The Situation Room was empty when I arrived. The director of the SITROOM was a Navy captain. He subtly made it known that he was unaware of whatever was transpiring that afternoon. There was no record of the meeting on the President’s calendar, and the Situation Room schedule only indicated that the room was blocked.
Moments later my old friend Nick Rasmussen showed up. Nick was one of the few NSC staffers read-in to the planning, and over the next few months he would provide me invaluable insight into the thinking of the President and his national security team.
Before long the room began to fill up. Secretary Gates, Chairman Mullen, and Hoss Cartwright arrived together, followed by Vice President Biden; Secretary Clinton; Leon Panetta; the Director of National Intelligence, Jim Clapper; the National Security Advisor, Tom Donilon; Denis McDonough; John Brennan; and a small briefing team from the Agency. As the junior man present, I sat at the end of the table.
A few minutes after everyone was seated the President arrived without any fanfare. He looked tired. I recalled that he had just returned from a trip to New York City and a big event the night before.
The President slid into the chair at the head of the table, his long frame laid back almost in recline. The CIA team briefed the intelligence. Panetta gave his overall assessment, and then the President asked the principals for their opinions. All agreed that the intelligence was compelling, but it lacked a level of certainty and no one was ready to take any action just yet. Panetta then reviewed the four options.
The President and others quickly dismissed the idea of including the Pakistanis in the mission. If bin Laden was just a mile from the Pakistani military academy, surely they had to know about it. Confiding in the Pakistanis could easily mean bin Laden would run, and then it might take another ten years before we found him again. It was too risky.
That meant that there were only three other options—the bombing option, the SAD snatch and grab, and the special operations raid. Hoss Cartwright walked the President through the bombing option, but it was clear that this course of action made everyone uncomfortable. To completely level the compound and ensure bin Laden didn’t survive would require twenty-eight two-thousand-pound bombs. While the size of the ordnance load was of concern, what really bothered the President was the loss of innocent lives. The CIA reports assessed there to be three to four women and up to fifteen children in the three-story house. All of them would die along with bin Laden. And what if it wasn’t him? the President asked. What if it was just some Arab sheik with a number of wives?
Panetta briefly discussed the SAD option, but then passed the briefing over to me to outline the special operations raid.
“Good afternoon, Mr. President,” I began. “Sir, as briefed, the Abbottabad Compound Number One is 162 miles from the Afghanistan border. I’m confident that once I get an assault force on the ground, we can secure the facility and capture or kill the high-value target. Getting to the compound is the hard part.” I paused briefly. “I analyzed a number of options to include parachuting into an offset drop zone and walking to the target, trying to drive across the border in a makeshift vehicle that could hide the operators, and finally, just flying directly to the target as we do every night in Afghanistan.”
Panetta chimed in. “Mr. President, Bill is looking into the use of some special helicopters we have that may be able to get past the Pakistani air defenses.”
Onscreen in the Situation Room, I pulled up a picture of our specially configured Black Hawk helicopters. “Sir, it’s possible that these helos can avoid radar detection and make it to the compound.” As I looked around the room all the principals were fixated on the unusual-looking helicopters on the screen. “But there is a lot I don’t know.”
“Like what?” the President asked.
“Sir, I don’t know if the helos can carry enough men.”
“How many do you need?”
“At a minimum about twenty men and their equipment.”
The President, still looking intently at the photo, nodded for me to continue.
“A lot goes into determining the lift capacity of a helo,” I continued. “Fuel, temperature, altitude, and time on target. For example, sir, if the temperature is one degree different than what we forecast it could change the entire load and fuel requirements to do the mission. If the time on the ground is longer than anticipated, then the helo will have to refuel, and that is another element of risk.”
I could feel some of the enthusiasm for the raid waning. “In addition, these are untested helicopters. While the MH-60 Black Hawk is a proven airframe, these birds have been so reconfigured that I don’t know how well they will perform.”
Everyone was quiet. While I wanted to be entirely truthful about the limitations of the helicopters, I also didn’t want to completely undermine the raid option.
“But sir, it is also possible that our regular Black Hawk helicopters could use the mountains to skirt the air defenses, and if that’s the case then getting to the target is very much doable.” I paused to let that sink in. “However, I just don’t have the information now to tell you whether any of these helo insertion options are viable.”
“What do you need, Bill?”
“Sir, I need to bring in some experts to help me with the air and ground planning phase.”
“How many extra folks are we talking about?”
“Sir, I will need five more men read-in to the mission.”
The President looked around the room to see if anyone objected. “Okay, Admiral. Do the additional planning and get back to me.”
Tom Donilon, the President’s National Security Advisor, spoke up. “Mr. President, we have another meeting scheduled for 29 March.”
“Okay, let’s reconvene on the twenty-ninth. Everyone knows what information I need?” the President asked, looking around the table. “Yes sir,” came a collective response. The President thanked everyone and departed the room. Most of the principals stayed behind to ensure they all understood what tasks the President had assigned them.
