Free Republic

Osama bin Laden, the founder, and leader of terrorism conglomerate al-Qaeda, who was responsible for the deadly and devastating Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on U.S. soil, never was hiding in Afghanistan or its damp caves, according to explosive revelations in a new book from intelligence insiders and highly secret government documents. Thousands of Americans died that day and many more in the wretched aftermath. Instead, incredibly, bin Laden was whisked to a safe house in Iran following the deadly attacks on the World Trade Centers in New York, the Pentagon and the downing of a commercial jet in western Pennsylvania...

Barack Obama cancelled three operations to kill Osama bin Laden before finally going ahead with the mission at the insistence of Hillary Clinton, according to a new book. The explosive allegation is contained in an expose by journalist Rich Miniter, who argues that the White House’s carefully-crafted narrative of Obama as a decisive leader who dispatched the al-Qaeda leader despite the doubts of advisers is a myth. Leading from Behind: The Reluctant President and the Advisors Who Decide for Him will be published on Tuesday. Excerpts have been viewed by Mail Online. Miniter, a former ‘Wall Street Journal’, ‘Washington Times’...

Killing Osama may be a top priority for President Obama, but it's almost Mission Impossible - like it was for his predecessor - if the terror leader is holed up high in Pakistan's snowy peaks, experts say. "The new people are going to face the same problems," warned a top adviser to President Bush. The U.S. has been secretly training for years, however, in case the CIA scores that rarest prize: Bin Laden's home address. But they already know his neighborhood. It's been a challenge, however, gaining intel on the region. Bin Laden hunters have had to turn to Lonely...

All the evidence suggests Elvis Presley is more alive today than Osama bin Laden. But tell that to the CIA and all the other misconceptualizers of the War on Terror. Seven years after Osama bin Laden's last verifiable appearance among the living, there is more evidence for Elvis's presence among us than for his. Hence there is reason to ask whether the paradigm of Osama bin Laden as terrorism's deus ex machina and of al Qaeda as the prototype of terrorism may be an artifact of our Best and Brightest's imagination, and whether investment in this paradigm has kept our...

A U.S. AIR BASE IN SOUTHWEST ASIA. -- Today, I put a note on a bomb. To be specific, I took a jet black marking pen and inscribed a 500-pound Joint Direct Attack Munition — JDAM, in the jargon. Perhaps putting a note on a bomb strikes some as either romantic, foolish or vicious — or a combination of the three. The act certainly has shades, colors and dollops of all these characteristics, and a harsh dash of steeling sentimentalism. These are the predictable psycho-babble carps. But let's get to the tacks: In my case, the act is motivated by...

US Forces captured a 'known Al Qaeda terrorist' along with five other men, including Saudi and Pakistani nationals, according to a statement released by the Coalition today. The identities of those seized in the Khost City raid have been withheld pending the sensitive nature of the operationThe raid took place at a compound in Khost City. The statement indicated no shots were fired and no one was injured during the operation. Several women and children were present in the compound and a cache of military supplies was uncovered. The stash included armor piercing ammunition, grenades, AK-47 assault rifles and camera...

Virginia Beach-based SEAL killed in Afghan gunbattle Petty Officer 1st Class Thomas E. Retzer By MATTHEW DOLAN AND KATE WILTROUT, Pilot Online © June 28, 2003 | Last updated 1:38 AM Jun. 28 VIRGINIA BEACH -- A local Navy commando died this week after a firefight with suspected rebels in eastern Afghanistan, military officials confirmed Friday. Petty Officer 1st Class Thomas E. Retzer was wounded Wednesday after his convoy encountered enemy forces outside Gardez. Retzer, 30, was taken to Bagram air base hospital in Afghanistan, where he died Thursday from his injuries. The military withheld his name until late Friday...