Party in the CIA-The Killing of Bin Laden

[mardi gras skin]

I got two e-mails back to back from one of my friends at Ft. Meade containing the story and video below. I thought they went together perfectly. :)

Getting Bin Laden
What happened that night in Abbottabad.
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2011/08/08/110808fa_fact_schmidle

No American was yet inside the residential part of the compound. The operatives had barely been on target for a minute, and the mission was already veering off course. (really long article) http://www.newyorker.com/images/2011/08/08/p465/110808_r21159_p465.jpg

Party in the CIA!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-CG5w4YwOI&feature=youtu.be

<iframe width="560" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/C-CG5w4YwOI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[Madison Redskin]

That's the most detailed story of the raid I've read to date. Pretty compelling stuff.

[mardi gras skin]

No kidding. Geronimo:


A second SEAL stepped into the room and trained the infrared laser of his M4 on bin Laden’s chest. The Al Qaeda chief, who was wearing a tan shalwar kameez and a prayer cap on his head, froze; he was unarmed. “There was never any question of detaining or capturing him—it wasn’t a split-second decision. No one wanted detainees,” the special-operations officer told me. (The Administration maintains that had bin Laden immediately surrendered he could have been taken alive.) Nine years, seven months, and twenty days after September 11th, an American was a trigger pull from ending bin Laden’s life. The first round, a 5.56-mm. bullet, struck bin Laden in the chest. As he fell backward, the SEAL fired a second round into his head, just above his left eye. On his radio, he reported, “For God and country—Geronimo, Geronimo, Geronimo.” After a pause, he added, “Geronimo E.K.I.A.”—“enemy killed in action.”

[zoony]

outstanding article, thanks for posting.

[Teller]

Can't wait to read this. Headed to bed now, but skimming the first two pages, it looks outstanding.

[airborneskins]

WOW! What a great article. Now I know why I had to show my ID card to go to the restroom that morning in Bagram.

Great article. Thanks for posting.

[No Excuses]

. The first SEAL pushed it open. Two of bin Laden’s wives had placed themselves in front of him. Amal al-Fatah, bin Laden’s fifth wife, was screaming in Arabic. She motioned as if she were going to charge; the SEAL lowered his sights and shot her once, in the calf. Fearing that one or both women were wearing suicide jackets, he stepped forward, wrapped them in a bear hug, and drove them aside. He would almost certainly have been killed had they blown themselves up, but by blanketing them he would have absorbed some of the blast and potentially saved the two SEALs behind him. In the end, neither woman was wearing an explosive vest.

Read more http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2011/08/08/110808fa_fact_schmidle#ixzz1TsHV0CXc

That's just amazing, taking on such danger to protect your fellow men. Our special forces are incredible.

[gbear]

The flag they gave Obama is a national treasure. Wow. Well done.

Puts some of the training the Seal instrutor I met in Jamaica does in its proper context. The SEALS are an impressive unit.

[MattFancy]

Wow. That was an amazing article!

[G.A.C.O.L.B.]

That's just amazing, taking on such danger to protect your fellow men. Our special forces are incredible.

Amazing isn't it? I'm also struck by how lackadaisical and lazy Bin Laden and Co. got in preparing for something like this. Really tells me that they were completely comfortable and felt totally safe and protected.

[gbear]

In fairness, 10 years is a long time to be super careful. Note, the helicopter landing ultimately tried was not the first choice for method.

As I thiink about the article, I'm struck by a few things. First, I am impressed and a little scared by the decission to go. The information was not a slam dunk by any means. If we would do it there, in a fragile tensely allied country, is there anywhere we won't invade? This rade had potential to really upset the fragile balance of power in the Middle East even further. I can see how this could have broadened aur Afgan war to Pakistan which I think could have brought in more Middle Eastern countries involved. I like the terrorists knowing we will come after them any where, and we have a long memory, but I'm a little worried I won't trust all presidents to take such risks.

The other part which I liked looking back was the leaving the charred helicopter as a visible reminder we really did go in there. It's a nice rebuttal for the conspiracy theorists who may say, "they were never there, and bin Laden is still alive somewhere in the mountains."

[zoony]

So that flag comes up at the Antiques Road Show - whats it worth?

[G.A.C.O.L.B.]

So that flag comes up at the Antiques Road Show - whats it worth?

I don't know, but the Pawn Stars will give you $200.

[zoony]

I don't know, but the Pawn Stars will give you $200.

"I mean, it's cool and all, but this would really only appeal to people who were happy that Bin Laden was killed. Tell you what, I'll give you $225, and thats as high as I can go"

[begrudgingly]"well, okay"


:dunce:

[SkinsHokieFan]

What a fantastic read. Great detail. My only question is why Ahmed was speaking Pashto in Abbotabad, when you probably have a very punjabi officer corps living there.

[zoony]

What a fantastic read. Great detail. My only question is why Ahmed was speaking Pashto in Abbotabad, when you probably have a very punjabi officer corps living there.

To the point made by gacolb earlier in the thread, I think there is little doubt that Bin Laden felt very safe in that compound. And I don't think it's a jump at all to conclude that he was getting protection from Pakistani officials.

Now, was the Pakistani gov't in on it? I highly doubt it. But I think there are so many that are sympathetic to the Taliban within the ranks of the ISI and Pakistani military brass and they were in on providing Bin Laden shelter.

