Fair enough.
But this guy
Al Qaeda's Great Escape: The Military and the Media on Terror's Trail
by Philip Smucker
Has a slightly different take; Smucker was in Jalalabad and Tora Bora before and during the Bombardment and feels our allies there played both sides to help the escape.
And from your excerpt -
While these accounts from Al Qaeda insiders may well be deliberately misleading
Which is what I believe.
And this -
Bin Laden's ghostly voice was heard on a radio directing his troops around December 5
Was done from Pakistan, IMO.
Hazrat Ali, IMO, took American cash, played both sides, and ultimately helped AQ escape.
We were snookered.
I agree, on every point. The reference I cited goes into detail on this issue of taking cash from both sides, but I didn't quote it as the post was already running long, and because it is a side issue.
If the warlords were the only sources placing Bin Laden at Tora Bora right up till the end of November, then their credibility would be an issue.
But with other sources saying the same thing, including reporters in Pakistan, Al Qaeda's cook, and both British and US intelligence, there doesn't seem to be a need to question the credibility of two out of the several sources.
Bin Laden isn't likely to throw his troops away. While his escape might preceed theirs by a few days or even a few weeks, he will be looking to get them disengaged and out of there as soon as possible, after he is safe, to preserve them for future use. The longer the enemy continues fighting hard in the Shakai, the more convinced I am that both Bin Laden and Zawahiri are still close by.