0bama/Clinton ad on killing of bin Laden was 'despicable'

The following is a letter to the editor of the St. Augustine Record, appearing today, May 7, 2012 on page 10A of the paper, from T.R. Waskovich, past executive director, Special Operations Association, which is made up of past and present Army Special Forces, Navy SEALs, and Air Commandos who have served in covert combat operations behind enemy lines:

The recent political ad by President Barack 0bama and former President Clinton politicizing the killing of bin Laden was despicable, as indicated in the Huffington Post, as well as hypocritical and disingenuous.

The outrageous criticism from Clinton that their opponent might not authorize the raid was insulting and inflammatory to the Special Operations community. It is well known in that community that Special Forces operative Billy Waugh had bin Laden in his gun sights on several occasions in North Africa during the Clinton Administration and could not get authorization from Clinton to terminate him (Hunt for the Jackal). Consequently,
more than 3,000 Americans died on 9/11.

The remark that it would have been horrible for 0bama if the U.S. Navy SEALs had been unsuccessful or had been captured, was particularly offensive. How does Clinton think the families of the SEALs would have felt?

The bottom line is that very brave special operations personnel are prepared on a moment's notice to serve and defend our nation's interests and to risk their lives and well-being doing so. Their efforts and sacrifice should not be trivialized by cheap political trash ads.

T.R. Waskovich
St. Augustine