SEALs Slam Obama for Giving Himself Credit for Bin Laden Raid

TUESDAY, MAY 1, 2012

MIDDLE EAST AND TERRORISM

by Rick Moran

We've heard from John McCain and Mitt Romney about Obama's "gutsy call" in ordering the Bin Laden raid. But what about the guys whose brethren actually went into harms way to carry it out?

Daily Mail:

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'.

[...]

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.'

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.'

I sense the tide is turning on this story and unless Obama drops it quickly, it will redound in Romney's favor. No one likes a braggart - especially one who fails to give proper credit to the true heroes in this story while making it appear that one's opponent has less courage.

It is a shabby, ugly political ploy and blowing up in Obama's face would be a deserving outcome.

Rick Moran

Source:http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2012/05/seals_slam_obama_for_giving_himself_credit_for_bin_laden_raid.html

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