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Bin Laden is of course living off his legacy. And, its a roll of the dice if and when we will get him. That said I think it would be a good idea to use more of our Sunni strategy in Iraq with the tribal leaders in Pakistan. Start offering them money, gifts, and land for favors and worm your way in with those who care more about their pocket book. I understand the rigid family and tribal loyalties up there, but no where in the world does money not talk.

It would be nice to get a few more Taliban leaders in our pocket. Many of these people can be bought for the right price, hell Mullah Omar would sell out Bin Laden and his first born child for the right price. We don't have to go anywhere near that far, but if it were up to me I would try splitting the Taliaban like we did the insurgents between the greedy ones and the fanatical insane ones.

Of course on the other side of hte Middle East Zarqawi is biding his time and now planning big time something that will hit the gold or silver standard for terrorist attacks.

Zarqawi has hit the bronze award a thousand times for hitting US and Arab targets in the Middle East, but to this day he has never hit what is considered the terrorist silver or gold standard. The silver standard is considered an attack on Europe. The Gold Standard is an attack on the US or Israel.

My guess is he is going after the silver standard strike of hitting Israel.

One thing Zarqawi doesn't want to do is turn European and US public opinion back toward the war, which is why I believe he is hesitant to order suicide attacks in Europe even though his ego is pushing him in that direction.

If you ever read the transcripts of his speechs he constantly refers to articles in the Washington Post and the NY Times. He knows as much as anyone that the center of gravity of the war effort is in the west.

"One thing Zarqawi doesn't want to do is turn European and US public opinion back toward the war, which is why I believe he is hesitant to order suicide attacks in Europe even though his ego is pushing him in that direction."
A very good point. Any attacks of significance just give GWB more credibility to those still with heads in the sand why we must forge ahead and attempt to kill them all off.
As for your suggestes of bribing in essence some of these people, that is fine, if you cn find them. We have to remember many of the ring leaders are embedded in tribal areas that maintain loyalties. Many of them may simply not desire riches and material goods. If they where to have appeared to take a bribe, off with their heads.

That said I think it would be a good idea to use more of our Sunni strategy in Iraq with the tribal leaders in Pakistan. Start offering them money, gifts, and land for favors and worm your way in with those who care more about their pocket book. I understand the rigid family and tribal loyalties up there, but no where in the world does money not talk.

It would be nice to get a few more Taliban leaders in our pocket. Many of these people can be bought for the right price, hell Mullah Omar would sell out Bin Laden and his first born child for the right price. We don't have to go anywhere near that far, but if it were up to me I would try splitting the Taliaban like we did the insurgents between the greedy ones and the fanatical insane ones.

I hear what you are saying here but it is complete different system / structure - Between those in the Afghan / Pak border region and those in Iraq -

Additionally to a large degree those in power within the border region already have plenty of $$ - And while there are some that we have "bought" in the past....some of these simply "turned" back as time went buy ....one of the main HVTs we are after Gulbuddin Hekmatyar being one of those -

And while there are some within this region we need to "buy" or "bring along" to provide us with Intel - Those of this ilk or class are few and far between within that region of the world. But trust me $$ millions have been handed out in that region....

I do agree with you to a large degree regarding Zarqawi.