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US Missed Chance to Capture bin Laden

If only we had sent a robust force to Afghanistan in Dec. 2001...

By Kate Schwartz,  Newser Staff

Posted Nov 29, 2009 6:42 AM CST
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(Newser) – Though a new report concludes that doing away with Osama bin Laden eight years ago "would not have eliminated the worldwide extremist threat,” that hardly downplays its finding that the terror leader could have been captured by US forces in December 2001. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee's report says that a robust American force could have barred bin Laden's escape in the Afghan mountains of Tora Bora; instead, a modest number battled about 1,000 al-Qaeda fighters led by bin Laden, reports the New York Times.

Bin Laden and deputy Ayman al-Zawahri were definitely at a cave complex he had previously occupied during the fight against Soviet forces, says the report. Prepared at Sen. John Kerry's request, it adds that Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Muhammad Omar could have also been apprehended had it not been for Gen. Tommy Franks' and Donald Rumsfeld's much-criticized decision to not send a large number of troops to that area. The report blames the choice for “laying the foundation for today’s protracted Afghan insurgency and inflaming the internal strife now endangering Pakistan.”

Osama bin Laden was unquestionably within reach of US troops in the mountains of Tora Bora when military leaders made the crucial and costly decision not to pursue the terrorist leader with massive force.
Osama bin Laden was unquestionably within reach of US troops in the mountains of Tora Bora when military leaders made the crucial and costly decision not to pursue the terrorist leader with massive force.   (AP Photo, file)
This is an undated photo of Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan.
This is an undated photo of Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan.   (AP Photo)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 18 comments
WHSteinlauf1
Nov 30, 2009 12:06 PM CST
This mess was clearly set up by D. Rumsfeld. This is the same man who under-armed the forces in Iraq, and told them to fight with what they had. Pitiful comment from a "person" who never saw any action anywhere.
QueenAlli
Nov 30, 2009 4:21 AM CST
Pfft!! The media is starting to say we can't blame the last administration anymore. Of course they don't want the American people to remember how they fell asleep on the job for 6-7 years of the bush administration.
yummines
Nov 30, 2009 3:16 AM CST
yea. i dont think Bush was stupid, in fact he must have been a smart douchebag. he knew all of these issues but chose to ignore them and did the wrong thing on purpose just to keep power. he probably feigned ignorance so it looks more like he did it from lack of intelligence rather than lack of morality. its like the insanity plea in court, you receive a lighter punishment. in Bush's case, that is nothing but scorn, rather than a well-deserved prison sentence...

 
terrorism • Osama bin Laden • Tommy Franks • Senate Foreign Relations Committee

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