http://www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/releases/pr_2003_1112b.htmlNovember 12, 2003
For Immediate Release
"I have great respect for General Clark, but his proposal to rely on Saudi commandos to go into Pakistan to find Osama bin Laden just won't withstand scrutiny. President Bush let Osama Bin Laden slip away in the first place at Tora Bora by not relying on US troops but rather on Afghan mercenaries who just one month earlier had been fighting on the other side. The General’s proposal, likewise, is flawed. Not only do the Saudis currently have their hands full finding the terrorists who are blowing up buildings in their own capital, but with their support of the Taliban and the blind eye they too often turned towards Al Qaida, I fear operational collaborations with the Saudis in Pakistan and Afghanistan would create serious intelligence and security risks.
“The Administration can and must turn up the tempo of operations against Al Qaida in Northern Pakistan by intensifying our efforts with General Musharraf, refocusing U.S. intelligence efforts on the border areas, and making better use of the existing collaboration between the U.S and Pakistan.”