Dopes Bush "get" modern terrorism?

[Mickey]

On December 28, 2001, the President held a "Press Availability" session at his ranch in Texas with Tommie Franks and he was asked about a new tape from Osama and whether the President worried that he had eluded capture and was capable of masterminding another attack and this is what the President said:

 

 

THE PRESIDENT: "Oh, the tape, yes. I didn't watch it all. I saw snippets of it on TV. You know, it's -- who knows when it was made. Secondly, he is not escaping us. This is a guy who, three months ago, was in control of a county. Now he's maybe in control of a cave. He's on the run.

 

Listen, a while ago I said to the American people, our objective is more than bin Laden. But one of the things for certain is we're going to get him running and keep him running, and bring him to justice. And that's what's happening. He's on the run, if he's running at all.

 

So we don't know whether he's in a cave with the door shut, or a cave with the door open -- we just don't know. There's all kinds of reports and all kinds of speculation. But one thing we know is that he's not in charge of Afghanistan anymore. He's not in charge of the -- he's not the parasite that invaded the host, the Taliban. We know that for certain. And we also know that we're on the hunt, and he knows that we're on the hunt. And I like our position better than his....

 

...And so, while I hope 2002 is a year of peace, I'm realistic. As to whether or not bin Laden is in control of some network, who knows? The thing we're certain about is that he's on the run, that he's hiding in caves, if hiding at all. And the other thing I'm certain about is we will bring him to justice. I don't know whether it's going to be tomorrow, but Tommy will tell you that I haven't said, Tommy, get him tomorrow. I said, just get him. And we will. We will bring him to justice. "

 

We don't know, David, whether or not he's given any orders to any of his soldiers, but we take nothing for granted. And so our country still remains on alert, and we're actively looking for anybody who would harm America.

 

 

 

Well, we are getting near to a thousand "tommorows" and we still haven't got him.

 

What scares me about this is the President's apparent belief that Osama is neutralized or at least far less dangerous because he no longer controls territory and instead controls just a "cave". Coupled with the apparent lack of concern over whether he controls a "network" (who in the world doubts that he does?) or not as long as he is "hiding in caves". This is the same old tired model of state supported terrorism that prevailed before 9/11 and is the supposed motivation behind the Iraq war. A bunch of guys in caves have been doing a pretty good job of making life miserable and murderous for an awful lot of people. They haven't the slightest need for holding onto territory. This is not a war for land. Taking and holding territory isn't going to get it done.

 

Terrorists can be quite effective without any state support at all and the idea that a terrorist danger is neutralized because of actions against a state is a dangerous one. It sure didn't stop them from hitting Madrid and Bali and many other places I have listed in prior posts. AQ is up and running and doing just fine despite "hiding in caves". It is those very same caves which allowed the Aghans to hide and eventually defeat the Soviet Union.

 

When it comes to terrorism, despite all the tough talk, I don't think Bush really gets it.

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

On December 28, 2001, the President held a "Press Availability" session at his ranch in Texas with Tommie Franks and he was asked about a new tape from Osama and whether the President worried that he had eluded capture and was capable of masterminding another attack and this is what the President said:

THE PRESIDENT:  "Oh, the tape, yes.  I didn't watch it all.  I saw snippets of it on TV.  You know, it's -- who knows when it was made. Secondly, he is not escaping us.  This is a guy who, three months ago, was in control of a county.  Now he's maybe in control of a cave.  He's on the run.

 

Listen, a while ago I said to the American people, our objective is more than bin Laden.  But one of the things for certain is we're going to get him running and keep him running, and bring him to justice.  And that's what's happening.  He's on the run, if he's running at all.

 

So we don't know whether he's in a cave with the door shut, or a cave with the door open -- we just don't know.  There's all kinds of reports and all kinds of speculation.  But one thing we know is that he's not in charge of Afghanistan anymore.  He's not in charge of the -- he's not the parasite that invaded the host, the Taliban. We know that for certain.  And we also know that we're on the hunt, and he knows that we're on the hunt.  And I like our position better than his....

 

...And so, while I hope 2002 is a year of peace, I'm realistic.  As to whether or not bin Laden is in control of some network, who knows? The thing we're certain about is that he's on the run, that he's hiding in caves, if hiding at all.  And the other thing I'm certain about is we will bring him to justice.  I don't know whether it's going to be tomorrow, but Tommy will tell you that I haven't said, Tommy, get him tomorrow.  I said, just get him.  And we will.  We will bring him to justice. "

 

We don't know, David, whether or not he's given any orders to any of his soldiers, but we take nothing for granted.  And so our country still remains on alert, and we're actively looking for anybody who would harm America.

Well, we are getting near to a thousand "tommorows" and we still haven't got him. 

 

What scares me about this is the President's apparent belief that Osama is neutralized or at least far less dangerous because he no longer controls territory and instead controls just a "cave".  Coupled with the apparent lack of concern over whether he controls a "network" (who in the world doubts that he does?) or not as long as he is "hiding in caves".  This is the same old tired model of state supported terrorism that prevailed before 9/11 and is the supposed motivation behind the Iraq war.  A bunch of guys in caves have been doing a pretty good job of making life miserable and murderous for an awful lot of people.  They haven't the slightest need for holding onto territory.  This is not a war for land.  Taking and holding territory isn't going to get it done.

 

Terrorists can be quite effective without any state support at all and the idea that a terrorist danger is neutralized because of actions against a state is a dangerous one.  It sure didn't stop them from hitting Madrid and Bali and many other places I have listed in prior posts.  AQ is up and running and doing just fine despite "hiding in caves".  It is those very same caves which allowed the Aghans to hide and eventually defeat the Soviet Union.

 

When it comes to terrorism, despite all the tough talk, I don't think Bush really gets it.

81709[/snapback]

 

How do you know bin Laden isn't dead? A family friend was IN tora-bora during the operations there. he was a marine sniper instructor called to duty in Afghanistan. He personally witnessed the bombing of many cave complexes and says to this day that there is ZERO possibility that anyone survived those attacks. If bin Laden was indeed there, it's very likely hes under a million tons of rock.