Comments

All the while Osama is alive, the US - UK governments can say that our troops are needed in Iraq as a peace-keeping force and to hunt him. The moment he's dead, there may be a reaction from various sources (including perhaps some Saudis) and the future role of the troops comes more into focus. I wonder if Government has known for a while pretty much where he is but elects to bide its time on any mission against him?

Posted by Mark JF at June 20, 2005 10:48 AM

Osama bin Laden is a proxy, like the 'respectable' movie star face of a mob family. When he becomes too much of a liability alive and more valuable as a martyred asset dead, his head will be on a platter and the Jihad will roll on with his pious face on several thousand posters on several thousand sticks while the real bosses continue to run things from the background without the expense and inconvenience of having to protect his physical being. And when the time is right, there will be another puppet to take his place.

Posted by Noel Guinane at June 20, 2005 11:22 AM

I am one of those that thinks our government has erred to much on the side of seeing things in black and white instead of appreciating the rainbow of colors that overlay every issue and every decision. But with that confession, I have to admit I was stunned when I read this story. This IS a black and white issue, or at least it should be.

Posted by Patrick Lamb at June 20, 2005 3:34 PM

Yes, Porter Goss sounded like a fool, and he may very well be one. However, the point he was unsuccessfully trying to make is that OBL is probably in the Northwest Frontier region of Pakistan, and we can't send in enough troops to get him without them being noticed. If the troops are noticed, there is a possibility this would incite a fundamentalist revolt in Pakistan, thus weakening the only ally we have there. OBL is fully aware of this fact, which is why he is where he is. So, we have to continue to play the modern version of the Great Game (19th century geo-political maneuvering in the same area by Russia and Britain, among others).

Posted by Mike at June 21, 2005 10:50 AM

Mike, I used to wonder why that whole crossroads region, especially Afghanistan, was considered of such strategic importance historically. Then I read somewhere that:

"Afghanistan holds the keys to Asia."

The British understood this, the Soviets too. Good to see that the Americans also understand it.

Posted by Noel Guinane at June 21, 2005 2:30 PM

AFGANISTAN - Interesting that the USA [Canada, Japan, Germany] and 61 other nations declined the 1980 Moscow Olympics per Jimmy Carter influence[perhaps the worst ever USA president] because of the Soviet invasion of Afganistan. Scant 25 years ago.

Great Britain, France, and Greece among others sent much smaller delegations to the Olympics.

Posted by Sean at June 21, 2005 3:42 PM

SEAN: 1980 Olympics.

Your comment seems like a non sequitur to the rest of this discussion. What makes that interesting? Are you suggesting Carter was the worst ever President because he helped force the boycott of the Soviet Olympics? It's true that if Carter and Reagan would have caved to Communist aggression there would have been no Taliban regime in Afghanistan. But appeasing Communist aggression is not a workable approach. I think it's going to be a hard case for you to argue.

Posted by Jeff Angus at June 21, 2005 7:19 PM

Noel--read the book Queen Victoria's Little Wars for further understanding of The Great Game. I've always been fascinated by this era and the geo-political machinations of the powerful at the total and utter expense of the powerless. Ah, colonialism, you were dead before we really even knew ye. And--what's the whole Blood & Treasure thing about, anyway? (I'm working through a hotel wifi and connecting to my office LAN through a VPN, so it isn't as easy, free, and workable as I'm used to at the office--connecting deep into your web site didn't happen, so it's still an intriguing myster what its all about.)

Posted by Mike at June 21, 2005 7:51 PM

Mike, the identity of the global company and senior management team who have been subjected to intense covert surveillance, including but not limited to, tapped phones and bugged meetings in international offices, hotels, private residences, public restaurants, health clubs and even restrooms is, due to the sensitive and in some cases incriminating information revealed, a closely guarded secret until publication date.

And yes, we can get away with publishing the material.

Posted by Noel Guinane at June 22, 2005 3:45 AM

Jeff - I'm not following you at all - the only point is the irony of the Afghanistan invasion by Russians. And then the boycott by most Free World nations.

And now the Free World coalition invaded Afghanistan, and the Russians are our allies. The faster pace of historical perspective these days is fascinating. The dig on Jimmy I couldn't resist.

The boycott to me was a waste - the poor athletes get deprived after many years of training and peaking out for an Olympics, plus NBC network lost 100's of millions in lost Olympics coverage, ad revenue, et. al.

Posted by Sean at June 22, 2005 7:10 AM

Mike, if you're a real masochist, try The Great Game: The Struggle for Empire in Central Asia/ Peter Hopkirk; admittedly I only got 2/3 of the way through but this 2 pound monster is amazing.

Posted by tom peters at June 22, 2005 9:09 AM

OK, I'll check it out. I've slogged my way through worse, I'm sure. My degree is in history, so I was forced into reading 9,000 page tomes on the origins of the first world war, among other delightful things.. Now I know why they call it a BS degree! (I love the fact that I have a BS degree, actually...)

Posted by Mike at June 22, 2005 6:24 PM

'Noel Guinane' we are all aware of oyur views on Microsoft but there is a line and bugging people's privtae conversations crosses it.

Posted by jim denton at June 23, 2005 6:03 AM

'Jim', I haven't personally bugged anyone (though some people on this forum might disagree!) nor has the name of the company involved been confirmed. I suspect you're trying to bait me for information. None will be released prior to publication.

What is your objection exactly? Millions of people tune into pointless reality shows like Big Brother where boring people are spied on for the viewer's pleasure and no one complains about crossing lines.

What we have to publish is worth talking about - it's not watching people pottering around cooking dinner, eating food and brushing their teeth.

Posted by Noel Guinane at June 23, 2005 7:31 AM

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The people on Big Brother gave their consent to be 'spied on' as you put it and what do you mean by 'been confirmed'? It either is Microsoft or it isn't.

Posted by jim denton at June 23, 2005 9:19 AM

'jim denton’ is going around various blogs with false indignation telling people how disgraceful etc. we are for publishing the ‘inside scoop’ on certain high-level business executives.

‘Jim’, why don’t you tell everyone your real name and current position at Microsoft.

Posted by Noel Guinane at June 23, 2005 10:00 AM

Pakistan is holding us back? I doubt that to be the reason at all. I have to believe that other considerations are at play here.

Make a Martyr to soon and the Election goes bad. 2006 is critical with the Republican polls waning. You hold your ace until it brings in the jackpot. Give us Bin Ladin on a bad week right before the next election! We got our man.

Posted by Gary Fox at June 23, 2005 4:11 PM