If You Were In Charge Of Locating Bin Laden Where Would You Look?

[DistressedAmerican]

I have a very hard time believing that he is still hanging out in the Afghan/Pakistani border region. The continued assertions that he is most likely there make no sense to me. Why would he hang around in the area where the search for him is the most concentrated? It makes no sense.

I'd bet Yemen maybe even Indonesia.

What do you think? Where is Bin Laden's hiding. Oops sorry, running. As we all know he can't hide!

[B Calm]

1. On a ranch in Crawford, Texas.

[CoolOnion]

8. Awwww...that was my guess--you beat me to it.

[KlatooBNikto]

11. If you put a beard on the Saudi Prince holding hands with Bush, he

could be easily mistaken for OBL.

[MoJoWorkin]

19. durn, that was my immediate thought, too!!

[KansDem]

38. Nah, try Kennebunkport, Maine...

Osama's no fool. Don't forget, he was a "jet-setter" at one time...


Osama's circled

He's not about to swelter at some pig farm in Texas when he can relax and go boating off the coast of Maine...

[blondeatlast]

53. That was my first thought, too.

I'm sure it's great weather in Kennebunkport right now.

[LibDemAlways]

67. Damn, you beat me to it.

Or if not Crawford, then Cheney's digs in Wyoming or Rummy's in New Mexico.

There's lots of places for the BFEE to provide him all the creature comforts.

[lonestarnot]

68. In the barn on a crawford tx ranch whanking a stud horse.

[liberal N proud]

2. Try Saudi Arabia

I think he is being protected by the shit head who is in bed with bu$h!

[DistressedAmerican]

10. I Think That is A Pretty Good Guess...

[Junkdrawer]

15. That's where I'd place my bet...

9/11 was a Saudi operation. Amazon's review of Senator Graham's book Intelligence Matters:

In this explosive, controversial, and profoundly alarming insider’s report, Senator Bob Graham reveals faults in America’s national security network severe enough to raise fundamental questions about the competence and honesty of public officials in the CIA, the FBI, and the White House.
For ten years, Senator Graham served on the Senate Intelligence Committee, where he had access to some of the nation’s most closely guarded secrets. Following the attacks of September 11, 2001, Graham co-chaired a historic joint House-Senate inquiry into the intelligence community’s failures. From that investigation and his own personal fact-finding, Graham discovered disturbing evidence of terrorist activity and a web of complicity:

• At one point, a terrorist support network conducted some of its operations through Saudi Arabia’s U.S. embassy–and a funding chain for terrorism led to the Saudi royal family.
• In February 2002, only four months after combat began in Afghanistan, the Bush administration ordered General Tommy Franks to move vital military resources out of Afghanistan for an operation against Iraq–despite Franks’s privately stated belief that there was a job to finish in Afghanistan, and that the war on terrorism should focus next on terrorist targets in Somalia and Yemen.
• Throughout 2002, President Bush directed the FBI to limit its investigations of Saudi Arabia, which supported some and possibly all of the September 11 hijackers.
• The White House was so uncooperative with the bipartisan inquiry that its behavior bore all the hallmarks of a cover-up.
• The FBI had an informant who was extremely close to two of the September 11 hijackers, and actually housed one of them, yet the existence of this informant and the scope of his contacts with the hijackers were covered up.
• There were twelve instances when the September 11 plot could have been discovered and potentially foiled.
• Days after 9/11, U.S. authorities allowed some Saudis to fly, despite a complete civil aviation ban, after which the government expedited the departure of more than one hundred Saudis from the United States.
• Foreign leaders throughout the Middle East warned President Bush of exactly what would happen in a postwar Iraq, and those warnings went either ignored or unheeded.


http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1400063523/qid=1115119355/sr=8-1/ref=pd_csp_1/103-5226304-1010233?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

[Bob3]

22. This is my guess as well

He's got family and money there - and there have been more than a few attacks in Saudi as well.

