If we want bin Laden dead or alive, why don't we go in and get him? And if we're now concerned not so much with bin Laden as with the Taliban, why don't we bomb them to hell instead of waiting on the fickle Northern Alliance? If 19 Saudis, Egyptians, and Yemenis can kill 5000 Americans in under 2 hours, why can't we eliminate a couple hundred old men in two months?
I think the Sauds and other "moderate" Arab nations have told Bush they cannot support any armed occupation of Afghanistan or anything other than strictly circumscribed photo-op bombings of mountainsides and quonset huts. I think our Middle East "allies" are playing Bush like a fiddle and our amiable chief executive hasn't a clue.
Like I say, I could be wrong.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - "The White House suggested on Tuesday that President Bush did not apologize to Saudi Arabia for U.S. media reports implying the Saudi government was not fully cooperating in the war on terrorism. The Washington Post reported on Tuesday that Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah, the kingdom's effective ruler given the frail health of King Fahd, said in a speech that Bush began a recent conversation with him saying ``he was sorry'' for the reports.
While careful not to contradict Abdullah, White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said he had faithfully reported on the Oct. 25 conversation at the time when he said Bush thanked Saudi Arabia for its efforts, and the president said ``press articles citing differences between the United States and Saudi Arabia are simply incorrect.''
Etc.