Aljazeera provided background by U.S. Official - May 1 Chain of Events

http://blogs.aljazeera.net/live/asia/live-blog-osama-bin-laden-killed-us-forces

This background on the operation to kill bin Laden was given to Al Jazeera by a senior US offiicial:

On June 2, 2009 the President signs a memo to Director Panetta stating “in order to ensure that we have expanded every effort, I direct you to provide me within 30 days a detailed operation plan for locating and bringing to justice Usama Bin Ladin…”

In the lead up to this operation, the President convened at least 9 meetings with his national security Principals. Principals met formally an additional five times themselves; and their Deputies met 7 times. This was in addition to countless briefings on the subject during the President’s intelligence briefings; and frequent consultations between the NSC, CIA, DoD and Joint Staff. The President was actively involved in reviewing all facets of the operation.

The President made the decision to undertake the operation at 8:20am on April 29th in the Diplomatic Room before he left for Alabama. In the Dip Room were Donilon, Daley, Brennan and McDonough. Donilon then prepared the formal orders and convened the Principals at 3pm to complete the planning.

May 1 -- staff worked pretty much all day today on the operation. Principals have been in the Situation Room since 1pm.

2:00pm the President met with the Principals to review final preparations.

3:32pm the President returned to the Sit Room for an additional briefing.

3:50pm the President first learns that UBL was tentatively identified.

7:01pm the President learns that there’s a “high probability” the HVT was UBL.

8:30pm the President receives further briefings.

..and they did!

Why didn't he say this earlier? Why didn't Bush?

Conspiracy thinking has me wondering if OBL wasn't just a useful 'boogie-man' who we could have hauled in ages ago if we wanted.

the theory that Bushco made a deal with Bin Laden's family. We won't get him if you make sure he
doesn't attack again. Made so much sense to me - since we never heard anything about attempts
to get him It was more advantageous to cheney, et al to have the scare out there with the knowledge
that he could boast - no more attacks.

It was not a priority, for obvious reasons. Let something happen, then you got free reign to fuck everyone with your shit policies. It's just a shame the American public was too weak to blame Bush for something that happened on his watch.

Although clearly he had access to money.

What stopped him was trying to top his spectacular success. "You're only as good as your last movie" applies to terror attacks, too.

Kinda puts a dent in the old "This was Dubya's doing" line, doesn't it? :shrug:

But you'll hear all sorts of churning spin trying to give Bush credit. :þ