CIA Operation Similar To Tactic Obama Advocated, Bush Criticized

[catgirl]

On the front page of Tuesday's Washington Post was an article detailing how in late January U.S. forces, acting with autonomy inside Pakistan, were able to target and kill Abu Laith al-Libi, a senior al-Qaeda commander.

The strike, which came without the Pakistani government's knowledge and helped eliminate an individual who had long eluded the spy-agency's capture, was an obvious boon in the War on Terror. But the political implications of the operation were just as fascinating.

In August, Sen. Barack Obama had made the argument that, as president, he would target Al Qaeda officials in Pakistan even without the country's acquiescence -- the type of attack that, six months later, proved to be successful.

At the time, Obama was roundly criticized for his remarks, both by his Democratic competitors for the White House and by the Bush administration.

Sam Stein/Huffington Post link:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/02/19/cia-operation-similar-to-_n_87433.html

[Prefer]

1. Wow - I wonder what a murderous dictator like Castro would have done?

If we did that, imagine how far someone murderous like Fidel would have taken it...

[catgirl]

2. I don't get it

are you being sarcastic? You're not comparing Obama to Castro, right?
It's probably just over my head. I'm tired.

[rinsd]

3. Woo-hoo for assainations and disregard for sovreignty!

What an awesome precedent!

GoBama!

[anigbrowl]

5. I'm OK with assassinating paramilitaries.

Politicians are quite different. This guy was not any kind of political leader or participant in the process. I qould be equally OK with assassinating bin Laden, even if it meant that Bush got the credit for it.

[anigbrowl]

4. Actually, this was what made up my mind for Obama

I thought his policy about being willing to pursue AQ or bin Laden into Pakistan was right on - I am not very impressed with Pakistan as an ally or Musharraf as a leader. When I saw Republicans yelping that Obama was 'going to bomb Paksitan, a sovereign nation!!!' (these are the same people who'd stand in line to press the button on Iran), I knew he was the one to beat.

Events in Pakistan since then have made him look pretty clairvoyant.