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Bin Laden Isolated, Struggling: Hayden

CIA: He's forced to move from place to place, isolated from his terror network

By Peter Fearon, Newser Staff

Posted Nov 14, 2008 2:32 AM CST

(Newser) – Seven years after 9/11, terror chief Osama bin Laden remains alive and free, but he's struggling, CIA director Michael Hayden said in a speech yesterday: "He appears to be largely isolated from the day-to-day operations of the organization he nominally heads." Hayden said bin Laden spends much of his time moving from place to place to save his life, and remains isolated from all but a few trusted aides.

"He is putting a lot of energy into his own survival, a lot of energy into his own security," Hayden said yesterday. The US launched repeated air strikes the last few weeks along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border aimed at bin Laden and other al-Qaeda leaders. The CIA director acknowledged that no one quite knows how important bin Laden's leadership is at this point. "This is an organization that has never been through a change at the top," he said. "For 20 years, bin Laden has been the visionary, the inspiration or harmonizing force behind al-Qaeda."

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Osama bin Laden is still free despite a $25 million reward for his capture. The CIA says he is isolated from the day to day operations of al-Qaeda. (AP Photo/via INTELCENTER)

Osama bin Laden is still free despite a $25 million reward for his capture. The CIA says he is isolated from the day-to-day operations of al-Qaeda. (AP Photo/via INTELCENTER)

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The truth is, we simply don't know what would happen if bin Laden is killed or captured. But I'm willing to bet that whatever happens, it would work in our favor. - CIA Director Michael Hayden

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COMMENTS

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Showing 3 of 3 comments

Caps

Jan 14, 2009 8:44 PM CST

Reader, you sure said that correct. Bush is such a joke.

Shannonals

Nov 16, 2008 5:30 AM CST

CIA director Michael Hayden is full of it. The CIA has all the technology avilable to track and capture one lone man and hasn't done anything in 7 years

Guest

Nov 14, 2008 3:09 AM CST

Yes , Believe anything someone from the CIA tells you. They would still be telling us there are WMD's . If this Hayden knows so much about him why can't they catch him. These people can't catch BinLaden, the FBI can't catch Whitey Bulger. The confidence overflows or is that the budget of Homeland security . Are we really more secure ? Are we better off. I know we have about 5,000 less children Bush calls them troops coming home standing up. Not to mention the not counted wounded, both physical & mental. Homeland Security, Is our economy not a matter of national security ? Who the Hell fell asleep on that one ? That is not propaganda that is fact Look at the value of your home , your paycheck if you have one .

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Bin Laden Isolated, Struggling: Hayden