The Pakistani papers are one of my favorite reads. Before the Big Announcement, this intriguing story turned up:
Chopper Crashes, Three Blasts Heard Near PMA Kakul
The most significant fact to emerge from bin Laden’s death so far is that he was not living in a smelly cave in the tribal badlands but in a mansion in the heart of the Pakistani establishment round the corner from the Military Academy on the Kakul Road.
UPDATE: Mr Sohaib Athar from Abbottabad:
I’m the guy who liveblogged the Osama raid without knowing it.
UPPERDATE: It looks like Osama had been living there for at least a year, and maybe much longer. As I said last night, hiding in plain sight — with the connivance of Pakistani high-ups. Sunday brunch at the Lahore Hilton?
That's the first thing that occurred to me. The question is what did we promise the Pakistanis in exchange for this?
I'm not saying it is a bad thing, but my guess is this means the withdraw from Afghanistan is in the works.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseSomebody in Pakistan had fifty million reasons to rat out Osama ben Laden.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI wonder how long he had been at the residence. He likely moved frequently. It seems to have been chosen by the proximity to building the US would not want to bomb around.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseJust read Jack Tapper's timeline. Indications are that he had been living there for years.
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Great work by all involved.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseLove the photos of tne NYFD in Time's Square. Love the photos of US Marines and DC Fire Dept and police and college kids and Americans celebrating Bin Laden's capture. Yet there are more just like him warming up on the bench in terrorist camps as I write this. He was the master-mind for 9/11, and became a mascot. It is not over, as WWII clearly was, when celebration took to the streets.
This is a victory for the US Military, the greatest and most skilled fighting force in the world. They have had their sights on this terrorist for years but finally either got permission from Pakistan, or decided to get the business done themselves. I thank God for US Navy SEALS and Special Ops men and women. I thank God none were hurt or killed on this mission. They are who to thank today, as is President Bush for telling the terrorist world, on 9/11, basically you can hide but we will find you.
That said, for a US President to be one hour late for a national security announcement is disgraceful. I am glad the media announced it to the American people instead of waiting on Obama to get his makeup or teleprompter right. You do not toy with the hearts and minds of Americans post 9/11. This WH showed, once again, how incompetent they are.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseBuried at sea?
Not so fast.
Bin Laden might not be a done deal yet.
Trump can now demand from Obama proof of Osama's long form death certificate.
Sweet revenge for "The Donald".
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