The Hunt for Bin Laden Intensified
The Telegraph reports that the C.I.A. is intensifying its efforts to capture or kill Al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden. He is believed to hide in Pakistan, near the border with his former safe haven Afghanistan. Al Qaeda is re-establishing itself, it’s building terrorist training camps in Pakistan.
So, Dick Cheney has put pressure on Musharraf to allow the U.S. to go into Pakistan more to try to get to Bin Laden. “Stephen Kappes, deputy director of the CIA”, gave Musharraf “satellite photographs and details of communications intercepts” in order to convince him of cooperating. It seems to have worked.
It’s now 5.5 years ago that Osama Bin Laden attacked America – and the entire free world. He is still safe. He is still alive. His organization is regaining strength, not just in Pakistan but also in Afghanistan. If those facts aren’t a source of inspiration and, yes, encouragement for terrorists worldwide, I don’t know what is. He has to serve as an example: that terrorists, no matter how rich they are, no matter how well they hide, will be hunted down and held responsible for their crimes.
The article seems to have pissed off Larisa Alexandrovna who wonders why U.S. officials would share information like this with Musharraf… and why they would leak it to the press. To has a good point. Bin Laden has to be caught or killed, but we, the public, don’t have to know when and how intelligence agencies try to do that. Regarding sharing sensitive information with Musharraf: I’m quite sure that Bush realize that he had to give it his all if he wanted to convince Musharraf that he had to cooperate. The Bush administration didn’t really have a choice: if that’s what it takes to get Musharraf’s ‘permission’, that’s what it takes.
Also read Ed Morrisey’s take on this.
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You seem to come from an ‘old world’ definition of war when you refer to OBL.
“He has to serve as an example: that terrorists, no matter how rich they are, no matter how well they hide, will be hunted down and held responsible for their crimes.”
Crimes? You mean war crimes, right? Al Qaeda, and Islamic fundamentalists in general are AT WAR with the West for very specific reasons.
For a detailed explanation of that statement read the bestseller Imperial Hubris. I think as long as our leaders, and our nation are determined to label these people as maniacal killers or terrorists we are doomed.
They are people with specific grievances. I’m offering you let go of everything you typically read and hear on the subject and put yourself in a “terrorists” shoes.
Just a thought.