[Djinn]

59. most of his family in Saudi have renounced ties with him

The Saudi government certainly wouldn't want him there, while there are a few princes who have beliefs closer to Osama's than the King, the ruling section of the family know fine well that Osama hates them more than he hates the US.

The House of Saud does NOT want an Islamic Republic

I'd put my money on Pakistan/Afghan border still, he's in absolutely no danger of being caught so why move.

If not he's possibly fallen down the back of my sofa, seems to be where everything else I'm looking for is found

[Yupster]

71. My guess is a city

in Pakistan only because that's where every other kinda big guy they've caught has been.

[Richard D]

35. My thought too.

[ET Awful]

3. The same place Bush looked for Weapons of Mass Destruction

under the furniture in the Oval Office?

[oblivious]

4. First, I find it hard to believe he's still alive.

Second, I think he's be pretty easy to spot on his way to and in Indonesia. Not too many 6'5" folks there (if any).

Third, Pakistan would be the safest place for him, protected by the ISI and CIA, his partners in crime.

[DistressedAmerican]

5. Don't Really Know About Point 1. You May Well Be Right.

Point 2: It isn't like the guy is walking out to get groceries and such. He is in hiding. The "stands out in a crowd theory" has never really made sense to me.

Point 3: VERY Likely. But, not the border if you ask me. More likely a big city.

[oblivious]

13. It would be such a huge risk to travel to Indonesia.

He'd have to travel through Pakistan, find a ship with a completely loyal crew, cross the Indian Ocean, land illegally in Indonesia. And it's not like he would have real connections in Indonesia. The supposed Al-qaeda links there involve a few Indonesians having trained in Afghanistan a decade or more ago. Basically nothing. The al-qaeda link was something built up by the US with the corporate media's cooperation to make it seem that Al-queda had worldwide reach. It's just nonsense. So who could he depend on there to hide him? It's an incredibly densely populated place.

[blondeatlast]

54. Agreed--Pakistan, but in one or more of the cities.

Musharif has a very tenuous existence (hubby's from India, so I have more than the average insight to the political workings of the region).

[rodeodance]

14. I seriously wonder if he is alive also.

[Nimrod]

6. I'd start by

Checking out all the illegal government slush funds and see where the money has been going. I realize we're dealing with the best liars currently available, but sooner or later the trail would lead right to OBL.

[Disturbed]

9. CIA stated: Indonesia

It has quite a few islands. The Bush Junta is no longer concerned with Osama. He served his usefullness.

[dbt]

7. First thing I'd do is find Poppy Bush. He knows.

Nobody has brought the Bush Family Evil Empire more power, prestige and MONEY than bin Laden has done. Poppy sure as hell knows where he is and is keeping him very comfortable.

[Spinzonner]

12. The White House basement

where he's Rove's bitch

[wakeme2008]

16. Iran --- dick cheney told me so

IMHO, the invasion of Iran will be near when * starts with the bin Laden is in Iran talk.... :(

[Tesha]

17. Langley. (NT)

[katinmn]

18. safe to say if ANY of us were in charge, we'd have looked

and would have found him by now.

[oblivious]

20. Yes, no question about it.

[LynnTheDem]

21. Pakistan. Where he has a huge amount of support.

In fact, more Pakistanis have a favorable opinion of OBL than they do of bush.

[DistressedAmerican]

23. Sadly, That Is Not Uncommon Around The World.

[LynnTheDem]

24. Very true.

Thanks to bush.

[DistressedAmerican]

26. Frankly, Bush Has Killed A Hell Of A Lot More Innocent People

than Bin Laden could ever dream of.

[LynnTheDem]

29. Of course.

Actually I'd taken that as a known fact. Taking all the allegations against OBL together, he's got a body count of less than 6000 people, AFAIK.

bush has Afghanistan -where Karzai just asked him to try not to kill so many women & children, 4 years of still-raging war later- and then there's Iraq.

An estimated 26,000 Iraqi troops killed in the first 3 weeks of invasion. The Iraqi soldiers should be counted as "innocent" in this, imo; they never did a damn thing against us and didn't deserve to die by bush's war of aggression any more than any Iraqi civilians did/do.

