OT BUSH, Where's Osama Now, Chief? [news synopsis]

BUSH ADMINISTRATION CLAIMS THAT "INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATIONS" HINDER
EFFORT TO CAPTURE OSAMA BIN LADEN

After the attacks on September 11th, 2001 President Bush promised to
make capturing Osama bin Laden his top priority, saying he was wanted
"dead or alive."

He and members of his Administration repeatedly used Osama Bin Laden
and the attacks on September 11th to justify the war in Iraq, despite
the fact that no connection was ever found.

Now, plummeting polls have forced the White House to launch a new
public relations campaign to reassure the public about the course of
events in Iraq.

However, no amount of spin will hide the fact that despite Bush's big
promises, war in Iraq has stretched our military to the breaking point,
Osama bin Laden is still at large, and Al Qaida representatives are
able to operate freely enough to send video messages to reassure new
recruits.

And even though Bush Administration officials say they know where Bin
Laden is, new concerns about "international cooperation" have
overridden the promise to get him "dead or alive."


BUSH WANTED OSAMA BIN LADEN "DEAD OR ALIVE"
** 2001: OSAMA RESPONSIBLE FOR 9/11; WE WILL GET HIM DEAD OR ALIVE. **

After Attacks Bush Promised To "Smoke Out" Osama Bin Laden And Win The
War At All Costs.

Bush said President Bush said Monday the United States wants terrorism
suspect Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." "We will smoke them out of
their holes." He said prime suspect Osama bin Laden's days are
numbered. "If he thinks he can hide and run from the United States and
our allies he will be sorely mistaken." [AP, 9/15/01; 9/17/01]

Bush Warned Nations That They Are "Either With Us Or Against Us" In the
War on Terror.

"[O]ver time, it's going to be important for nations to know they will
be held accountable for inactivity. You are either with us or you are
against us in the fight against terror." [Bush Remarks, 11/12/2001]

** 2003: 9/11 ATTACKS USED TO JUSTIFY WAR WITH IRAQ **

Vice President Cheney states that the war in Iraq is a strike against
the terrorists who had America under assault on 9/11.

On Meet the Press, Vice President Cheney stated,"If we're successful
in Iraq...we will have struck a major blow right at the heart of the
base, if you will, the geographic base of the terrorists who have had
us under assault now for many years, but most especially on 9/11."
[NBC's Meet the Press, 9/14/03]

** 2005: OSAMA STILL AT LARGE **

Bush "Hardly Ever Utters" Osama Bin Laden's Name.

"The White House has sought to play down the significance of bin Laden
to the global anti-terror battle...As a result, Bush hardly ever utters
the name of the man he once declared wanted "dead or alive" and
repeatedly promised would be caught." [Associated Press, 3/3/05]

Bush "Rarely Mentions" Osama Bin Laden.

CBS News reported that "Three-and-a-half years after 9/11...Osama bin
Laden remains at large and dangerous. President Bush rarely mentions
him anymore..." ABC News reported on the President's comments that the
US is keeping pressure on bin Laden, stating bluntly that, "That's
another way of saying the United States is not finding bin Laden."
[CBS, 3/3/05; ABC, 3/3/05]


** IF WE KNOW WHERE HE IS, WHY CAN'T WE GO GET HIM? **

Porter Goss Says He Knows Where Osama Is.

In an interview Goss said, "I have an excellent idea of where he
[Osama] is." [Time Magazine, 6/27/05]

But Goss Worried About Sovereignty, Not Osama.

Asked when we would get Osama, Goss changed the focus to the
sovereignty of sanctuary states, blaming international obligations for
the U.S.'s failure to capture him. "In the chain that you need to
successfully wrap up the war on terror, we have some weak links. And I
find that until we strengthen all the links, we're probably not going
to be able to bring Mr. bin Laden to justice...when you go to the very
difficult question of dealing with sanctuaries in sovereign states,
you're dealing with a problem of our sense of international obligation,
fair play." [Time Magazine, 6/27/05]