Medals for everybody!

Krugman nailed it again: the GOP has shown a remarkable lack of grace. Now, one of their talking points has been to note that it was simply "a decision" to kill bin Laden, and that real credit ought to go to the men and women who executed the operation. Disingenuous, of course, but why not take the wind out of their sails by awarding commendations to all the folks who took part? In addition to whatever awards ought to be awarded to the folks who went in and took out bin Laden, let Congress authorize a special award for everyone, from the CIA to the Seals, who took part. Let them then have these medals awarded by the president. This would have the following advantages:

1. It would recognize the brave men and women who brought about our greatest victory in the so-called "GWoT."
2. It would have a great visual of the president awarding these to our servicemen and women.
3. It would provide the GOP another opportunity to shoot themselves in the foot by arguing against such an award during the floor debate, and again when the awards would be given out by the president. The strange contortions by the GOP and their gracelessness in opposing recognizing our military would further tarnish their already dubious reputation on defense.


The President awarding the Congressional Medal of Honor to Staff Sergeant Salvatore Giunta

Seal Team Six, and The 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment(the helicopter pilots/crews) were both awarded the Presidential Unit Citation.

http://blog.usnavyseals.com/2011/05/navy-seals-receive-presidential-unit-citation.html

Except it was a closed meeting. Seriously, there has to be somebody the president can publicly pin something on, so that the GOP can publicly criticize him for it, because if he does it, they'll criticize him for it, no matter what it is.