Posted on 10/22/2004 12:38:06 PM PDT by Smogger
CLAREMONT - The Pentagon knows exactly where Osama bin Laden is hiding in Pakistan, it just can't get to him, a member of the 9-11 Commission said Thursday. Commissioner John Lehman's remarks echoed those made Tuesday by Secretary of State Colin Powell, who asserted the al-Qaida terror kingpin was alive and operating in the western part of that country.
Bin Laden is living in South Waziristan in the Baluchistan Mountains of the Baluchistan Region, Lehman said, after delivering a keynote speech on terrorism at Pitzer College in Claremont to kick off the university's three-day writer's festival.
In the exclusive interview, Lehman said, "There is an American presence in the area, but we can't just send in troops. If we did, we could have another Vietnam, and the United States cannot afford that right now."
When pressed on why the United States couldn't send troops into the region to capture the world's No. 1 terrorist, Lehman said the Baluchistan Region of the country is filled with militant fundamentalists who do not recognize the legitimacy of President Pervez Musharraf, a close ally of the United States.
"That is a region filled with Taliban and al-Qaida members" he said, acknowledging that Pakistan's security services also are filled with many who agree with bin Laden's beliefs and would aid him if U.S. Special Forces entered the region.
"Look," he said, "Musharraf already has had three assassination attempts on his life. He is trying to comply, but he is surrounded by people who do not agree with him. This is not like Afghanistan, where there was no compliance, and we had to go in. We'll get (bin Laden) eventually, just not now."
Asked how bin Laden was surviving, Lehman said he was getting money from outside countries, such as the United Arab Emirates and high-ranking ministers inside Saudi Arabia.
"He is not a wealthy man," Lehman said. "We ran that information into the ground, and discovered he only receives about $1 million a year from his family's fortune. The rest of what he gets comes from radical sympathizers."
Department of Defense spokeswoman Capt. Ronnie Merritt confirmed that the U.S. military believes bin Laden is in Pakistan. However, she would not comment on Lehman's remarks, except to say that he normally didn't speak about these issues, and she was surprised he had.
Lehman is one of 10 members of the bipartisan commission that authored "The Final Report of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States," which is a New York Times bestseller. The ardent Republican also is the author of three books about military tactics.
Jim Mohr can be reached by e-mail at jim.mohr@sbsun.com or by phone at (909) 386-3891.
Could be to make ObL get moving. He may be an easier target while moving than holed up in some Pashtun village.
He's not dead, but he needs a whole bunch of Ta-RAY-zuhs gin rasins to make it through the day. :)
Perhaps revelations regarding Kerry's original discharge...
That's what I think...
Ping!!
Fine.
Nuke it.
I believe that OBL shaved his beard, got a Yankee cap and is driving a cab in NYC!
I've never thought he was dead, but I did think he was in Iran. While I still think that's a possibility, I think this is plausible too.
Nah, it makes no sense. If we knew where he was we could take him out from the air, there's no need to send in special ops guys except for photo ops. I don't think Bush would do that. I hope not at any rate.
Question is... which way does the MSM spin this one and what the hell were Lehman's motives for saying that NOW? Bizarre.
Who is Jim Mohr, and why would Lehman discuss this with him?
TACTICAL NUKES
I'm with you. They delivered their book, now they can sit down and shut up.
Osama has been a smear on a cave bottom for three years!
I heard he was in Florida, volunteering for Kerry...
Yeah, in a about 30 pieces in a patch of dirt in a cave in Torra Bora. THAT'S where Bin Laden is "hiding," if that's what you call taking a dirt-bath after being blown to bits.
Bin Laden is dead.
THAT POS OBL IS IN A GYTMO CELL AWAITING THE VERDICT ON THE ELECTIONS AND THE LEGAL MORASSE REGARDING PRISONERS RIGHTS. THE ACLU MAY BE MORE CONCERNED WITH HIS TREATMENT AT THE HANDS OF US JAILERS THAN HOSTAGES AT THE HANDS OF KILLERS. IF THE ACLU WINS THAN OBL IS DEAD IN AN ANONYMOUS GRAVE. IF THEY LOSE HE WILL BE TAKEN OUT OF HIDING.
Well, ya cain't kill the SOB or it'll turn 'em into a danged myrtr for all time and we'll never get done with the WOT!!!
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