US backs off prediction for bin Laden capture

[JoFerret]

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1081592630660&call_pageid=968332188854&col=968350060724

<<U.S. troops are committed to catching Osama bin Laden, but today ditched earlier predictions that it will be this year, even as the military prepared to engage its largest force to date along the Pakistani border where the Al Qaeda chief could be hiding.
Bringing in top fugitives is still a top priority of the U.S. troops that are increasing counterinsurgency missions in Afghanistan, a military spokesman said.

<SNIP>

Those remarks, and talk of a spring offensive in Afghanistan by Washington defence officials, sparked wide speculation that bin Laden had been located.

<SNIP>

"Close doesn't count," Rumsfeld said alongside Afghan President Hamid Karzai during a visit to Kabul in late February. "I suspect that we'll find that it is accomplished at some point in the future, but I wouldn't have any idea when."

There have been no firm indications of bin Laden's whereabouts since he eluded American and Afghan troops at the battle for the Tora Bora cave complex in eastern Afghanistan in December 2001.

Last month, France's defence minister said its troops had recently helped identify an area in Afghanistan where bin Laden could have hidden, but provided no specific details. >>
<more>

[brooklynite]

1. More cockiness down the drain

You'd think they'd learn (then again maybe you wouldn't...)

What I find interesting is why they chose to say this. They could have just ignored the issue and captured him or not, unless they were thinking this could be a really big issue come election day, and therefore they need to dampen enthusiam now, so they can shrug it off come November. This also suggests that their intelligence has changed significantly, so they don't even feel they have a 50/50 chance, which would warrant keeping silent for the time being.

[BattyDem]

14. Say it with me boys and girls ...

"October Surprise"

But will anyone really be surprised when it happens? Will any of you be? I didn't think so. :eyes:

[Miss Authoritiva]

2. The patented techno-superior whack-a-mole approach

"(Lt. Gen. David) Barno has vowed to crush insurgents this year in a 'hammer-and-anvil' approach...."

[DrBB]

3. Yeah, well, I guess Iraq is kind of a distraction just now, too

Course it's heresy to think that Dear Leader's Excellent Adventure in Iraq is in any way a distraction from the War on Terra, but um, ya think maybe? Given the meltdown going on there now?

[truthisfreedom]

4. blah blah blah blah *yawn*

[Citizen Daryl]

5. October. n/t

[The_Casual_Observer]

6. "but I wouldn't have any idea when"

Rumsfeld tells the truth when he thinks it doesn't matter, when he knows he has you over a barrel. It's as if he is laughing at us. What does he care now, the purpose of the whole Bin Laden scare has been achieved, and they can't find him so why not tell the truth.

[legin]

7. Taking a guess

they are scaling back the force that is going looking for him, if indeed they are sending any force at all.

If they are upping the time to be spent in iraq from one year to 18 months for the troops then that means they are getting chronically short of troops. They certainly can't afford to waste a few thousand on what will probably be a 3-6 months wild goose chase.

[T Bone]

9. probably had to shift the osama hunters to Fallujah or thereabouts

seems to be a lot of celebratin' happening there lately, the Iraqis need more of our troops to greet with open arms and flowers, right ?

[louis-t]

8. flip flop flip flop flip flop

important that we get him, not important that we get him, gonna get him soon, not gonna get him soon. sheeesh! be sure brain is engaged before putting mouth into gear.

[sspiderjohn]

10. He could be anywhere -- the only secure part of Afgh is Kabul

The only part the Karzai gov. controls is Kabul -- other than that it's warlords, terrorists, thugs, slavers and even taliban resurging again in some areas. CNN just reported that Afghanistan is once again supplying 3/4 of the world's opium and the nation is essentially out of control and dangerous. OBL could be anywhere in that place.

[cornfedyank]

11. the summer offensive starts

sounds here like they are going to get more aggressive.
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Central_Asia/FD10Ag01.html
i sure hope they don't tip Pakistan in the process.

[daleo]

12. Do you think there will be any troops left to do it?

This Iraq thing seems to be tying up a lot. And Cheney is over in Asia, riling up the North Koreans. I don't know if there will be enough for another snipe hunt in the mountains of Afghanistan. The warlords are getting a bit feisty there as well, lately.

[DivinBreuvage]

13. I think it means they either have him or think they can get him.

Everything they say is a lie.

[tlcandie]

15. Aren't they just putting on a dog/pony show in Afghanistan while

OBL took a slow boat to somewhere else recently? He's probably laying around a beach somewhere sipping a cool drink...

[leesa]

16. Those guys requiring dialysis are REALLY hard to catch

Bush's accountant probably knows where he is since he does business with the bin Ladens.

[IndianaGreen]

18. A dialysis machine on a donkey

should be easy to spot, you think? :crazy:

[JohnLocke]

17. Kick (nt).