Cross-Hairs for Osama

A Washington Times front-pager informs us that we have a deal with Pakistan that we can shoot on sight if we get Osama in the cross-hairs of a Predator, without obtaining prior clearance from the Pakistani government.  Columnist Robert Novak reports that new Pakistani PM (from Benazir Bhutto's party) Yousef Raza Gillani (sounds like Rudy, doesn't it?) has sidelined President Pervez Musharraf, and is pushing a recalcitrant military to shift from confronting India to fighting Islamists.  This is our only realistic chance to nail Osama and Zawahiri, and it only can work if we can streamline our operation to allow rapid decisions.  Translation: contain the lawyers.  Osama does not play golf.  We will get a brief look only.  Twice already, a knowledgeable source vouchsafed to me, we had Osama in the sights of a Predator, only to lose the chance because we could not decide quickly enough.

Much was made in the NY Times Monday, about how we should have special ops traipsing about ISO Osama.  Anyone who believes this is realistic should first read Lone Survivor, by Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell.  Parachuted a few years ago with three comrades into the Afghan Highlands ISO an al-Qaeda bigwig, his group was spotted by three goatherds, one a 14-year old boy.  Their evident hostility led the SEALs to weigh killing them to escape detection, but humanity won over.  For that 3 of the 4 SEALs lost their lives, when the goatherds sicced Taliban on them.  Outnumbered about 35 to 1, the SEALs fought with incredible bravery, going down fighting only after being wounded multiple times.  One of their number, Michael Murphy, won the Congressional Medal of Honor for standing up, braving enemy fire, to make a cell call for rescue.  Two others, Matthew Axelson and Danny Dietz, perished, along with Murphy. Luttrell was rescued by friendly tribesmen, sheltered, at great risk to the tribe, and finally picked up by Army Rangers, but not before the first rescue attempt failed, with 8 SEALs killed in a helicopter hit by a Taliban RPG, along with 8 others.  Luttrell, in a scene right out of Hollywood, found himself face to face with the leader whom he was tasked with assassinating, just before departing the village, whose members had sworn, per ancient custom, to protect him to the death.  Luttrell relented, so that the villagers would not be massacred in revenge.  Luttrell, Axelson and Dietz all were awarded the Navy Cross, the service's highest combat decoration.  Meanwhile, dozens of SEALs gravitated to the Luttrell ranch in Texas, awaiting word of Luttrell's fate, standing by his family.

In all, a tale for Hollywood, were Tinseltown not too busy making antiwar flicks on torture, Iraq, rendition, etc.  But it is also a cautionary tale, as to the extreme difficulty of inserting teams to find Osama.  Getting local intel from tribesmen sworn by ancient custom to shelter visitors is well-nigh impossible.  And getting discovered by unfriendly locals is all too possible.

Put your money on the Predator, as our best chance to nail Osama & Zawahiri--if, that is, we can contain the hyper-legalists once and for all.  We cannot get rid of lawyers entirely, but unless their instincts can be restrained they will inflict on any quick-decision assassination window the death of a thousand cuts.