Bin Laden...dead or alive????

[windansea]

Saddams capture may or may not result in more stabilization in Iraq.

Either way, the issue of Bin Laden's whereabouts is bound to resurface and gain traction.

Among DU members...who thinks he is alive? or dead?

I read reports of possible sightings, meetings, rumors etc...there have been a few cobbled together videos of old footage and voiceovers...but I haven't seen read or heard anything that offers definite proof he is alive.

I think he's dead...and either Al Queda or the USA knows it.

[TXvote]

1. Sucking Down Margaritas

and getting lap dances at a secure undisclosed location in Houston last time I heard.......

[Dommael]

2. I'm seein' a pattern...

When the heats on in 2004 the Phantom Menace will reappear having been suitably apprehended by Fearless Leader...

::smoke::

[kalian]

3. Dead for now...alive when needed....

;)

[Myra]

4. No way! They don't want Osama. They need a boogyman, plus he's a pal.

A member of the Saudi royal family. No way they're gonna
piss off their Saudo co-conspirators.

They know where Osama is; they have all along;
other gov'ts have offered to turn him over and the US declined;
they could get him now if they wanted.

General Frank was quoted as saying, immediately after we
attacked Afganistan (to put in the Unical pipeline),
that capturing Osama wasn't part of the mission.

They need a boogyman, and he's a good one. Right from central
casting.

Reference 1: http://www.rememberjohn.com/

"In August 2001, FBI Deputy Director John O'Neill resigned from his post over George W. Bush's policy on terrorism and Osama bin Laden. Specifically, O'Neill's department was told to "back off" their bin Laden and Al Queda investigations while the Bush administration negotiated with the Taliban. O'Neill became the security chief of the World Trade Center - where he died during the events of 9/11."

Reference 2: http://www.projectcensored.org/publications/2003/4.html

"A French book Bin Laden, la verite interdite (Bin Laden, the forbidden truth) claims that the Bush Administration halted investigations into terrorist activities related to the bin Laden family and began planning for a war against Afghanistan before 9-11."

"Times of India reported that in June of 2001, the US Government told India that there would be an invasion of Afghanistan in October of that year. By July of 2001 George Arney, with the BBC, also reported the planned invasion."

Reference 3: Dreaming War, Gore Vidal

Reference 4: http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/03/04/05_letter.html

Etc.

[amazona]

5. he's alive...and where's omar by the way?

I like to call Mullah Omar "the forgotten terrorist." He just can't get any press these days...

[windansea]

6. heh heh

funny replies

guess everyone's too busy spinning saddam story

[arcane1]

7. why do you think he is dead?

when has there ever been proof that he's alive, for that matter?

Your post didn't explain your reasoning...

I'd think if he were dead, we would be hearing all about it on tv, wouldn't we? Why keep something like that quiet?

:shrug:

[windansea]

9. here are some possibilities

1. Al Queda knows he's dead...don't want us to know

2. Bush admin knows he's dead....don't want us to know...yet

The reason I think he's dead is the lack of any recent videos of Bin Laden...he used to crank out several per year...

[liberalpress]

8. Alive...

...and I presdict will be "miraculously" captured, September 11, 2004.

[theboss]

10. I think he's dead

Al Jazeera would be the most "honest" source for news on his status. And he has not spoken a word in over two years. I know that there is some benefit to him being a "ghost figure" in the Arab world. But I would think his cause would benefit more by his standing defiantly in the face of the US.

Everything I've read about Al Qaeda indicates that a new group of leaders has emerged. Again, that leads me to believe Bin Laden is gone.

But he could show in a New Jersey Denny's tomorrow.

I do wonder where Mullah Omar is.

[karabekian]

11. dead

I just cant believe it would be so hard for a handicam video tape OBL with a recent copy of a newspaper or something to varify the date after Tora Bora. As someone mentioned he did a lot of videos before and my general impression of OBL, I couldn't imagine him not making a video to gloat or to rally the "arab street"

[loudnclear]

12. He's dead...or you would have heard from him by now.

He has been dead for over a year. But the ghost of Bin Laden lives on. This thing is now bigger than either Saddam or Bin Laden. And a vote for Bush is a vote for a new war.

[Hippo_Tron]

13. Dead...

You don't escape a bombing by 10 minutes while riding on a camel.