New Memo Shows Bin Laden at Tora Bora
Wednesday, March 23, 2005
(SNN)A newly released document from the Pentagon has given a definitive statement that Osama bin Laden was present at Tora Bora and evaded her pursuers. The document represents the first definitive statement from the Pentagon that bin Laden was at Tora Bora and evaded his pursuers.
The detainee was one of Osama’s commanders during the Soviet jihad.
The document, obtained by the Associated Press via the Freedom of Information Act, says a detainee held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba “assisted in the escape of Osama bin Laden from Tora Bora.” The document claimed that the detainee was one of Osama’s commanders during the Soviet jihad. While it does not elaborate on the detainee’s current connection to bin Laden, it does ascertain he was "present at Tora Bora".
Kerry accused Bush of relying on Afghan warlords to hunt bin Laden.
This document is important because of the denials of President Bush and Vice President Cheney during the 2004 elections. John Kerry accused President Bush of relying on Afghan warlords to hunt bin Laden, rather than sending in more capable US forces. While their challengers asserted that Osama could have been captured at Tora Bora, the President and Vice President claimed there was no way of knowing whether or not Osama had been there at the time.
Out of fairness, it is not known if Osama could have been captured even if U.S. Forces had been used in the Tora Bora operation. Showing that there is no end to his cleverness, Osama disguised himself as Wajjmah, a young Afghani girl of negotiable affection, and seduced the simple soldiers of the warlords. After spending three weeks as a camp follower, he was able to make his way across the Pakistan border to freedom.
