Now that we know that they know where Osama is, what's our strategy?

[John_H]

During the weeks before Saddam's capture there were leaks out of the military that they were getting close to Saddam, leaks which Rumsfeld and others dismissed, while expressing their confidence they would get him.

Reading between the lines many DUers surmised that they knew where he was but were waiting for an opportune time to go get him. Sure enough, with a nothing-but-dems holiday news cycle looming, a month long love fest was triggered by Saddam's capture.

With the election season in full swing, and the chimp resorting to actual interviews while his approval ratings drop faster than teeth from a freeper's mouth, let us feast our cynical eyes on a little deja vu.

Even dim Tim noticed a couple of bizarre little stories which bubbled up over the last couple of days--Chuck Grassley opining with apparent certainty that they'll get Osama before the election,

http://www.hillnews.com/under_dome/020404.aspx

And an eerily familiar AP Article in which Rummy says they'll get him, but tries to undercut leaks by the military that they know where he is.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A16594-2004Feb5.html

Read those articles again. Wierd, eh? Now re-watch Chimpy's facial expression when Russert asks him about Osama and Chimp starts to answer then thinks better of it and refuses to comment.

Are the military and others trying to pressure the administration to act before Osama gets away? Is the Administration waiting (after all, if he gets away what have they lost? It's secret) for the right moment.

Tin foil hats aside, clearly something is going on.

[JohnnyFianna1]

1. Catch and Release

We catch him, so that Bush's approval ratings go up. Then we release him so that we can have the never ending war and State of emergency, postpone the elections once a Democratic candidate rating passes him by more than 5%. (Blame his release on Cheney as the final excuse to get rid of him)

[EXE619K]

2. Osama isn't the problem.

Osama is the "representation" of the problem.

Al Queda is THE problem.

It's like that symbolic analogy of the snake with ten-heads.

Just because ya cut-off the big toe, four others remain and the threat of ten more in regeneration.

But, of course, this is the truth...therefore, the American public will not buy the "truth".

They will consume the "hype".

Sad.

[acmavm]

3. Fine, let them pull Osama out of their asses. Big deal.

Al Quada has taken on a life of its own, with or without him. And why? Because of the attack of Iraq. Al Quaeda is going to be like the Hydra in Greek mythology. Cut off one head, and two more replace it. This would not have happened if not for the actions of the Bush* administration.

[lastknowngood]

4. Keep your eyes open if they catch the boogie man they will

need another. Iran and Syria are both on the PNAC wish list and a new war will make chimpy look like a "popular war time president" and require the Democratic candidate to stop criticizing the shrub.
This will efectivly end the campgain and anoint him. We have problems people we need a bulldog to fight this battle not someone who will show respect for the office.

[Gin]

5. we" think" they have Osama....I really "believe" they have him....keep the

story alive that they are holding him until closer to the election

That will taint the capture and make them look like the phonies they are. If this is their ace in the hole...it will blow up and fizzle just like the capture od Saddam did.

[starroute]

6. How about simply demanding that they produce him?

Put out the word that credible sources are suggesting he's been found. Say indignantly that Americans have been living in fear for three years, and that if the administration has Osama, they owe it to all of us to bring him forward so that the country can get back to normal. Then keep harping on the point. (Maybe somebody like Michael Moore would be persuaded to raise the issue in public.)

If we can do that, then when they actually do produce Osama, it will be an anti-climax at best, and quite possibly a source of national resentment.

Remember that the most likely Republican strategy would be to bring Osama out around the time of their convention. That gives us lots of time to spoil the surprise for them.

[John_H]

7. Good Idea. The problem is getting Democratic electeds to speak up.

[radwriter0555]

8. Uh bin laden been dead since December 2001. he's long buried

and long gone.

He ain't jesus and he ain't coming back.

Kidney disease is indeed permanently fatal.