Posted on 09/09/2006 8:22:44 PM PDT by jmc1969
The clandestine U.S. commandos whose job is to capture or kill Osama bin Laden have not received a credible lead in more than two years. Nothing from the vast U.S. intelligence world — no tips from informants, no snippets from electronic intercepts, no points on any satellite image — has led them anywhere near the al-Qaeda leader, according to U.S. and Pakistani officials.
"The handful of assets we have have given us nothing close to real-time intelligence" that could have led to his capture, said one counterterrorism official, who said the trail, despite the most extensive manhunt in U.S. history, has gone "stone cold."
But in the last three months, following a request from President Bush to "flood the zone," the CIA has sharply increased the number of intelligence officers and assets devoted to the pursuit of bin Laden. The intelligence officers will team with the military's secretive Joint Special Operations Command(JSOC) and with more resources from the National Security Agency and other intelligence agencies.
The problem, former and current counterterrorism officials say, is that no one is certain where the "zone" is.
"Here you've got a guy who's gone off the net and is hiding in some of the most formidable terrain in one of the most remote parts of the world surrounded by people he trusts implicitly," said T. McCreary, spokesman for the National Counterterrorism Center. "And he stays off the net and is probably not mobile. That's an extremely difficult problem."
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
That would figure. Something I'd really like to know, is just exactly what does it take to get charged with treason these days. Sitting on an enemy antiaircraft gun and pretending to shoot down American aircraft doesn't do it (Jane Fonda). Having unauthorized talks with enemy agents, while being a government agent doesn't do it (J F'n Kerry). Leaking classified information about the war effort, while the war is still on, doesn't seem to do it (NYT). Suppose I wanted to be charged with treason - what exactly would I have to do?
Criticize a Democrat in power. That's why we need to keep them OUT of power.
Ben Laden is dead.
Let al Qaeda prove he is alive.
"Bush decided to pull out most of the special operations troops and their CIA counterparts in the paramilitary division that were leading the hunt for bin Laden in Afghanistan to prepare for war in Iraq, said Flynt L. Leverett, then an expert on the Middle East at the National Security Council.
"I was appalled when I learned about it," said Leverett, who has become an outspoken critic of the administration's counterterrorism policy. "I don't know of anyone who thought it was a good idea. It's very likely that bin Laden would be dead or in American custody if we hadn't done that."
I can see this now as the DUmmies answer to clintoon dropping the ball. "Bush could have had him also if he hadn't gotten us involved in Iraq."
They were borrowed, not taken indefinitely, and that is because our special ops corps were a bit lean. They have been increasing the size of this asset ever since.
This won't stop the Dem's from using this as a political issue, as they already have.
They are in the process of recycling everything used over the past four years.
One can only hope that the SOB turns up in Manhattan.
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