Taliban trying to delay U.S. retaliation for a reason????

[Hoeboy]

I think most people would agree the FBI are probably more than 90% sure it's Bin Ladin. And of course as someone posted before, I also feel Bin Ladin holds a very strong influence on the Taliban. Giving him up is out of the option, and a U.S.(world) retaliation is also inevitable. So the only logical thing left for them to do is counterattack with stealth and further terrorist acts.

I just heard on the news that any retaliation can take up to a few weeks to months. If that happens, aren't we just giving Bin Ladin and the Taliban more time to plan a stealth/terrorist attack from within our country? There are cells here that have ties to Bin Ladin and I don't think any of them fear another kamikaze attack from within the country while we fight across the world. They would also have more time to sneak in more terrorists and maybe even a slight chance of bringing along a suitcase with nukes if they haven't already done so.

I mean I have no doubt our military can pound Afghan but I'm just worried our country will be where Afghan will counterattack.

 

[hungrypete]

<< WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Pentagon has announced that after Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's request for authorization to activate up to 50,000 National Guard and Reserve troops, and President's Bush's approval, U.S. military planners have assigned allotments for 35,500 of them.

The Army will supply 10,000, the Air Force 13,000, the Marines 7,500, the Navy 3,000 and the Coast Guard 2,000.

The specific units will be named, according to Pentagon sources, by the individual services, which are still formulating plans.

According to the Pentagon, "These reservists are being called upon to provide port operations, medical support, engineer support, general civil support and homeland defense."

Rumsfeld requested the callup as part of a Bush administration plan reacting to Tuesday's terror attacks on the Pentagon and New York's World Trade Center.
>>



Text

 

[Siva]

<< aren't we just giving Bin Ladin and the Taliban more time to plan a stealth/terrorist attack from within our country? >>



The planning of the attack probably took months if not years.... He knew there'd be retribution, I'm sure he planned well ahead of it. Its not like he decided to take down the WTC then figured he'd be safe and sound and that'd be the end of it, unless he's a moron If he is gonna attack, its already planned

 

[Hoeboy]

Well I disagree. I compare OSama Bin Ladin to a child. A child can do things he know is wrong over and over when he knows he can get away from it. But there will be an instance when the child does something that brings dire unforseen consequences. Osama Bin Ladin probably never expected the entire world to react the way it did. But then again I don't dismiss your idea that they have been planning a counterattack before the initial attack.

BTW, who can Afghan call upon for help? Who are his allies exactly? Pakistan just committed to cutting off oil and providing U.S. access to their air space.

 

[Looney]

Osama Bin Ladin probably never expected the entire world to react the way it did.

Probably not... but he did expect an attack, and possibly a war (just not the scale of it), so i'm sure he does have some contingency plans.

 

[BlackSoul]

<< slight chance of bringing along a suitcase with nukes if they haven't already done so >>



Do you really think for a second that if this nutball had "suitcase nukes" he wouldn't have used them in NY?

 

[StageLeft]

If he had suitcase nukes he'd of definitely used them by now. Osama does NOT have access to nuclear weapons.

 

[Odoacer]

bin Laden may be crazy, but he's not stupid. He knew we'd be pissed off, and he knows there is going to be hell to pay. Case in point: the assassination of the northern alliance leader (the biggest anti-taliban faction in afghanistan) so the taliban wouldn't have to worry about a civil war plus the US carpet bombing kabul. We haven't seen the end of this.

 

[veryape]

Bin Laden has no nukes. What wee are worried about is the fact he may have access to biological weapons such as Anthrax,nerve gases and the like that we have no idea about him having. We don't think he has them but cannot know for sure.

 

[Zwingle]

But Israel does have nukes....and will not hesitate to use them, if they get provoked in the coming battle in Afghanistan, Yes, they say they are our ally now......but we shall see......

