[Jarhead_22]

the reason he is only making audiotapes is the
same reason saddam was only making audiotapes-
the CIA can use the additional information
to track them, and also they probably don't look
too 'presentable'

Look, I'm a recent convert to the "OBL is DED" school myself, but I just don't buy that all of a sudden they're worried that the particular rock he's crouching in front of could give him away. As for his presentability, since when has hygiene been a key discriminator with his constituency?

[weegee]

I still wonder what happened to all of the Saddam decoys. I would think that some of them were being smuggled around the countryside too as cover for the real Saddam.

I would also think that many if not all of them (who didn't surrender) have been executed by Saddam loyalists (they would know too much about the inner workings of the efforts to hide Saddam and the communication network).

Has anyone done a post-capture analysis of the "Saddam videos" that Saddam released after Gulf War II: Operation Topple Saddam began? It would be interesting to know just which of those Saddam videos used fake Saddams. There was speculation at the time they were made but I haven't heard any later analysis.

It is still an interesting subject because some left wing nuts alledge that Saddam "couldn't" have grown his beard that thick while in hiding. He certainly could have if it wasn't him on every one of those videotapes.

[steve-b]

I just don't buy that all of a sudden they're worried that the particular rock he's crouching in front of could give him away.

Especially since it would be trivial to simply put him in front of a plain white backdrop.

Mistah Osama, he daid.

[prisoner6]

As for his presentability, since when has hygiene been a key discriminator with his constituency?

It's not presentability he's worried about...it's identification. (If he's alive) he's changed his appearance and a new video would give it away.

prisoner6