This just in: Franks DID let Osama escape at Tora Bora

[Dorian Gray]

They finally admit it. (http://story.news.yahoo.com/fc?cid=34&tmpl=fc&in=World&cat=Osama_bin_Laden_and_al_Qaida)
WASHINGTON - A terror suspect held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, was a commander for Osama bin Laden (news - web sites) during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan (news - web sites) in the 1980s and helped the al-Qaida leader escape his mountain hide-out at Tora Bora in 2001, according to a U.S. government document.

The document, provided to The Associated Press in response to a Freedom of Information request, says the unidentified detainee "assisted in the escape of Osama bin Laden from Tora Bora." It is the first definitive statement from the Pentagon (news - web sites) that bin Laden was at Tora Bora and evaded U.S. pursuers.

(there's more)

[Hutch]

Interesting info, Dorian, but I have to call you (as I have Ed on two ocassions) on your title. Later in the article you referenced is the following:

U.S. warplanes bombarded the area in December 2001, and Franks had Afghan soldiers lead the ground assault, backed by several thousand U.S. ground troops, including Special Forces, in a cave-to-cave search.

That harldly sounds like Franks LET him escape--it sounds more like he slipped out of our grasp by running and hiding like a rat.

Reading it, it sounds like Franks was properly cautious (any military man who's been around is) and perhaps the pols did more to make the case.

Anyway, that's my 2 Egyptian pounds worth. Have fun everybody.

[Skeptic]

Oh, don't be silly, Hutch. EVERYBODY knows that when a US military operation goes wrong, or is less than 100% succesful in any way, it's a deliberate conspiracy by the evil Bush administration. I am also shocked--SHOCKED!--by the fact that the military brass might have been somewhat slow to admit failure about something! My god, that sure never happened before! Is there no depth to which Bush will not sink the military?

[corplinx]

THIS JUST IN, TRANSCRIPT OF FRANKS LETTING OSAMA ESCAPE:

Franks: You'll have five minutes Osama, then you better not let me catch sight of you ever again
Osama: But what about our friendship? Our dream to retire and run a beach bar in the caribbean?
Franks: You let them them bite you! Your one of the them now. Just go before I change my mind Osama!

[LTC8K6]

Why would anyone other than a fanatical Muslim believe anything one of Osama's men says?