I've been certain of it for a long while. The post copied below, sums up my thoughts exactly.
http://froggyruminations.blogspot.com/2004/10/usama-bin-laden-is-dead.html
Usama bin Laden is Dead
You hadn't heard? Well, I'm not breaking news, President Bush knows damn well that UBL has been dead for quite some time. But why would Bush keep it to himself? If he were to disclose his knowledge that UBL is dead he would blow John Kerry's doors off in the election, and yet he remains silent. Why?
Maybe you're wondering how I know he's dead. Perhaps one of my SEAL buddies let me in on the secret? NO. I know because a publicity whore and grandstanding scumbag like UBL could not possibly resist the multitude of opportunites to inspire his cult members. His number 1, Zwahiri, has appeared on video or audio broadcasts every few months since 9/11. UBL has not been heard from since Tora Bora despite developments in the GWOT in Afghanistan and Iraq that make it unthinkable for him to have remained silent. Not to mention successful attacks in Bali, Madrid, Turkey, and Jakarta to name a few that remain unremarked upon by UBL. The invasion and occupation of an Islamic state by the US and not a word. Elections held for the first time in Afghan history, and he had nothing to say about it in the lead up. AQ tried once early on to air a tape that never mentioned key developments in the Afghan campaign and was quickly discredited as an attempt to put one over on his followers by airing a previous recording. Zwahiri decided that it was better to just pretend that UBL was alive because there was no plausible martyr story to tell. UBL went out running for his life like a coward. He is dead. His remains are turds shat by scavenging animals in the mountains of Afghanistan blown by the wind and stomped on by US troops.
By why not make it public? After all, this is the one thing that could ensure the President's re-election. Have you noticed how coy DOD officials and high ranking officers are when the question is posed? They know. They certainly have intelligence to this effect. Of course, the President could have instructed subordinates to start saying that intel indicates UBL is dead. This would have put pressure on him to prove otherwise by issuing a statement which he is clearly unable to make. This process could have started 6 months ago, and if UBL did not answer, it would in effect prove the case. But it didn't happen. Why not?
Because the President knows that making UBL a martyr would serve to further inspire his minions, and he realizes that preventing this from happening is more important than his re-election. Instead, UBL remains forever silent even as his recruits yearn to hear his voice. Eventually these cultists will realize themselves that UBL went out like a punk, not a martyr and that the AQ head shed has been lying to them for years. That realization combined with US combat boots knocking their teeth down their throats will go a long way to beating this cult into submission. But it is important to recognize that the President's committment to killing terrorists supercedes his committment to his own re-election. I'm sure he hopes that the American people will come to this conclusion on their own and vote for him anyway, but it is quite a risk to take in the ultimate ME situation.
OTOH, if you want to get some money down that W, if elected, will NOT serve out his second term, I'd be willing to listen.
IMHO, the big news this week in Washington was that Scowcroft, one of 41's cronies and about as Republican insider as you can get, took a big swing at W in the media. Brent just doesn't say those kind of things randomly, if you get my drift. It will be interesting to see what happens, because I just have the feeling he's only the first to speak out.
The Carlyle group, who bin Laden's family were investors in, are in the business of providing consulting services and goods to those countries who wish to wage war. Just remember, you can't have a war without an enemy, and a holy war without heathens and infidels. It really shouldn't be such a surprise to you that the groups with the most extreme POVs have not trouble getting bankrolled. To my mind, there's very little difference between Pat Robertson and Mullah Omar. Besides, having these wars and dividing people only serves to keep the masses under control.
But, I thought the CIA was providing medical care to Usama in order to keep him alive until Bush received orders from the Carlyle Group and passed down word to go ahead with the mid-October terrorist attack. How are they going to keep the masses under control if they keep changing the plan!
RLTW
So he should know everything. I hope that Bin Laden is dead to or soon will be, but you sort of sounded like the Geezer in your thread.
at it. God probaly has actually disowned Pat, but Pat does not know it yet - will probaly be told when he gets to hell. Talking to God? Maybe he is hearing voices in his head.
But I have to agree with you on one thing. I wish that Bin Laden is either dead or soon will be.
