SEALs slam Obama for using them as 'ammunition' in bid to take credit for bin Laden killing during

Who didn't know that Obama was going use the killing of OBL as a campaign tool for 2012. In fact, as soon as it happened I believe many ATS'ers were posting just that. After Obama's recent election ad highlighting his killing of OBL and attacking Romney at the same former SEAL's have a problem with this (well, once a SEAL always a SEAL).

SEALs slam Obama for using them as 'ammunition' in bid to take credit for bin Laden killing during election campaign

www.dailymail.co.uk...

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’.

In it President Bill Clinton is featured saying that Mr Obama took ‘the harder and the more honourable path’ in ordering that bin Laden be killed. The words ‘Which path would Mitt Romney have taken?’ are then displayed.

Besides the ad, the White House is marking the first anniversary of the SEAL Team Six raid that killed bin Laden inside his compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan with a series of briefings and an NBC interview in the Situation Room designed to highlight the ‘gutsy call’ made by the President.

Mr Obama used a news conference today to trumpet his personal role and imply that his Republican opponent Mr Romney, who in 2008 expressed reservations about the wisdom of sending troops into Pakistan, would have let bin Laden live.

‘I said that I'd go after bin Laden if we had a clear shot at him, and I did,’ Mr Obama said. ‘If there are others who have said one thing and now suggest they'd do something else, then I'd go ahead and let them explain it.’

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.’

reply to post by Swills



Bin Laden killed? Buried at sea.....



Do they think we're stupid?

Originally posted by seagrass
reply to post by Swills

 

Bin Laden killed? Buried at sea.....

Do they think we're stupid?

While I laugh with you about the OBL conspiracy and question what really happened, as far as the main stream are concerned he was killed that day and now Obama is using it as a campaign tool. So the sweet part is that SEALs, and others, are not cool with this.

Of course, this is a spokesman --- not one of Seal team 6.

So it's all lies falling in the same septic tank.

reply to post by ThinkingCap


Were you expecting a current member of the secret SEAL team 6 to make a public statement saying he disapproves of Obamas campaign ad? Last active duty member to criticize the President was a Marine whose chain of command didn't like what he had to say on his Facebook page. So, no active duty members of any branch are going to say anything negative about the Gov't/Prez, and that's because they're not allowed too.

In any case, how about a former SEAL team 6 leader?

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 was afraid the SEALs were blinded by the fame of movie stardom. I'm glad to hear at least a % of them are downright angry. The same man enjoying THEIR CREDIT would have as quickly hung them out to dry if it'd gone to hell and Pakistan had captured them or something. The whole thing should have been reported on BASICS alone, if anything. Personally, the whole thing beyond "Bin Laden Dead!" could have been kept quiet.....with a big Tell All book *AFTER* the war is over and no one is learning anything useful from the details.

If he had to make world headlines and pimp the troops for extra votes anyway, the least he could have done is shown the Kodak moment.

I think a lot of people recognize the incongruity here.

Many of my "regular" friends have openly criticized Obama for taking credit. And these friends are not that involved with the political world in general.

So, yeah... I think Obama's attempt to use this as an example of his leadership is going to backfire.

Really? They are using ZINKE as their poster child? I am so embarrassed to claim Montana now.

Presidents from the very beginning of the USA have had the right to claim the good actions that occur during their term. Just as they are rightfully tarnished by the bad things that happen. Obama will be no different, and if anyone has a problem with this they should ask themselves why.

reply to post by Montana


They're using him because of his SEAL and team 6 background. In any case, what's your problem with him?

reply to post by Montana

this they should ask themselves why.

Your absolutely right, Why for me, why do I have a problem with it?

Because I grew up in a US that believed in Due processes, not assassinations, I had a problem with it when it happened, and still do.

More so now that the Prez trying to use it to get re-elected.

"Look everyone me stepping on Americas values is a good thing"

Yea and guess what I didn't like it when Bush stepped on our rights either, nice try with the implied racism though...

I love how terrorism suddenly makes Torture and Assassinations ok...

Originally posted by Swills
reply to post by ThinkingCap

 

Were you expecting a current member of the secret SEAL team 6 to make a public statement saying he disapproves of Obamas campaign ad? Last active duty member to criticize the President was a Marine whose chain of command didn't like what he had to say on his Facebook page. So, no active duty members of any branch are going to say anything negative about the Gov't/Prez, and that's because they're not allowed too.

In any case, how about a former SEAL team 6 leader?

