I am shocked! Shocked I tell you. You mean to say that after three years of chasing Bin Laden that the US is FINALLY close to catching him? That is awesome. That is amazing! Three years looking for him and the US is hot on his trail with the election only two months away.

Chance? Not a chance!

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - The United States and its allies have put Osama bin Laden (news - web sites) on the defensive, increasing chances of his capture soon, a U.S. counter-terrorism official said in remarks published in Pakistani media on Sunday.

Cofer Black, State Department coordinator for counter-terrorism, said in Islamabad the entire "infrastructure" was in place to capture bin Laden and his close lieutenants, Pakistan's English language Daily Times reported.

"In counter-terrorism, the programs are in place. We are after these guys globally," Black was quoted as saying after holding talks with Pakistani security officials

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=578&e=6&u=/nm/20040905/ts_nm/pakistan_usa_osama_dc

Agreed about the timing, Xen. There would be nothing like a huge election push resulting from an actually triumphant 'Where's Waldo?' campaign instead of looking like the keystone kops being after the guy so far.

Pakistan: U.S. Official's Osama Claim Was 'Political'

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan Tuesday dismissed a claim by a U.S. counter-terrorism official that the United States and its allies were closing in on the world's most wanted man, Osama bin Laden (news - web sites).

Pakistani media Sunday quoted Cofer Black, State Department coordinator for counter-terrorism, as saying that the United States and its allies have put the al Qaeda leader on the defensive, increasing chances of his capture soon.

But Pakistani Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said Black's remarks were a "political statement."

"We don't have any information about that," Ahmed told Reuters by telephone from Saudi Arabia where he is accompanying Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on an official visit.

Black's comments came just a few days after President Bush (news - web sites), who is standing for re-election in November, said that three-quarters of known al Qaeda leaders have been captured or killed.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=578&e=3&u=/nm/20040907/ts_nm/security_pakistan_osama_dc