Part II
Osama Bin Laden dead? How could this be? We have listened to numerous broadcasts and viewed any number of videos in which he delivered his messages and veiled threats. To be sure, there were a total of thirty of such broadcasts or videos between December of 2001 and January of 2011, yet none of them have ever, to this day, been voice print authenticated.

Regarding the videos reportedly made by Osama Bin Laden following the devastating carpet bombing of Tora Bora, they are noticeably absent of the one item that would ensure their authenticity, that of Osama Bin Laden holding up in plain sight, a newspaper with the date of publication thereon that concurred with the airing of the video, for all to see. This never happened.

Why would our government lie to us and lead us to believe that Osama Bin Laden was still alive and up to his usual tricks? The simple answer is: if he was deemed to be dead then the public might lose interest in the war. On the other hand, if everyone thought he was still alive, all of our resources would then have to be augmented and directed towards his elimination. In other words it served our governments purpose by keeping him ‘alive’. Who would have known about this? George Bush together with his closest advisors and the CIA.

Why was it decided to make a concerted and all out effort to take down Osama Bin Laden almost ten years following the September 11, 2001 attack? Election Day in 2012 was still one and a half years away but prospects for the renewed political success of Barack Obama, at that time, was somewhat dim. He was hurting in the polls and what better way was there to help matters, than to have a quick ‘picker upper’ to rejuvenate the voting public and restore its confidence in the present administration than an announcement that Bin Laden is no more? Did Obama and his people suspect that Bin Laden might already be dead? Surely, a few of them must have known – but not all.

A few words about the Navy Seals who are without a doubt among the most superbly trained and motivated fighting units that we have. Their integrity is beyond question. But can we say the same about those who they work for, and die if necessary?

So the plan was put into motion. Admiral William McRaven was in charge of the operation. Both he and a CIA officer (possibly the mysterious Maya from “Zero Dark Thirty”) met with the Commanding Officer of Seal Team 6 sometime in January of 2011, who was advised that they have a house under surveillance that is situated within a walled compound in Pakistan that may contain an important individual. The CO of Seal Team 6 had an idea what was coming down and asked if the individual was Bert or Ernie, referring to Bin Laden or al-Zawahiri. He was also told that they have convincing (but not conclusive) voice prints and that the target’s shadow had been measured by reconnaissance satellite, indicating that he was over six feet tall.

And all of this was supposedly to take place in a country where the officials had absolutely no knowledge of what was happening? I found this difficult to believe when you consider that our President is not one to forge ahead without first obtaining permission from the host country. Recently leaked news items indicate that President Obama did in fact notify the Pakistani government what was about to happen, contrary to what the American public was told.

Preparations proceeded forthwith for the incursion which included the recreation of Bin Laden’s actual compound at the Tall Pines Army Facility, based on satellite recon photos, to be used for rehearsals and practice runs. Four recon satellites placed in the proper orbits would keep the team informed of any changes that would affect the operation. The tall figure that was always observed walking up and down soon became known as the Pacer. As soon as President Obama gave the go-ahead order, Seal Team 6, known as the “Jedi”, was off to Afghanistan.

Initially the plan included air cover to be provided by four F-22 Raptor stealth fighters but this was cancelled. Instead, a Prowler aircraft would be used to jam the radar installations in Pakistan and to simulate false targets. Seal Team 6 and the Stealth Hawk helicopters, “Razor 1” and “Razor 2”, together with two Chinook helicopters, one serving as “Command Bird” and the other as a lethal gun platform, would make their way to the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson upon completion of the operation.

Seal Team 6 was expecting to find not only Bin Laden but also three of his wives, two sons, a courier, at least four devoted bodyguards and any number of children, all ascertained via satellite reconnaissance.

To be concluded next week.