Hunt On for Bin Laden

abcnews.com ^ | November 1, 2001

[Chi-townChief]

Nov. 1 — Intelligence officials tell ABCNEWS that the hunt for Osama bin Laden, obscured by the intensifying air campaign against the Taliban, has narrowed to a handful of mountain sites in Afghanistan.

The United States has the suspected bin Laden hideouts — complexes of caves and tunnels — under 24-hour surveillance from the air and ground. When U.S. special operations troops made highly publicized raids two weeks ago onto an airfield and Taliban command post, it was in part a diversion so other teams could be dropped off to begin intensified surveillance for bin Laden in the nearby mountains, sources tell ABCNEWS.

The question now for the Bush administration is whether to go after bin Laden by using giant 5,000-pound "bunker buster" bombs, or to take the greater risk of sending in commandos.

Bombs are already being used against some of these caves, sources say, but only for limited tactical purposes. One goal is to seal off ways members of bin Laden's al Qaeda terror network can get out of the caves. U.S. military planners also want the bombs to help "shake the anthill," or hit near the entrance and watch the activity that follows.

Intelligence sources say the number of fighters now protecting bin Laden appears to be growing, making it more challenging to capture or kill him in a commando raid.

Bin Laden is calling on Muslims in neighboring Pakistan to join the fight against the United States and Britain, which he said were waging a "crusader war against Islam." In a letter sent to Qatar's al Jazeera television, bin Laden said, "Muslims in Afghanistan are being subjected to killing and the Pakistani government is standing beneath the Christian banner."

The United States has named bin Laden as the prime suspect in the Sept. 11 terror attacks that killed nearly 5,000 people. The Taliban has sheltered bin Laden in Afghanistan and has refused to give him up.

(click link for remainder of story)

[Chi-townChief]

I heard this discussed on WLS Radio earlier this evening.
My question is:

Do we want to grab Sammy or whack him?

[JRandomFreeper]

Yes.

/john

[vbmoneyspender]

grab, squeeze, squeeze harder, then whack.

[TGIAO]

Intelligence sources say the number of fighters now protecting bin Laden appears to be growing, making it more challenging to capture or kill him in a commando raid.

Doesn't the increased number of people, make it easier to find him?

BTW my vote is to WHACK HIM.

[drstevej]

What concrete proof do we have that Osama is alive? There was the CNN interview that wasn't and a few faxed letters supposedly from His Heinous.

What if he was buried in our bombing and the Taliaban not wanting Bush to get his scalp are keeping it quiet?...

[lawgirl]

Roll him in pork products and THEN whack him

[h-roark]

ABC news is outrageously irresponsible for publishing this. Whether or not it is accurate this is the type of information that could cause American soldiers to lose their lives. Announcing the true intent of an operation that begins with diversionary tactics WHILE THE OP IS STILL UNDERWAY!!! is truly repugnant. I guess I should have expected no less from a network with an anti-American anchor. The nation needs a JimRob to review all of the news.

[mathurine]

Whatever works is okay with me. The more ragheaded camelpokes in his proximity when he goes down, the better.

[irish guard]

Did you say roll him over, pork him, then whack him?

Just kidding....we should bin Whack him! Where are the media jerks with their polls on this one? My guess is the only thing Americans want is this guy on a stick, they don't want him brought back to be put on trial.

[WRhine]

Doesn't the increased number of people, make it easier to find him?

I would think so. Anyway, it looks like Osama isn't in any hurry, like the evil 19, to get his 72 virgins.

[jlogajan]

The question now for the Bush administration is whether to go after bin Laden by using giant 5,000-pound "bunker buster" bombs, or to take the greater risk of sending in commandos.

Why is this an either-or question???

[magoo_70115]

You are absolutely correct.

[Coog]

"shake the anthill"

kick that darn anthill and watch the cowards run!

[Chi-townChief]

The people discussing this on WLS seemed to think that there is quite a bit of misdirection going on here, as if we want the enemy to believe that this will play out this way.

[TheRedSoxWinThePennant]

fox news is reporting us special forces haved narrowed osamas location to six caves

[h-roark]

Well misdirection is fine but I am so unimpressed with the tactical info that flows daily from the loose lips of the mainstream American media about both the homefront and AFG that I wouldn't give them credit for aiding in misdirection. BTW I am a die-hard Browns fan, are your Bears as good as advertised?

[truth_seeker]

Intelligence sources say the number of fighters now protecting bin Laden appears to be growing, making it more challenging to capture or kill him in a commando raid.

Bunch up, close together. Get close to bin Laden. You will all be safer, this way. Trust me.

Who will be top guy, after bin Laden? The one-eyed mullah? Arafat? I doubt that whacking bin Laden, if we can, will stop Islamist terrorism. Been going on, since 1948; surely since 1972 (Munich Olympics).

[hsszionist]

This is not a crusade this time, no jews being targeted, this is all for you OBL all for you.

[Chi-townChief]

You're not going to believe this but I'm also a die-hard Browns and Tribe fan living in Chicago hence the name
Chi-townChief.
I'm from Cleveland a lonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnng time ago, E. 105th & St. Clair.

[Semper Paratus]

The way our media is jumping at any info should make misdirection a piece of cake.