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Tuesday, May 3, 2011
The Morning Scoop - Obama Ditches the Wimp Factor
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The killing of Osama bin Laden—and Obama's decision to strike quickly to get him—erases the enduring stereotype of Democrats as weak politicians who won't use force, writes The Daily Beast's Peter Beinart, and has greater potential to change the party's reputation on national security than any single event since Vietnam.
It was only a matter of time. Obama administration officials say they will probe whether Pakistani authorities helped hide Osama bin Laden, a day after the al Qaeda leader was found and killed in a mansion located in the same town as the country's top military academy. John Brennan, President Obama's top counterterrorism adviser, said it was "inconceivable" that bin Laden didn't have a significant "support system" there. Sen. Carl Levin, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said the Pakistani army and intelligence agency have "a lot of questions to answer." They'll have to be somewhat tactful about asking them, however. U.S.-Pakistani relations have been especially tense over CIA action in the country and recent drone strikes. And Pakistan, both nuclear-armed and home to Islamist militants, is still vital to U.S. security interests. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made sure to thank "all of our partners around the world, including Pakistan, who have helped us put unprecedented pressure on al Qaeda."
President Obama will visit the site of the Twin Towers Thursday for the first time as president, just days after a U.S. military operation killed al Qaeda leader—and 9/11 mastermind—Osama bin Laden. Obama will visit with families of the victims of the terrorist attack, White House officials said. Since bin Laden's death Sunday, crowds have gathered to celebrate. Obama last visited ground zero during the 2008 campaign, and since then has drawn criticism from some families of victims due to his support of the "ground zero mosque," an Islamic cultural center located a few blocks away. Obama has marked the 9/11 anniversaries in Washington since taking office.
The Obama administration is debating whether to release photographs of Osama bin Laden's body as well as video of his burial at sea. Officials are wary of inflaming bin Laden's sympathizers by showing graphic images of the body—and they're apparently quite graphic—though they also want to shut down myths that he is still alive. But the photographs and video aren't the most important documents to come out of the raid. Navy SEALs reportedly made off with a trove of al Qaeda evidence, from DVDs to hard drives, that the CIA is now combing through for hints about the whereabouts of the cell's presumed next-in-command, Ayman al-Zawahri. Meanwhile, as Americans celebrated, al Qaeda fed fears of a retaliation. "By God, we will avenge the killing of the Sheik of Islam," one al Qaeda commentator said. "Those who wish that jihad has ended or weakened, I tell them: Let us wait a little bit." Obama is scheduled to visit the World Trade Center site on Thursday.
Lawmakers have a little longer to fight over raising the debt limit. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner is undertaking emergency measures to postpone a potential default on the federal debt. By borrowing money from a pension fund from federal workers, suspending a Treasury program that helps state and local governments manage their debts, and other emergency tactics, Geithner pushed the deadline for raising the debt limit back to August 2. Unexpectedly high tax revenues also helped push back the deadline. Geithner isn't letting Congress relax, however, warning lawmakers that failing to raise the $14.3 trillion limit would "have a catastrophic economic impact." He also attacked attempts to drag the debt limit into the debate of the nation's long-term fiscal health. "Contrary to common misperception, the debt limit has never served as a constraint on future spending, nor would refusing to increase the debt limit reduce the obligations the country has incurred," he wrote in a letter to Congress. President Obama and Geithner want an independent vote on the debt limit, but many Republicans want caps on spending.
Navy SEALs started as frogmen clearing beaches in World War II, but have since become an elite corps performing America's most delicate tasks. Their secret killing of Osama bin Laden is another triumph for the nation's quietest killers, writes Tony Dokoupil.
World's New Top Terrorists With Bin Laden Dead by Rob Verger & David A. Graham With Osama bin Laden dead, who'll take over al Qaeda—and who could be plotting the next attack? From natural successor Ayman al-Zawahri to the Zelig-like Fazul Abdullah Mohammed and American Adam Gadahn, see photos.
The GOP's Bin Laden Jitters by Howard Kurtz Obama just took out the world's top terrorist—providing a burst of momentum just as the 2012 race begins. Howard Kurtz on the GOP dilemma—and why the Dems' advantage may be short-lived.
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