# Why is Osama no longer a target? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 21, 2005, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-osama-no-longer-a-target/285837 "2005-01-21T01:00:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Avenger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de0a6/32.png) [@Avenger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avenger)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-osama-no-longer-a-target/285837/41 "2005-01-24T23:13:55Z")
> [@Puffs](#): > > I am not. Show me a cite where it says Osama Bin Laden is no longer a target. > That he is free to go where he chooses without worrying the US will take him out because he is a target. Actually I am dumbfounded you even made such a claim, and would be shocked to see you pull up a credible cite supporting it. I think everyone else understood the thrust of the OP to be honest. You will agree that there is no longer the same focus on AQ that there was in the wake of 9/11 and that the Bush et al no longer seem as willing to make public pronouncements on their intent to kill/capture Bin Laden? ---
**Author:** ![Avenger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de0a6/32.png) [@Avenger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avenger)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-osama-no-longer-a-target/285837/42 "2005-01-24T23:24:14Z")
> [@](#): > > How many democrats do you think were part of the 7 out of 10 What? šŸ˜• > [@](#): > > Bush never stated Saddam was involved in 9/11 And I didnā€™t say he did. Of course he deliberately implied it at every opportunity as has been well documented. > [@](#): > > And saying you believe Bush implied it and believeing it yourself is two different things. It could be. At a minimum, though, the linked article says that 52% did believe the link themselves. > [@](#): > > YOu are also linking a article that is avoer a year and a half old. PLenty of things have come to light since then, and saying that it proves most AMericans believe Saddam was behind 9/11 because of this cite is rediculous. Yes, that is when there was interest in the matter which led to the question being asked in opinion polls. If you have more recent evidence which shows that the situation has changed, feel free to cite it. I have no reason personally to believe that the situation has changed. ---
**Author:** ![Puffs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c77e96/32.png) [@Puffs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Puffs)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-osama-no-longer-a-target/285837/43 "2005-01-24T23:46:25Z")
> [@Avenger](#): > > I think everyone else understood the thrust of the OP to be honest. > [@Demorian](#): > > Does that mean Dear Leader lied? Or are we tapdancing again? From that, I understand that the OP accuses Bush of stating that bin Laden is no longer a target, and that **Evil One** stating that bin Laden is probably being hunted would make Bush into a liar. > [@](#): > > You will agree that there is no longer the same focus on AQ that there was in the wake of 9/11 and that the Bush et al no longer seem as willing to make public pronouncements on their intent to kill/capture Bin Laden? Quite the opposite as a matter of fact. [US doubles bin Laden bounty](http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200501/s1288218.htm) It may not get the same press a right after 9/11, but then we got that liā€™l war going on and all where Americans are dying. > [@Avenger](#): > > What? šŸ˜• What? you havenā€™t heard any Bush haters accusing Bush of saying Saddam was behind 9/11 in their perceived list of lies? I believe anyone of that nature that was polled would have definately said yes while not believing it themselves. > [@](#): > > And I didnā€™t say he did. Of course he deliberately implied it at every opportunity as has been well documented. And I guess you would be part of the 7 out of 10 right? > [@](#): > > It could be. At a minimum, though, the linked article says that 52% did believe the link themselves. So saying Saddam had ties to AlQaida is automatically implied Saddam was behind 9/11? > [@](#): > > Yes, that is when there was interest in the matter which led to the question being asked in opinion polls. If you have more recent evidence which shows that the situation has changed, feel free to cite it. I have no reason personally to believe that the situation has changed. And I have no reason to believe it is still the exact same. ---
