Posted on 09/12/2007 6:21:11 PM PDT by fight_truth_decay
Al Qaeda's As-Sahab media arm released a video Sept. 11 commemorating the sixth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Although the 47-minute video features a voice-over introduction by Osama bin Laden, the bulk of it is of Abu Musab Waleed al-Shehri, one of the suicide bombers who crashed American Airlines Flight 11 into the World Trade Center's north tower. That recording made prior to al-Shehri's travel to the United States in spring 2001.
There is nothing in bin Laden's audio segment to indicate it was recorded recently. The production does include a still photograph of him -- one taken from what appears to be a real bin Laden video released Sept. 7 (in which he sports a dyed beard), but bin Laden's comments about the death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi suggest was recorded during al Qaeda's 2006 media blitz.
The release of two successive bin Laden messages, however, has again focused attention on bin Laden, who before last week had not been seen on video since October 2004. This increased attention has again caused people to question why the United States has failed to find bin Laden and to wonder whether it ever will.
While the feds generally get their man in the movies or on television, it is very difficult in real life to find a single person who does not want to be found. It is even harder when that person is hiding in an extremely rugged, isolated and lawless area and is sheltered by a heavily armed local population.
The United States and Pakistan have not launched a major military operation to envelop and systematically search the entire region where bin Laden likely is hiding -- an operation that would require tens of thousands of troops and result in heavy combat with tribes residing in the area.
(Excerpt) Read more at stratfor.com ...
During this process people within the intelligence apparatus passed information back to al Qaeda, thus compromising the sources and methods being used to collect the information. These double agents inside the Pakistani government did grave damage to the U.S. human intelligence network.
Double agents within the Pakistani government are not the only problem, however. Following 9/11, there was a rapid increase in the number of case officers assigned to collect information pertaining to al Qaeda and bin Laden, and the CIA was assigned to be the lead agency in the hunt. One big problem with this, according to sources, was that most of these case officers were young, inexperienced and ill-suited to the mission. The CIA really needed people who were more like Rudyard Kipling's character Kim -- savvy case officers who understand the region's culture, issues and actors, and who can move imperceptibly within the local milieu to recruit valuable intelligence sources. Unfortunately for the CIA, it has been unable to find a real-life Kim.
This lack of seasoned, savvy and gritty case officers is complicated by the fact that, operationally, al Qaeda practices better security than do the Americans.
They couldn’t find Hsu for over a decade even though he was posing for pictures with Hillary Clinton and writing big fat checks to the Democrats, so with the government also in charge of finding bin Laden, I’m not terribly optimistic.
It only takes a few days (to sometimes only hours) for once we get inside these HVTs (Think, Zarqawi, Al-Libbi and other HVTs) that we put guns or a JDAM on them. This day is coming for both UBL and Zawahiri.....But we must be willing to take more risks...
Ask Hillary if she was snookered in by Hsu and all these other "I did not know anything about it" people, then how could she ever find BL?
Assuming BL is alive. Assuming that others not directly tied to BL did not manufacture up this tape. Assuming is just that...always skeptical of those that would most benefit...assuming........
Worth the read....
Needle in a Haystack SNIP
Finding a single man in a large area with rugged terrain is a daunting task, even when a large number of searchers and a vast array of the latest high-tech surveillance equipment are involved. This principle was demonstrated by the manhunt for so-called “Olympic Bomber” Eric Rudolph, who was able to avoid one of the largest manhunts in U.S. history by hiding in North Carolina’s Great Smoky Mountains. The task force looking for Rudolph at times had hundreds of federal, state and local law enforcement officers assigned to it, while some of its search operations involved thousands of law enforcement and volunteer searchers. The government also employed high-tech surveillance and sensor equipment and even offered a $1 million reward for information leading to Rudolph’s capture.
However, Rudolph’s capture in May 2003, more than five years after he was listed on the FBI’s most-wanted list, was not the result of the organized search for him. Rather, he was caught by a rookie police officer on a routine patrol who found Rudolph rummaging for food in a dumpster behind a grocery store. The officer did not even realize he had captured Rudolph until he had taken him to the police station for booking.
No, he is ducking running and hiding like a little bitch, and he will be for the rest of his life. (assuming he is even alive)
My personal opinion is that he regrets ever screwing around with America.
He’s also wearing the same outfit! For years!
Wonder what Truman would have done? Nuke the entire region....
If Osama were really alive, we wouldn’t have to wonder if every vid he releases is real or not.
Yep. That was definitely a bad career move.
“Where ever he is, Laden’s life is a living hell full of fear, hiding, constantly wary of treachery. No, he is not wearing flipflops and sipping Pina Coladas on a beach in Bermuda. He is not high roller in Monte Carlo.”
I’m not so sure. The recent videos highlight that we actually have very little idea what Osama looks like these days. People point to the funny looking beard. Would anyone recognize Osama without a beard? Anyone at all? I wouldn’t. The beard is a fundamental part of his appearance. I’m sure he’d be forbidden to shave it, but my understanding is that it’s also forbidden to dye a beard black.
“Osama bin Laden has hired 10 look-alikes. Now, how hard up do you have to be before you take that job? There’s no way to win! If Osama dies, you don’t get paid. If you’re found, you get killed.” —Jay Leno
“Osama bin Laden has ten look-alikes to fool us Americans. Ten look-alikes, and he’s married to five of them.” —David Letterman.
“The FBI announced today that they are now looking for Osama bin Laden’s financial adviser. You think this guy is in demand. How good can he be? his top client is living in a cave and driving a donkey. It doesn’t sound like he is getting the best return on his investments to me.” —Jay Leno
“We’re learning more about Osama bin Laden. His father was married 16 times, and he has five wives. I think we’re getting to the root of his intense anger. And they say bin Laden never spends the night in the same place twice. No, wait a minute, that’s Clinton.” —David Letterman
Ok will stop with the jokes. For more:
http://politicalhumor.about.com/library/blbinladenjokes.htm
Not for one man - Highly doubtful - Reality is, this is a sh*t part of the world and an even sh*tter area to operate out of......At virtually every level the intangibles of this region give UBL (AQ HVTs) advantages at staying within our OODA loop.....
But one by one....we will continue to pick them off...as great risks lead to great successes....(we just need to be willing to take more risks). Not to mention finding that one mean SOB, knuckle-dragging Pashtun, with huge balls that cares more about himself and his rule....then about ties and loyalties......
Not from his POV, or that of AQs - He/they would want exactly that -
I understand but it appears in Truman’s day we did whatever it took to stop the bleeding and the death of our troops...today...it sucks...with many in congress proving after this week’s FREAK SHOW...they are also Americas enemies...
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