Officials: Al Qaida, Taliban on the run

[JoFerret]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=516&ncid=721&e=10&u=/ap/20040325/ap_on_re_as/al_qaida_on_the_run

KABUL, Afghanistan - Al-Qaida and Taliban fighters, increasingly pursued by American and Pakistani forces, are on the run or hunkering down rather than mounting a threatened spring offensive of their own, U.S. and Afghan officials say.
...

Brig. Mahmood Shah, chief of security in Pakistan's tribal areas, acknowledged that some terrorists might have escaped at the start of the 10-day-old operation.

His comments further fueled speculation that a "high-value" terrorist suspect — said by some officials last week to be al-Qaida No. 2 leader, Ayman al-Zawahri — had escaped.

<snip>

Simultaneously, U.S. forces in Afghanistan are two weeks into Operation Mountain Storm — an offensive bent on catching Osama bin Laden (news - web sites) and his top al-Qaida and Taliban allies.
<snip>

The United States has yet to announce any major successes, but the relative dearth of attacks — against the American military or softer targets — shows the operation is working, a U.S. military spokesman said.
...
Spokesmen for the Taliban militia, the deposed rulers of Afghanistan, have allegedly promised a spring offensive of their own. Whether the talk was bluster or not, Taliban offensives traditionally come in the spring.

But so far, two weeks into the Pakistan and U.S. operations, retaliatory attacks have been sporadic, and borderline suicidal.

<more>

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

1. Yeah, I saw 'em running by my house yesterday. eom

[saigon68]

25. Yeah they're "RUNNING" to plant another Bomb, alright

Next week it will be 600 U.S. killed in Iraq-Nam. Yeah these guys are scared all right---NOT

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

38. And don't forget all the recruits we're getting for them.

[Florida_Geek]

2. Who writes these stories

"on the run or hunkering down"

That is the silliest line I have read today.

[Ripley]

5. LOL!

I think they use comic books for textbooks in journalism school nowadays.

[0007]

14. Ellen Knickmeyer, of the Associated Press

I thought they ran the press out of the area?

[Catfight]

3. do I hear the mission impossible music?

or how about instead of "Band on the Run," we parody it with, "Coup on the Run!" I love these Repug attempts to distract us from 9/11! Look, over there...Al Quida! NO NO...look over here, Taliban, "Taliban come and me want to go home, DAEO DAEO, Taliban come and me want to go home!"

Condi....CONNNNNDDIIIIIII where are you? Come put your hand on this bible girlfriend and solemnly swear.

[Catfight]

21. Osma Bin Laden seen riding a Unicorn!

[saigon68]

26. Too funny LOL

Thought I was outrageous, this stuff deserves an award

Well Done Catfight!!!!!!!!!!

[Catfight]

32. an Unicorn..OPPS

dammit..at least I can get it right if I'm going to attempt to be funny.

[NNN0LHI]

4. That is good to hear because they were eviscerated over 2 years ago n/t

[Athame]

9. Good one!

Had me ROTFLMAO, or literally close to it. These guys have no shame whatsoever.

[snooper2]

6. they must be in great shape...

They have been running non-stop for over 2 years now.

[CaptainClark23]

7. From Where? To Where?

If hunkering, where?

All Bullshit.

[bif]

8. Yeah, they're forming a national cross country team

[Bridget Burke]

11. Watch for them at the Olympics!

(Bad thought.)

[saigon68]

27. I too think they'll be there and not in the track and field events.

What an outrageous place to act like jerks

[Az_lefty]

10. What B.S....

I thought we had'em surrounded?

[0007]

15. In truth they probably have us surrounded now

They ran ahead of us so they could circle us

[rustydog]

12. Didn't Bush already make this claim prior to the Iraq invasion?

he had broken up Al Qaeda and destroyed the Taliban.
How can he do it a 2nd time if they were already destroyed?

[0007]

17. Yes, I remember reading after the big attack on Afghanistan

and the Taliban, the CIA said that they believe there was only twenty some Al Qaeda folks still around.

[Minstrel Boy]

13. Is this a headline from winter, 2001?

Still smokin' 'em out, eh?

Heaven's to Mergatroyd!

[Malaise_Forever]

16. Serious question...

How would one go about really putting Al Qaida, Taliban on the run?

[newyawker99]

24. Hi Malaise_Forever!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Malaise_Forever]

28. Hey Thanks

I appreciate it.

[daleo]

29. First thing, you wouldn't attack Iraq

Second thing, you wouldn't attack Iraq.

Technically, that is only one thing, but it is such an important thing that it's worth repeating.

(P.S. yes, the line is stolen from a Red Dwarf episode).

[Name removed]

34. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[daleo]

35. Among other things it diverts resources

It diverts the military, intelligence and police resources from the actual target. It also diverts people's attention, such as Bush himself (although I don't think his attention is necessarily helpful, in principle a president's focus should be important). It also affects other countries willingness to cooperate in the effort, especially countries with substantial Islamic populations, or just those who believe in the U.N., international law and things of that sort. It also costs a lot of money. It also affects the political will of the U.S. population, by creating an unnecessary and divisive issue. In the longer run, it affects the morale of the military and recruitment efforts. It makes the administration look like liars to large numbers of people in the U.S. and around the world, and thus undermines trust and credibility.

So, invading Iraq makes it more difficult to 'put them on the run'.

[tlcandie]

30. Wave the American flag at them?

:shrug:

[mikey_1962]

18. I saw them selling T shirts outside the Redwings game

[xxqqqzme]

19. if they're so 'hunkered'.....

how was that Spain attack accomplished?

I though squatter had the taliban destroyed 'n locked up @ Gitmo?

[yardwork]

36. * still thinks the Spain attack was ETA

[GOPisEvil]

20. This from the administration that's come to be known for its honesty.

:eyes:

[louis-t]

22. "Yes, and I'm going to put men on the moon and Mars..

..and the economy is great and getting better, and outsourcing is good for the economy, and we're CREATING jobs, and I'm lowering taxes, and Kerry's gonna raise your taxes and your taxes, he's gonna raise your taxes too.....

[Moderator]

23. JoFerret

Per DU copyright rules
please post only four
paragraphs from the
news source.

Thank you.


DU Moderator

[Gloria]

31. In the British press tonight..... Ayman al-Zawahri has issued a tape!

Story in the current Independent, UK....

[Just Me]

37. Are you talking about aQ encouraging the Taliban to overthrow

Pakistan? That was my first thought when I read this post. The potential of escalation into a total nightmare for our troops, our country and the ME is mind-boggling. There appeart to be increasing evidence that the two nations which provided the most support to aQ has been Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. Of course, the neocons went into the weakest nations, Afghanistan (which did harbor aQ) and Iraq (which had nothing to do with them). If a nuclear state is pulled into this conflict, the freon neocons may very well receive the armageddon that AEI/JINSA/corporate extremists seem prepared to bring upon us all.

[lazarus]

33. Man, those guys are in shape

They've been running for over 2 years now.