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.

edit on 30-4-2012 by Swills because: (no reason given)

imagine if our military personnel were privy to free speech, oh wait our brave men and women fight for and sometimes die for the right of free speech, silly of me to think they should be able to use it.

reply to post by benrl


I had to stop myself from clicking the 'report' button for that insulting, unfounded and offensive taunt. I have never EVER made any accusation about racism. I wasn't talking about race at all, I was referring to the time honored practice of defaming a pols actions simply because of the political party they belong to. You know, because they are a Democrat or Republican (as if there is any difference!). Take your racist hate speech to a different board. It doesn't belong here.

So isn't Senator Zinke doing nothing but making political points for himself by reminding everyone of his association with SEAL team 6?
2 politicians taking credit for the work and sacrifices of others, business as usual.

All Obama had to do was say "yeah go ahead" and he takes credit for it? (That is, if it even happened)

Seriously? His egotistical attitude never fails to amuse me.

I can't help but wonder if the entire story was contrived solely for this purpose.

www.gopac.org...

Each week GOPAC will spotlight a candidate running for election. This week’s candidate is Ryan Zinke of Montana.

Ryan’s distinguished military career began in 1985 when he graduated from US Navy SEAL training and was assigned to SEAL Team ONE in Coronado, CA where he led counter-insurgency and contingency operations in the Persian Gulf and the Pacific theater of operations. From 1990-93 and again from 1996-99, he was specially screened and selected to Naval Special Warfare Development Group in Virginia Beach, VA where he deployed to U.S. Special Operations Command and led operations as Ground Force Commander in support of Stabilization Force, Bosnia-Herzegovina (SFOR).

Yes hes a republican who is saying this. No hes not Seals Team 6. He is Seal Team 1. And he commanded Bosnia.

en.wikipedia.org...

The Bosnian government lobbied to have the embargo lifted but that was opposed by the United Kingdom, France and Russia. US proposals to pursue this policy were known as lift and strike. The US congress passed two resolutions calling for the embargo to be lifted but both were vetoed by President Bill Clinton for fear of creating a rift between the US and the aforementioned countries. Nonetheless, the United States used both "black" C-130 transports and back channels including Islamist groups to smuggle weapons to the Bosnian government forces via Croatia.[35]

Originally posted by Swills
reply to post by Montana

 

They're using him because of his SEAL and team 6 background. In any case, what's your problem with him?

Well, lets just say that based on personal experience with the man's actions I have come to doubt his sincerity. Of course in the world of politics, that is probably considered a career enhancer!

Originally posted by Asktheanimals
So isn't Senator Zinke doing nothing but making political points for himself by reminding everyone of his association with SEAL team 6?
2 politicians taking credit for the work and sacrifices of others, business as usual.

You could look at it that way but there's always more than one way to look at something. I'm not familiar with the man but I wonder when he runs for office does his campaign use his SEAL service at a tool for election? Most definitely, but does he also use his kill count as a tool? No, I'm going to assume he does not.

As a former SEAL and leader of Team 6 I think the journalist did a good job of seeking him out for his opinion. Makes sense.

reply to post by JBA2848


I wonder if it would be public knowledge to know if you were apart of the secret SEAL team 6, a team we didn't know about until a year ago. He definitely was apart of Team 1 but that doesn't mean he wasn't apart of team 6. Either that or the journalist made a major boo boo.

www.gopac.org...

Ryan Zinke holds a MBA in Finance and a Masters of Science in Global Leadership from the University of San Diego. He is married to the former Lolita Hand and has two young boys, Wolfgang and Konrad, and his daughter Jennifer, who is serving as a US Navy Diver and is also married to a Navy SEAL.

Could there be something to the name he chose for his kid? Konrad spelled with a K is mostly tied to Germany.

en.wikipedia.org...

First nameKonrad Adenauer (1876-1967), German politician
Konrad Bloch (1912-2000), German-born American biochemist
Konrad Boehmer (born 1941), Dutch composer
Konrad Dannenberg (1912-2009), German rocket scientist
Konrad Dobler (born 1957), German long-distance runner
Konrad Gessner (1516-1565), Swiss naturalist
Konrad Grob (1828-1904), Swiss painter
Konrad Heiden (1901-1966), German writer
Konrad Henlein (1898-1945), Czechoslovak politician
Konrad Lorenz (1903-1989), Austrian scientist
Konrad Mägi (1878-1925), Estonian painter
Konrad von Marburg (died 1233), German inquisitor
Konrad Rudnicki (born 1926), Polish astronomer
Konrad Tuchscherer (born 1970), American historian
Konrad Wolf (1925-1982), German film director
Konrad von Würzburg (died 1287), German poet
Konrad Zuse (1910-1995), German computer scientist

reply to post by Montana


Damn, I really wanna know now , but you can keep your secrets if you want too