Threat Matrix- Daily Terror Thread (4):

New York Post ^ | February 24, 2004 | By NILES LATHEM

[Revel]

February 24, 2004 -- WASHINGTON - The Pentagon has dispatched the elite commando force that hunted down Saddam Hussein to Afghanistan for a new operation aimed at getting Osama bin Laden, officials said yesterday. Military sources confirmed that members of the shadowy Task Force 121, the unit that conducted the high-tech search for Saddam and his henchmen, have recently begun operating in the remote mountainous region along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border where bin Laden and key al Qaeda and Taliban fugitives are believed to be hiding. The Task Force is made up of highly trained Delta and SEAL commandos, as well as CIA paramilitary operators. It operates outside normal military channels.

[Iron Eagle]

The beltway would be a nightmare. Hell, it is already the most challenging race course in the US. I don't know why people watch NASCAR, we live high speed, high risk, driving!
Besides, while the beltway is a circle in theory, it has to be the curviest major highway circling any city. It is a death trap.

Fortunately, traffic often prevents speeds above 50, unless driving at night. (Not that some don't try to do 80 anyway)

[thecabal]

It's my hunch that AQ wants to play for all the marbles, and they wouldn't mess around with a dirty bomb. I would think they would try for a nuke if they could get their hands on radioactive material.

[MamaDearest]

If we were to give any credence to this at all, could they be planning on hitting Canada first?

If that were true, there would be a mass Muslim exodus from wherever in Canada they planned to hit, in light of the fact that Canada is a safe haven for these fanatics.

[thecabal]

Would removing the negative battery cable be of any use in protecting your cars electronics??

Nope. The only thing that might protect it is a Faraday cage: a large enclosure made of a metal grid that is well grounded. Try finding one for a car!

[Donna Lee Nardo]

"Mansoor...says lots of things that aren't always true."

Actually, that is a very good point your friend made. In my experience, the flip side of this comment is as important as well. If Mansoor is as savvy and smart as he appears, then there are alot of true things that he is privy to that he will not reveal ever, and there are some true things that he may reveal at the right time. He knows how to play the game to stay in the game and profit in the game. Just like GWB.

[Domestic Church]

What if they rewired the bridges around St.Louis...or the Twin Cities (any bells ringing on that one?)

[Donna Lee Nardo]

Well, your sense that GWB is tackling everything well makes me feel somewhat more at peace. If only all the key players on the world scene acted with as much honor and integrity as GWB. The problem is they don't! We cannot even trust our "friends" the French and Germans these days. Yikes!

[swarthyguy]

Let me not be accused of being a BushBot!

He still needs to get going on the whole Saudi angle.

[jerseygirl]

I agree. Not "just" a dirty bomb. (The people working on the genesis program in Frederick- for DC survivors- are talking nuclear attack.)

Not to be pessimistic, but I really don't think AQ would be "satisfied" with one city. IMO they would at least hit DC,NY, and LA. If Sean is correct that 30 nukes are placed across the US in clusters of 4-5 per city- we are talking 6-8 cities or so. Simultaneously.

[Donna Lee Nardo]

Oh, Liz, I should also add that all this does not make me dislike Mansoor one little bit. I still like and admire and respect him. What this does is it makes me constantly remember where he is coming from whenever he writes or says something. Mansoor is a Pakistani first.

[MamaDearest]

Raising the alerts causes economic panic. Every report on TV and radio today suggests there is great concern with release of both tapes and heightened chatter. IMHO they are also concerned about panic other than economic.

[Donna Lee Nardo]

RE: Saudi Duplicity

Agreed, fellow Bush Bot! Kidding...

[Donna Lee Nardo]

Anyway, it is difficult not to appear like a Bushbot after the clintoon years. Ug!

[jerseygirl]

Yes, I understand that.
A close friend of mine was a psychologist working on contract for the armed services. One of her positions involved determining why- when nuke alerts were given from Site R- a proportion of the soldiers would not show up. It turned out that, in times of perceived crisis, many decided that they would stay with their families.

[Mossad1967]

Sorry to change the subject for a moment but,

Is anyone else not able to search on google?

[MamaDearest]

My prayers for Wes. May he have a speedy recovery. You are obviously a very good friend to have.

[jerseygirl]

?!!!! Same problem here---weird!

[Labyrinthos]

CAn you weigh in on this latest threat from Zawahiri?

My first thought was "same old, same old," but I really need to give it another look. What I would like to see is a word for word translation, rather than a news report summarizing what he said. Some have suggested that the tape provides further evidence that OBL is in custody because if he were still in the wild, then he would have been the star of the tape rather than Zawahiri. But OBL hasn't headlined a video since Toro Boro that unequivically shows that he's even still alive.

[Mossad1967]

Thanks

[thecabal]

The people working on the genesis program in Frederick- for DC survivors- are talking nuclear attack

Whoa, where did you hear of this?