Bin Laden 'surrounded'

The Sunday Telegraph ^ | February 22, 2004

[Patriot1998]

A BRITISH Sunday newspaper is claiming Osama bin Laden has been found and is surrounded by US special forces in an area of land bordering north-west Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The Sunday Express, known for its sometimes colourful scoops, claims the al-Qaeda leader has been "sighted" for the first time since 2001 and is being monitored by satellite.

The paper claims he is in a mountainous area to the north of the Pakistani city of Quetta. The region is said to be peopled with bin Laden supporters and the terrorist leader is estimated to also have 50 of his fanatical bodyguards with him.

The claim is attributed to "a well-placed intelligence source" in Washington, who is quoted as saying: "He (bin Laden) is boxed in."

The paper says the hostile terrain makes an all-out conventional military assault impossible. The plan to capture him would depend on a "grab-him-and-go" style operation.

"US helicopters already sited on the Afghanistan border will swoop in to extricate him," the newspaper says. It claims bin Laden and his men "sleep in caves or out in the open. The area is swept by fierce snow storms howling down from the 10,000ft-high mountain peaks. Donkeys are the only transport."

The special forces are "absolutely confident" there is no escape for bin Laden, and are awaiting the order to go in and get him.

"The timing of that order will ultimately depend on President Bush," the paper says. "Capturing bin Laden will certainly be a huge help for him as he gets ready for the election."

The article says bin Laden's movements are monitored by a National Security Agency satellite.

On Thursday last week, General Richard Myers, chairman of the US joint chiefs of staff, said America had been engaged in "intense" efforts to capture bin Laden, who was believed to be hiding in the border area between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

[demlosers]

Please let this be true...please let this be true...please let this be true...Oh PLEASE...

I'd say it's true. "Pakistan Steps up efforts to to ind bin Laden: Thousands of troops deployed to help U.S. capture fugitive." The Paks are letting in Americans into the country to hunt bin Laden's @$$ down.

[jigsaw]

I'm suspicious this article is untrue and its real purpose is to heighten
anticipation which will soon be dashed, making Bush look bad again.

[metoooo]

here's five bucks that says he won't be captured...there's too mant caves...

[CROSSHIGHWAYMAN]

Dear Toonces,

Please volunteer as the official designated driver for Democrat senators.

[Azzurri]

I can hear the Democrats now, the day after Osama's capture:

"If Bush didn't waste so much time on Iraq we could've gotten Bin Laden two years ago. This capture is more evidence of Bush's failure as president."

[SevenofNine]

Rackkk itttt

Alright YOU GO US TROOPS I get the feeling we have Pakstein special forces with us

Let good time roll

[In_25_words_or_less]

Do you think it may be "mind games" ?

Could be.

If they wait till after the spring thaw....he may be on the move again. OTOH Do we need "good weather" to get in and back out?

I wouldn't know. But I would think that as time goes on the chances increase of losing advantages.

[Peach]

Ditto. PLEASE.

[Quix]

uNLESS this is actually delayed news . . . it was later than 16 Feb but still quite welcome to hear.

We shall see.

Could explain Bush's no comment on whether he knew where Bin Laden was or not.

[PISANO]

Capture HIM NOW!! The media and Dims will try to paint it as an election year ploy, we know that. Let 'em...we need this B..t..d!!

[The Mayor]

[Right_in_Virginia]

I want to see his head on a pike at ground zero.

From your keyboard to God's eyes!

[alaskanfan]

Believe me. Prior to the November elections........

[demlosers]

I want to see bin Laden captured, convicted of murder, and put to death preferably by public hanging.

[ServesURight]

Great pic!

[Dog]

I don't know what to think about this story Cap......I want it to be true in the worse way....but who knows.

[Behind Liberal Lines]

If Bin Laden is captured, the Dems will wait about one week and then argue that Bush now has no excuse that everything in the world, including, but not limited to, the economy, is perfect.

The media will, naturally, pick up on this theme, with a multitude of articles about how the Bush presidency is now adrift, lacking any other vision for the Country. Either Time or Newsweek will print a cover story entitled "Now What?" that implies there is no longer any reason for Bush to remain in office after November.

These pigs will spin anything as an attack on our President.

[Right_in_Virginia]

Most memorable thing in that interview was when Bush was asked whether they knew where Bin Laden was. For the FIRST time, Bush ducked that question.

Yup! I noticed that, too! The President told Timmy ~~ "I'm not going to answer that".

Dare we hope?!

[Quix]

--no, no!

First--the pig's head on the pike.

Then Bin Laden's head on the pig's snout.

With a web cam chronicalling it's . . . disintegration.

Perhaps it could even be further decorated with strips of bacon for a beard and another small pig's head for a hat.