After the relentless pounding of Tora Bora caves and tunnels and hiding space by a massive American assault, US military personnel went to body after body punching a special device into the various cadavers found to do field-based testing of the DNA of the remains of those found against the held and known DNA of Osama bin Laden.
Years after, many Defense Department, CIA and other national security intelligence practitioners thought that bin Laden, who needed dialysis support, was dead -- that there was no way that he could have survived all these years without surfacing or being exposed by informants.
Tonight, we now know he is dead. President Obama is about to report on this. We know very few details at the time of this writing -- but we know that he was alive until a week ago, while many thought he was dead years ago.
My colleague and friend Peter Bergen, who interviewed bin Laden in 1997, will no doubt have much to say about bin Laden's death -- which does matter but which does not necessarily mean that al Qaeda affiliates and look alike outfits will give up their nefarious endeavors.
Updates below...
Update 12:00 AM EST: Obama Delivers: Checks off the Bin Laden Box...
President Barack Obama just spoke to the nation and world and reported on his role in making the decision to act on intelligence that Osama bin Laden had been found in Pakistan.
He took action. US intelligence operatives moved on bin Laden a week ago. Obama said, "Justice has been done".
The President of the United States has checked off the box in bringing Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda to justice -- and probably assured his reelection in 2012.
Update 11:40 PM EST: According to sources in the US intelligence community, bin Laden was near/in Islamabad, Pakistan.
He was with family in a compound.
Leads from Pakistan ISI -- that's right -- ISI, led US forces and intel to the site.
The US used its own sources to confirm and "received clearance to strike from Pakistan."
According to my source, "US direct action with strong assist and support from Pakistan" killed Osama bin Laden.
Update 11:25 PM EST: Military sources have told me that Osama bin Laden was killed about one week ago in a drone strike. This seems to be something some are raising doubts about -- but both stories are out.
DNA testing has been conducted this past week.
US military bases are now at Force Protection level "Bravo".
Bases overseas are at Force Protection level "Charlie".
Usual level is "Alpha".
Bravo apparently means full i.d. checks, armor evident, machine guns on sight, etc.
Charlie is much more severe. Heavy artillery on hand. Thorough checks of everyone.
-- Steve Clemons publishes the popular political blog, The Washington Note. Clemons can be followed on Twitter @SCClemons
***Update: At the time of my writing the above, my sources in the military and CIA shared the background statement above that ISI participated in supporting the Navy Seals action. It seems increasingly clear that this is not true, or at least the truth is murky. I'll leave the original posting up as this was what I was told by an informed source (and confirmed by another) who may in retrospect have either been misinformed, or working to spin a story perhaps, or ultimately accurate. I have to admit to doubts about this claim now given what we are learning. Thanks to those of you who have commented.
Best, Steve Clemons
Follow Steve Clemons on Twitter: www.twitter.com/SCClemons
Osama bin Laden - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Osama bin Laden: 9/11 author who defied Bush, Obama
Osama bin Laden, the face of terror, killed in Pakistan
Osama bin Laden dead: US officials
CNN: US Has Body of Osama Bin Laden
CIA operation kills Osama bin Laden in Pakistan
WASHINGTON — Osama bin Laden is dead and US has body, says person familiar ...
How will Al Queda play this? It depends on whether they think they can get more donations and recruits by claiming a martyr, or by claiming that Osama wasn't killed.
The circus continues, and the downward spiral of human intelligence apparently cannot be halted. There seems to be no way to discussion this reasonably in public. Perhaps better to sit back and enjoy the comiedy as it unfolds.
Obama 2012
Mind if I use it?
fanned
Are you familar with the USA? At all?
The election is 18 months away. This great moment is that - a moment. We will be talking about something else in a week's time, never mind a year and a half.
I would submit that, if the war in Afganistan is not ended soon, Obama will be in serious peril from the left come 2012.
Congrats to the President on this great achievement. But 2012 is forever from now.
We've a long way to go. A lot can happen between now and election day.
A definite feather in the President's hat but assuring his reelection in 2012???? That's a bit of a stretch. I think the American people need to see a little more help on the home front. There are still millions without jobs, thousands who are have lost or are losing their homes, gas prices are still rising... unless we see some changes on those things I think the President needs to do a bit more than just his stamp of approval on a job where a lot of other people did all the work.
This is a bit over-the-top. The president deserves high praise for his success in the the killing of OBL; however, it was also due to the hard work of our military and intelligence agencies that spanned several years. In 2012, the president will have to address the state of unemployment, rising interest rates, inflation, and a host of other issues. His success yesterday will certainly not be forgotten by then, but we must remember the sage words of James Carville: "It's the economy, stupid."
Example: Following the Gulf War in 1991, Bush 41's approval rating was a record-high 89%. Clinton beat him with a plurality of the vote the following year.
I may not agree with all of your views, but I tip my metaphorical hat off to you, good sir.
President Obama 2012
"Let us pray that the America peoples have the wisdom to choose correctly."
Choose correctly?!? Both paths sound pretty much the same to me (I guess that was your point?).
but what evidence do you have?
Let me go ahead and point out the obvious to you!!!
NO GITMO!!!! NO PEOPLE TO GET THE INFO FROM!
Wake up from the little world you live in and look around you!!!!
Well, at least you are separating racists from Republicans and Tea Partiers while you ignore the fact that catching OBL was the culmination of years' worth of intelligence gathering.