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Politics : America Under Siege: The End of Innocence -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: DeplorableIrredeemableRedneck who wrote (15137)	4/18/2002 11:23:52 AM
From: DeplorableIrredeemableRedneck	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 27668

More bloody incompetence. These retards would rather bomb Canadians than bin Laden: US admits Osama bin Laden escaped AM - Thursday, April 18, 2002 8:11 LINDA MOTTRAM: As western forces continue to blast away at remaining al-Qaeda and Taliban cells in south eastern Afghanistan, the Bush Administration has finally conceded that in the one real chance its military had to capture or kill Osama bin Laden, they let him escape. After interrogating captured al-Qaeda fighters, intelligence agents have concluded that bin Laden was trapped in the Tora Bora region late last year but he got away. The reason, the Pentagon's reluctance at the time to commit US ground troops. Despite the enormity of the intelligence finding, particularly given Washington's zealous pursuit of the war on terror, the Defence Department is denying that it was the gravest error of the campaign. From our Washington bureau, correspondent John Shovelan reports. JOHN SHOVELAN: Donald Rumsfeld, the US Defence Secretary, didn't like the front-page story in today's Washington Post. DONALD RUMSFELD: I wouldn't be able to answer a question like that and it impresses me that others can from their pinnacles of relatively modest knowledge. JOHN SHOVELAN: US officials now concede the battle around Tora Bora in Afghanistan's east last December was a defeat for the US and the military commander for Afghanistan, Army General Tommy Franks' failure to take the initiative and his heavy reliance on Afghan fighters resulted in Osama bin Laden's escape. General Franks hasn't conceded that but ever since his tactics have changed dramatically. He now uses US troops in the front line. The intelligence community conclusion that the US military brass allowed Osama bin Laden to escape is based on interrogations and communication intercepts compiled over the past four months but the Defence Secretary denies a mistake was made and dismisses the conclusion. DONALD RUMSFELD: I knew of and nor do I know today of any evidence that he was in Tora Bora at the time or that he left Tora Bora at the time or even where he is today. JOHN SHOVELAN: Mr Rumsfeld also said that not once in the past seven months had he or the US military received any intelligence on the whereabouts of Osama bin Laden that he regarded as credible. DONALD RUMSFELD: If it had been good we would've been there. It hasn't been. JOHN SHOVELAN: In the battle for Tora Bora, local militias failed to seal the mountain hideouts and even helped Osama bin Laden escape. Ironically Mr Rumsfeld's defence of the military's actions comes in the same week new video footage of Osama bin Laden has appeared. DONALD RUMSFELD: It may be that some people decided to put out those tapes because they wanted people to think he was alive and he isn’t. It may be that they put out the tapes because they wanted people to think that he's alive and he is. JOHN SHOVELAN: A Tanzanian man became the first person arrested as a result of the information found in Afghan cave complexes. He was arrested in North Carolina with forged identity documents. The FBI began a hunt for the man after his name was found on a letter in a cave congratulating him on receiving his pilot's licence in America. John Shovelan, Washington.

To: DeplorableIrredeemableRedneck who wrote (15137)	4/18/2002 2:01:00 PM
From: synchro_fan	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 27668

There is always a briefing before any move, combat or trainging, AND there is always an airforce type present. e then goes back and updates the rest of the air combatants. And you NEVER read where our Canadian troops are and what they are doing. These are very well trained men and women. The American press always seems to mention the Brits etc but not us. I just hope there is compensation to the families of these soldiers. But then again, we may just be too Canadian to force the issue.... I have a heavy heart over this.