF COURSE the details change day by day - we're talking about 12-30 people actually involved in the operation all needing to be debriefed and make reports, plus several hundred people involved in the military support and chain of command, plus another hundred CIA, plus another hundred involved in the administration chain of command, plus several thousand reporters - don't you get it? it's a GIANT game of "Telephone", and ALWAYS IS when it comes to stories like this. ALWAYS.
Third - seriously, a trial? Are you mad? What possible benefit could that have? Where would you hold it? Who would want to host that? How much would security cost? How long would it drag out? How much would be sensitive, national security info anyway? How much needless and endless fodder would that give to fanatic Islamists? And a public execution? You would lower us to the level of our enemies, sir.
Fools and Sheeple
Gorge on the garbage your government feeds you, Dear Fools. Criticise if you want, but this Great Country is a Country of Law, the constitution is the only barrier we have to tyranny. If you genuinely believe that POTUS has a constitutional right to engage in war, assassinate whoever he pleases including leaders of soverign countries such as Ghadafy, without checks and balances from our congress, then you deserve pity whether you are in denial or just ignorant. Your emotions govern your opinions, not intellect and a belief in law and justice. If you believe that due process should not be granted to even the lowest scum like Bin Laden where should the line be drawn? Who should summarily be assassinated even when they do not resist and who should be arrested and put on trial?? Our government is lying to us on so many levels concerning this issue. Bin Laden was an industry in himself. 1.4 Trillion dollars has been spent since 9/11. Pakistan has at least 18 billion of that. The military industrial complex has become rich because of Al Qaida. Bin Laden who was our guy in the 1980's when the US was supporting the Muhajadeen against the soviet union. The real truth, whatever it is, will never be known. The way the mission was handled and the constantly changing story is abundant proof that the real truth will never be known.
dingdong -
I agree with the rule of law perhaps more than many on this blog. I also think we should spend less time overseas trying to change other people, basically being the "Missionaries of Democracy" and more time at home taking care of our own. But in this case, I think the circumstances were extreme.
I also think that your take on the military industrial complex and things that happen 'behind the scenes' in presidential administrations are likely true, but certainly not new - Cuban missle crisis, Vietnam, post 9-11, Iraq, etc. etc. While I would agree that it is not ok for the military industrial complex to frame conflicts in order to make more money, I also think that there are instances in which it's not possible or prudent for the general public to know all the details.