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John Lehman: Pentagon knows exactly where Osama bin Laden is hiding in Pakistan.
The Daily Bulletin ^ | Thursday, October 21, 2004 - 9:56:16 PM PST | JIM MOHR

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.


TOPICS: Breaking News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 911; 911commission; backstabber; bigmouthidiot; colinpowell; johnlehman; napalminthemorning; octobersuprise; osmabinladen; shutyoureffinmouth; terrorism; wot
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To: All

Weasel Clark on MSNBC now talking about OBL.


81 posted on 10/22/2004 1:47:11 PM PDT by Gucho
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To: West Coast Conservative

There is no October surprise.


82 posted on 10/22/2004 1:48:57 PM PDT by RetiredArmy (It's coming. The 2d American Civil War - Conservatives vs. Liberals! It will happen.)
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To: Smogger
If we know what valley he's in, NUKE IT.

So9

83 posted on 10/22/2004 1:54:07 PM PDT by Servant of the 9 (We are the Hegemon. We can do anything we damned well please.)
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To: jwalsh07

I also don't think Kerry would make such a big deal about the Administration's letting OBL "get away" if he were dead. Like Powell, Kerry probably has more info on the matter than the average freeper.


84 posted on 10/22/2004 2:02:29 PM PDT by Blowtorch
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To: RetiredArmy

The "October Suprise" is that there is no suprise. I'd expect an "October Suprise before there was no suprise" from the Kerry campain, not Bush's, not that he ever claimed there'd be one.


85 posted on 10/22/2004 2:04:43 PM PDT by Blowtorch
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To: Principled

I used to consider that possibility.

Not anymore. There is simply no way we would not have announced it by now if that were the case. We would have eventually determined it even if we did not have a body.


86 posted on 10/22/2004 2:06:48 PM PDT by rwfromkansas (BYPASS FORCED WEB REGISTRATION! **** http://www.bugmenot.com ****)
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To: Cold Heat
There is no more evidence that he is alive than there is that he is dead. Common sense says, that if he were alive then where is the tape? Where is the proof?

Wasn't there was a voice tape released post Tora Bora that the CIA confirmed was OBL? When it was made is a different question. However, there is no proof he is dead and shifting the burden of proof like you're doing doesn't fly. I also thought he was dead but now I'm not so sure.
87 posted on 10/22/2004 2:09:36 PM PDT by Blowtorch
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To: Blowtorch

If we knew where Bin laden was, and we actually knew it. We would bomb the hell out of it.


88 posted on 10/22/2004 2:18:00 PM PDT by jbwbubba (yes yes yes)
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To: Smogger

Well October is almost over .. so they better hurry up


89 posted on 10/22/2004 2:21:52 PM PDT by Mo1 (This Sept 10th attitude is no way to protect our country)
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To: Blowtorch
I don't think the Tora Bora tape was anything but patched together.

OBL is the spiritual leader of AQ.He must be heard by his flock and he has not been heard from.

He never was a planner or a logistic guy. His value was only spiritual leadership and justification.

He could have easily resumed this from a wheel chair or bed, but he has not.

I think the reason is obvious.

90 posted on 10/22/2004 2:24:58 PM PDT by Cold Heat (http://ice.he.net/~freepnet/kerry/staticpages/index.php?page=20040531140357545)
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To: Puddleglum

They are probably trying to scare him into moving. Everyone here takes everything at face value. Sometimes you say things to make the other guy do things.


91 posted on 10/22/2004 2:28:06 PM PDT by Arkinsaw
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To: Lord Nelson

I still think he's safe in Saudi Arabia protected by his family and Wahabbi clerics.


92 posted on 10/22/2004 2:29:20 PM PDT by Little Ray (John Ffing sKerry: Just a gigolo!)
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To: Little Ray

I think OBL is in Tragicastan.


93 posted on 10/22/2004 2:34:46 PM PDT by RushCrush (Donate NOW! RNC, Swifties, and John Thune!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
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To: Blowtorch
The November surprise will be if Bush wins by enough to keep the trial lawyers from delaying the results of the election to the beginning of 2007 or somewhere thereafter.
94 posted on 10/22/2004 2:35:07 PM PDT by RetiredArmy (It's coming. The 2d American Civil War - Conservatives vs. Liberals! It will happen.)
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To: jbwbubba

Proof of life !! Proof of life!!
We need someone, not afraid to possibly get egg on their face, to claim he's dead. Then we could put all this to rest. Frankly, I don't give a darn who's on first.


95 posted on 10/22/2004 2:43:47 PM PDT by griswold3
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To: inpajamas; Principled
inpajamas, Principled,

"He's hiding under 300 tons of rock and dirt in the bottom of a cave at Tora Bora."

"He's dead Jim!"


You are both right. IMHO OBL is beyond dead and met his fate in Tora Bora. At the beginning of this war President Bush told us that there will be battles and fronts that we will see and those that we will not see. This is one of those battles that we will not see.

Hugh Hewitt spoke of this very situation this week and referred to a blog "Froggy Ruminations" ( http://www.froggyruminations.blogspot.com/ ) that best explained why OBL is dead. Froggy is posted by an ex-Navy Seal and I believe his is the best analysis to-date on the OBL situation.

Lehman is a team player and is not speaking out of school IMHO. Read "Usama bin Laden is Dead" at Froggy Ruminations to see why. After reading the analysis I gained a greater appreciation of Bush as a chess player and as a truly great leader.

Mr Sol.
96 posted on 10/22/2004 2:46:23 PM PDT by Solar Wind
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To: Smogger

Osama's been dead for 2-1/2 years.


97 posted on 10/22/2004 2:46:24 PM PDT by Reagan Man (.....................................................The Choice is Clear....... Re-elect BUSH-CHENEY)
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To: Smogger
"There is an American presence in the area, but we can't just send in troops. If we did, we could have another Vietnam,...

My FOOT!

Ya find him....ya make him room temperature....ya leave. To have "another Vietnam", you have to hang around.

I'm expecting that we'll locate him, and be viewing photos of his lifeless carcass on national news about a week before the elections. :-)

Surprise! :-)
98 posted on 10/22/2004 2:47:01 PM PDT by hiredhand
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To: Smogger

Me thinks Lehman is saying this to cause trouble. He might be on one of Kerry's short lists.


99 posted on 10/22/2004 2:47:50 PM PDT by faithincowboys
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To: twigs

here is my prediction, Bush wins election, december OBL is found, january cache of WMD found. Bush is redeemed, elections go smooth in Iraq. how more poetic could it be?


100 posted on 10/22/2004 2:49:50 PM PDT by Docbarleypop (Navy Doc)
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