The Change in Hope and Change

The national media is littered with jumbled up stories regarding the death Osama bin Laden. Much of the confusion has been caused by the Obama administration and the ever changing narrative they’ve been dishing out over the week.

Original report: Bin Laden died in a firefight.
Changed: Bin Laden did not engage in a firefight.
Change 2.0: Bin Laden had an AK-47 “nearby.”

Original report: Bin Laden was shot once in head.
Changed: Bin Laden shot once in head, one in chest.
Change 2.0: Bin Laden shot twice in head, once in chest.

Original report: Bin Laden used his wife as a human shield, was shot in chest and killed.
Changed: Bin Laden’s wife did not die, wasn’t used as a human shield and was only shot in the leg.
Change 2.0: Someone else’s wife was shot and killed, someplace else in the house.

Original report: Four helicopters used in raid.
Change: Four helicopters used during raid.
Change 2.0: Secret stealth helicopters used in raid.

Original report: Bin Laden’s compound had no television, computers or electricity.
Changed: Compound had TV’s, DVDs, multiple computers and satellite dish.

Original report: President Obama acted with “calm” and “steeled-nerves,” making the decision on his own.
Changed: Obama was listening to Advisor Valerie Jarred, who told him not to “proceed with the raid.
Change 2.0: Obama waited for 16 hours or more before deciding and CIA Chief Leon Panetta made the final call.

Original report: Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and close advisers watched raid unfold in real-time and a photo showing this was posted on the White House website.
Changed: They weren’t watching real-time video because there was 20 minute time frame that they “didn’t know just exactly what was going on,” as stated by Panetta.
Change 2.0: Photograph may have been staged according to the UK Guardian.

Original report: Obama’s order was to kill, not capture, bin Laden.
Changed: Obama’s order was to kill or capture bin Laden.

It’s certain that more changes will be forthcoming. It is also possible that we will never really know the truth as to what occurred in those hours between the time the Navy SEAL’s launched and when they returned to their staging point.

As for hope – there is none.