A reminder for Mitt Romney: President Carter DID give that order.

[qkvhj]

8. not the same type of mission.

These two missions were nothing alike. It would serve Obama's image better to say that he never would have approved the mission to rescue the Iranian hostages. The mission was doomed from the start. It's failure insured by poor planning and over extension of assets that were never designed to be used as they intended. I'm very glad it was aborted in the first stage. It would have only gotten worse from there.
Most of what has been published about that night in the desert is true. Politics were not an issue there and then and I'm sorry that it is becoming a political issue now.
President Carter made a huge mistake in authorizing that mission. It was way too far from supporting logistics to send any force and expect success. We are talking a few hundred miles for the SEALS, and a few thousand for the Rangers. I think Obama made a smart decision, and Carter made a well intended but irrational decision.
I am a retired Ranger, and I spent my time in Delta.
If you take the time to read what is out there and leave politics out of it and factor in that you are dealing with troops that are headed for a suicide mission you will get the right perspective. The Rangers knew when they left Egypt that success was far from assured.
My knowledge is first hand.