Watch CNN and the main news item is Iraq and Saddam. It just amazes me how Osama bin Laden and the Al Qaeda network has completely disappeared from the news of the day. Is this man brilliant or what? Evil? Yes, but brilliant. A year and a half ago he takes down two NYC skyscrapers and today all focus is on an Iraqi despot. (By the way, I have heard but not been able to confirm that Osama issued a fatwa against Saddam. Can anyone confirm?) This whole Iraq thing reeks of a familiar political action of making a new, more solvable, problem to switch focus away from the real more urgent problem at hand. In this case Al Qaeda. I would honestly like to know what the Bush administration is doing about the terrorist network, which is a real global threat, rather than this backwater Middle Eastern nation, which obviously has problems, but hardly the problems, which is of any immediate concern of mine. Living in Singapore and knowing a couple of friends killed on Bali recently, I am extremely concerned with the progress of the effort of shutting down this terror network. Why then this sudden ultimatum and impending war on Iraq? I can only conclude that Bush is just switching the focus, as he is unable to show real results with the real problem at hand.
In 1982, President Galtieri of Argentina invaded the Falklands, the Argentine people were initially euphoric and almost completely forgot their own economic and social problems at home. Switching the focus of the masses.
Is this what Bush is doing? After the Falklands debacle, Galtieri resigned in shame.
Bin Laden is probably somewhere in Pakistan or Iran, harbored away at some remote madrassa frequented by strong sympathizers. There’s no doubt about it, though, al-Qaeda is disrupted. Funds have been shut off, senior commander Atef is dead, the plotter of the Cole bombing is dead, Zubaydah is imprisoned, etc. Naturally, bin Laden’s perpetual elusiveness is a thorn in the side of the American government.
Is the conflict with Iraq an attempt to shift focus? Perhaps. But credible gossip holds that the government has some incriminating evidence against Iraq that was obtained via NSA eavesdropping. Not terrorist related necessarily, but inspector eluding. I think given that W. is more bellicose than Clinton, and the public acceptance of American military intervention in the Mideast at an all time high, Bush may be utilizing the moment to get Iraq done with, rather than at some later time. That’s just my take, of course.
I think Osama died. He has a medical condition of some sort, surely he would be noticed were he still alive because he would have to be attaining medical supplies. We always knew where he was in the past, no matter how he wanted to hide, why should it be different now? No, he’s dead and buried.
You correctly point out that the terrorist network has global reach. Projection of power no longer is tied to geography. Perhaps we should quit trying to appease a fool like Saddam, and start appeasing the people who can really hurt us. We can destroy Saddam with impunity, nobody in the Islamic world gives a crap about him, he’s just another secular despot. Rather we must consider how our other actions will be perceived by the people who, if sufficiently pissed off, will destroy a major US city in nuclear fire within the next 10 years. Just IMHO, of course.
With all this, they still managed to kill hundreds of people on Bali through the Jemaha Islamiah organization which has links to Al Qaeda. Then there was the attack on a Moscow theatre by Chechen’s also connected to the Al Qaeda. Both attacks were praised by Osama on a tape recording.
I agree that the terror organizations have taken a hit, but it’s hardly over. Mark my words, it;s just a matter of time before another attack occurs.
The subject name of this thread is apparently misleading. I am not concerend wether Osama is alive or dead. If he has died there would be someone to take his place. Rather, I am interested in the apparent switch in focus from the Al Qaeda terror network to Iraq. Saddam has no known connection with Al Qaeda. So why this sudden interest in Iraq? Bush seems to be addressing the terror problem by creating a crisis he can address on the tax payers bill. I don’t envy the next president who has to clean up Bush’s mess.
In your mind, perhaps. The focus of those who matter, the CIA, the FBI, and various Special Forces, are most assuredly still on Al Queda. Just because you do not hear about it, does not mean it is not going on.
What is your point? Do you think that the 3rd Armored or 24th Mech would have made a difference there? I don’t think you, and people thinking like you (Focus is off Al Queda, etc), really understand what is involved in counter-terrorist operations. 90% of the work involved is purely intelligence-based. Who are they, where are they, etc. .Without that intel, all the firepower in the world is worthless.
What exactly would you be doing different? How do the forces we deployed to take Iraq detract from our ability to find and fight terrorists?
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not defending Saddam. However, it just seems so strange that after twelve years since the Gulf war ended, this is becoming such an intense issue. Bush senior should have taken care of Saddam in 1991. I can still not understand why the Gulf war was ended as it was with this despot still in power. For twelve years the Iraqi people have suffered from an embargo with the result of thousands of Iraqi children dying from lack of medicine and nutrition. Nuts! So then Bush gets elected in 2000. He certainly did not declared any intention of finishing the job his farther did not conclude as one of his goals as president. Only after 9/11 does he make the Iraq thing an issue. Sorry, but to me it’s obvious what Bush junior is doing. You are probably correct that the various intelligence agencies are working on the terror network, but this Iraq thing seems like an excuse. Politics as usual in the USA.
personally, i think one of the reasons he is concentrating on Iraq so much is coz they cant cacth Osama, but thats just me and anyway i support the war…dont care if it is for oil,or a promise to daddy…
As for Osama, my guess is that he is in Pakistan where he is probably most popular…Musharraf must be so embarassed with his people.
Why would special forces or government agencies want international media attention on Osama anyway? Doesn’t exposure make their work more harder to do?