A compelling and informative Newsweek cover story tries to answer the question: Why can’t we catch Osama bin Laden?
Manhunts are never easy, the piece reminds us. But the search for the terrorist leader has been hampered by turf battles, risk aversion and the diversion of military resources and troops to Iraq.
The trail has gone cold. U.S. forces are relying on guesswork in finding bin Laden, with little actionable intelligence.
And al-Qaida is said to be close to launching another major attack: "It’s bad; it’s going to come," said a State Department counterterrorism expert.
Posted by Randy Scholfield
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93 Comments
As I recall bush has stated that there is no place in the world beyond America’s reach (Pakistan), and bin laden can run, but not hide (can’t find him), and we would get him dead or alive (eventually).
“But the search for the terrorist leader”
As long as you keep repeating the “terrorist” misnomer, it is impossible to understand anything to do with the Middle East.
At least we in Texas have always understood that “Remember the Alamo” was a “slogan” and not an end to a means or battle plan.
Why would the repukes want to catch him? Then there “boogey man” is gone. How are they going to scare people into voting for them? There is no benefit for those on the right to catch OBL. And they really are not interested.
This is the biggest failure of many in the ‘war on terror’. It is incredibly disappointing, that all this money and work has gone to punish a whole sect of people who had nothing to do with our attack, while letting Bin Laden get away.
This president is a DISGRACE to America.
All the resources of the United States of America and we cannot find bin Laden.Kind of makes one wonder how hard we are looking….
We did have a bunch of his family but we let them go.
Tom P,You mean those ones we quietly let fly out of the country a couple days after 9/11?
Kind of makes one wonder how hard we are looking….
Posted by: brian | August 28, 2007 at 12:58 PM
“So I don’t know where he is. You know, I just don’t spend that much time on him. … And, again, I don’t know where he is. I — I’ll repeat what I said. I truly am not that concerned about him.” [3/13/02] January 19, 2006 11:16 am
http://thinkprogress.org/2006/01/19/flashback-bush-not-concerned-about-bin-laden/
Hmm, yeah those ones
When no one else was allowed to fly
Should have held his family until he gave himself up. Hadn’t we used that tactic in Iraq?
The bin laden family was meeting with Daddy Bush. Would have looked bad…
It’s been reported many times over the past six years that OBL is estranged from the rest of his family; IIRC, the term “disowned” has been used in some reports. Given that, holding those family members might not have had the desired effect, and might have (perhaps rightfully) angered the House of Saud.
VT–
Riiight.
Because after all, we’ve never heard of people saying one thing (”we disown him”) and doing the exact opposite (supporting him with money and information).
80 percent of the 9-11 terrorists were SAUDIS. We should have hit them where they live.
I love the way “counter intelligence experts” KNOW a future attack is going to be big and bad.
But they don’t know anything else, like how to stop it.
Typical RepubliCON fear-mongering.
We should have hit them where they live…
Brilliant!
I always wanted to pay 10.00/gallon for gas.
I love the way “counter intelligence experts” KNOW a future attack is going to be big and bad.But they don’t know anything else, like how to stop it.Typical RepubliCON fear-mongering.Posted by: CapnAmerica | August 28, 2007 at 02:09 PM
Yup. Everyone in the CIA and Home Land are republicans.
From what I know, the bin Ladins (sic) are Saudi suckups, and this was the major rift in the family, long before 9-11.
But giving them free passage out of the country (when no one else could fly), without a single question about Junior was, well, a bit much.
Instead the genius says “I’ll go to Iraq, decimate their country, while I lure the Saudi extremist across the border.
It’s also ironic that the House of Saud continues to fund radical madrases (sp?), even as the Wahabi types predictably turn against them!
“Brilliant! I always wanted to pay 10.00/gallon for gas.”
Apparently, cheap gas is preferable to protecting our country from a terrorist.
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm……………
Like it or not, since the age of the combustion engine, oil has played a significant role in all modern societies and it is of vital concern directly influence national policy.
It would be a nightmare scenario for gas at that price. Nothing as you know it now would function as it once was.
It would be much worse than the gas rationing in WWII if the price tripled.
And we might end up with an energy alternative. Wouldn’t that just SUCK !!!!!
What happened to “if you support terrorism” yada, yada?
I guess there are different rules for FOB – Friends of Bush.
Besides, we get more oil from Venezuela than we do from Saudi Arabia.
