Let's be honest--did anyone expect this to happen under Obama?

[Bicoastal]

'Cuz I didn't. But I didn't expect it to happen under any President. I expected to learn, far into the future, of Osama Bin Laden's death several years after the fact, of natural causes in a well-fortified bunker somewhere remote.

I have a lot of respect for Obama, and of course our armed forces and intelligence deserve most of the credit. But if, on election day, you had told me that OBL would be dead before 9/11/2011, I would've laughed in your face.

[Poll_Blind]

1. Same as you, I didn't expect it to happen under Obama but not because of some fault of Obama's.

Just that Osama bin Laden's death would eventually filter out of Pakistan or Afghanistan. Of all the responsibilities I lay on Obama's shoulders, actually catching/killing bin Laden was way down on the list, if it ever made the list.

PB

[KansDem]

2. "But I didn't expect it to happen under any President"

Certainly not under a President who was the Saudi Royal Family's cabanaboy...

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_stuMq1GJnrA/SwGx3zn7dpI/AAAAAAAAEic/cL-W58cc3mw/s400/bush+saudi+king+3.jpg

[seabeyond]

3. actually expected it more than under bush with the two different styles of governing

[AngryAmish]

4. I thought he was dead.

[socialist_n_TN]

5. Well, when Obama was ELECTED...........

it was ONE of the priorities that I expected out of BHO, but I must admit it wasn't one of the high ones. Now, bring the troops home and cut the DoD budget.

[Solomon]

7. I thought so too. He said he would get him, that he would go into

Pakistan to do so if he had to. That was the pretext for upping the Afghan war, so this doesn't suprise me at all.

[tabatha]

6. I did.

I knew he would do it. He had something to prove.

[Johonny]

14. +1

I really thought he'd be dead within the first year of Obama's presidency. I was only surprised how long it took him.

[frazzled]

8. I didn't expect it, but not due to Obama. But in retrospect ...

He said he'd do it, and he has done so. I must say that my perception is that when he makes a vow, he tries to keep it insofar as is possible, given the political realities. This was not political, so he had the upper hand.

I remember so clearly how he was excoriated and ridiculed, both by the other Democratic candidates and by the Republican ones, when he issued the statement saying that if we had actionable intelligence OBL was in Pakistan, and if Pakistan couldn't or wouldn't act, we should go in.

This is his vindication on that score.

[MilesColtrane]

9. We didn't have the intelligence and boots on the ground to do it under Clinton.

We had the intelligence to do it under Bush, but we didn't have the competence in leadership.

We had both with Obama, so no, I'm not surprised.

[larkrake]

10. yes, as soon as he entered Pakistan, I knew he was on the scent

Obama runs deep, but when he aims at someone, he is ruthless- such as Trump. I would not want to anger any Chicago politician, much less one so intelligent.

[eleny]

11. No, but I did believe that they were putting in a lot more effort to find OBL

[NashVegas]

12. This Is Fine, But What I'd Really Like Is To Have Our Basic Democracy Restored

One person, one vote, less marketing and all that.

[Bucky]

13. Actually, yes, I did expect it. He said from the gitgo, we need to target al-Qaeda

If you've been following what he's been saying all along, you'd know this was a major priority for him--get the guy who murdered thousands of people on our shore. It's exactly what a president is obliged to do. It speaks volumes as to Bush's character that he never made this a priority.

[Barack_America]

15. Actually, yes.

As long as he didn't die of natural causes, as you mentioned, I believed Obama would get him.

In contrast to Bush, Obama is a rational, logical and organized leader. That kind of thinking is what gets you effective intelligence and action.

[Schema Thing]

16. absolutely I did.

[CJCRANE]

17. It didn't surprise me because a DUer predicted it last week. nt