Yahoo! News - Bin Laden Said Unable to Run Operations
By ROBERT BURNS, AP Military Writer
WASHINGTON - Pakistan's military has been so effective in pressuring al-Qaida leaders hiding in the tribal region of western Pakistan that Osama bin Laden and his top deputies no longer are able to direct terrorist operations, a senior American commander said Thursday
"They are living in the remotest areas of the world without any communications — other than courier — with the outside world or their people and unable to orchestrate or provide command and control over a terrorist network," said Lt. Gen. Lance Smith, deputy commander of Central Command.
"They are basically on the run and unable to really conduct operations except, in the very long term, provide vision and guidance as Osama bin Laden does when he provides one of those tapes," he added, alluding to a bin Laden video tape released three weeks ago.
Bin Laden has been on the run since U.S. forces invaded Afghanistan (news - web sites) in October 2001.
In a question-and-answer session at the Foreign Press Center, Smith said that for the first time since Pakistan was enlisted as a U.S. ally against al-Qaida, the Pakistani military forces hunting for al-Qaida figures will remain in the western tribal region through the winter.
"It is essential that Pakistan military continue their operations," he said, adding that over the past three to six months they have made "very, very positive moves" against al-Qaida.
South Waziristan, a semiautonomous tribal region along the border with Afghanistan, long has been regarded as one of the most likely hiding places for bin Laden and his deputy, Ayman al-Zawahri, although there has been no solid intelligence to confirm that.
Between 7,000 and 8,000 Pakistani forces have been deployed in a three-pronged offensive in the eastern reaches of the rugged region this month. U.S. military forces remain largely on the Afghanistan side in hopes of capturing or killing any al-Qaida operatives who cross the border.
"We will continue to search them out. We will find them," Smith said.
The three-star general likened the military effort against bin Laden to the work being done in Iraq (news - web sites) to keep terrorist leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and other insurgents on the run so "they cannot stay any place for any length of time," thereby reducing their effectiveness.
By ROBERT BURNS, AP Military Writer
WASHINGTON - Pakistan's military has been so effective in pressuring al-Qaida leaders hiding in the tribal region of western Pakistan that Osama bin Laden and his top deputies no longer are able to direct terrorist operations, a senior American commander said Thursday
"They are living in the remotest areas of the world without any communications — other than courier — with the outside world or their people and unable to orchestrate or provide command and control over a terrorist network," said Lt. Gen. Lance Smith, deputy commander of Central Command.
"They are basically on the run and unable to really conduct operations except, in the very long term, provide vision and guidance as Osama bin Laden does when he provides one of those tapes," he added, alluding to a bin Laden video tape released three weeks ago.
Bin Laden has been on the run since U.S. forces invaded Afghanistan (news - web sites) in October 2001.
In a question-and-answer session at the Foreign Press Center, Smith said that for the first time since Pakistan was enlisted as a U.S. ally against al-Qaida, the Pakistani military forces hunting for al-Qaida figures will remain in the western tribal region through the winter.
"It is essential that Pakistan military continue their operations," he said, adding that over the past three to six months they have made "very, very positive moves" against al-Qaida.
South Waziristan, a semiautonomous tribal region along the border with Afghanistan, long has been regarded as one of the most likely hiding places for bin Laden and his deputy, Ayman al-Zawahri, although there has been no solid intelligence to confirm that.
Between 7,000 and 8,000 Pakistani forces have been deployed in a three-pronged offensive in the eastern reaches of the rugged region this month. U.S. military forces remain largely on the Afghanistan side in hopes of capturing or killing any al-Qaida operatives who cross the border.
"We will continue to search them out. We will find them," Smith said.
The three-star general likened the military effort against bin Laden to the work being done in Iraq (news - web sites) to keep terrorist leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and other insurgents on the run so "they cannot stay any place for any length of time," thereby reducing their effectiveness.
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