US wants Osama bin Laden alive, US commander in Afghanistan says

[bemildred]

Source: CSM

The top commander in Afghanistan is still on the hunt for Osama bin Laden and would take him alive if possible. But Gen. Stanley McChrystal, speaking with reporters by videoconference at the Pentagon Wednesday, appeared to contradict what the Obama administration’s top lawyer said Tuesday.

Attorney General Eric Holder told a congressional panel Tuesday that he thought the chances that Mr. bin Laden would be captured were “infinitesimal” because it is far more likely he would be killed by an airstrike or taken by his own people. But asked about capturing or killing the spiritual leader of Al Qaeda and the individual behind the attacks of 9/11 Wednesday, Mr. McChrystal said there was no doubt the military would try to capture bin Laden and had not given up on capturing him alive.

“Wow. No, if Osama bin Laden comes inside Afghanistan, we would certainly go after trying to capture him alive and bring him to justice,” McChrystal said. “I think that is something that is understood by everyone.”

The two statements appeared at odds with one another, but it is unclear to what extent fundamental differences existed between the two men. Mr. Holder was speaking about the likelihood of capturing bin Laden and how justice might be meted out for him. If bin Laden were captured, it would force the Obama administration to decide what legal rights he would have and where he would be tried – in military or civilian court.

Read more: http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Military/2010/0317/US-wants-Osama-bin-Laden-alive-US-commander-in-Afghanistan-says

[Webster Green]

1. "capture him alive and bring him to justice"

Where?

I was under the impression that the U.S. is so scared of accused terrorists that they can't figure out how to hold the trials.

[LakeSamish706]

3. Talk about a waste of tax payer dollars.. n/t

[No Elephants]

15. Au contraire. Capturing and trying Bin Laden would be worth 100X anything we might spend on it.

But, he's probably dead, so we won't get that opportunity.

On edit: Actually, I think he may have been tried already, in abentia. I'm not sure of that, though.

[LakeSamish706]

2. What makes them think that Bin Laden is alive now is what I would like to know? n/t

[Webster Green]

5. He's probably long dead.

I doubt he made it through 2004.

[wildbilln864]

13. in dec 2001, he died. nt

[TheCowsCameHome]

4. He'll be dead of natural causes unless McCain let's us in on where he's hiding.

OBL hasn't much to worry about.

[liberal N proud]

6. Yeah, They want him alive

He is very useful to have these periodic Osama binLaden tapes providing a dose of verbal terror to keep the sheeple in line.

[RC]

Mr. bin Laden will live as long as the U.S. thinks it has to fight terrorism.

He will be the poster terrorist well into the next century. The oldest living terrorist. If bin Laden ever dies the fight is all over.

[timeforpeace]

7. Mr. AG Holder isn't gonna like that, Yogi.

[Robb]

8. Tempest in a teapot

...Were I editing the Christian Science Monitor, given the past few weeks' bung-ups, I'd take a little break from reporting on Afghanistan matters.

[bemildred]

9. Surely Stanley's comments are newsworthy in light of Mr Holders testimony?

I can certainly agree that it all is in one sense bullshit, but the fact that the government cannot agree on what sort of bullshit it wants to spread seems notable.

[bluestateguy]

10. Obama needs the election year trophy: bin Laden alive and captured

Preferably in the third week of October 2012.

[MindandSoul]

11. I'm not convinced he is still alive!. . .I think his "image" is just being used as "the boogy man!"

[Vinnie From Indy]

12. Find OBL? Why in the world would anyone want to do that?

He has become the poster boy for the theft of TRILLIONS. OBL has made more people money than all the Hollywood villians ever created COMBINED! After the fall of Communism, the M/I complex needed a new brand and a new marketing strategy so they came up with Osama and Al Queda. It has worked like a charm!

[lib2DaBone]

14. Benazir Bhutto said Osama Bin Laden is DEAD...

Just before she was murdered....


2:14 into video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnychOXj9Tg

[No Elephants]

16. Who ya gonna believe? Bhutto or the U.S. government?

Er.....




never mind.

[onenote]

17. holder and mchrystal's statements are not contradictory

Holder was addressing how likely it would be that OBL would be captured alive. McChrystal was addressing whether an attempt would be made to capture him alive. I'm sorry, but where is there a contradiction. Did McChrystal say it was likely they'd succeed in getting OBL alive? Did Holder say that no attempt to get him alive would be made?