National Security Officials Were Divided On Proceeding With The Bin Laden Raid

Obama’s National Security Team Was Sharply Divided Over Osama bin Laden Raid -- Washington Post

President Obama faced sharply divided counsel and, to his mind, barely better-than-even odds of success when he ordered the commando raid last week that killed al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, the president said in an interview broadcast Sunday.

Obama acknowledged having only circumstantial evidence placing bin Laden at the Abbottabad compound. There was not a single photograph or confirmed sighting of the man, he said, and he worried that the Navy SEALs would find only a “prince from Dubai” instead of the terrorist mastermind responsible for the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

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My Comment: I would love to know who are the ones who objected to the raid .... and their reasons for why they felt this way .... as well as knowing who are the ones who supported the raid, and their reasons why the raid should proceed. Unfortunately .... not until this administration is gone in 2012 or 2016 .... and a few security safeguards/secrets disregarded .... we probably are not going to know who are these individuals.

What is my take .... quoting the President .... this was a 55 - 45 situation .... and with those type of odds the President had no choice but to order the raid. Failure to do so .... and having Bin Laden get away .... was far worse than raiding the place and finding no value targets inside.