As Osama Bin Laden turns 50 tomorrow, the US government seems to be panicking. It has been reported that it is dispatching additional CIA operatives and paramilitary officers to Pakistan to kill or capture the al-Qa’eda leader. Well, what was it doing for the last six years??
In a mission aiming to intensify pressure on the terrorist leader, the US has decided to send CIA assasins looking for him. Seriously, what was America doing uptil now if not this? He is widely believed to be hiding in the region bordering Afghanistan.
Stephen Kappes, deputy director of the CIA provided alleged satellite snapshots and details of communications intercepts in order to persuade the Musharraf regime to assist the US more actively. Mr Kapped also visited Musharraf along with Vice President Dick Cheney. He made detailed presentation showing evidence of al-Qa’eda building its strength on Pakistani soil.
Reports that the trail has gone stone cold are not correct,” an American official said afterwards. “We are very much increasing our efforts there.
Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence agency (ISI) and operatives from the CIA’s Islamabad station also met the US official to discuss co-ordinating efforts to track bin Laden. Also, reports indicate that last week Adml Mike McConnell, the new US Director of National Intelligence, told a Senate committee that bin Laden is in Pakistan for sure. This allays the actual intensity of the US belief regarding the presence of senior terrorists in Pakistan. In fact, a news item in the Telegraph reported that McConnell’s report was the most specific information about bin Laden given by a US official for several years and prompted speculation that surveillance photographs of the al-Qa’eda leader or his deputy might have been obtained.
Speaking about the Pakistani tribal regions, McConnell stressed that
to the best of our knowledge the senior leadership, Number One and Number Two, are there, and they are attempting to re-establish and rebuild and to establish training camps.
Quick action required
As the above information relays, the US intelligence officers are extremely certain about the presence of senior terrorists in Pakistan. However, if the US hasn’t done so yet, which seems surprising to say the least, it must take quick action now. Intelligence reports have previously shown that bin Laden usually choses March to switch locations, moving to hiding places in the mountains once the snow cover begins to melt. Also, he is likely to be at his most vulnerable when on the move.
Via: The Telegraph