If the 2 studies that put Iraqi deaths at 100,000+ are accurate, then bush is sure outdoing Saddam Hussein. While only some 5000 remains have been found in those "mass graves" and while AI and HRW have recently admitted they "vastly overstated" the estimate of remains when they said 300,000, but let's go with that "vastly overstated" 300,000. That's over 30 years. And a decade-long war.

And bush is at 100,000+ in 2 years.

[blondeatlast]

56. Note that Musharif is still around, too.

He knows which side of the bread has the butter.

OBL has his boot directly over Musharif's neck, I'm guessing.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

25. Tahiti, along with the WMDs. ;) n/t

[RetroLounge]

27. It's Not Where, it's WHEN

Like in the year 2000....

RL

[DistressedAmerican]

28. I Would Not Trust These Folks With TIme Travel Technology!

They's just destroy the world earlier!

[Jose Diablo]

30. The "Last Chance" bar and grill

They've got pinball machines and a juke box and three pool tables. Even a country western band on Friday and Saturday nights and datable women show-up. Sometimes a 'lady of the night' or two may come around looking for business. Plenty of pleasant pastimes to while-away the hours.

A lot of disreputable sorts hang-out there also. You have to be careful there. I seldom go there myself anymore. But if you have a little cash and time, it's not bad there.

[HEIL PRESIDENT GOD]

31. There are good reasons for him to stay there

The US military really can't patrol that area, regardless of what the media tells you. There are close to a thousand, highly effective Stinger anti-aircraft missiles loose in the region. Nix helicopters unless you're willing to suck up the bad PR of a US missile taking down a US gunship. The roads are too narrow for Humvees, which were strictly designed for the war we are fighting in Iraq. The US military doesn't have a single horse in active service. Osama is a living god to the Pashtuns (Kipling's Pathans--they were a nasty military problem that far back) which includes the local authorities.

Oh, and also Osama knows that the last thing Cheney wants is him captured.

[DistressedAmerican]

32. You Are Right There Are Good Reasons To Stay.

But, there are also major negatives. Based on what I've read Musharaff has been putting it pretty hard to that region. I know they have killed lots of folks fighting their way into the border region. I wouldn't hang around anymore than I would have stayed on Tora Bora.

[Djinn]

61. Musharraf isn't stupid

his position is highly tenuous, even with US support, he's denounced by progressives because he's a military dictator and denounced by the fundie nuts for being secular, a REAL push into the border zone (where people are loyal to family/tribal grouping NOT any idea of Pakistan the nation state) would be a disaster for him particularly as half the military and secret service back Osama.

It makes FAR moer sense for Musharraf and the US to have Osama slip into the memory hole forever

[mopaul]

33. new jersey and new york where many of his family live

http://www.borndigital.com/tg/!binladenfamily.jpg

[burn the bush]

34. Bush's speed dial

[JNelson6563]

36. The Carlyle suite

Corner office. ;-)

Julie

[RPM]

37. Langley VA...

he's probably in his office there.

[KansDem]

39. OSAMA FOUND! Rare photo reveals his whereabouts (albeit briefly)

Damn! What happened to my clothes? That's the last ménage à trois I'll ever have with El Presidente and that reporter guy!

[DistressedAmerican]

40. Yikes! LOL! That is An Image I Didn't Really Need In My Head!

Not so much the running naked Osams, the Menage. Pardon me while I go puke!!!:puke:

[ck4829]

41. The basement of the WH

Whenever a Republican is President you can always find corrupt people and dealings down there.

[BringEmOn]

51. Yep...probably in Ollie North's old office.

[kenny blankenship]

42. I'd start with a review of *'s cellphone records -NT

[Zorra]

43. In the luxury bunker beneath the Saudi Royal Palace and courtyard. n/t

[Roland99]

44. Saudi Arabia.

[Mary in KC]

45. Saudi Arabia - that's where his family is

and those are the people that would hide him.

