Getting OBLaden key to beating al Qaeda

McChrystal: Getting bin Laden key to defeating al Qaida

Days after his boss said that there was no new intelligence on the whereabouts of al Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan told Congress Tuesday that killing or capturing bin Laden is critical to defeating the terrorist organization.

Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the top Afghanistan commander, said, however, that he could not promise that his new military strategy would lead to bin Laden's capture because when the al Qaida leader moves outside of Afghanistan, chasing after him "is outside my mandate."

Let's allow ourselves to be armchair pundits on this one for a moment.

McChrystal's prognosis seems counter-intuitive and more akin to bluster than to an honest take on the actual nature of international terrorism, don't you think?

Originally posted by FMF
[b]McChrystal: Getting bin Laden key to defeating al Qaida

[quote]Days after his boss said that there was no new intelligence on the whereabouts of al Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan told Congress Tuesday that killing or capturing bin Laden is critical to defeating the terrorist organization.

Army Gen. Stanley McChry ...[text shortened]... r than to an honest take on the actual nature of international terrorism, don't you think?[/b]

I think i am following you,if not let me know. McChrystal is speaking the truth. It is outside of his mandate. I spoke of this the other day referring to Vietnam. McChrystal is being micromanaged by D.C. He does what he is told to do by politicians.
I think the man is very honest and is not pulling any punches.

Originally posted by utherpendragon
I think i am following you,if not let me know.

No you're not. The issue if mandates etc. I think is not controversial.

McChrystal claims getting Osama bin Laden is key to defeating Al Qaeda. I - from the comfort of my armchair - reckon this rings completely false.

Originally posted by FMF
No you're not. The issue if mandates etc. I think is not controversial.

McChrystal claims getting Osama bin Laden is key to defeating Al Qaeda. I - from the comfort of my armchair - reckon this rings completely false.

OH! Sorry,I agree.
Catching,killing Obama,etc,will not defeat Al Qaeda.When dealing w/zealots,the "leader" starts the fire,but then the movement takes on a mind of its own. If he is or does get killed Al Qaeda will be more dangerous.Zealots are all about martydom.
IMO religious zealots are the most dangerous of all.

He has a cult of personality. It's an important symbolic event.

He's also extraordinarily good at what he does, has a lot of money, and has politican connections.

Originally posted by AThousandYoung
He has a cult of personality. It's an important symbolic event.

He's also extraordinarily good at what he does, has a lot of money, and has politican connections.

Would getting OBL be a nice PR coup? Sure.

Could the "war" be "won" while OBL stays hidden in some mountain somewhere? Yes.

Could the "war" be "lost" after OBL is captured when someone even more effective takes his place? Yes.

In other words, I agree with FMF.

Still, it would be nice to get him and I can understand McChrystal wanting to do so.

(I put "war" and "won" and "lost" in quotes because it's not really a war in the classical sense and it cannot be won or lost in the classical sense.)

Originally posted by FMF
[b]McChrystal: Getting bin Laden key to defeating al Qaida

[quote]Days after his boss said that there was no new intelligence on the whereabouts of al Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan told Congress Tuesday that killing or capturing bin Laden is critical to defeating the terrorist organization.

Army Gen. Stanley McChry ...[text shortened]... r than to an honest take on the actual nature of international terrorism, don't you think?[/b]

He's got his head so far up his head he'd need Dr. House to sort out his troubles.

"Yeah... let's catch the patient on kidney dialisis to end the war..."

It's like something out a discarded James Bond script or something.

Originally posted by FMF
[b]McChrystal: Getting bin Laden key to defeating al Qaida

[quote]Days after his boss said that there was no new intelligence on the whereabouts of al Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan told Congress Tuesday that killing or capturing bin Laden is critical to defeating the terrorist organization.

Army Gen. Stanley McChry ...[text shortened]... r than to an honest take on the actual nature of international terrorism, don't you think?[/b]

pakistan is a nuclear state.