There are a few reports just coming out of Pakistan that Bin Ladin will agree to surrender ... IF he is extradited to an Islamic country, to face an Islamic court.

Not only is there little doubt what the verdict would be (not guilty), this does virtually no harm to the organization that he has spent years building and which shelters itself (at present) in Afghanistan.

If true, it's a master stroke on Bin Ladin's part. When America (predictably -- and correctly, IMNHO) refuses to accept this, it will dilute support for America's initiative like thinner in paint. The Islamic countries (which never really wanted to take on a "brother" Islamic state on a religious issue to start with, not with restive peoples in their OWN borders) will have an excuse.

They'll say the USA is "unreasonable" and only interested in "revenge."

I've been expecting something like this. Watch for it.

Say what you will about the scum, Bin Ladin is a genius.

-- Anonymous, September 17, 2001

Answers

Let him do it. It won't impress anyone except his sychophants. But it will get him out of his lair. Maybe we can grab him as he travels to Libya or wherever. Missile down his plane in blazing glory. Poetic justice.

Of course we deny doing it, just as he denies any connection to WTC.

Tut tut, his plane crashed? Oh my!

-- Anonymous, September 18, 2001

I seriously doubt that he intends to give himself up to anyone. It is just one move on the board of chess he is playing. In other words, if he says this and we react by refusing to accept it, he can judge what to do by the reaction of the world to our answer.

I think he isn't as smart as he thinks he is, because every time he has gotten away we eased up our (public) attempt to get him.

But this time we will not ease up, even a little. We know it is not just him we must erraticate, but the training camps and the terrorists he has trained. He is a the puss filled boil full of infection we will lance and completly clear out of our system with strong anti-biotics.

I doubt id ANYONE in the world expects us to cave in and go for this little game he is trying to play. It's too late, he's gone too far.

-- Anonymous, September 18, 2001