Fear Osama pal escape - U.S. 'skeptical' No. 2's bagged as fight rages

New York Daily News ^ | 3/20/04 | JAMES GORDON MEEK

[Anti-Bubba182]

The problem is that the Pakistanis may be fighting according to a different doctrine and bearing in mind local political considerations as they do.

If it was American troops, they might give a brief time to surrender, then flatten the area.

[spetznaz]

Actually i'd say if it was American troops the chances of HVT being let to escape would be zero. I like that the Pakistanis are helping us out but i am really not believing that they shall capture the guy. If they do then that is great (and the very well might), but the moment they did that ceasefire thingimajig it seemed like the dude had a perfect opportunity to escape.

On the other hand someone can say the ceasefire was meant to lure him into escaping, knowing that the US rules the night and the guy could be picked up with more ease at night (due to body heat) than during the day.

The coming days will tell.

[Prince Charles]

Another intelligence source said American officials grew "increasingly skeptical" about the operation when Pakistani forces, awaiting reinforcements Thursday night, gave the Al Qaeda fighters a deadline to surrender a free pass.

[Roy Tucker]

If we left it to the Pakistanis, he has escaped. It's in their interest to keep milking this.

[My Dog Likes Me]

Me too!

I would just love to hear what they're discussing (or screaming about) in the White House basement's Situation Room right now.

[WSGilcrest]

I read last night (and damned if I can find it again) that there was an armored SUV that escaped at the very start of this operation. That would have been their 'high value target'.

[LibLieSlayer]

It was an armored pick-up, and it was hit and destroyed as it ran a roadblock. Two white SUV's were also destroyed. The Pak's followed a blood trail leading from the abandoned pick-up (supposedly from the HVT) to this compound where the fighting has taken place. FWIW.

LLS

[EQAndyBuzz]

This could be over in 1/2 an hour. Drop 1 MAOB about 1/2 mile from the village. Once they clean the blood from their ears tell them they have 1/2 hour to come out.

Then drop the second bomb right on top of them.

[raloxk]

I knew a few days ago this wouldnt pan out. Good news never seems to

[Cap Huff]

Now this tells me a good deal:

"I don't know the situation today," Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said on CNN. "Pakistan has caused a lot of press attention, and it's not clear to me who's there, if anybody."

[verity]

The word "fear" is much overused.

[Just mythoughts]

"I don't know the situation today," Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said on CNN. "Pakistan has caused a lot of press attention, and it's not clear to me who's there, if anybody."

"Meanwhile, a spokesman for Afghan President Hamid Karzai said U.S. and Afghan troops had captured "semi-senior" terrorist leaders along the border with Pakistan, as they tightened security along the rugged frontier."



The US officials have been very quiet on this. Could well be, an attempt to shake up the area and catch those who run.

[Cap Huff]

Yes, look at this that I just posted. It was published some hours ago, but I couldn't find it on FR:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1101842/posts

[Just mythoughts]

Thanks.

I imagine the "chatter" going on, will expose other fingers of these terrorists groups. Probably why US is staying so quiet.

This is so unlike the clintons when everything that happened was about them and bj could not keep his mouth shut. Everything was about him.

[Cap Huff]

Sometimes silence is golden. (But oh my do I long to hear those same words used by Bremer back in December!).

[Just mythoughts]

"Sometimes silence is golden.

(But oh my do I long to hear those same words used by Bremer back in December!)."


Morning of December 14, 2003! (I will never forget it was my father's birthday.)

[proudpapa]

Boy do I feel silly! I read the headline too fast and thought, "The senate race in Illinois is getting exciting."

[Cap Huff]

I gave up on Illinois politics years ago.

[StriperSniper]

where Ayman Al-Zawahiri, Al Qaeda's No. 2 leader, may be hiding,

They were never sure he was there, he was only supposed to be. From some Pak spokesman on this morning, if AAZ got held up for one day, they closed the net before he got there.