That the compound wasn't booby-trapped at all tells you all you need to know. And Bin Laden didn't have an emergency escape or hiding place Hussein style? He sat on the top floor and heard his compound get breached with explosives, machine gun fire, and operators coming up the stairs and he stays in his bedroom?

My guess is he was in utter disbelief, and was so comfortable that in those moments leading up to his death he probably told himself it was some sort of military training exercise, etc. And that even if he was caught, he would be safe inside Pakistan. What does that say?

Don't you know certain Pakistani brass are ****ting their pants about what kind of intelligence was picked up at the compound.

[G.A.C.O.L.B.]

"I mean, it's cool and all, but this would really only appeal to people who were happy that Bin Laden was killed. Tell you what, I'll give you $225, and thats as high as I can go"

[begrudgingly]"well, okay"


:dunce:

Lol. Nailed it.

[MonkFan8]

Forty-five minutes after the Black Hawks departed, four MH-47 Chinooks launched from the same runway in Jalalabad. Two of them flew to the border, staying on the Afghan side; the other two proceeded into Pakistan. Deploying four Chinooks was a last-minute decision made after President Barack Obama said he wanted to feel assured that the Americans could “fight their way out of Pakistan.”Pretty crazy.

[Madison Redskin]

"I mean, it's cool and all, but this would really only appeal to people who were happy that Bin Laden was killed. Tell you what, I'll give you $225, and thats as high as I can go"

[begrudgingly]"well, okay"

:dunce:

LOL. That's definitely what Big Hoss would say. Rick would probably say, "I mean ... I am really interested and it's a really cool piece of history. The problem is ... I don't know how to value it. I'll tell you what ... I'm just going to take a shot in the dark. How about a thousand bucks?"

[Chachie]

Thanks for sharing. Awesome read!

[S.T.real,lights,out]

Awesome story.

[GameWinner]

My favorite part is that Obama made the call to have the 2 extra Chinooks ready to get the boys out if need be. Ballsy choices, Mr. Prez...turned out to be the right ones. Nice change haha.

[Madison Redskin]

My favorite part is that Obama made the call to have the 2 extra Chinooks ready to get the boys out if need be. Ballsy choices, Mr. Prez...turned out to be the right ones. Nice change haha.

That's actually a good point. What would the SEALs have done if they only had 1 blackhawk and two dozen SEALs?

[BRAVEONAWARPATH]

That's actually a good point. What would the SEALs have done if they only had 1 blackhawk and two dozen SEALs?

Good question. :(

[Elessar78]

To the point made by gacolb earlier in the thread, I think there is little doubt that Bin Laden felt very safe in that compound. And I don't think it's a jump at all to conclude that he was getting protection from Pakistani officials.

Now, was the Pakistani gov't in on it? I highly doubt it. But I think there are so many that are sympathetic to the Taliban within the ranks of the ISI and Pakistani military brass and they were in on providing Bin Laden shelter.

That the compound wasn't booby-trapped at all tells you all you need to know. And Bin Laden didn't have an emergency escape or hiding place Hussein style? He sat on the top floor and heard his compound get breached with explosives, machine gun fire, and operators coming up the stairs and he stays in his bedroom?

My guess is he was in utter disbelief, and was so comfortable that in those moments leading up to his death he probably told himself it was some sort of military training exercise, etc. And that even if he was caught, he would be safe inside Pakistan. What does that say?

Don't you know certain Pakistani brass are ****ting their pants about what kind of intelligence was picked up at the compound.

On another-level, maybe OBL accepted that he was a dead man when he launched 9-11. He probably didn't know when but that it was just a matter of time. Booby traps can work against you, particularly in a house with children, so I can understand the reasoning there. Maybe an escape route would've been better but like the article said, tunnels and ditches weren't possible because of the water table. Probably a poor place to build your secret lair, huh?

---------- Post added August-2nd-2011 at 01:19 PM ----------


That's actually a good point. What would the SEALs have done if they only had 1 blackhawk and two dozen SEALs?

Extracted, Ahmed (desk jockey), Bin Laden's body, and as many SEALs as they could've and the rest high tail to a pre-determined rendezvous point. I'm certain that this scenario was part of their training. It's a pretty obvious iteration in a mission involving insertion via helicopters.

The big question I want answers is the angry mob question. What would they have done surrounded by an angry mob of civilians?

[Madison Redskin]

Extracted, Ahmed (desk jockey), Bin Laden's body, and as many SEALs as they could've and the rest high tail to a pre-determined rendezvous point. I'm certain that this scenario was part of their training. It's a pretty obvious iteration in a mission involving insertion via helicopters.

Yup, but I assume that would take a fair amount of time, particularly since the Blackhawk that didn't crash needed to refuel before heading back to Afghanistan. That's roughly 25 minutes to refuel and another 10-20 minutes flight time round trip. That's an awfully long time to have the SEALs sit by the compound and hope no civilians or Paki forces come by.

[Elessar78]

The operation was over around 1 am local time, so they still had a lot of darkness. Looking at a map, to the south and east of OBL's compound is nothing but open fields. I doubt the rally point would've been near the compound. Also remember they have had operatives observing the house, so that could've acted as a safe house and had maybe even some sort of ground transport available.

[ixcuincle]

Schefter tweeted that article in the OP early this morning. Had a chance to read it earlier, it's a riveting account. Almost Clancy-esque.