Ok, I am a Sox fan that has had a lot of late night lately. I am hearing voices in my head. Time for a little beauty rest.
Informed guy like you doesn't know about Dubai?
That wasn't really the point of my post. It's hard to say whether OBL is dead or alive. After all it's the lapdog media who feeds us what the government wants us to know.
Whether it's Fox, CNN, The NYT, the LA Times or even CBS, nothing gets in the press by accident. Surely you understand that. Seems to me that W's days are numbered, even if he wins. I guess we'll know for sure soon enough.
All joking and disagreements on conspiracies aside; there have been too many major events in the GWOT, Iraq, and the free elections of Aghanistan, producing many potential propoganda victories for the U.S., for UBL to not have commented on. I think he's dead. One of the links provided in my post has a good in-depth timeline of events correlated with messages from AQ.
RLTW
I think you are not giving him enough credit. This guy is clearly one of the top strategic thinkers around. On the wrong side for sure, and not infallible, but brilliant. Or at least canny. And of course my original statement takes into account the clear LACK of strategic/grand tactical thinkers in our present set up.
Making comments on every thing means some exposure to the pursuit. Assuming that he is not already in some kind of custody, which I would not put past the present scummy "leadership" of this country, then he might not be ready for the risk.
I am waiting to see what transpires. And the recent information I have seen says that the need for constant kidney dialasys(sp?) was not true.
Perhaps one of the recent kidnappings in Iraq or Pakistan was to find donors? Not likely, but would be in a Clancy book!
But I do appreciate that you are thinking about this, not just emoting, like so many here.
Of course he is. After all, we trained him.
No politician will sit on information that will benefit them for long, if at all. Also, explosive information that RLTW claims exists would have leaked out via "anonymous sources" almost as soon as it was confirmed.
I too wonder what is going on with Bin Laden, his ugly mug has not surfaced in months. But I prefer to avoid fantasying about his demise, although nothing would satisfy me more.
Where did I claim that "explosive information" exists anywhere? BTW, Usama's "ugly mug" has not been seen in nearly three years, not just a few months.
RLTW
Bin Laden was seen in a video about 1 year ago walking in a mountainous region with al-Zawahri. The video, from what I understand was confirmed as legitimate. It would have been great if an Apache had appeared out of nowhere and deposited it's missile payload and cannon shots on them, but it did not happen.
Strike the "re-" from "re-election" and replace "Bush" with "Kerry" - then I'll agree with you. ;-P
RLTW
Neither does it follow that the "coyness" of DOD officials means that Bush has become a fanatic about killing terrorists rather than about his own election. The only things that matter to the Bush family are winning and authority. The only things that matter to W are winning and being the authority.
More than likely, DOD officials and the administration are silent about it to protect US intelligence and military from further embarrassment. Declaring him dead and having him turn up alive would make them look bad. It means they have no substantial evidence that he's dead.
I disagree that OBL natural death would be particularly helpful to Bush's re-election, and Bush knows that there's no electoral gain for him having his outlaw enemy die in bed a free man.
Besides, Al Quaida is not merely a snake, but a hydra at this point.
/Zin
The point is to bring him to justice or kill him, not to crow that we have somehow beaten him just because he is dead.
I can absolutely believe that Bin Laden is dead, that he died at Tora Bora and that Bush & Co knew it. I don't believe for a moment that Bush's motive for concealing it is the welfare of the country. What I can believe is that without the Bin Laden specter it would have been much more difficult to justify the Iraq invasion - and that was clearly the agenda all along.
Halfway agree with you, Puck. Regardless of what motives you or I ascribe to Bush being quiet about it, the circumstantial evidence makes a very strong case. Too many major propoganda events have occured for him not to have shown himself or made a recorded statement.
RLTW
I think maybe the problem is that it may be politically inconvenient for W to admit they killed a family member of the family which has done tens of millions of dollars of business with W's family over the years. Plausible deniability may be the best way to go here.
That Bush's concern is the welfare of OUR country is a pipe dream. Wish I could take a hit ...
Not that I think so highly of Kerry. But when a ``man'', who has never been to war, is so eager for WAR - Well, they are a special kind of fuck.
Kerry may be a low grade of shinola, but Bush is SHIT.