Where’s Osama? Try Chitral, once a trekkers’ paradise in Pakistan that has been sealed off to outsiders and is now regularly buzzed by American spy drones.
The U.S. won’t say it officially, but an exhaustive Daily News investigation finds the world’s biggest manhunt for the monster who murdered nearly 3,000 people on 9/11 has zeroed in on Chitral’s stunning peaks and deep valleys.
One of the biggest issues facing Pakistan in terms of governing its frontier regions is in the administration of justice – without an effective judiciary, the legitimacy of government claim to sovereignty in those regions is questionable on the de facto level. Just today there was a huge breakthrough that may help administer the mountainous areas, as a supreme court justice was re-appointed in a manner that will gird up decisions Pakistan’s high court against calls of corruption.
Knowing where OBL is, and getting to him, can be a whole different story. Most Americans don’t have a clue as to the type of terrain those mountains present to soldiers who have to go in and get him. Those are some of the best defensive areas in which to hide. Recent missions into the Shok valley by our SF and Afghan commandos were the first time anyone was able to infiltrate such unfriendly territory. Climbing almost straight up the mountain side while being shot at from 360 degrees can be more than problematic. Back when the Russians were fighting the Afghans they never did accomplish what our Special Ops teams did, and that was only through sending the best of the best to do it. Very few warriors can accomplish that and kill 150 plus enemies while doing it, then extract their wounded and dead with them. The terrain, weather, and lack of feasible landing sites for helicopters to insert these incredibly determined and well-trained men should help our citizens understand a little bit more about how difficult such a mission can, and will, be to capture or kill Bin Laden and his associates. For those who still cannot visualize what it is like, try to imagine climbing up a VERY steep mountain, carrying 70 to 100 pounds of gear on your back, while being shot at from every direction. Can you picture that now? Oh, and try to keep your buddy next to you from being shot too. I feel very PROUD to have these men on the side of THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. God Bless every one of our men and women in all of our Armed Forces. We are indeed Blessed to have them.
Very good point, Roger! I am not familiar with that area but if it is so difficult to get into, how did Osama bin Laden get in there with his health condition? Are there easier routes for the terrorists to get in and out?
I praise those special ops to be in such harsh terrain and not succumbing to it, and therefore, fail to find that deceiver of common sense and sound judgment; I praise USA for their concienciuos roll in the world, It is still fresh in mind, a caricature in newsweek back when Serbia and Kosobo and how Europeans stand aside and let the American cavalry ride through it; Patricia Poleo auto exiled in USA for life threads still writes in her News paper in Caracas, in it, she claims Al Qaeda has connections in Venezuela where I write you from. Led the truth and liberty prevail around the world.