That’s right – Hugo Chavez is NOT a Friend of Bush.
Sorry, my bad.
That’s an optimistic way of looking at Sol, but that would take years not months.
In the meantime, everything we know as the U.S. economy would simply collapse. No truck deliveries, no rail service, only authorized emergency vehicles on the road. Air travel would be cut down to nearly zero.
Think about it, transportation, plastics industry, electricity generating, hospitals and etc. would have to shut down but just for emergency services.
telecommute ;->
If a Democrat wins the nomination for President, I would almost bet my bottom dollar that they too would become good friends with the Saudi Royal family.
Any takers?
“We know that Marc Rich paid a lot of money. We don’t know how much George Soros paid, but we also know that the Saudi royal family contributed a great deal of money to the Clinton library. Now, isn’t it interesting that you never hear about the Saudi royal family being involved with Democrat presidents. You don’t get documentaries and books produced and written about the close ties between Democrat presidents and the Saudi royal family. A dirty little secret, ladies and gentlemen, is that the Saudi royal family has helped to finance most of the presidential libraries probably in my lifetime, and it’s one of the reasons that there is such a close bond between presidents and ex-presidents and the Saudi royal family, all presidents, doesn’t matter what party”
quote from rush limpbough
‘And al-Qaida is said to be close to launching another major attack: “It’s bad; it’s going to come,” said a State Department counterterrorism expert.’
Well if al qaida does launch an attack it won’t be because bin laden planned it. How much should we worry about searching for a guy who is imprisoned somewhere in the mountains of Pakistan, if he is even alive? He has no communications outside of goat back couriers. He can’t get any scores. His life sucks!
Outlander,
He has ComCast broadband…
Outlander, his life sucks? No. He’s lived like that almost his whole life, and he wants the rest of us to live that way too. He shouldn’t HAVE a life to begin with. I am sure that he’s behind more than you think he is.
“He has no communications outside of goat back couriers.”
HELLOOOOO! Ever heard of internet? Satellite phones? You, like Bush, ‘misunderestimate’ him.
Nevermind that under Bush we have killed or captured most of the leadership of Al Qaida and are still doing so…
We are supposed to listen to the left tell us Bush didn’t get Bin Laden and doesn’t care?
The left is simply irrational. You can’t even begin to have a logical discussion with these people.
All they know is that they hate Bush and their emotions take over from there…
No logic
No reason
Outlander,
He has ComCast broadband…
Posted by: SolDevVB | August 28, 2007 at 02:44 PM
I have his IP addy thanks to Khan…
Right at this moment I am bogging down his copy of windows 95 with spy bots….
Well Nathan, there’s a little thing called bringing people to justice, especially for committing an atrocity against our people. But if you say being a national hero in Pakistan and no doubt tending to his harem, is punishment enough, so be it.
I think the SOB is dead
Sol: Hilarious!
Hopefully, that will cause him to turn on his satellite phone to call Ahab’s Broadband. When he does, we got him!
Nathan, you don’t need us to tell you Bush didn’t get Bin Laden. And it wasn’t the left that said Bush doesn’t care, Bush said that himself.
And if we captured or killed most of Al Qaeda, then that means we won the war, right? We must be darn close if there are only a few of them left.
No wonder you can’t reason with us. You can’t seem to reason at all.
Is Nathan saying “they’re in their last throes”? Does sound reminiscient.
Yeah, Nathan sees the light at the end of the tunnel. Isn’t that also a symptom of near-death experience?
We are supposed to listen to the left tell us Bush didn’t get Bin Laden and doesn’t care?Posted by: Nathan | August 28, 2007 at 02:49 PM
Nathan, why listen to the left when we heard Bush say so himself?Remember when Bush couldn’t find OBL under the couch, or the desk, or behind the curtain?
Really funny stuff.NOT
Wow…
I suppose according to the posts here that as soon as Bin Laden was dead they would be done.
Nevermind that Al Queda has many other leaders and terrorists, nope only Bin laden matters.
Never mind all those other terrorists who we have killed or captured.
That is called being irrational.
Nathan,After 9/11, what was the goal of the US military acting outside of US soil? Hunting down Al Queda and bin Laden.
According to Bush, they were behind 9/11, they were the anti-American terrorist group we should all be afraid of and we were going to hunt them down and stop them. And the world was either for us or against us getting Al Queda and Usama
Now, Bush said himself he really does not care to find bin Laden.
