Closer to catching Osama?

[Wolf]

If you guys have been reading the news of late, it appears that the Pakistani military has begun a new campaign against al-Qaeda in the Afghanistan-Pakistan border region.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/asiapcf/03/19/pakistan.alqaeda/index.html

It appears that the fighting has been going on for some time, and, as I understand it, Pakistani forces on their side of the border are trying to push the al-Qaeda fighters out into the Afghanistan side so that US forces in wait over there can catch 'em. Reports indicate that al-Qaeda's number two man, Ayman al-Zawahiri, is in hiding inside the Pakistani's target zone.

My question is, do you think we're close to catching Osama bin Laden? If so, what's to be done with him? What do you think will be done? What do you think should be done?

To be quick, I think that they probably won't catch him, but I acknowledge that there's the possibility, since I doubt Osama would be far from his right-hand man. I think that what's most likely is that the US will try him for his crimes, however, I feel that other countries wronged by bin Laden should have the opportunity to do the same. If possible, the UN might want to get involved, if only to moderate the separate interests brought up by his capture. Anyway, what do you guys think?

[Mihail]

Perhaps he won't be far from his right hand man,but if they haven't been able to catch Osama for the last 3 years,I don't think they'll catch him anytime soon now  :P

[GUNWOUNDS]

Perhaps he won't be far from his right hand man,but if they haven't been able to catch Osama for the last 3 years,I don't think they'll catch him anytime soon now

[danielsh]

Osama will be caught.. Bush's

[shygirl4]

A televised exacution, hanged or shot, im sure the thousands of people he has had a hand in killing would like to see this.

shy  ::)

[Dunenewt]

The SAS (British and Australian) and the SBS have joined in now so Osama's right man's and possible Osama's days are numbered.

[Anathema]

I agree with Wolfwiz on this. It would be morally wrong, not to mention diplomaticly stupid to let a tribunal composed entirely by Americans judge over Bin Laden. At the very least Spain should be involved as well.

Didn't Osama have a kidney disease in a terminal fase? It would be doubtful then he'd ever live to see any tribunal pronounce judgement.

[VigilVirus]

I'd prefer not to have Osama caught until the end of the November election. It would give Bush undue credit.

[Inoculator9]

Lol, he wont be. And if the Pakistani Military catches him.... maybe Bush wont get credit, but I doubt even that. He isn't going to be caught before the new administration, and than the Pakistani Military will catch him god knows when, and hopefully they will then take the credit, lol :P

[Dude_Doc]

Well, well, I guess people would protest again, saying catching Osama bin-Laden isn't right and that we should let him go. I, at least, wouldn't be so surprized if that happened...

;)

[Wolf]

I've been wondering about that point Anathema brought up. How is bin Laden's health? For some reason, I can't imagine him running across the Central Asian steppe tugging a dialysis machine after him. I know that most people think he's still alive, but how? Is he even in the Afghanistan-Pakistan border region, or has be been moved elsewhere since then, and is leading the America Coalition on a wild goose chase?

[Leto le Juste]

Ossama is not the problem anymore. With the attacks of the 9/11, he said to the fundamentalists : "Our war begins, you know what you have to do,go". He is not the most dangerous now. Terrorists cells are independant and can hurt whenever and wherever they want. That's why it is very difficult to catch them (e.g Spain)

[danielsh]

I was shocked---absolutely shocked---to hear a correspondent on the infamous Fox News acknowledge just what Leto said. She pointed out that America's ridiculous "War on Terror" cannot be fought with guns or bombs, but must be fought some other way. She should have extended her argument one more step: it must be fought with compassion.

As long as the US deals with Iraqi looting by driving tanks over cars, and as long as it takes action that is clearly imperialistic and unjust, we are inviting terrorism. The most effective way to deal with the terrorist threat is to show the world that we're not so bad after all, then work from there. If we are compassionate and just to the terrorists and to our enemies, then things might change. (And, as I said, things might change if pigs could fly as well.)