Posted on 08/30/2002 7:04:48 AM PDT by JohnHuang2
.c The Associated Press
LONDON (AP) - Pakistan's security officials believe Osama bin Laden was probably killed in a U.S. air strike on al Qaida's mountain fortress in eastern Afghanistan last year, a British newspaper reported Friday.
Senior Pakistani officials said bin Laden was unlikely to have survived the intense U.S. air bombardment of the al Qaida Tora Bora camp in December, The Financial Times of London reported from Islamabad.
In a story posted on its Web site, the newspaper said some analysts believe the accused mastermind of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the United States suffered from a serious kidney ailment at that time.
``Our assessment remains that Osama bin Laden, who was not too well when last year's terrorist attacks happened, could not have survived the attacks on Tora Bora,'' an unidentified senior Pakistani official told the newspaper.
``Even if he didn't get hit fatally, it was impossible for him to have survived, literally surrounded by scores of hostile troops with no possibility of receiving regular medical care,'' the official was quoted as saying.
Pakistani President Gen. Pervez Musharraf has said for months that he believes bin Laden is dead but has offered no proof. However, several former Taliban figures have said they believe bin Laden slipped out of Tora Bora before the heaviest U.S. attacks.
The newspaper reported that Pakistani officials had been eager to insist bin Laden was dead after Gen. Tommy Franks, commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, said the anti-terror campaign might have to be extended to countries surrounding Afghanistan.
On a visit to Bagram air base in Afghanistan on Sunday, Franks told troops there was no ``convincing proof'' that bin Laden was dead.
Afghan Foreign Minister Dr. Abdullah told The Associated Press in an interview Sunday that he believes bin Laden is across the border in Pakistan. Pakistani authorities dismiss such talk as speculation.
It's like the DNC talking points...say it enough times, and it shall be regarded as truth.
Straight talk like that mortifies the media.
Seriously, I agree that he's probably in a cave dead of a collapsed lung but being alive/dead this way makes for distinct winners and losers:
WINNERS
The U.S.: They have their excuse to continue the War on Terror and expand it to other countries.
Israel: They'll get Saddam taken out of the equation.
Afghanistan: Foreign aid will flow as long as there's a chance the Taliban could return.
Republicans: If they'd only learn to capitalize on it.
LOSERS
Al Qaeda: The "Osama is alive" crap damages any credibility they might still have in some circles.
Pakistan: Troops have excuse to continue the fight across the border.
Democrats: They can't stand watching a popular Bush in a "time of war".
P.L.O.: Arafat shown not to be invincable, just like Osama.
Saddam Hussein: Buh-bye.
So there is NO reason to go into Iraq! The press does not want this to happen, so they are pulling out everything and anything to stop this.
In the end, I don't believe that this will make any difference - OBL Dead or Alive has nothing to do with fighting the terrorist in Iraq - OBL followers are many - so we are not finished until we clean it all up.
I know, but the AP report is quoting a story on the Financial Times website. I wanted to find the original story.
It sounds like it to me as well. IMHO, bin Laden's life or death has little current relevance to the dangers of Islamism or Iraq, either one.
Maybe these threads should be paired with "Elvis Is Alive!" threads.
Maybe Musharraf just doesn't want to chance the possibility that U.S. forces just may have to enter his country and clean house...
Maybe.
Stay well - stay safe - Stay armed - yorktown
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