Never mind that Al Qaeda has a save haven is Pakistan, not Iraq,
Never mind that Saudis are killing our troops in Iraq.
During Bush’s Colonoscopy did they look for OBL
Brian,
You and others here are deliberatly taking what the President said out of context.
Where did Bush ever say:
“Now, Bush said himself he really does not care to find bin Laden.”
Those are your words, not the Presidents.
Repuke,
So you think we should invade Iran too?
They are just trying to soften us up for another planned attack on the USA. The Republicans have nothing else to run on but fear and they hope for an attack to scare people. In fact I am sure they either know an attack is coming or are even assisting in the planning for such an attack. My guessing is that this one will be simualtaneous bombings of the subway systems in New York, Chicago, Atlanta and San Fransisco. That way they get to kill lots of Democrats and scare everybody else. Look for it to happen soon.
“Where did Bush ever say:
“Now, Bush said himself he really does not care to find bin Laden.”
Those are your words, not the Presidents.Posted by: Nathan | August 28, 2007 at 05:16 PM ”
You are so right.I am don’t think Bush ever said “Now, Bush said himself he really does not care to find bin Laden.”
He is pretty dumb, but I don’t think I have ever heard him refer to himself in the third person.
Not too soon though Kev.The shock value would wear off this far from the elections.
Bush the genius, is using reverse psychology again; if he acts like he could care less about binnie, binnie will pop his head up, like Waldo, and bush will swat him with his fly swatter! Pure Jenius!
Brian,
You are playing dumb like chas now.
You know what I meant. You also know Bush never said what you are claiming he did.
I think that would make you a liar.
“The most important thing is for us to find Osama bin Laden. It is our number one priority and we will not rest until we find him.”- G.W. Bush, 9/13/01
“I want justice…There’s an old poster out West, as I recall, that said, ‘Wanted: Dead or Alive,’”- G.W. Bush, 9/17/01, UPI
“…Secondly, he is not escaping us. This is a guy, who, three months ago, was in control of a county [sic]. Now he’s maybe in control of a cave. He’s on the run. Listen, a while ago I said to the American people, our objective is more than bin Laden. But one of the things for certain is we’re going to get him running and keep him running, and bring him to justice. And that’s what’s happening. He’s on the run, if he’s running at all. So we don’t know whether he’s in cave with the door shut, or a cave with the door open — we just don’t know….”- Bush, in remarks in a Press Availablity with the Press Travel Pool,The Prairie Chapel Ranch, Crawford TX, 12/28/01, as reported onofficial White House site
“I don’t know where bin Laden is. I have no idea and really don’t care. It’s not that important. It’s not our priority.”- G.W. Bush, 3/13/02
“I am truly not that concerned about him.”- G.W. Bush, repsonding to a question about bin Laden’s whereabouts,3/13/02 (The New American, 4/8/02)
Tom,
The entire context of that quote:
Q But don’t you believe that the threat that bin Laden posed won’t truly be eliminated until he is found either dead or alive?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, as I say, we haven’t heard much from him. And I wouldn’t necessarily say he’s at the center of any command structure. And, again, I don’t know where he is. I — I’ll repeat what I said. I truly am not that concerned about him. I know he is on the run. I was concerned about him, when he had taken over a country. I was concerned about the fact that he was basically running Afghanistan and calling the shots for the Taliban.
But once we set out the policy and started executing the plan, he became — we shoved him out more and more on the margins. He has no place to train his al Qaeda killers anymore. And if we — excuse me for a minute — and if we find a training camp, we’ll take care of it. Either we will or our friends will. That’s one of the things — part of the new phase that’s becoming apparent to the American people is that we’re working closely with other governments to deny sanctuary, or training, or a place to hide, or a place to raise money.
And we’ve got more work to do. See, that’s the thing the American people have got to understand, that we’ve only been at this six months. This is going to be a long struggle. I keep saying that; I don’t know whether you all believe me or not. But time will show you that it’s going to take a long time to achieve this objective. And I can assure you, I am not going to blink. And I’m not going to get tired. Because I know what is at stake. And history has called us to action, and I am going to seize this moment for the good of the world, for peace in the world and for freedom.
Now lets highlight this:
“And I can assure you, I am not going to blink. And I’m not going to get tired. Because I know what is at stake.”
Nathan,I would kindly ask you to apologize for implying I was lying.