On the way out of the Situation Room, Panetta pulled me aside and said, “Bill, you know what needs to be done, don’t you?”
“Yes sir.”
He smiled, slapped me on the back, and said, “Okay, let’s get at it.” There was always something reassuring about having Leon Panetta in your corner.
That evening I went back to my hotel room and thought through exactly who I needed. The air piece was easy. I would reach out to Colonel John “J.T.” Thompson, the commander of our elite special operations aviation unit, and ask for his most experienced warrant officer to lead the tactical portion of the air planning. Additionally, I would need to have the lead pilot from the special Black Hawk unit to provide the technical information necessary to determine if his aircraft could perform as advertised. Finally, I would have to make a decision on the ground assault element. Would I choose Navy SEALs or Army special operations? There were only two men I trusted well enough to lead the ground operation. Both officers were extremely experienced in combat, both superb tacticians, and most importantly, I felt, both were consummate team players. With all the tension that would invariably develop as a result of this high-profile mission, I needed someone who could calmly build the joint operational team and not get overpressurized when the stakes got high.
After checking the Afghanistan deployment schedule, I learned that the Army officer and his squadron had just deployed to Afghanistan. There was no way I could pull the officer and his leadership team out of Afghanistan and bring them back to the States without someone getting wind of a big operation. On the other hand, the Navy SEAL officer and his squadron had just returned from Afghanistan and were on leave for three weeks. Three weeks! It was the perfect cover for action. No one at his command would ask about his whereabouts. No one would miss him at work.
I contacted Rex and told him to call the SEAL officer and his master chief and get them to D.C. the next day. I subsequently called J.T. Thompson and requested the add
itional air planners. Thompson immediately knew something was up when I asked to have a warrant officer from the special helicopter unit meet me in D.C. Not wanting to be too nosy, but also not wanting to be left out of something important, Thompson inquired if I needed his personal assistance as well. I couldn’t help but chuckle. I would have done the same thing. Not now, I told him, but the time might come, so don’t go anywhere soon. Thompson was a superb helo pilot and equally impressive officer. I knew that sooner or later I would bring him into the fold.
The next day, Rex rounded up the four new members and escorted them to CIA headquarters. In the back room we had convened the CIA analytical team and the leadership of the SAD element. Rex hadn’t provided the new guys with any information on why they were here nor whom they were meeting with.
As the men entered the room I greeted them at the door. The two SEALs I knew well, but the two warrant officers from the aviation unit were new to me. They had no idea why they were at the CIA, but they knew my presence and the fact that we were hiding in some small nondescript building must mean something was afoot. All of the four were exceptionally experienced combat operators.
On the table in the center of the room was a scale model of Abbottabad Compound One (AC-1). After quick introductions with the CIA team, we sat down for a lengthy briefing on “the pacer” and all additional intelligence surrounding AC-1. Once again, the depth of the intelligence and the quality of the briefings were exceptional.
After the intelligence briefings were completed we talked through the four options still before the President.
“Gentlemen, in less than two weeks the President expects a fleshed-out concept for the raid option,” I started. “Your job is to tell me whether or not we can do it.” They nodded but said nothing. “I’ve looked at several other options to get to the target, but frankly, I don’t think any of them are feasible. I’ll give you a day or two to relook at my analysis, but then we have to decide on one course of action and start planning.”
“Sir, have you looked at jumping into an offset location?”
“I have.”
“How about driving across the border?”
“I have.”
“What about just flying into Islamabad and going directly to the target?”
“Yeah, looked at that too. But you guys check my work and let me know if I missed anything.”
As expected, the SEAL commander immediately pulled the small team together and said, “Okay, you know what the boss needs. Let’s get to work.”
Without any prodding, the CIA analysts gathered around the operators and offered their help. For the next two weeks every conceivable bit of intelligence was reviewed and re-reviewed. Experts on Pakistani air defense and radar systems were brought into our planning facility. Imagery analysts answered every question about the compound: the height and thickness of the walls, the outdoor lighting, the living facilities of “the pacer,” the possible number of women and children, the surrounding neighborhoods, the location of the Pakistani police and military units. Additional analysts provided detailed assessments of likely Pakistani reaction once we were detected. We knew from previous incursions across the Pakistani border that the Paks would engage our helos and ground forces at the first opportunity. Throughout the course of the next two weeks, the mission planners provided an extensive list of Requests for Intelligence (RFIs) to the CIA analysts. Only one RFI seemed unanswerable: Was it bin Laden or not?
It didn’t take long for the planners to confirm my suspicion that the only real raid option was a direct helo flight to AC-1. The hard part was trying to determine if we could get to AC-1 with the right number of SEALs, in the right helicopters, without being detected. The only way to test this concept was to exercise the plan against a simulated Pakistani threat. That meant bringing in a lot more folks, and that meant getting the President’s approval.