**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-osama-no-longer-a-target/285837/44 "2005-01-24T23:50:29Z")
> [@Avenger](#): > > You want a cite that a majority of Americanā€™s believe Saddam was behind 9/11? I think that it was fairly well established in a number of opinion polls that this was true, but in case you missed that yearā€¦ > > [Poll Says Most Believe Saddam 9/11 Link](http://www.abcnews4.com/news/stories/0703/93130.html) I appreciate the cite. However, I agree with **Puffs**. Your statement was made in the present tense. Iā€™m not going to hunt for a more recent poll, since youā€™re most likely right in assuming there isnā€™t one. The problem is that too many people donā€™t pay attention. I never believed there was a connection and have never heard anyone state that they did. However, Iā€™ve never taken a poll. When **Puffs** asked about the democrats, it was because it is obvious that the idea was shared on both sides of the political spectrum. You yourself used the term _ā€œaverage Americanā€_ not those ā€œradical right wingers.ā€ šŸ˜‰ ---
**Author:** ![Puffs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c77e96/32.png) [@Puffs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Puffs)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-osama-no-longer-a-target/285837/45 "2005-01-25T03:22:20Z")
> [@kniz](#): > > When **Puffs** asked about the democrats, it was because it is obvious that the idea was shared on both sides of the political spectrum. You yourself used the term _ā€œaverage Americanā€_ not those ā€œradical right wingers.ā€ šŸ˜‰ Besides the obvious, I was also trying to point out that with the propensity of the left of accusing the Bush et al for lying, that there probably would be more democrats in that 70% than others and that they most likely would not have believed Bush anyway. ---
**Author:** ![SentientMeat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@SentientMeat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SentientMeat)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-osama-no-longer-a-target/285837/46 "2005-01-25T10:47:47Z")
The [PIPA poll](http://www.pipa.org/OnlineReports/Pres_Election_04/Press10_21_04.pdf) (pdf) was taken just before the election, not a ā€œyear and a half agoā€. **Why** were Bush supporters so _factually incorrect_ in their beliefs? People simply do not start believing false things _randomly_, otherwise Kerry supporters would have been _similarly_ misinformed. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-osama-no-longer-a-target/285837/47 "2005-01-25T20:12:31Z")
[quote **Why** were Bush supporters so _factually incorrect_ in their beliefs?[/quote] ā€œFacts are inconvenient things.ā€ ā€“Ronnie Reagan ---
**Author:** ![Good\_Egg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/96bed5/32.png) [@Good\_Egg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Good_Egg)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2005, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-osama-no-longer-a-target/285837/48 "2005-01-26T03:44:15Z")
They were never trying to find him. We do have technology that can see small words from way up high. They donā€™t want to ā€œfindā€ him, heā€™s a good person to blame for 9-11, thought they didnā€™t exactly have proof he was the mastermind (that would be people a little closer to home). I donā€™t even know if heā€™s still alive, but I doubt theyā€™ll come up with him unless it advances an agenda. Also, what everybody else said. ---
**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2005, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-osama-no-longer-a-target/285837/49 "2005-01-26T07:48:45Z")
> [@Good Egg](#): > > They were never trying to find him. We do have technology that can see small words from way up high. Who are ā€œtheyā€? According to the book **Ghost Wars** , Clinton and the CIA wanted to kill OBL, but could never get close enough to tell if it really was him on a couple of occasions. Once he spent a week at a falcon hunt, with the CIA close by. All they could tell was that there was someone much taller than the others present. Are you saying we would have been sure if only heā€™d been wearing his name-tag? šŸ˜• ---
**Author:** ![Good\_Egg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/96bed5/32.png) [@Good\_Egg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Good_Egg)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2005, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-osama-no-longer-a-target/285837/50 "2005-01-27T02:41:24Z")
Name tag? No, they-in-charge know exactly where he is; they arenā€™t trying to ā€œfindā€ him, he will be trotted out if and when its expedient. ---
**Author:** ![Rashak\_Mani](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ea666f/32.png) [@Rashak\_Mani](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rashak_Mani)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2005, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-osama-no-longer-a-target/285837/51 "2005-01-27T13:07:11Z")
Do remember that if ObL gets hit by a 500 lb bomb laser guided bomb there wonā€™t be many ways of positively ID himā€¦ and that can be a problem for the US. How do you defeat someone who doesnā€™t exist anymore and you canā€™t prove he is dead ? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-osama-no-longer-a-target/285837.md?page=2)