 

[Hoeboy]

<<Bin Laden has no nukes. What wee are worried about is the fact he may have access to biological weapons such as Anthrax,nerve gases and the like that we have no idea about him having. We don't think he has them but cannot know for sure. >>


Yes biologial weapon is a big maybe. Like I said, their military has no way of defending against our military. They will most likely use other means to extract revenge which can include poisoining our water and releasing nerve gas in heavily populated areas. And just as you said we are not sure if he has bio weapons, how can we be sure he doesn't possess any form of nukes? We HAVE lost track of him in the past year.


As for him using the nukes on NY, I don't think he would use it there if he has it. Why would he waste a nuke on NY when he can just fly a plane into the WTC? I would imagine it's very hard to obtain a nuke and if he's smart, he would save it as a last ace in the hole. As the whole world turns their attention towards him and he is forced to succumb, I have no doubt he would use the last ace as a last laugh before facing his death.

 

[spanky]

well if bin laden has cells in the US, i think they'll be weeded out pretty soon. FBI will probably, if not already, installed Carnivore on isp servers. i am sure all phone activity will be monitored quite closely. whether the FBI will acknowledge or admit this is another can of worms. these guys really have nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. sooner or later...they will turn up. as for bin laden, he's really screwed this time. the taliban is shaking in their boots. they have no idea what to do, and resorted to making indirect threats to the US by asking muslims worldwide to unit against the US. how can they not see that bin laden is guilty of, if not the WTC attack, the attack on the US embassy and the USS Cole? i don't know if even Saddam Hussein is dumb enough to cover bin laden's @ss. if so...more fun for US missle launchers.

 

[Looney]

Do you really think for a second that if this nutball had "suitcase nukes" he wouldn't have used them in NY?


Who knows... there are certainly better times of using it... like when the President declares a state of war, and goes to the Capitol to address all of congress and the senate. A nuke detonated there would take out the President, Vice-President, Speaker of the House, etc... then the country would be without a congress, senate, and the president would be whoever was lucky enough to have been chosen to stay away from that assembly (for just scenario)... which is usually some low lvl politician with an obscure office somewhere.


If he had suitcase nukes he'd of definitely used them by now. Osama does NOT have access to nuclear weapons

I wouldn't be so sure about that... not only do they have close relationships with Pakistan, which does have nukes... but they have help funded the Chechyen in their war against Russia, so they could have given nukes to Bin Laden.

But he may have a problem getting them over here... you can't exactly carry a nuke onto a plane. But he may have been able to smuggled some into this country, and just waiting for a good opportune time to use it.

Of course, this is all conjecture.

 

[TRUMPHENT]

<< I mean I have no doubt our military can pound Afghan but I'm just worried our country will be where Afghan will counterattack. >>



You are worried about Afgahnistan counterattacking? I think it is just a little too late for that. You should prepare yourself for the future, it is here.

 

[Sugadaddy]

<< Who knows... there are certainly better times of using it... like when the President declares a state of war, and goes to the Capitol to address all of congress and the senate. A nuke detonated there would take out the President, Vice-President, Speaker of the House, etc... then the country would be without a congress, senate, and the president would be whoever was lucky enough to have been chosen to stay away from that assembly (for just scenario)... which is usually some low lvl politician with an obscure office somewhere.

>>




Cheney is at Camp David

 

[GagBag]

what worries me is, how long terrorists have actually been in our country. I mean who knows how long they have been here, they could be all prone with bombs and what not to go off as soon as we retaliate.....

 

[Hoeboy]

<<what worries me is, how long terrorists have actually been in our country. I mean who knows how long they have been here, they could be all prone with bombs and what not to go off as soon as we retaliate..... >>

I bet there are A LOT more cells located everywhere in the U.S. aside from Boston. If Afghan gets bombed, I'm pretty sure the cells over here would go ammuck and start shooting. Their homeland is getting destroyed and they would have more motivation to sacrifice their lives.

 

[BlackSoul]

Good points moralpanic, but I still have to believe he would have already used them.


The preceding statement is the opinion of the poster and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of someone who is not so bullheaded!