Forces declare victory at Tora Bora: But bin Laden not in area,

MSNBC ^ | 12/16/2001 | MSNBC

[Smogger]

So it looks like DEBKA, Christian Science monitor, AIP and others were right all along. Much to the chargin of many overly optomistic (I thought) FREEPers.

I thought that it was highly unlikely that OBL would stay in Tora Bora. In FACT there were NO senior Al Qaeda leaders captured there. I think OBL is LOOONG gone and planning retaliation. Al Qaeda has gone underground.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

bin Laden probably crossed into Pakistan. Who knows where he is, now. He probably has a whole network of safe-houses in Pak and Afghanistan and moves a lot.

[Smogger]

bin Laden probably crossed into Pakistan. Who knows where he is, now. He probably has a whole network of safe-houses in Pak and Afghanistan and moves a lot.

Kashmir, Somalia, Iraq, Iran. There was never any evidence of him being in Tora Bora since hostilities broke out. Some Afghan commanders said he was in Kandahar. Frankly they have no idea. He could be on a Yacht in the Mediterranean sippin' Pina Colada's for all we know. He may have been whereever he was for weeks.

I haven't heard reports of ANY senior Al Qaeda or Taliban leadership captured. Last I heard they all jetted to Iran and Pakistan.

[blam]

I think Bin Laden is in the mountains right now dodging our special ops guys. If he's there, they will get him. Bet on it! (Much fighting left to do there)

[Smogger]

I think Bin Laden is in the mountains right now dodging our special ops guys.

Maybe. But if this is true then how come we haven't copped more Senior Al Qadeda leadership? Do you know how hard it is to secure a mountainous 14,000 square mile border?

Where the Hell is Mullah Omar?? He should be A LOT easier to capture then Bin Laden. He has disappeared too.

[G-Rated]

Wherever he is, you can bet he's planning feverishly for our demise and that goal is second only to securing his own safety.

[meducksguy]

200 Dead 25 Alive. OBL to his inner circle, do NOT let the infidels find out if a bomb gets me. Bury me where I will never be found THEN I left in the night and we know not where. THAT I guarantee was said, or very close to that. Is he Dead? I say more than likely Ask what his ego would tell him?

[Smogger]

Wherever he is, you can bet he's planning feverishly for our demise and that goal is second only to securing his own safety.

Absolutely.

[Golden Eagle]

His forces are significantly diminished right now, that's for sure. He's probably either just outside or just inside Pakistan at the moment. But wherever he runs, we will bomb.

[Smogger]

200 Dead 25 Alive. OBL to his inner circle, do NOT let the infidels find out if a bomb gets me. Bury me where I will never be found THEN I left in the night and we know not where.

It is wishful thinking to believe that he is dead. Until we have a corpse we better keep looking.

[meducksguy]

Afterthought on his Death I believe is very possible, see above. There were in the neighborhood of a thousand bombs close to where we believe he has been, and he is said to move around DEAD 50/50 at least

[Smogger]

But wherever he runs, we will bomb.

Granted. If we know where the hell he is.

We haven't known where OBL since well before 9-11. We only know what the Taliban has told us. The Taliban said OBL was still in the country after the start of hostilities in October so we took them for their word. Is this point lost on you all..? We have NOT known definatively (good enough to drop a bomb on his ass) since well beore 9-11.

[roamer_1]

There were in the neighborhood of a thousand bombs close to where we believe he has been, and he is said to move around DEAD 50/50 at least

I tend to agree. and we may never know. He may have been the recipient of a JDAM ennema. It would be hard to find him if he's 30 ft. of greasy red dirt.

[blam]

"Ask what his ego would tell him?"

Osama is not even as smart as us average FReepers. He's stupid as a turnip, just has a lot of money. This guy is a feminized wimp and is probably hunkered in a cave somewhere crying.

[Golden Eagle]

Could be we let him escape just to lead us to other enemies. That's way to optimistic for you I'm sure but I'd still say so far so good in the war. The bigger question right now is who's side is Pakistan really on. Where UBL is found might answer that.

[smith288]

I believe this guy is dead. We will maintain the idea that he is alive "somewhere" to keep our operations going to kill any existing leadership, et al. I believe it to be a ploy myself.

[Lael]

The sense I get is that OBL exited Afganistan some time ago, probably around the time DEBKA (turn off the flames) and the Christian Science Monitor said so.

The almost total absence of senior al Queita leaders captured...and if the "brains" survived...remember, they use doubles...the family of the "brains" was whacked in an air raid. Osama's sons apparently escaped, as well as Osama's three wives.

IMHO, we are up against it. Next attack?? Probably Bio...my guess Smallpox. It is present in the soil of old graveyards, and that outbreak happened about 20 years ago. I still think the DOWNFALL operation is to be put into effect, or perhaps the Daschle Anthrax could be released.

It Isn't over!!

[seeker41]

Yep you are correct. I've felt that OBL is long gone and he will surface again after his next attack on the US.

[seeker41]

bttt

[Kowdawg]

If we killed or captured Bin Laden, the war, in many peoples minds, would be over. If I had my way, OBL would be the last bad guy to meet Allah. If we do capture him, put him in a large box filled with moldy SPAM and airdrop him nice an gentle into Somalia, Syria, or Iraq until we finish the job we started.