This just shows that if you ask these politicians the right questions you can make them sweat. He keeps bringing up Pakistan, why is it they are still sheltering Bin Laden? wish someone would ask him that question.
I was pretty impressed with a lot of Russert's questions, he wasn't afraid to get him in a tight spot. But yea, Cheney did a lot of dancing around.
Pakistan was on the U.S. list of terror nations and was taken off right after 911. Iraq was also on the list of terror nations and was taken off by Reagan after Iran snubbed the U.S. in 1979. The U.S. needed a nice bully to go up against Iran. Then he was deemed a horrible person and part of the 'axis of evil' after 911. .
Kudos to Russert he did keep him on the hot seat. But why is Pakistan considered such an ally? We all know Bin Laden goes in and out of their borders. And they have the bomb.
Pakistan supposedly is helping the U.S. in some way. They are nuclear and they don't have a democratic government. Musharraf was part of the coup that overthrew the democratically elected leader of Pakistan before 911. Not much is ever said about restoring democracy in Pakistan, although the Bush administration carries on endlessly with its pipe deams for Iraq. It would have been much better to address the political problems in Pakistan and Palestine rather than open up a can of worms like Bush did in Iraq. It would have been easier to manage problems in smaller countries and try to use those as a model for larger countries. .
I heard him say Saudi Arabi has been such a help, why were the majority of the the "terrorists" on 09/11, Saudis but there was never any investigation of the Saudi complicity?
Yeah, that was another one that never got answered. At one point, 66% percent of Americans thought some or all of the 911 hijackers were Iraqis. That was after months and months of Bush using '911' and 'Saddam' in the same breath. Shows you what you can implant in people's brains through repetition. When lawyers use this tactic it's known as 'leading the witness'. .
I still like a remark I heard by a political humorist right after the 2004 VP debate. You may recall that Cheney told Edwards in the debate that he never met Edwards before in his life. The humorist said Edwards should have said, 'Of course you haven't. You've been hiding under a rock for the past 3 years.' .
I believe Pakistan to be the country that just implemented a 'don't ask don't tell' policy. In effect the Pakistan government has said just don't bomb us and you can stay in the country w/out fear of government intervention. Now I was under the impression that this was directed at the Taliban specifically, though I am sure that they will have the same type of perspective with Bin Laden & co. (don't ask don't tell).
The knowledge I've read is that Ben laden is hiding on the pakistan boarder, That means he can manuver across the boarder into Afghanistan any time the pakistani authority gets too close. Ben laden has execellent vigilance, secrecy, & surveillance surrounding him, islambad is filled with nothing but Radical islamist who praise ben laden. Ben laden dosen't use cell phones, meet people or give publical speeches, Ben laden is like howard hughes in his later years. But as of recently since 2003, Stanley A. mcchrystal the Jsoc commander incharge of the hunt for usama ben laden has been given the authority to go after ben Laden inside pakistan without having to seek premission first. Hell, we almost killed al-zawahiri in damadola, Luckly for him that he decieded not to show up.
What I hear is that he's living comfortably in a nice city dwelling in Pakistan. He doesn't have to cross the border, why should he when he has runners and gophers that will deliver his messages/tapes for him. Afterall he's part of a billionaire family that can afford to support him and his movement. http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=September_11%2C_2001:_Evacuation_of_Saudi_Nationals http://www.cursor.org/stories/binladenforgotten.htm
