U.S. general optimistic about bin Laden capture (HMMMMM Very interesting!)

Reuters ^ | 2/3/04

[areafiftyone]

KABUL, Feb 3 (Reuters) - The U.S. military's top general in Afghanistan expressed optimism on Tuesday that al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and Taliban chief Mullah Mohammed Omar would be captured this year.

At a ceremony marking the shift of the U.S. headquarters in Afghanistan to Kabul, Lieutenant-General David Barno gave the most optimistic assessment yet by a U.S. commander on prospects for capturing bin Laden, the world's most wanted man.

"Their day has ended and this year will decisively sound the death knell of their movements in Afghanistan," Barno said.

"We are clearly focused on the leadership," he added at a news conference later. "This is important year, Afghanistan is coming out of a long difficult period, and I think this is going to be very very critical year for us here."

Asked whether he was optimistic about capturing bin Laden, Omar and allied militant leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar this year, he said moving the headquarters to Kabul from Bagram air base to the north of the capital would help coordinate intelligence work.

"So I am optimistic," he said.

The whereabouts of bin Laden and Mullah Omar have remained a mystery since U.S-led troops toppled the Taliban regime in 2001 for harbouring the al Qaeda network blamed for the September 11 attacks on the United States.

U.S. and Afghan officials have said that the men are thought to be hiding out in the mountains of the rugged tribal belt between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Barno's comments came ahead of presidential elections in Afghanistan due to be held in June as well as U.S. President George W. Bush's bid for re-election in November.

He said the aim was to hold Afghan elections on time, despite warnings from the United Nations and aid agencies that the process will be hampered by militant violence or hijacked by powerful regional leaders in President Hamid Karzai's U.S.-backed government.

The period since August has been the bloodiest in Afghanistan since the Taliban's fall, with more than 500 people killed in clashes around the country.

Barno said the 12,000-strong U.S.-led force in Afghanistan would confine its activities to Afghanistan, while the Pakistani army would pursue the same objectives on its side of the border.

[BlueNgold]

Late last year there was a report that said they had him pinpointed to a 20SqMile region along the Afg/Pak border. The problem is both tactical and strategic.

Strategic: The best access to the area is on the Afg side, but the suspected 'cave' is on the Pak side. Afghanies don't want Pak army coming through Afg, and the Paks don't want US troops inside their border. If US Troops capture OBL inside Pak, where there are many AQ sypathyzers, it could be very problematic for Pres Mush. we don't want to trade one rogue state for another, and letting radicals take over in Pak is equivalent to HANDING Nukes to Terrorists.

Tactical: Small isolated areas with canyon-like footpaths. No way in except single-file. To go in the front door is like walking into a shooting gallery. See above: Paks don't like the idea of US air support in Paki skies.

[Huck]

I am definitely not in the know.

[OneTimeLurker]

I don't agree. We have heard for years that we are right on his tail or we know right where he is or he is dead, etc. etc. etc.

[Cap Huff]

You and me both.

[trifona]

Pffft.....And Monsoor Ijaz said that he irrefutable evidence that Osama would be captured before the SOTU.

[WV Mountain Mama]

LOL! I remember when he predicted to Greta that we would have him in 2 weeks. That was about 5 months ago. We probably have him and are waiting for the elections!

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

The most helpless thing in the Islamic world is a "guest."

Right, which is why, just prior to the Iraq war, I never believed that SH would accept "safe passage" to some other country as he would have become exactly what you describe.

So the deal could very well be that Achmed or Abdul took in OBL with all the best of intentions, and now Achmed is being shown both the carrot and the stick and thinking seriously about taking the carrot instead of getting hit with the stick. Good for Achmed, good for us, bad for OBL.

[camas]

the exchange has already been agreed to. just a few minor details to be worked out before the date is set.

[steve-b]

At a ceremony marking the shift of the U.S. headquarters in Afghanistan to Kabul...
I wonder how long it'll be before a truck bomb goes off at the new HQ?

< GALLOWS HUMOR > I thought a bombing attempt was the ceremony for such occasions in that part of the world.... < /GALLOWS HUMOR >