Time Is Running Out for Osama, U.S. Military Says

Time Is Running Out for Osama, U.S. Military Says
By Mike Collett-White

KABUL (Reuters) - Time is running out for Osama bin Laden, the U.S. military said Wednesday, as American and Pakistani forces step up operations against al Qaeda and Taliban militants along the Afghan-Pakistan frontier.

In the latest statement of growing confidence that al Qaeda's mastermind and other senior militant figures will be captured or killed soon, the U.S. military in Afghanistan spoke of "renewed urgency" in hunting down key terror figures.

"If we knew where Osama bin Laden was we'd already have him," Lieutenant Colonel Matt Beevers told reporters in Kabul, referring to recent reports that the world's most wanted man had been located on Pakistan's side of the border.

But he added: "We feel that really the sands in this guy's hourglass ... are running out."


Beevers said the same applied to two other wanted figures; the ousted Taliban's supreme leader Mullah Mohammad Omar and renegade warlord and former Prime Minister Gulbuddin Hekmatyar.


"We remain committed and reaffirmed in our effort to track these guys down and get them."


U.S. WELCOMES PAKISTAN OPERATIONS


Beevers welcomed an operation by Pakistani forces in tribal areas that border Afghanistan Tuesday during which 25 people were detained.


There were conflicting views on reports in Pakistan that Khaled al-Zawahri, son of al Qaeda number two Ayman al-Zawahri, had been caught in the last two to three days and taken to the U.S. military headquarters in Afghanistan north of Kabul.


Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman Masood Khan called the reports "wild speculation," adding: "We have no information yet."


A Pakistani intelligence source said Wednesday all of those held were locals apart from three women who had Kazakh passports. He said five detainees had been released.


According to Pakistani military spokesman Major-General Shaukat Sultan, foreign passports, weapons, ammunition and audio tapes had been found during the raid.


"Clearly (U.S.-led) coalition forces support Pakistan army's efforts in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas," Beevers said. "They continue to do an outstanding job." He described cooperation between U.S. and Pakistan forces as "outstanding."


The U.S. military has complained in the past that Pakistan has not done enough to hunt militants in rugged frontier areas.


The raids in tribal areas follow revelations that the father of Pakistan's atom bomb leaked nuclear secrets to Iran, Libya and North Korea, leaving Islamabad keen to convince doubters of its commitment to the U.S.-led "war on terror." Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is due in Kabul later this week.


HAMMER AND ANVIL


The two sides want to create a "hammer and anvil" effect by stopping militants fleeing across the border in either direction.


Security analysts say that even with better cooperation and more resources dedicated to catching top militants, the task remained a huge one.


Beevers said the deployment of civilian-military teams in volatile areas of Afghanistan had helped in intelligence gathering as well as in improving infrastructure.


He described the shift in U.S. tactics in recent months toward counter-insurgency operations and away from major engagements with Taliban fighters that flared up last year.


That, combined with efforts to rebuild the war-shattered country and elections in June, will marginalize rebels waging a guerrilla war that has claimed over 550 lives in seven months.


"It's a combination of all those (factors) that gives us a renewed sense of urgency and some confidence (of catching bin Laden)," said Beevers. But he added: "Nothing here is for certain.


"We're going to continue ... to present the leadership of al Qaeda, the Taliban...with impossible situations that they are not going to be able to get around, through, under or over."


U.S.-led forces toppled the hard-line Islamic Taliban after it refused to hand over bin Laden, blamed for masterminding the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.

cnn.aimtoday.cnn.com.../ff/story/0002%2F20040225%2F0716769887.htm&sc=roitz&photoid=20040224NY 196

Of course they will find Osama soon, it's an election year!

Osama is in Afganistan. They US military will "have" him in October.

He must be "contained" in a matter that will not make him a maurder.

Captured without gunfire is preferrable to deminish his "cred".

Killed in action or death by suicide explosion would not be a favorable outcome for the US.

Originally posted by AgentOrange
Of course they will find Osama soon, it's an election year!

Of course they'll find him this year. When he is "captured" in september, or october, Bush will be able to say: "I told you we would find him. I guess I was right and you were wrong. Look's like I'm the one who should be running the country. In fact, maybe I should stay in office for more than two terms."

Damn man, that's a bunch of bull#. I have noticed that lately on news sources everywhere, there have been more reports about how the U.S. feels they're closer to getting OBL and how he's surrounded and whatnot. So the media is getting the thought of capturing OBL into the minds of the citizens so that it won't be so unexpected.

People will get the feeling that he really is surrounded so that when the time comes for Bush to let OBL's capture be known, then the citizens will be glad that after being so close to him, they finally got him. I am going to be so damn pissed off if OBL is captured.

Then with Nader running for president. Sucks to say that I don't want to live in the U.S. anymore cause I don't feel safe and comfortable having Bush be president. I get so nervous and impatient at the thought of having to spend 4 more years with Bush. Goddamnit.

Yupp saw it today when i sighned on so i posted up for you guys

Originally posted by ShadowMan
"If we knew where Osama bin Laden was we'd already have him," Lieutenant Colonel Matt Beevers told reporters in Kabul, referring to recent reports that the world's most wanted man had been located on Pakistan's side of the border.

Haven't they "known" where he was a few times, but never managed to capture him? Or were them just more cases of "bad" intelligence?

[Edited on 25-2-2004 by pyxsul]

TORA BORA, AFGHANISTAN�An emaciated and heavily bandaged Osama bin Laden offered the U.S. a final chance to surrender Monday.

Speaking via satellite, bin Laden issues a final warning to the U.S.
"Enemies of Allah, this is your last chance to leave Afghanistan alive," said a battered, soot-covered bin Laden in a videotaped statement broadcast on the Al Jazeera satellite network. "I mean it."

Staring directly into the camera with his good eye, bin Laden reiterated his vow to drive the U.S. from the country.

"You may have dozens of bases in Afghanistan. You may have thousands of bombs," bin Laden said. "But know this: We still have three or four guns and a full crate of bullets. And some knives, I think. You cannot hope to prevail."




[Edited on 26-2-2004 by dreamrebel]

Originally posted by AgentOrange
Of course they will find Osama soon, it's an election year!

Exactly, The only thing "TIME IS RUNNING OUT" on is Bush. They'll have him by this summer.

dreamrebel is that pic legit or is it photochopped ?

OBL has been under "observation" for some time, but like I already said the timing and circumstance has not been right.

They can not just kill him in say a bomb strike or a AC130 strike or even straight out storming his camp site.

They have to get him in a way that will make him look feable and weak. So as of yet the conditions to capturing him have not been perfect.

Look at Saddam, they captured him under perfect conditions and even though he had a weapon he did not fire it.

They want the same outcome with OBL.

Too bad none of this, or anything else they say means anything. Funny how the citizens are in the Presidents best interests come election year. What a farce...

The pic and "article" are meant to be funny.. Hoax

bin laden is a multi billion dollar industry , why would they spoil that by catching him?
hes already long dead , the war on terror is a medi hyped load of bollocks designed to take away youre freedoms whilst you sleep safe in youre bed knowing nasty osama cant get to you.
Catching bin laden would give the impression the "war on terror" is over, which is definately not on the agenda