From Tom’s post you can clearly see that Bush did indeed say he did not care where bin Laden was.
And don’t spout back some BS about context. “You know what I meant”
Pfffft. Sophistry. Excuses. “I can’t find him, therefore I don’t care that I can’t find him, and besides, he’s not that important anyway.”
Bullshit.
Your CINC is a political hack, nothing more. He has the leadership ability of a lemming. The only people that follow him are fellow lemmings, headed straight for the cliff.
I trust Obama to find Osama!
Brian,
When you can show me where Bush said:
“…he really does not care to find bin Laden.”
I will retract my calling you a liar.
It is neither apparent that Bush has said any such thing nor is it implied in any of his statements.
“I don’t know where bin Laden is. I have no idea and really don’t care. It’s not that important. It’s not our priority.”- G.W. Bush, 3/13/02
nor is it implied in any of his statements.Posted by: Nathan | August 28, 2007 at 05:43 PM
Watch out for that cliff edge, Nathan.
Tom,
I see you are resorting to an irrational name calling fit when confronted with the truth…
Nathan,
I know political hackery when I see it. And every time I look at your CINC, I see political hackery. Tough for you that you’re blind to it.
Watch out for that cliff edge.
Nathan,Seriously.I hope you are setting back enjoying a refreshing beverage laughing at how fun it is to mess with all of us.You cannot seriously be as dense as your posts make you seem.I hope.
Brian,
I know people who went to WSU with Nathan. Their assessment of him is not kind.
Sometimes, in the online world, people are exactly as they seem to be.
Maybe if Bush would kiss and hold hand with some Iranian leaders we wouldn’t have to go to war.
Brian,
My point is that you are putting words in the Presidents mouth and making assumptions which clearly are not true.
If you look at all the Presidents comments and not the cherry picked list you see that he cares about fighting the war on terror and that he has done quite a bit to kill or capture most of Al Qaeda.
And here are you and the other lefties screaming that he doesn’t care about bin laden like it is the end of the world.
It is not logical. It is pure emotional hatred on your part.
And all you can do is call me names?
Tom,
I only know a few people who didn’t like me at WSU.
If those are your friends and the people you are talking to then I feel sorry for you.
Nathan, please read the following out loud:
“Bush was quoted as saying ‘I don’t know where bin Laden is. I have no idea and really don’t care. It’s not that important. It’s not our priority.’I was wrong, and you were right Brian. I am sorry I called you a liar without checking my facts first. I will try to be more accurate in the future.”
There don’t you feel better now?
I know I do.
“I only know a few people who didn’t like me at WSU.”
Perhaps there are more than you realize.
Tom,
You are full of crap man. If this is the only thing you can do, then good luck.
Wow, from pity to insults in 9 minutes, flat.
Good job!
Sigh….
Brian,
You are not a liar. I don’t think you were trying to decieve anyone with your comments.
I do not agree with the conclusion you drew from Bush’s comments and think your quote was not a true characterization of what the President thinks.
Thank you.
I hope what President Bush said was not a true characterization of what he thinks.I still like to believe that the leader of the United States of America is wiser than that.
“”I only know a few people who didn’t like me at WSU.”
Perhaps there are more than you realize”
I am not defending a known Republican but it really doesn’t matter a shiit who liked who at WSU. I didn’t go to WSU myself but I was far from the most popular kid at East High. In fact I was voted “Most Likely To Do Life Without Parole” back in the 70s! But I have done pretty well for myself despite all that and still love all my Class of 1977! So it doesn’t matter who likes you in school. If they ain’t your wife or your boss, don’t worry about them.
” hope what President Bush said was not a true characterization of what he thinks.I still like to believe that the leader of the United States of America is wiser than that.”
In the case of Bush, you beliefs are mistaken. He is the biggest idiot to ever occupy that office.
did any of you puss for brains even bother to read the article?
Repuke,
So you think we should invade Iran too?
Posted by: Nathan |
No, Nathan, war with Iran is what you and your Bush supporters can’t wait for! Just think – you might get to use your big gun again…does that thrill you?
