US Airstrikes Pound Possible Bin Laden Location

In a secretive mission conducted in late August, US forces killed many Al Queda terrorists while attempting to kill Bin Laden himself. Intelligence suggested that a pre-Ramadan meeting was to occur in the mountains of Tora Bora, including the presence of high value targets, specifically Bin Laden or Ayman al Zawahiri. Intelligence also suggested that is was most likely Bin Laden because of observations made on the ground of his security detail.

Members of the 82 Airborne and Afghan forces moved into the mountain passes and cut off possible escape routes. A SEAL team was infilled at night to put eyes on target. Once in position they called in enemy locations and US air strikes pounded the mountains for three days.

Although it has been confirmed that neither Bin Laden or Zawahiri were killed in the air strikes, US forces found many dead Al-Queda terrorists within the rubble.

Officials believe that Bin Laden was there and the reason he was not killed is because of US military cooperation between units. The SEALs are a clandestine unit capable of moving into an area un-detected and conducting surveillance of the target. The 82 Airborne, on the other hand, while a formidable fighting unit is not made for clandestine operations and cannot move as quickly as a small unit like the SEALs. The lack of coordination between these units is suspected as having been the reason why Bin Laden was not killed in the attacks.

Although the mission did not get Bin Laden, it did get numerous other terrorists and for this reason the mission was a success. We are getting closer to getting Bin Laden; and if nothing else he will be on the run for the rest of his days, not knowing who is coming in the darkness of night and how they will take his life.