Is there anyone that thinks that this "cornering Al-Zawahiri" crap is true

[MikeG]

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. It may be

the reason, where the Pak Troops have gone into. That is truly the wild west and the pakistani government has no real control.

Now it may be true, or it may not... but it is in an area of the world where Pakistanis are not welcomed, and tribal loyalties are far stronger. So it should prove interesting

[kentuck]

2. Mostly, but...

They may have some satelites stationed over that area of Pakistan and Afghanistan and by making pronouncements such as these, they may think that they will be able to pick up any unusual movements - because people tend to not act 'normal' when they are paranoid...

[Mick Knox]

3. dont know.. waiting to see...

[DuctapeFatwa]

4. I am sure there are people who think everything that comes out of the

bush regime propaganda ministry is true.

Even the premise that if the regime announces it will go and look for Mr X in Y location on Z day, that Mr X will obligingly arrange to be conveniently in place at the appointed time. :)

[sir_captain]

5. Politics aside...

I have no clue. But I sure hope so. As someone going into medicine, this guy makes me sick. (Not that he doesn't make me sick for lots of other reasons too.)

[TheDonkey]

6. I believe he is being targeted. Not sure if cornered exactly

but the media has been falling over this story too much. We have other things to discuss too yet the car bombing yesterday (not todays though) and this story have DOMINATED the cable news channels. It's disgusting.

[keithyboy]

7. What's the staus now? 12:20 EST

Haven't been able to get to a tv

[CaptainMidnight]

8. Not true - ALREADY CAPTURED!

like bin Laden.

This is from over a year ago, the UK Guardian, no less

http://www.prisonplanet.com/110903zawahiri.htm
 
Bin Laden's No 2 'captured in Iran'

Rory McCarthy in Islamabad and Luke Harding in Kabul
Monday February 18, 2002
The Guardian

Osama bin Laden's most senior lieutenant, the Egyptian militant Ayman al-Zawahiri, has been captured and jailed in Tehran, a leading Iranian newspaper reported yesterday.

Zawahiri, the founder of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad, was arrested several days ago and has been imprisoned in the city's Evin jail, where political prisoners are usually held, the Hayat-e-Nou newspaper said.

If the report is correct, the arrest is the most serious strike at the heart of Bin Laden's al-Qaida network since the World Trade Centre attacks, and a diplomatic coup for Tehran.
*(snip)

Captain Mike

[zanana]

9. The timing is suspect.

If he's caught or killed on the one-year anniversary of the invasion, I'll know something's fishy. Through this weekend, we'll be hearing nothing but propaganda on the war, with all the administration officials on television praising the troops and pointing out all the "progress" that has been made. The capture of Al-Zawahiri would be the cherry on top.

[Postman]

10. timing: Kerry has been kicking Bush's ass lately. Solution? wheel out #2

And they are using the phrase "Osama's #2"...kind of reminds me of the Austin Powers flicks, I guess Osama must be Dr. Evil.

I question whether it really is the Pakistani military doing most of the footwork. I think it's mostly US military.

I feel that it is a psy-ops operation to calm the fundamentalist population of Pakistan that would be upset with Musharraf for allowing a massive US military presence inside Pakistan.

[chookie]

22. Powell was in Pakistan yesterday

He gave Pakistan special "elite military status" -- which will allow Pakistan to get weapons from the US that it was previously barred from.

Coincidence?

[Jacobin]

11. Check out what Josh Marshall thinks. He suspects its hooey

A performance by Musharef in exchange for which Pakistan just got a sweetheart arms deal. Have a big show of chasing these guys around to help Smirky's numbers. Kill a few provincials, lots of news coverage, on the hunt, blah blah blah.

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/

On the other hand, I don't think you can avoid noting that Secretary of State Colin Powell has been in the neighborhood, most recently in India. And today, the day we hear this announcement, happens to be the very day when Powell came calling in Islamabad with the news that we're designating Pakistan a major non-NATO US ally, which carries not only prestige but significantly facilitates the purchase of US arms.

One needn't assume that the Pakistanis aren't being honest with what they're saying. But I don't think you need to be too imaginative to believe that with Powell in town with a prize in hand there'd be a great desire to put the best face on what may be very ambiguous evidence.

[maggrwaggr]

12. I haven't believed a word of it from the get-go

it reeks to high heaven of an organized theatrical event.

They've even moved news anchors over there in "anticipation" of the capture?

It's pure unadulterated bullshit.

Once again we are being lied to and manipulated.

How many times are the people gonna fall for it?

[DuctapeFatwa]

13. Let's see. Washington announced a month ago ...

that the US would be launching a "Spring Offensive" in a certain place, at a certain time, to capture a certain person, and for 3 days now we have heard all about this offensive, and today they are beginning to bemoan his having escaped, came so close, goshdarnit to heck, just wait til next time!

Now I will ask you to for the sake of argument accept the hypothesis that this person is in fact not affiliated with the CIA and the US is sincerely looking for him.

By what cursed God of antilogic do you suppose that he will obligingly hie himself to the appointed capture site at the agreed upon place and time to calmly await air assault?

And what terms are the kindest to describe a public who does not even question this, so occupied are they in nodding their agreement with CNN's explanation that freedom is so new to the Iraqis that they just do not feel secure enough to celebrate their child's first year without feet?

[DrWeird]

14. About as true as cornering Osama in Tora Bora.

It may have had some substance of truth wildly exaggerated by optimism.

[donsu]

15. all day yesterday CNN had Breaking News of the cornering

all day - same thing

made me think they were doing a set up

[rocktivity]

16. The whole thing smell of Jessica Lynch from the start

though I believed it at first because I figured that they wouldn't be turning it into a media event unless they'd already captured him (like Saddam?) or he was SO cornered that they decided to do the actual takedown during prime time (featuring interviews with Colin Powell and the Paskistani PM himself).

But when I got home from work, the "high-value target" still "surrounded" (with CNN speculating what his interrogation would be like). By bedtime, they said it was simply a matter of the U.S. showing up with air strikes in the morning. And when morning arrives, he's not only slipped away, but had possibly done so three days ago????

:headbang:
rocknation

[bluedog]

17. something stinks

I just get this feeling that something is wrong here....we know the network of AL Querida(sp) always has spies and webs out and about.to think that they would not know of this onslaught of Pa ks coming ....does not make sense.

I don't think the guy is there...he may have been.but the fighting begins at daylight and in darkness.how easy he could have slipped away.or wasn't there to begin with.

it maybe a offsit of a group that justs wants to show the world that they still exist.esp with bush bragging on how the world is safer.

[Nicholas_J]

18. So far...

Radio Pakistan is backing away from the sureness that is is Al Zawahiri.

[LividLiberal]

19. After 2 days now I think it's a hoax. I don't know why they would announce

such a high level operation in the first place to the entire world.

I think something stinks.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

20. How many times have we heard this, only to discover OBL...

...is alive and well? Additionally, how many people think that Al Qaeda would quit fighting if OBL were killed or captured?

How many thought the Iraqis would quit after Saddam was killed or captured?

[NewJeffCT]

21. at lunchtime, CBS radio in NY reported...

They reported that Pakistan was backing away from claims that it was Al Qaida's #2 guy...

And, they said the offensive was against several villages, so it seems like it is not that small of an area, despite initial reports making it sound like it was Al-Zawahiri's Last Stand in Little Big Horn.

[tom_paine]

23. No. Purposefully delayed at best. Stagecraft at worst.

Perhaps some combination of the two.

We live in the New Soviet Union. We have 9 months to turn that back.

Get busy.

www.johnkerry.com