Why Did we go to Iraq? Why Was it So Easy for Bin Laden to Hide in Plain Sight?

In looking at the pictures of Iraq versus where Bin Laden was found, it is just amazing! Why did we ever go to Iraq? Why did Bush have a war there for so many years? Why were so many lives lost?

Then understanding that Bin Laden has been in a mega mansion in Pakistan (our ally??) since 2003? So many countries (and thousands of miles) away. Why did we ever send our troops to Iraq? (so many killed!) Why didn't we know Bin Laden was hiding in plain sight? In the neighborhood of our ally, Pakistan? Bin Laden's mega mansion, so visible, right in the middle of town. This mega-mansion was built in 2003 -- walls 10 feet high, right in the middle of a very large neighborhood.

All I can say is, Thank God for President Obama! Thank God for our Special Forces. They swooped in so quickly and served Justice so quickly.

It's over now!
The only good thing -- we are unifying as a nation, ALL supporting our President! Let the Peace and the Allegiance last, at least for a few days! Let's join together as a nation and support our troops and our President!

God Bless America! God Bless our President Obama!

Secretary Gates (Republican) Compliments Obama-- Bush's Wrongful Iraq War a Factor!

Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who is a Republican and was a prominent member of former President George W. Bush's Cabinet, said he is enjoying working for President Obama. Gates praised Obama’s approach to decision-making as the nation's commander-in-chief. "He is very analytical. He is very deliberate about the way he goes through things. He wants to understand everything. He delves very deeply into these issues." (What a change from Bush)
As I was reading this report this morning, my mind zipped back to Bush/Cheney getting us involved in the wrongful war in Iraq. All you have to do is look at a map of the Middle East to understand how ridiculous it was to get involved in this war. After 9/11, the world understood Bin Laden/Al Qaeda were the perpetrators. The US government concluded that Osama bin Laden was present during the Battle of Tora Bora, Afghanistan in late 2001, and according to civilian and military officials with first-hand knowledge, failure by the US to commit US ground troops to hunt him led to his escape and was the gravest failure by the US in the war against al Qaeda. Bin Laden began the battle of Tora Bora inside the cave complex along Afghanistan's mountainous eastern border. He somehow managed to escape. Today, Intelligence Reports indicate he escaped to Chitral, Pakistan. Anyone who studies a map of the middle east knows and understands the closeness in proximity of these areas. He escaped to a nearby region. Tora Bora, Afghanistan and Chitral, Pakistan are on the Eastern side of their countries, close to China. Iraq is located on the opposite side of Iran.
It made no sense to go to Iraq. There were no weapons of mass destruction. Many of Bush's advisers advised against going there, including Richard Clark. Yet, we still are there. If anyone can get us, perhaps Obama can.
Defense Secretary Gates has worked with both men. I'd say his feedback is a very good sign!
Reference:
'I very much enjoy working for' Obama, Gates says

Serve on Active Duty! Become a Citizen!

Since 2002, more than 37,000 aliens and non citizens who served on active duty have been provided expedited naturalization.

As I have previously reported, in Iraq, according to the Washington Post, Hispanics have a death risk about 20 percent higher than non-Hispanics.
According to the Pew Hispanic Center, while Latinos make up 9.5 percent of the actively enlisted forces, they are over-represented in the categories that get the most dangerous assignments -- infantry, gun crews and seamanship -- and make up over 17.5 percent of the front lines.

As The Sun - San Bernardino reported on 8-23-08:

The Marines came from all over - Kazakhstan, Jamaica, Guatemala, Russia, Brazil, Mexico, El Salvador, Indonesia, the Philippines - but Monday evening threaded them together with one common theme. Their home is now officially the United States, a country they've defended overseas since the war on terror began. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services officials have naturalized more than 37,250 military members since Sept. 11, 2003, but this was the first ceremony held on a military base. President Bush signed the Expedited Naturalization Executive Order in July 2002, enabling non-citizens on active duty to immediately file for citizenship. Military personnel would normally have to serve a year before qualifying for citizenship.

Expedited Naturalization Executive Order Executive Order

Expedited Naturalization of Aliens and Noncitizen Nationals Serving in An Active-Duty Status During the War on Terrorism
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including section 329 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1440) (the "Act"), and solely in order to provide expedited naturalization for aliens and noncitizen nationals serving in an active-duty status in the Armed Forces of the United States during the period of the war against terrorists of global reach, it is hereby ordered as follows:
For the purpose of determining qualification for the exception from the usual requirements for naturalization, I designate as a period in which the Armed Forces of the United States were engaged in armed conflict with a hostile foreign force the period beginning on September 11, 2001. Such period will be deemed to terminate on a date designated by future Executive Order. Those persons serving honorably in active-duty status in the Armed Forces of the United States, during the period beginning on September 11, 2001, and terminating on the date to be so designated, are eligible for naturalization in accordance with the statutory exception to the naturalization requirements, as provided in section 329 of the Act. Nothing contained in this order is intended to affect, nor does it affect, any other power, right, or obligation of the United States, its agencies, officers, employees, or any other person under Federal law or the law of nations.
GEORGE W. BUSH THE WHITE HOUSE, July 3, 2002.

Millions of Hispanic Soldiers´ Proud Tradition of Service in the US Military

American Hispanics have a proud history of serving in the US Military. Over 500,000 Hispanic soldiers served in World War II, and nearly 40 Latinos have won our nation’s highest award, the Congressional Medal of Honor. More than 53,000 Hispanics were on active duty in 2003 and another 1.1 million are veterans of the U.S. military. Many have also been honored with American citizenship as a result of their military service; more than 25,000 immigrants who have served in the military have become U.S. citizens through a special wartime military naturalization statute.

Today, in Iraq, according to the Washington Post, Hispanics have a death risk about 20 percent higher than non-Hispanics.

According to the Pew Hispanic Center, while Latinos make up 9.5 percent of the actively enlisted forces, they are over-represented in the categories that get the most dangerous assignments -- infantry, gun crews and seamanship -- and make up over 17.5 percent of the front lines.

Millions of Hispanics have a Proud Tradition of Service in the U.S. Military, and thousands today are fighting on behalf of this nation, regardless of their citizenship status. Their bravery and sacrifice, along with that of their fellow soldiers, should be recognized and honored.