Yes, it's true. That and other odd news and happenings in the bombing range formerly known as
Afghanistan below in the Extended Copy box:
George Bush Praises Osama
First things first, yes it's true. The Governors of our 50 States are currently in Washington, DC for their Winter Meeting. President Bush spoke at this meeting and praised Osama. Except of course that the Osama in question wasn't Osama Bin Laden of Saudi Arabia but instead the movie Osama.
A 12-year-old Afghan girl and her mother lose their jobs when the Taliban closes the hospital where they work. The Taliban have also forbidden women to leave their houses without a "legal companion." With her husband and brother dead there is no one left to support the family, and without being able to leave the house the mother is left with nowhere to turn. Feeling that she has no other choice, she disguises her daughter as a boy. Now called Osama, the girl embarks on a terrigying and confusing journey as she tries to keep the Taliban from finding out her true identity. Inspired by a true story, Osama is the first entirely Afghan film shot since the rise and fall of the Taliban.
The movie is supposed to be rather good actually. Bush's recommendations to view this film (yes, it's currently showing in Washington DC) are probably more based on political reasons - hey governors, look how good things are in Afghanistan now!
The only problem of course is that women's rights and burqa wearing are not that different for women in Afghanistan today, "post" Taliban. In fact, in some places sales of burqas (the "evil" blue tent outfit) have skyrocketed. Let's also remember that outside of Kabul there are very few pro-Western "reforms".
Capturing Osama Bin Laden
Those of you who've read my Diaries know that at the end of 2003, two French journalists and one Pakistani journalist were arrested (in Pakistan). The initial charge against them was for traveling to areas of Pakistan "without an internal visa". After a great hue and cry, the two Frenchies got off. However, the Pakistani man was charged with treason in a special "Anti-Terrorism Court". Charged with treason for "illegally" going to Quetta? Sounds a little odd, doesn't it?
You'll love what the actual charges against the Pakistani journalist concern: allegations that he paid locals to pretend to be Taliban and run around shooting off weapons at a fake Taliban camp. Some of these "fake" Talibans also apparently made veiled threats against Afghanistan's "President" Hamid Karzai.
Authorities maintain that these actions damaged the status of the Government of Pakistan internationally and brought a bad name to the country.
It all seems utterly mysterious except that Quetta is smack dab in the middle of the Pakistani province of Balochistan, right on the Afghanistan border.
Still, what's all the fuss?
Seems like there is a grave and gathering press leak that Osama and henchman are "boxed in" somewhere in Balochistan.
The Pentagon has fired its first rhetorical Tomahawks of the season - via a leak this past weekend by a "US intelligence source" that bin Laden, al-Zawahiri, Mullah Omar and about 50 top al-Qaeda operatives had been located in Pakistan's Balochistan province. Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf was said to be on the brink of authorizing an American intervention. According to the Pentagon script, the fugitives are "boxed in", packed in a tight group, surrounded by an array of US and British special forces, and apparently with no chance of escaping.
You really need to click on the last link for a full analysis, but the "best" part of this story is that the wingnut bigot General Boykin is apparently leading the now-intensified search for the boxed-in-can't-escape-this-time Osama bin Laden. Of course that's what they said last time in Tora Bora (is this an encore-ah?) but of course last time they didn't have General "Islam Sucks" Boykin leading the fight.
Meanwhile, the BBC is reporting that Osama's #2 man, "Ayman al-Zawahri", may have been captured in a nearby raid yesterday.
The Urdu-language Jang newspaper had reported that Khalid al-Zawahri was detained in Tuesday's army operation against al-Qaeda suspects in the South Waziristan tribal region.
The report, which quoted diplomatic sources, said that Khalid had been transferred to US custody and flown out of Pakistan.
However, a spokesman for the US coalition forces in Afghanistan, Lieutenant-Colonel Matt Beevers, said he had no information on the Pakistani arrests.
Of course this just adds fuel to the fire because al-Zawahri just released a tape on Al-Jazeera threatening the US. Mr. al-Zawahri apparently has a bigger spine than say, Tom Daschle:
Al-Zawahri accused Bush of misleading the world, spreading "fear" in the Middle East and appointing "corrupt" leaders.
"Bush appoints corrupt leaders and protects them. A quick look at the Islamic world from Morocco to Indonesia will reveal those US-backed leaders," said al-Zawahri.
"Bush has delivered the State of Union Speech to the Congress. The speech was full of lies and allegations. I wonder how the leader of the superpower country can issue such lies and allegations!
True, true and true..
So, let's review the facts:
- Three journalists were arrested for filming "fake" Taliban near Quetta, Balochistan (Pakistan)
- Press leaks are now saying Osama is "boxed in" somewhere in Balochistan
- The same US military unit that "captured" Saddam is now about to pounce on Osama
- The CIA has been seen in the area with suitcases full of cash
- Pakistan may be about to authorize overt US military action inside its borders for the first time
- al-Zawahri, living in a cave, has better political observations than the DNC
- Capturing Osama alive would be a major coup for the Bush administration
So... any thoughts or information I might have missed? All comments welcome.
Peace
