I know a few people at the Pentagon and also have an old college friend who is a U.S. vice consul. Everyone at Defense and State knows what happened there.

Jarrett convinced Obama that if the mission failed, he wouldn't be re-elected. At one point, Obama told Panetta, Clinton and Gates that he decided not to give the mission the OK. At that point, Panetta went ballistic. He threatened to resign if Obama didn't give the OK. Panetta then told Obama that if the mission failed he would accept full responsibility and even claim that the mission was unauthorized. Clinton and Gates told Obama that if he hung Panetta out to dry, they would resign and go public. It was only then that Obama approved the mission, but told Panetta that he didn't want to know anything about it until it happened.

That's why Obama was on the golf course when Panetta called him and informed him that the SEALs were already in the air and on their way to Pakistan. Obama didn't even get back to the White House until the SEALs had been in the air for an hour.