"Some defeats are only installments to victory."
- Jacob A. Riis (1849-1914), Danish-American journalist
Sarah, a friend of mine, left a comment on yesterday's post and summed it up with a legitimate question: "Where is Osama?" I wish I knew, but I don't.
Coincidentally, tonight as I was reading through some other blogs I ran across a post on Bill Adams' Idler Yet weblog that spoke to Sarah's question. Bill links to this story from the Air Force Times that suggests the arrest of Osama Bin Laden is imminent.
It seems I've heard this rumor before, though I can't recall where specifically. I haven't taken it seriously because I don't believe we'd be publicly announcing that we're closing in on Osama. Why do that, possibly tipping him off that we're about to spring the trap? Broadcasting our plans for achieving his capture makes absolutely no sense. No, I think we'll do our best to surprise the old boy in his sleep, and announce his arrest only after he is handcuffed and in one of our jails.
I'm also aware that some have suggested that Dubya has already captured Osama, has secreted him away somewhere, and plans to bring him out sometime between now and November 2. A Republican coup if I've ever heard one! Though laughable to me, it's to this theory that Mr. Adams speaks:
"So, although Osama's capture this month would be logically foreshadowed by publicly observed events--it would still strike many people as a rabbit out of a hat. The hard-core Democratic response is predictable, but if the Democrats want to make a majority of Americans believe it was a put-up job, they have to act immediately. They must vigorously spread the rumor, already started for them, that Osama was captured, oh, about a month ago and is being held secretly until a better 'capture' time closer to the election. There needn't be any quibbling over evidence, since in their hearts they have always believed that Bush would do this, because this is what Satan would do."
If you're into conspiracy theories, you'll enjoy reading the rest of Adams' piece. If you're not, don't bother, unless you're in need of some comic relief.
As for your question Sarah, all I can say is that Osama is somewhere, maybe dead, maybe alive. If he's alive, I believe he'll eventually be caught and brought to justice. Sadly, his capture won't bring an end to international terrorism, but it would represent major progress in our fight against Al-Qaeda. That's something I think we'd all like to see.
Update: San Francisco Chronicle's James Sterngold speculates about the impact the capture of Osama bin Laden might have on the war on terrorism, particularly with regard to al Qaeda.
2 comments:
Regardless of where Osama is, or whether he is alive, his ability to impact the US on our soil has certainly been diminished.
If the US knows where he is, logisticaly, it may make sense to simply monitor his activities and improve out intel on Al-Quieda and other terror groups, quietly thwarting any activities that have been planned. This alone, would wreak havoc among the "brain-trusts" of the terrorist.
Personally, I'm kind of glad Osama is still out there. Confirmed dead or captured, there would be worldwide insistance that the US "War on Terror" campaign is over. It's not, and capturing Osama would not end it. There has been a tremendous change in the world over that past 10 years. It is said that nature abhors a vaccum. With the end of the "Cold War", I fear that Islamic terrorism has filled this void. I fear, too, that in my lifetime, neither you - nor I will not see the end of this struggle.
If you just look at where we have allocated all of our resources in the war on terror you will realize that Osama must be in Iraq. Otherwise, why would we refer to the invasion of Iraq as "the war on terror"?
If you believe as I do that bin Laden is in Pakistan or Afghanistan, then what is Iraq about? I think Osama is very happy we are in Iraq, but what is our motivation?
I know it was originally about removing Saddam and his WMD -- well, now that these spurious objectives have been attained, what exactly are we doing in Iraq?
I keep hearing talk about bringing democracy and human rights to the people of Iraq -- so far I would say we have failed at that, and that mission is looking very doubtful. How many lives and how much money will we flush down that toilet?
When are we going to give up the Iraq fixation and go after Al Qaeda -- the real war on terror?
Neil
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