Stirling Newberry over at
http://www.bopnews.com/...
calls attention to a Asia Times Online article about a recent increase in activity in search for Osama bin Laden, and warns that Bush and the Republicans, in desperation to avoid a bloodbath in the November elections, may be preparing an
October surprise.
A little more after the bump...
Newberry writes that
Bush has a strategy to limit damage in the fall, namely, grab Osama, fill the air with headlines about being a strong leader, and hope that that keeps enough seats to prevent a Democratic capture of one or both houses, and just as importantly, prevent more liberal Democrats from coming in with the tide - the kind most likely to vote for impeachment, censure or other measures to investigate the Executive.
If for nothing else, you have to visit the Asia Times article
http://www.atimes.com/...
to see an incredible photograph of a mountain pass in the area bin Laden is believed to be hiding. If you look real, real close, you'll see some trucks on a road, to give a sense of scale. I've driven some hair-raising roads in the Bitterroots and the Cascades, but I've never seen anything like this.
Asia Times reporter Syed Saleem Shahzad writes that
feedback gathered by Asia Times Online from various quarters confirms frequent visits by Americans to the Chitral Valley recently. At the same time, there is an extraordinary large presence of Pakistani security forces all along the border area, especially near Arandu, armed with heavy weapons.
Newberry writes that
there is an urgent need for the Democrats to begin immunizing on this issue as quickly as possible, so that when it occurs, the damage is also limited.