Obama praise is premature

Col. William Peterson's (USMC, retired) effusive praise of President Obama's allegedly “brave move … to authorize the helicopter/SEAL mission to kill Osama bin Laden” is certainly premature and likely misplaced.

Presidential candidate and lawyer Barack Obama objected to the direct killing of an American enemy. He called for a Nuremberg-style trial of such people because he believed the United States should not take unilateral action but engage the world community for judgment.

President Obama has not changed his view on this issue. From what we know from “insider” reports, President Obama and adviser Valerie Jarrett opposed this military assault for two reasons:

One, that the military action could fail and harm the president's already weakened standing with both the American public and the world. Second, that the attack would be viewed as an act of aggression against Muslims and further destabilize conditions in the Middle East.

These same reports indicate that Leon Panetta, head of the CIA, had authorized the assault and without the president's knowledge. Over the president's objections and without his authorization, Panetta and his supporters, Hillary Clinton and David Petraeus, launched the operation and told President Obama only after it had begun. Talk about shock-and-awe!

It's true, as Col. Peterson states, that presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush “blinked” when presented with the opportunity to assassinate bin Laden. It is not certain that the non-warrior President Obama has the “nerves of steel” to order other men to kill in his name.

Ed Dolan

Central City