[Stephanie]

46. Pakistan - did you hear the NPR Morning Edition story today?

They interviewed the CIA guy who was sent to Afghanistan immediately after 9/11. He says Pakistan is probably protecting bin Laden - that they could hand him over if they wanted to. And he also says the U.S. pulled resources out of Afghanistan and moved them to Iraq and this is another reason why we haven't caught OBL.

[DistressedAmerican]

47. I Didn't Hear It. I'll Have To Check Out Their Website.

Sure would explain why they don't seem to be doing anything to pressure Pakistan or look for public enemy #1...

[Stephanie]

48. Audio here >

No transcript that I can see, but audio at link:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4626666

[DistressedAmerican]

49. Great! I'll Listen Now.

The teaser certainly establishes the guys credentials to discuss the issue:

-Snip-


Gary Schroen relaxing at Lake Tahoe, near his home in Reno,
Morning Edition, May 2, 2005 · Gary Schroen is one of the CIA's most respected and experienced spies. Two days after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, his bosses handed him a new mission targeting Osama bin Laden: "Bring his head back in a box" is the phrase Schroen remembers. Five days later, the veteran operative and his six-man team were on a plane.

They were the first Americans to enter Afghanistan after the 9/11 attacks. Over the next few weeks, Schroen paid $5 million in bribes to Afghan commanders, paved the way for U.S. military forces to enter the country, and armed anti-al Qaeda fighters with silencer-equipped machine guns and grenades.

Schroen's work with the Northern Alliance and smaller groups led to some successes, but he says his team never got close to killing the al Qaeda leader -- or his top deputy, Egyptian Ayman al-Zawahiri, who was reportedly in the eastern section of Kabul.

[Coexist]

50. If they Reds were under the beds

then Osama must be... behind your Mama?

[DistressedAmerican]

52. I'll Have To Check Next Time I See Her! LOL!!

[Individualist]

55. Pakistan

Bin Laden has the support of the Pakistani people. IMO Musharref knows this and doesn't care. He's making fools of the Bush regime while those American dollars just keep pouring in to Pakistan.

[blondeatlast]

64. Musharif is no dummy--if he shows any sign of turning on OBL

he's toast in the garbage disposal.

I'm willing to bet Musharif and OBL are within walking distance of each other.

[d_b]

57. In Karl Rove's dressing room.

[understandinglife]

58. Chechnya (nt)

www.missionnotaccomplished.us -- STOP THE ATROCITIES; INDICT THE WAR CRIMINALS

[DistressedAmerican]

62. That Is Not A Bad Guess. Unstable, War Torn, Plenty of Support

Good place to hide out...

[understandinglife]

63. Figure he moved there within the week after 911......

Peace.

www.missionnotaccomplished.us -- END THE ATROCITIES; INDICT BU$H AND THE FRISTIAN NEOCONSTERS

[leesa]

60. Cheney's lair under the WH

[iconoclastNYC]

65. Langley, VA. N/T

[TK421]

66. I thinks he's in Libya

Khadafhi's got him set up nicely in guest quarters....

[slaveplanet]

69. First I'd start with an Indictment

remember those

then I'd look in the Phillipines...

[DistressedAmerican]

70. Some New Info On Pakisan...

Not saying I believe it. Just that it is out there:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7732035/

Alleged bin Laden aide arrested in Pakistan
With capture, official says forces ‘on the right track’ in hunt for al-Qaida leader


Abu Faraj al-Libbi, the al-Qaida suspected arrested in Pakistan, is seen here in a picture issued by the government last year.

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - The man thought to be al-Qaida's operations commander, and who might know where Osama bin Laden is hiding, has been arrested in Pakistan, the government announced Wednesday.

The arrest of Abu Farraj al-Libbi, a Libyan who is also wanted in two attempts to assassinate Pakistani President Gen. Pervez Musharraf, is seen by U.S. officials as significant because of his alleged control over the daily operations of al-Qaida.

When asked whether Pakistan was close to capturing bin Laden, Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said that "this arrest gives us a lot of tips, and I can only say that our security agencies are on the right track."