Arrest of bin Laden closer than ever, U.S. official says

[kentuck]

http://www.marinetimes.com/story.php?f=1-292925-336583.php

<snip>
ISLAMABAD, Sept. 3 — A U.S. counterterrorism official said here Friday that nearly 75 percent of the al-Qaida terror network’s senior leadership has been eliminated and the capture of its fugitive chief, Osama bin Laden, is closer than ever.
Cofer Black, U.S. State Department coordinator for counterterrorism, told a select group of journalists that the arrests of hundreds of al-Qaida activists and members of its top hierarchy by Pakistan have brought the arrest of bin Laden closer.

“If you are asking if we are close to getting OBL, the answer is yes,” he said, when asked whether the large-scale arrests are leading to the capture of bin Laden, the prime suspect in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States.

“Our president (George W. Bush) has said we will arrest Osama bin Laden. It is guaranteed,” he said, adding it could happen tomorrow, in a week or a month from now.

...more

[Ducks In A Row]

1. A month from now? October?

Surprise!!!!!!

[arbusto_baboso]

2. Arrest of OBL close? Sure! All they have to do is walk to the freezer..

[treepig]

3. reminds me of the x-files

every single episode we learned that the "danger has never been greater"

the danger of what was never exactly clear, and the whole thing eventually fizzled out.

i foresee the same outcome with mr. laden

(of course, when he's paraded out in october, i will recall this internet prediction with deep shame - as it may be the very first inaccurracy to every inflict this medium of communication).

[DoYouEverWonder]

4. So does that mean they've caught 3 guys

and they have one more to go? The ever elusive Osama bin Forgotten? Or is this just our once a month reminder, that we're almost going to capture him again?

[cvoogt]

5. ARREST? They're going to ARREST OBL?

... and put him in county jail surely. How will he be tried? I'm just curious. In a special US court, in a special international court, or in the court of public opinion ... the media? It will be a Hollywood spectacle - the neocronies will make sure it gets on tv, and Bush may even go to Afghani-/Pakistan to pick him and bring him to Fort Crawford.

[Bandit]

13. Police arrest..soldiers capture... I thought they were adamant about this

being a war and most definitely not a criminal matter. They made much fun of Kerry saying it should be considered a police action and not a war. These people have never learned to get their stories straight

[BootinUp]

6. These stories are a riot

Not the first time such claims have been made. My personal opinion is they will not catch him before the election.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

7. "2004 U.S Presidential Election is CLOSER THAN EVER" too.

[DrFunkenstein]

8. Closer Than Tora Bora

Osama should have been caught years ago, when we had him in our sights. If Kerry was wise, he would pre-empt an "October surprise" by stating this repeatedly.

[mourningdove92]

9. Orwellian lingo indeed.

"I am authorized to say that todays events brings the end of the war measurably closer" or something like that.

War is Peace
Freedom is Slavery

and I forgot the third

[MO_Dem]

10. Duh!

Every day that passes brings us one day closer--if Osama's capture is 20 yrs. away, tomorrow it will be only 19 yrs. and 364 days away!

[sangh0]

11. I am so pleasantly surprised!!!

I would never have thought we might catch him close to the elections when Bush* would be concentrating more on his campaign than his job fighting terrorists

/sarcasm

[nosmokes]

12. i wouln't put it past 'em to hire a double.

some poor schlub that looks like obl and promise to take care of his family and then parade "achmed" in front of the cameras and he would die from his kidney disease and the strain of the arrest and being in custody. or a similiar scenario.

around october 10. it hasta happen before too many absentee ballots get sent in.

[ronnykmarshall]

14. WOW. What. A. Shocker.

[shraby]

15. If they catch him

they will have to put him on trial..they better be careful on what evidence they use..they might implicate themselves.

[David Zephyr]

16. I'm With Ducks In A Row, October is Getting Closer.

Kissinger's "Peace is at hand" promise about Vietnam in November 1992 about his and Nixon's war that continued on for years to come and that costed tens of thousands of young American lives.

Nixon, who had avoide fighting in WWII, won in a landslide against what his campaign called a "weak, pacifist, peacenik" George McGovern---who, by the way, had been a bomber pilot against Nazi Germany during that war.

[Dangerman]

17. Umm...

You mean November 1972.

[David Zephyr]

21. 1972

See what happens when you get old. Yes, 1972, I was there in the Catskills as a volunteer for the McGovern campaign.

Thanks.

[Triana]

18. Which spider hole do you think they'll pull him out of...

...that he's been sitting in for months waiting for bu$hit's October Surprise?

[mumon]

19. I gotta ask this question...

Does al Qaeda publish it's membership roster?

How the f*ck do they know that "75 percent" of their network's "senior leadership" has been eliminated, when they are arranged in cells?

[Piperay]

20. October

no doubt. :eyes:

[DeepModem Mom]

22. kick

[dmr]

23. Ah, the infamous "October of Course"

Of course you'll capture bin Laden in October, Georgie* - you brave and courageous leader, you.
/sarcasm

bin Laden's trial will be as open and informative as Saddams.
/more sarcasm

I wonder where they're stashing bin Laden (or even his double) right now? and if he will be "captured" dead or alive. Shoot the real bin Laden prob died long ago considering his kidney ailment.