[TrappedInLiberalHell]

OK, I almost never post far-out theories, but what the heck. I'm not saying this is my personal belief, but I throw it out there for thought (and probably ridicule, which it probably deserves).

What if it turns out bin Laden is not only alive, but we know exactly where he is? And that we are waiting until we have the upper hand in Iraq, and until we are confident that any Al Qaeda retaliation is over (or will not happen). Then, we swoop in, capture bin Laden, and parade him before the world, complete with mountaints of smoking-gun-style evidence of Iraq/Al Qaeda/Sept. 11 links.

Maybe a slightly less far-fetched notion is that we may know bin Laden's whereabouts, and we have been tracking his conversations for months now (which may explain the lack of attacks in the U.S. since 9/11, notwithstanding the 7/4 LAX shooting). What of that theory? Maybe it would be too hard to keep a secret.

Personally, I now think bin Laden is alive, but very ill and/or visibly wounded in a way that would demoralize the troops were he to appear in a video. Perhaps he lost an eye, or is severely burned. It seems to me that it would be too hard for the U.S. to squelch dissenting analysis of the authenticity of the audio tape (though I am aware that the previous one was adjudged a fraud by some independent expert group).

[Indy Pendance]

It's been theorized that bin laden is alive, and if there was solid confirmation he was killed, there were direct orders for al qaeda to implement terror in the US. And with all the muslims here, how far fetched is that? I don't know how accurate that is, just something I read.

[TrappedInLiberalHell]

mountaints = mountains

[jwalsh07]

Personally, I think it's Scott Ritter doing his impression of OBL for a "small" consideration.

Of course they have done W and Powell a favor by throwing the secularist/jihadist mutually exclusive theory out the window.

Thanks Scottie boy.