On March 29 we met again with the President and the other members of his national security team who were read-in to the operation. The CIA briefed the updated intelligence, but they were still no closer to determining the identity of “the pacer.” We debated the merits of all the courses of action again.
By this time, however, the Air Force had provided General Cartwright a new kinetic option. Instead of a massive bombing run, it was possible to drop a more surgical weapon that could kill “the pacer” and limit the collateral damage. However, this course of action would require the strike platform to be overhead at precisely the time “the pacer” was in the AC-1 courtyard. Additional overhead photos showed that he always had several children surrounding him during his daily walks.
The new option was compelling. If it worked, then no boots on the ground were required. The Pakistani reaction would likely be stern but short-lived, and the likelihood of killing people in the surrounding houses was eliminated. The nagging fact was that with any kinetic operation we still wouldn’t know if bin Laden had been killed. And in this case, children were likely to die.
Finally, the President turned to Panetta and said, “Okay, let’s talk about the raid option.”
Panetta nodded to me.
On the table in front of the President was a scale model of Abbottabad Compound One. Additionally, I had placed a few PowerPoint slides in front of each member in the room.
I began the brief. “Sir, the plan is pretty simple. When directed, I will move an assault force from the United States to Afghanistan. The force will consist of twenty-four SEAL operators, a CIA officer, two special modified Black Hawk helicopters, and a military working dog. We already have positioned in Afghanistan another two MH-47 medium lift helicopters. They’ll provide a Quick Reaction Force and additional fuel if required.”
The first slide gave the battlefield geometry, a map showing the distance between the Afghanistan border and Abbottabad. The second slide was a graphic portrayal of the Pakistani air defense radar coverage. Red arcs meant we were likely to be detected. Green was clear. There wasn’t much green.
“On order, we will launch the assault force and fly the 162 miles to the Abbottabad compound.”
The President’s eyes followed the proposed path of the helicopters on the slide. “Can you get by the air defenses?” he asked.
“Sir, I don’t know yet. We’re still studying the problem. But if we use the mountains as a shield then there is a possibility we can get pretty close to the compound before being detected.”
Sitting up in his chair now, the President was focused, and I could see the questions mounting as I continued the brief. “How close?” he asked.
“Sir, once we break out from behind the mountains, it will be two minutes before we can reach the compound. At that point, the sound of the helos will give us away and it’s very likely that someone in the compound will hear us.”
“Continue.”
“Yes sir.” I flipped to the next slide, which was an overhead photo of the Abbottabad compound with arrows showing our proposed insertion routes.
“Sir, the first helo carrying twelve men will fast-rope into the center of the compound, clear the small guest quarters, and then breach the bottom floor and clear from the bottom up. The second helo will drop off a small element outside the compound to ensure the escape routes are covered and then lift the remaining men onto the roof of the living quarters so they can clear from the top down.”
“What about women and children?” Secretary Clinton asked.
“Ma’am, we expect up to a dozen children in the compound and probably five women. This is a challenge we deal with every day in Afghanistan. The men know how to handle large groups of noncombatants.”
“But what if one of them poses a threat?” someone else asked.
“If they have a suicide vest or are armed and threaten the assault force—they will be killed.”
The sudden realization that others besides bin Laden could be killed, not by a bomb, but by a U.S. soldier with a gun at point-blank range, seemed to bring the reality of the mission into focus.
I wanted to ensure that there was no misperception about how this raid would go down. “Sir, if there are people in the compound who pose a threat to the operators, they will be killed. It will be dark. It will be confusing. If it turns out that bin Laden is not in the compound, there are still likely to be dead Pakistanis as a result of the raid.”
The President nodded. “I understand.”
“How long do you think the mission will take?” Brennan asked.
“It’s about a ninety-minute flight from the Afghan border to Abbottabad. I intend to spend no more than thirty minutes on target and a ninety-minute flight home.”
“How quickly can the Pakistanis react?” Secretary Gates inquired.
“Sir, we’re not exactly sure, but we will have intelligence on their movements and we will be able to relay that information to the assault force.”
I presented the last two slides, which showed the helo route out of Pakistan and some additional information on our planned rehearsal schedule.
“Can you do the mission, Bill?” the President asked.
“Sir, I don’t know yet. This is just a concept. Before I can tell you with any assurance, I need to identify the assault force, do more planning, and conduct several rehearsals. Only then will I know if the concept is valid.”
“How much time do you need?”
“Sir, I need three weeks.”
Without hesitation the President said, “Okay, Admiral. I think you have some work to do. Pull your team together and get back to me in three weeks.”
“Yes sir.”
The meeting broke up without a lot of discussion. Afterward, I talked to Panetta, Mullen, and Brennan. The Agency had constructed a mock-up of the Abbottabad compound near my home at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. We would find a cover story to assemble the operators. We would brief them in, do the first set of rehearsals, follow that with a full dress rehearsal, and in three weeks be prepared to brief the President on whether the raid was feasible. It was going to be a busy few weeks.
Sea Stories Page 29