As Donilon [President Obama’s security advisor] would tell me, Obama said: “Here’s the deal. I want this hunt for Osama bin Laden and al-Zawahiri to come to the front of the line. I worry that the trail has gone cold. This has to be our top priority and it needs leadership in the tops of your organizations. You need to ensure that we have expended every effort to take down the top leadership of al Qaeda, especially these two individuals. And I want regular reports on this *to me* and I want them starting in thirty days.Donilon followed up and drove and drove the point home with a memo, which the president signed. He sent it to each of those present. It read: ‘In order to ensure that we have extended every effort – directly provide to me a detailed operational plan for locating and bringing to justice Osama bin Laden.
As Donilon [President Obama’s security advisor] would tell me, Obama said: “Here’s the deal. I want this hunt for Osama bin Laden and al-Zawahiri to come to the front of the line. I worry that the trail has gone cold. This has to be our top priority and it needs leadership in the tops of your organizations. You need to ensure that we have expended every effort to take down the top leadership of al Qaeda, especially these two individuals. And I want regular reports on this *to me* and I want them starting in thirty days.Donilon followed up and drove and drove the point home with a memo, which the president signed. He sent it to each of those present. It read: ‘In order to ensure that we have extended every effort – directly provide to me a detailed operational plan for locating and bringing to justice Osama bin Laden.
