Bin Laden Hunt UPDATE
From Reuters:The United States has struck a deal with Pakistan to allow U.S. troops to hunt for al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden this spring in an area of Pakistan where he is believed to be operating, the New Yorker magazine reported on Sunday.
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"It's a quid pro quo," according to a former senior intelligence official. "We're going to get our troops inside Pakistan in return for not forcing Musharraf to deal with Khan."
Musharraf has also offered other help in the hunt for bin Laden, accused of masterminding the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States, according to the article.
"Musharraf told us, 'We've got guys inside. The people who provide fresh fruits and vegetables and herd the goats' for bin Laden and his al Qaeda followers," the intelligence official added.
Matt's Chat
While I am thrilled that we have a deal in place that would allow us to hunt down the most evil man on the planet, I'm not sure that this deal is a win-win.Letting A. Q. Khan off the hook is not a good thing. Weapons proliferation and those who engage in it aren't to be treated with kid gloves. If we are to be successful in our efforts, we are going to have to come down hard on guys who are in this business.
And I don't think it was a good idea to broadcast that the Pakistani's have "insiders" that al Quaeda will now kill because of this leak. Having "insiders" is a good thing...if they continue breathing, that is...
Mark's Remarks
OK, problem number 1: the author of this article said bin Laden was merely "accused" of masterminding the 9/11 attacks. HE ADMITTED TO DOING THAT, AND WE HAVE TONS OF EVIDENCE THAT HE DID!!!! Quit giving the terrorists the benefit of the doubt!!!!
Next, I agree with Matt that AQ Khan was/is a menace and should be dealt with. However, getting to bin Laden is job 1, and if we have to let this guy simply live in shame in his country, rather than see him hanged, then I say go for it. Let the Mossad take care of him, for all I care.
Also, this whole deal of a writer broadcasting who Pakistan's sources are inside bin Laden's camp is not a good idea. It could cost lives. This reporter should have more responsibility than that, to include the most detailed quotes about who the sources may be.
However, the sooner we get bin Laden, the safer we will be, unless you believe as a dimcan't liberalista that GW Bush is far more dangerous, and that America is the real villian. That is the dirty belief behind every argument they make, that the flawed logic behind it is that we are the bad guys. Untrue, but you continue to swing that way by providing aid and comfort to the enemy.
