Open Forum: Osama 'Where you' bin Hiding
OPEN FORUM: Do you care that Osama bin Laden still hasn't been caught?
We are working on a package in honor of Sept. 11. One of the stories, which I have been assigned, is about Osama bin Laden. Where the heck is this guy?
I have to admit, I felt pretty embarassed calling our local politicians, professors and intelligence agents, asking them for an update on bin Laden. After all, we are a local newspaper. Unless bin Laden is hiding out in one of the mining pits in Irwindale, is this really a local story?
Absolutely.
It turns out that there are quite a few local experts and politicians, including Congressman Adam Schiff, who are very passionate about the topic, and have theories about where bin Laden is, why we haven't heard any updates on the search and how the Iraq War has impacted the search for bin Laden.
Look for the story on Thursday.
To the extent that he is a source of inspiration for other would-be extermists in the world, his non-capture does seem to demonstrate a lack of resolve and competence on our part. This inturn may embolden others who feel that they too can conspire to committ very heinous acts with impugnity.
That said, we should also measure success by: (1) the degree to which we as a nation have implemented security measures that would largely thwart even the most determined terrorist; (2) our ability to erode terrorists execution capacity - especially in terms of elminating safe-havens in Pakistan, Somalia and Yemen; and (3) our ability to sway others around the world away from becoming terrorists
he's with Moe.