posted on February 21, 2004 09:55:40 AM new
February 22, 2004
A BRITISH Sunday newspaper is claiming Osama bin Laden has been found and is surrounded by US special forces in an area of land bordering north-west Pakistan and Afghanistan.
The Sunday Express, known for its sometimes colourful scoops, claims the al-Qaeda leader has been "sighted" for the first time since 2001 and is being monitored by satellite.
The paper claims he is in a mountainous area to the north of the Pakistani city of Quetta. The region is said to be peopled with bin Laden supporters and the terrorist leader is estimated to also have 50 of his fanatical bodyguards with him.
The claim is attributed to "a well-placed intelligence source" in Washington, who is quoted as saying: "He (bin Laden) is boxed in."
The paper says the hostile terrain makes an all-out conventional military assault impossible. The plan to capture him would depend on a "grab-him-and-go" style operation.
"US helicopters already sited on the Afghanistan border will swoop in to extricate him," the newspaper says. It claims bin Laden and his men "sleep in caves or out in the open. The area is swept by fierce snow storms howling down from the 10,000ft-high mountain peaks. Donkeys are the only transport."
The special forces are "absolutely confident" there is no escape for bin Laden, and are awaiting the order to go in and get him.
"The timing of that order will ultimately depend on President Bush," the paper says. "Capturing bin Laden will certainly be a huge help for him as he gets ready for the election."
The article says bin Laden's movements are monitored by a National Security Agency satellite.
On Thursday last week, General Richard Myers, chairman of the US joint chiefs of staff, said America had been engaged in "intense" efforts to capture bin Laden, who was believed to be hiding in the border area between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
But he insisted that the focus of the search had not narrowed for months.
"An old, long-whiskered man once said to Teddy Roosevelt: 'I am a Democrat, my father was a Democrat, my grandfather was a Democrat.' Roosevelt then said: 'Then if your father had been a horse thief and your grandfather had been a horse thief, you would be a horse thief?'" --Will Rogers
posted on February 21, 2004 10:30:04 AM new
bear - I know our military leaders, and soldiers, are doing the best they possibly can to capture binladen.
A lot of American's are hopeful that he will be captured and the sooner the better. A lot of American's do feel safer now that saddam has been captured. And it was a success for our side.
We can easily see, from previous posts here, when Saddam was captured, that many don't think it's important. They scream 'where's Saddam, where's binladen?'. Then when saddam IS captured...they say it doesn't matter. Of course it matters.
I'm hopeful your article is correct and we have narrowed down binladen's location....and they just don't want to say UNTIL he's in custody. But I'd believe General Myers 'take' on this above anyone elses.
posted on February 21, 2004 12:01:09 PM new
I don't think it makes much difference if he's caught or not. Maybe for trophy value. What will change? Will the fighting stop or wind down? Will everyone feel a lot safer?
"The war against terrorism will never end" - George W. Bush
[ edited by kraftdinner on Feb 21, 2004 12:02 PM ]
posted on February 21, 2004 12:21:41 PM newWhat will change?
Not much from the far lefties who post here. But to the world it is a sign of strength and power. It's a sign the US was successful in removing and capturing a terrorist. Successful in changing the practices of what was going on in that part of the world. And that we might just do it again....to them....so they'd better take notice.
And we've already discussed the changes other countries have made in regards to their actions SINCE Bush has showed the world we're not [per binland] 'paper tigers'. Now they KNOW we will act....not just talk, talk, talk, talk, talk, talk, talk.
posted on February 21, 2004 12:21:55 PM new
Krafty - I felt that Saddam was irrelevent to US safety but I do feel that the capture of Bin Laden would put a big crimp in the AQ machine. I think that his capture would make a number of big money contributors go under ground for awhile and I think that there will be a problem replacing someone as intelligent as him. It's like when Steve Jobs left Apple. The infastructure was the same but the brain at the top was gone, consumer confidence dropped and advancements slowed.
Without a strong and concise leader and active cash flow AQ is just a band of hot heads.
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If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
posted on February 21, 2004 12:31:56 PM new
WOW - Now here is a perfect example of how the same event can result in completely different views.
Here I am thinking that the capture of Bin Laden would allow a sigh of relief for the world. People would no longer fear acts of violent retribution because their doctine is different from that a madman
Linda however sees that the capture of Bin Laden will strike fear into the hearts of all whose doctrine is different from our own and further the fear the violence.
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If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
posted on February 21, 2004 02:00:16 PM new
Don't you think though, Fenix, they've thought this all out. If they're that organized to be able to plan 911, and as dangerous as the U.S. says, I would think they've made provisions for capture or death of their leader(s).
At least Afghanistan and Iraq have now been liberated.
"Linda however sees that the capture of Bin Laden will strike fear into the hearts of all whose doctrine is different from our own and further the fear the violence."
posted on February 21, 2004 02:25:09 PM new
I sincerely hope they get him, and I'd just as soon it was in pieces as alive. I don't look for it to happen though, this far away from the election.
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posted on February 21, 2004 03:59:20 PM new
Has anyone ever considered that he is being tracked and that we are just giving him slack in order to find out more info.
This method is used on all the spies that are ferreted out, so why not bin laden.
posted on February 21, 2004 04:22:55 PM new
Well, why are we just now able to 'track' him? Did the Modesto, CA police slip on over to Afghanistan and tag him with a GPS 'beeper'?
Seriously, if tracking bin Laden, specifically, is possible, why hasn't it been done 'til now?
posted on February 21, 2004 04:29:22 PM new
::If they're that organized to be able to plan 911, and as dangerous as the U.S. says, I would think they've made provisions for capture or death of their leader(s). ::
I'm sure they did but how many of that "middle management" has already been captured or killed? There has been a lot of damage to the network, less xperienced people have benn elevated to take over newly opened positions but with Bin Laden still in control I think they have been able to retain their "reputation".
Think of it this way... you are in investor in a company, their actions are a little shady but they have kept you shielded. The CFO has recently been killed in a car crash and four VPs are under indictment but the CEO is still running the show and he has shown excellent leadership skills. Sunday night you are watching CNN and see that the CEO will be has arranged to turn himself over to authorities Monday morning. Now you know damn well that if it is tracked back that you have been an investor in their shady practices that you can be indicted and your assests siezed. Now despite the fact that you believe in the the shady practices, Monday morning when you wake are you calling your broker to invest further or are you going to try to break ties and distance yourself from the issue a take a wait and see attitude?
Remember, there is a big difference between plans and realities.
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If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
