Timeline
5/01 - Reports “to top officials” warn “‘Bin Ladin public profile may presage attack’ and ‘Bin Ladin network’s plans advancing.’”
http://www.9-11commission.gov/report/911Report_Ch8.htm8/6/01 - President Bush receives PDB entitled: “Bin Ladin Determined To Strike in US.”
http://www.9-11commission.gov/report/911Report_Ch8.htm9/11/01 - Al Qaeda and bin Laden attack America
9/17/01 - President Bush says about bin Laden: "I want justice. And there's an old poster out West… I recall, that said, 'Wanted, Dead or Alive.'"
http://archives.cnn.com/2001/US/09/17/bush.powell.terrorism/Late 2001 - “The Bush administration has concluded that Osama bin Laden was present during the battle for Tora Bora late last year and that failure to commit U.S. ground troops to hunt him was its gravest error in the war against al Qaeda, according to civilian and military officials with first-hand knowledge.”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&node=&contentId=A62618-2002Apr16¬Found=true
3/13/02 - President Bush, in response to a question about bin Laden says: “And, again, I don't know where he is. I -- I'll repeat what I said. I truly am not that concerned about him.”
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/03/20020313-8.html9/11/02 - bin Laden still neither captured nor killed
3/21/03 - invasion of Iraq begins
9/11/03 - bin Laden still neither captured nor killed
7/22/04 - 9/11 Commission releases final report finding no connection between Iraq and al Qaeda in the attacks of September 11.
http://www.9-11commission.gov/report/911Report_Ch10.htm9/11/04 - bin Laden still neither captured nor killed
10/13/04 - in second debate, the following exchange occurs:
“KERRY: When the president had an opportunity to capture or kill Osama bin Laden, he took his focus off of them, outsourced the job to Afghan warlords, and Osama bin Laden escaped.
“Six months after he said Osama bin Laden must be caught dead or alive, this president was asked, "Where is Osama bin Laden?"
“He said, ‘I don't know. I don't really think about him very much. I'm not that concerned.’
“We need a president who stays deadly focused on the real war on terror.
“SCHIEFFER: Mr. President?
“BUSH: Gosh, I just don't think I ever said I'm not worried about Osama bin Laden. It's kind of one of those exaggerations.”
http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/10/13/debate.transcript/10/26/04 - “The Bush administration intends to seek about $70 billion in emergency funding for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan early next year, pushing total war costs close to $225 billion since the invasion of Iraq early last year, Pentagon and congressional officials said yesterday.”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A62554-2004Oct25.html10/29/04 - bin Laden releases another videotape threatening to attack America
10/30/04 - 1,120 American deaths in Iraq and counting. bin Laden still neither captured nor killed.