#10: Bin Who?#9: My Birkenstocks don’t do well onrocky mountains.#8: Don’t want to piss off Pakistan.#7: Still waiting for thatintelligence report.#6: As soon as Cheney cleans hisshotgun, I’m sending him outhuntin’.#5: Alberto’s really goingundercover in Iraq.#4: Ms. Rice has a contract out onhim. Gangsta Rap groupsthrowin’ a fund raiser in theBronx Saturday.#3: Jimmie Carter’s Homes forHumanity project in Pakistanreally a CIA covert deathsquad.#2: Bush says he can take him in afair fight: Bush gets theU.S.Army, Bin gets . . .rocks.#1: Just waitin’ ’till 2009, whenHillary parachutes intoAfghanistan and takes him outherself.
JM Walker,You ever been to Tierrasanta
When Bush said:
‘I don’t know where bin Laden is. I have no idea and really don’t care. It’s not that important. It’s not our priority.’
I think that is a pretty definite statement that says Mr. Bush doesnt think Bin Laden is very important, and that his priorities are in a different place, than trying to capture the true culprit of 9/11.
Nathan, I dont know what other conclusion could be reached. At the press conference where he said that, it was asked of him several times, with the same response.
I dont know what more it takes for you to see how clearly Mr. Bush can state that Bin Laden is NOT a priority for him any more.
Maybe somebody will draw a picture for Nathan.
Guys I don’t think ANY amount of quotes from Bush’s own lips nor his apologists are going to make nathan own up to the fact that HIS President put his life out on the line to hang him up to dry…all for a terrorist he didn’t really want to catch.
Of course, that would be a very hard realization for Nathan…considering all he’s gone through you know.
Nathan,Close your eyes and try to remember 9/11, remember who did it, and now imagine your president saying he does even think about OBL anymore, ……………………………………………………………………………………………. Now image it was Clinton that said it.
Now hold on, don’t get so upset. It really was Bush.
President Clinton had has “shots” at OBL and didn’t deliver either.
Who knows, 911 may have never happened if Clinton and his staff have gave the order to take OBL out.
In my way of thinking, missed opportunities before 911 have much greater weight than after thousands of American lives have been prematurely taken from this world.
Never mind that Al Qaeda has a save haven is Pakistan, not Iraq,
Never mind that Saudis are killing our troops in Iraq.
During Bush’s Colonoscopy did they look for OBL_________________________________They would never find him there because Clinton has him keystered.He should have been dead years ago. OBL said it doesn’t maker if its service men or public they kill as he see’s no difference.
Remember the whole aspirin factory bombing and how he was raked over the coals about that by Republicans? Ya, you think he was going to risk another mistake like that? I don’t think so. At least Clinton knew Bin Laden was a threat and was still gathering intel on him when he left office, while Bush had the papers on his desk saying Bin Laden was determined to strike, he said “I’m not concerned..don’t talk to me about”…
Gee, now looking forward from that hearing….doesn’t that sound JUST like something Bush would say. Oh…yeah he DID.
And that’s after the damage was done..not before. Shit, nobody thought we were a real target. If you’re going to blame Clinton for not taking Osama out- then you have to apply the same thinking to Bush pre-9.11.
Post 9/11…there is no damn excuse good enough.
Mr. Kansas — Check out the You Tube video clip of Mr. Clinton interviewed by Mr. Wallace, of Fox Noise. I think you will hear what Mr. Clinton said about Bin Laden.
He did give orders to kill Bin Laden. Others didnt carry out those orders.
It is a most interesting video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PGmnz5Ow-o Here bushs owm words, and this was only six months after 9/11
We cannot catch Bin Laden, because BushCo doesnt WANT him to be caught… From what I heard in Bush’s speech today, he is virtually on the brink of ordering some kind of military action against Iran… Just what we need!!
Hey, maybe Bin Laden is out on the Crawford Ranch, cutting “brush” — Put a big sombrero on him, and he would look almost like any other migrant worker… LOL
THE WE: ” And al-Qaida is said to be close to launching another major attack: “It’s bad; it’s going to come,” said a State Department counterterrorism expert.”
Ed: ” I strongly believe that the editorial male staff members of The Wichita Eagle are going to takeoff all of their clothes {Naked } and chase all of the Wichita Women around until they takeoff all of their clothes {naked } and swear allegiance to al-Qaeda.
Note from ED: “My “sources” are protected, of course, even whether or not they’re naked.”
Another note from ED: The Israeli Zionist-Jews and American Neocons need another attack on US soil, as they’re mooched about all they can get out of the first one {which they like to blame on the Saudis }.
This Post is an example of the shoddy reporting techniques the WE is using…
Bin laden was nothing more to bush than a stepping stone to Saddam and Iraq.