What's to stop other countries from putting out a hit on our political leaders? Now that we do it, we can't possibly say they are wrong for doing it.... Is this just how things will be from now on?
How exactly is Osama Bin Laden a "political leader"? Number of countries that recognize Bin Laden as a political leader: 0
Why I do like the reward on Osama: It might work. $25 million is alot of money to a goatherder... OBL is not a political leader, and if anyone wants to put out a hit on our leaders they're going to do it anyway. Every president for decades has been the target of assassination attempts...
No country will put a price on the US President, publicly. This would be an act of war. I fully believe Bush has a price on his head.
Saddam tried to kill Bush Sr. on a visit to Kuwait in 1994 I think, and you can bet there's a standing contract on him and his entire family...
I'm not really following this as closely as most, but this local area guy is quickly becoming an "expert" on this reward stuff. The $25m reward is not a contract assassination. It is for direct apprehension or conviction. Plus, the $25m reward is an increase from the $5m that we've had on his ass since 1998. Further, an additional $2m is being offerred by the Airline Pilots Association and another $10m by Kimble.org. This isn't a paid hit for mercenaries, nor would it go away merely by the US Govt dropping their reward offers.
You don't actually think there's a snowball's chance that he'll be taken alive, do you? He wants to martyr himself. But there is nothing wrong with a reward like this, even though it won't result in his capture. It might result in better information as to his whereabouts, or someone showing up with his body to claim the money, and that couldn't hurt...
Are you reinventing the reward stipulations, treeman? oh, ok...time for this Local Area Guy to get out of the Osama threads again. GO ROCKETS!!
What are you talking about? I'm just pointing out that it is extremely unrealistic to believe that he will be taken alive. He would have to surrender for that to happen, and he is not going to surrender. He actually does want to martyr himself if he is faced with a no-escape situation. Arrest and trial would be his worst nightmare, but if he's killed in a shootout then he automatically goes to heaven. I don't know the details of the reward, but I fail to see how it can't provide some motivation where there was none before.
Nobody is putting a hit on a political leader. People confuse this with bin Laden he IS NOT a political leader, he is a wanted fugitive, both in the United States and around the world. The United States has indicted him on numerous charges. This isn't a bounty on his head, this is a cash reward for the apprehension of not only one of America's Most Wanted, but one of the world's most wanted. That's why the reward is a good thing, rewards are given for the apprehension of criminals all the time.
...The preferred tools for dealing with Mr. bin Laden continue to be a sustained bombing campaign aimed at caves suspected of housing Al Qaeda leadership and a $25 million bounty offered to Afghan citizens for his capture or information about his location... http://www.nytimes.com/2001/11/21/international/asia/21MILI.html It has a picture of the leaflets being dropped. Apparently Afghans are piling into whatever vehicle they can get their hands on and racing to the hills to try and find him. It's become the Afghans' version of 'Who wants to be a Millionaire?"...
Whoever snitches on him better find a good hiding place. There will be a lot of crazy bastards out to kill whoever rats him out.
I checked on the FBI's web site to see how the reward was stated. It only said for information leading to the capture of Osama. Meanwhile, local (and possibly national) news programs are saying that the reward is for Osama, dead or alive. ---------------------- I do think bin Laden is a political leader. He's a radical. I don't have the same beliefs as he does. But, he has political motives, and he leads. Besides, how many times have you heard America described as a terrorist? I've heard it plenty of times. Are those people who consider our country to engage in terrorists acts, now allowed to put out rewards to "apprehend" our leaders? I say "No". Therefore, I don't think our government should use such means either.
Link to the FBI's most wanted page on OBL: http://www.fbi.gov/mostwant/topten/fugitives/laden.htm The Rewards For Justice Program, United States Department of State, is offering a reward of up to $25 million for information leading directly to the apprehension or conviction of Usama Bin Laden. An additional $2 million is being offered through a program developed and funded by the Airline Pilots Association and the Air Transport Association. It's really pretty simple. Tell the FBI where he is and if we catch him you get the $. You don't have to actually catch him, just give us a tip that helps us to catch him. What's so confusing about that? As for whether he's a political leader... DREAMer, I have political motives too. Does that mean I'm a political leader? The man has been indicted in the 1998 US embassy bombings in Africa, and he has been linked to (actually, admitted to) the USS Cole bombing and the 9/11 attacks. He is an indicted criminal on the run. If the police were to issue an arrest warrant for Gary Condit in the Chandra Levy case and he went on the lamb, would it be appropriate for a reward to be posted for his capture? Of course it would, and he's a US congressman. Osama is a criminal, and a reward is very appropriate. It also is irrelevant, since he'll never be captured alive, but every tip will help in securing his death - especially from those who live in the region. This is meant to get the Afghans out looking for him or to get those who know his whereabouts to talk, and apparently it's working. This reward isn't intended to motivate people in the US, you know... I really just don't get how anybody could be against this. Right over my head...
i totally do not agree with the tactics that the US military and the govt is using to get this guy. One note to make though. Go to www.kimble.org, it has to be that coolest website i have seen. This guy is a god. Considering he used to be a hacker and now is living a life we all dream about it pretty cool.
unt2003: What tactics don't you agree with? There aren't a whole lot of options here... Your cool link doesn't work.
To be a political leader, by definition, you must have both political aspirations and be a leader (i.e., you must have followers). You may have the former, but how about the latter? Do you have a fervent group of radicals who are willing to kill themselves simply because you claim to be a "leader against infidels"?
What tactic don't you agree with? It's easy to throw a blanket statement out there, but the guy killed thousands of people, and would kill more if he could. If he had nuclear weapons he would use them. He's funding a renegade organization in Afghanistan (which the U.S. DID NOT create despite popular claims), and he is a wanted fugitive with a cash reward if anybody can catch him. What's wrong with this? They could have easily put a cash bounty on Osama bin Laden's head and most people wouldn't have cared because the guy is a murderer.
RocksMillenium, Unt2003 is a <i>misguided tourist</i> just passing through this thread and probably won't answer. Mango
