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From: Vicki
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Sent: Monday, January 14, 2002 12:36 PM
Subject: Fw: [PeaceNoWar] Bin Escapes, Pentagon Wants More $ for
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From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Monday, January 14, 2002 3:41 AM
Subject: [PeaceNoWar] Bin Escapes, Pentagon Wants More $ for
War Bin Escapes, Pentagon Wants More $ for
War
Not only did bin Laden apparently escape, but so have a series of Taliban leaders over the past two
weeks, almost certainly including Mullah Omar,
Although no politician is yet prepared to risk publicly differing with Mr Bush over the administration's handling of the
war, some advisers fear that public
patience over the failure
to catch bin Laden will evaporate if the hunt drags
on too long - or if there is a fresh
terrorist attack on the US.
Pentagon Warns of War Lasting Six Years by David Wastell in Washington Published on Sunday, January 13, 2002 in the London Daily Telegraph http://www.commondreams.org/headlines02/0113-01.htm AMERICAN military chiefs believe that the global war against terrorism will last at least
six years.
Pentagon officials are being advised to draw up budgets and plans to buy new equipment on the
assumption that the struggle against al-Qa'eda
and other international terrorist
groups will endure until
2008, and perhaps
even longer.
Donald Rumsfeld, the defense secretary, has won President Bush's backing for a sharp increase
in military spending.
Extra money will be allocated for more of the weapons that have proved useful in Afghanistan, such as
unmanned surveillance and attack aircraft.
The increased spending will continue whether or not Osama bin Laden is found soon.
It follows signs that the Pentagon is wearying of the intense public interest in the hunt for the
al-Qa'eda leader, and Mullah Omar, the Taliban
leader.
John McCain, a senator and former chairman of the armed services committee, said on his
return from a trip to the Afghan region that he felt
frustrated that bin Laden was
still at large.
He added, however: "He's on the run now. I think he's a threat so long as he's alive, but it's a
far different scenario than the one where he had
sanctuary and was able to operate
with a financial network and a network
of terrorists throughout the world."
After four weeks in which the Pentagon and the media were constantly on tenterhooks for the
imminent capture of bin Laden, a change of tack
ordered by Mr Rumsfeld has
become evident.
Officials say that they will no longer even hint at where they think he might be.
There have also been reports of clashes between the Pentagon and the CIA over the
quality of intelligence emanating from
Afghanistan.
Some military officials feared there was a "missed opportunity" when the Pentagon ordered US Central Command to rely
on local Afghan forces
rather than US troops to try to intercept
and capture bin Laden after the
assault on al-Qa'eda's Tora Bora
mountain hideouts.
Not only did bin Laden apparently escape, but so have a series of Taliban leaders over the past
two weeks, almost certainly including Mullah Omar,
raising questions about
the competence or possible corruption of the Afghan
forces.
Although no politician is yet prepared to risk publicly differing with Mr Bush over the administration's handling of the war, some advisers fear that
public
patience over the failure
to catch bin Laden will evaporate if the hunt drags on
too long - or if there is a fresh terrorist attack
on the US.
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