Posted on 06/19/2005 10:20:43 AM PDT by areafiftyone
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - CIA Director Porter Goss said he has an "excellent" idea where Osama bin Laden is hiding, but the al Qaeda leader will not be brought to justice until weak links in counterterrorism efforts are strengthened, Time magazine reported on Sunday. In his first interview since becoming head of the CIA last year, Goss also told the magazine the insurgency in Iraq was not quite in its last throes, but close to it.
Goss did not say where he believed bin Laden was hiding, but intelligence experts have said the al Qaeda leader who has evaded an extensive U.S.-led manhunt is probably in the border region of Pakistan and Afghanistan.
"I have an excellent idea of where he is. What's the next question?" Goss said in the interview.
"In the chain that you need to successfully wrap up the war on terror, we have some weak links. And I find that until we strengthen all the links, we're probably not going to be able to bring Mr. bin Laden to justice," Goss said. "We are making very good progress on it."
He cited some of the difficulties as "dealing with sanctuaries in sovereign states, you're dealing with a problem of our sense of international obligation, fair play."
Goss added, "We have to find a way to work in a conventional world in unconventional ways that are acceptable to the international community."
Al Qaeda could strike the United States again, he said. "Certainly the intent is very high. And we are trying to stay ahead of their capability. And so far, I think we have done pretty well carrying the war to them, as it were," Goss said.
Bin Laden and his deputy, Ayman al-Zawahri, sporadically release taped messages that have been broadcast on Arab television or on the Internet since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Intelligence experts say the messages are partly to reassure followers that the leaders are still alive.
In the most recent message, a videotape broadcast by Arabic television Al Jazeera on Friday, Zawahri said reform in Muslim countries and "expelling the invaders" could not be accomplished except by fighting.
Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, a key figure behind the insurgency in Iraq, is aligned with al Qaeda.
Vice President Dick Cheney has said the insurgency was in the "last throes." President Bush says it would be wrong to set a timetable for withdrawing U.S. forces from Iraq and that they will stay until local security forces are trained to take over
Goss said, "I think they're not quite in the last throes, but I think they are very close to it. And I think that every day that goes by in Iraq where they have their own government and it's moving forward reinforces just how radical (the insurgents) are and how unwanted they are."
Sen. John McCain, an Arizona Republican, said on Sunday that he did not believe that the insurgency was in the last throes.
"I don't think Americans believe that we should cut and run out of Iraq by any stretch of the imagination. But I think they also would like to be told, in reality, what's going on," McCain said on NBC's "Meet The Press."
"I think part of that is it's going to be at least a couple more years," he said.
Goss expressed relief the new director of national intelligence, John Negroponte, was taking over what previously had been some of the key functions of the CIA director. "I would almost equate it to getting rid of a 60-pound back sack, climbing up a big, steep trail," Goss said.
He said he planned to stay as CIA chief for a while.
"We've got a lot to do. We're in the process of rebuilding here. I think this is our moment. I'm going to be here as long as the moment lasts. And I think it is going to last a while because we have the opportunity to build," he said.
Nope but sounds good in theory (or in a movie) - The first instance we know "exactly" where UBL is we will move to take him out! and not a second later.
Well, depending on if the military JAGs get to involved and try and slow the whole Op up long enough until he gets away. (sc)
But if we knew exactly where he was, we'd move immediately to take him out.
"Let me know when they can point down at the ground and tell me "right there".
Let US know when all you guys who are so impatient to get him today can tell us how to get him and where he is.
I believe that as well - that the "assistance" is more of the passive variety. In that part of the world, where everyone knows everyone else by tribal association, intel infiltration is extremely difficult. Locals' eyes are everywhere, and any kind of outsider movement would be quickly detected.
I think it would be better for all involved (including Musharraf) if UBL's handover were done locally, as opposed to a massive American effort.
Agree....from day 0 of the Afghan fight , his bugs went east and he put on a burqa and went west to Iran.....
Just my opinion of course.
You do? Well he probably moved 5 minutes after you made the statement Mr. Goss.
Also, the word "sanctuaries" could certainly apply to Saudia Arabia.
We really need to get rid of John McCain avoiding him from running the next election. This guy is going to destroy the hope of democracy in Middle East and our military industry if he ever becomes President.
ping
I think it would be better for all involved (including Musharraf) if UBL's handover were done locally, as opposed to a massive American effort.
Very true - Though there is no doubt that if we every get good Intel on UBL's exact location we will send in an American Team (Teams) to take him out immediately.
However locating him within the Pakistan border region is d*mn near impossible. It will take someone talking to accomplish this - Or getting extremely lucky during a snatch and grab Op and taking someone who has some timely Intel (that is how we got Saddam).
I think it would be better for all involved (including Musharraf) if UBL's handover were done locally, as opposed to a massive American effort.
Let me try this again to make it easier to read -
Very true - Though there is no doubt that if we every get good Intel on UBL's exact location we will send in an American Team (Teams) to take him out immediately.
However locating him within the Pakistan border region is d*mn near impossible. It will take someone talking to accomplish this - Or getting extremely lucky during a snatch and grab Op and taking someone who has some timely Intel (that is how we got Saddam).
Screw the "international community".
The "international community" is an anti-American clique. Why we should give a damn about what they think is nuts. Having "leaders" who don't care one bit about national sovereignty and doing what best for "#1" is cause for a revolution.
What OBL's relationship with the Taleban in Afghanistan?
It's an extremely high-risk strategy for Bush. If a snatch-and-grab fails, he'll be compared to Carter's hostage rescue failure (you know the Democrats and the media will try). On the other hand, if Bush decides to wait for a warlord handover and THAT fails, he will be portrayed as a fool; the Democrats will hold a full-court press. I can imagine the likes of Clinton, Kerry, Pelosi et. al. doing a big I TOLD YOU SO.
Now that would be a good place for him to hide. I don't think we would dare go after him if he was there.
Sugar Daddy.
He can be in any one of a million places actually..A MILLION
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