Bin Laden 'surrounded'

The Sunday Telegraph ^ | February 22, 2004

[Patriot1998]

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.

[My2Cents]

And the 40% of the American electorate which is terminally brain damaged will go along with it.

[Conservativegreatgrandma]

If OBL is captured Kerry might as well withdraw from the race.

Nonsense. It's a long time until the election and people have short memories. They've already forgotten about capturing Saddam. Bush gets no credit for it. Democrats will find plenty to cricize. They can criticize but NEVER offer solutions.

[Lazamataz]

Rackkk itttt

But suppose I don't WANT to rack it?

[My2Cents]

When Bin Laden is captured, it will be without prior fanfare. That's what makes me suspicious about this report. If we could grab him, we would. The US military would not allow this to be hyped in advance.

[Reader of news]

Several generals have talked about the hunt and they are very optimist. No doubt, he is going to be captured/killed this year. IMHO soon.

[blackie]

I agree ~ he's been off camera since we dropped that daisy cutter in his lap, way back when. :)

I think he's history, already.

[Zebra]

I noted what was stated in the article; I am not buying until (a) they produce OBL or a fresh corpse or (b) a video featuring OBL, whose appearance is conclusively determined by others to be post Tora Bora.

I would find it stunningly stupid for OBL (who is dead) to produce a current video that allows forensic analysis to ascertain the location. Evil is not the same as stupid. More likely a post 2002 video would be an inside shot or carefully camouflaged.

Come back and see me for some word-eating if either (a) or (b) occurs.

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

I'd like to see him tethered by the ankles to a fire truck and dragged down Broadway at 60 mph on 9-11. Pay-Per-View proceeds could go to NYPD/NYFD.

[BykrBayb]

My translation of this info:

We know the general area Bin Laden's in (as we have for months). We're working out the details of more than one plan to capture or kill him and retrieve his body. If we get him any time between now and the election the media will attribute the timing and entire operation to Bush's campaign. If we don't get him in that time, (everybody now) It's Bush's Fault!!!

[upchuck]

I'm suspicious this article is untrue and its real purpose is to heighten anticipation which will soon be dashed, making Bush look bad again.

Aw c'mon jiggy, don't you trust the media?

:)

[BykrBayb]

John Kerry and Hillary Clinton on suicide watch.

Pick me. I wanna watch.

[Reader of news]

Maybe OBL is being captured/killed now. President Bush is not in Camp David, but in the White House.

[BykrBayb]

bin Laden kabob!

[Servant of the 9]

Let's not be hasty.
Catch him and begin interogation certainly, but no need to anounce his capture till about 4 hours before John Kerry's acceptance speech at the Democratic Convention.
That's the time for massive press conferences, lots of new video released to the media, dozens of people available for interviews, medal presentations on the Whitehouse Lawn.

So9

[Flipyaforreal]

Same here. After Tora Bora in Dec 2001 there hasn't been anything to make me truly believe that he was alive after that. And Bush HAS dodged that question of whether Bin's dead or alive before. Truly astute Freepers will remember the Scott Pele interview in early 2002 where Bush was asked that very same question. After the flicker on his face (of what I took to be a glimmer of laughter in his eye), he stated that "Well, he won't be leading any parades, that's for sure". I saw that and knew then that we got him in Dec 2001. We all know why it was needed to "keep him alive", there is no way the pansies would let Bush go into any other country, for any other terror hunts, if Bin was pronounced dead three months after 9/11.

[Aeronaut]

How about an all out carpet bombing with Fuel Air Explosives, supporting by a second carpet of Daisy Cutters?

And a couple of MOABs for icing on the cake.

[BykrBayb]

When I was a kid, a local high school was replacing its gymnasium floor. They held a donkey-basketball game before tearing out the old floor. Now you've implanted in my brain an image of bin laden on one of those donkeys, and it ain't a pretty sight. I may have to sue you for emotional distress.

[Reader of news]

Does anybody know where Cheney, Rumsfeld, Rice and Powell are now? If they were in Washington, OBL could be being captured/killed now.

[lstanle]

"Bin Laden 'surrounded'"

AGAIN ?????

[Teacher317]

First Saddam, then OBL, almost in as many months. This should give a few dictators and tyrants around the world something to stew over.

Don't forget Kaddafi throwing in the towel!

Let's just pray that Iran gets the job completely and irrevocably done with as little bloodshed as possible... and soon!