WASHINGTON –Osama bin Laden remains Public Enemy No. 1 but recent developments raisequestions about the ability of U.S. forces to track down the elusive terroristand the resources dedicated to the hunt more than three years after the Sept.11 attacks.
Freshreminders of the unsuccessful search come as intelligence officials indicatedthis week that bin Laden has been in contact with Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the topal-Qaida figure in Iraq, enlisting his help in planning attacks inside theUnited States.
In a raremention of his name Thursday, President Bush said bin Laden hopes to attackagain on U.S. soil and “stopping him is the greatest challenge of our day.”
“We’re on aconstant hunt for bin Laden. We’re keeping the pressure on him, keeping him inhiding,” Bush said at a ceremonial swearing-in for Homeland Security SecretaryMike Chertoff.
Current andformer government officials say there is no doubt that the Bush administrationwants bin Laden “dead or alive,” as the president said shortly after Sept. 11,2001.
Skills anddollars may fall short of desire.
Army Gen.John Abizaid, chief of U.S. Central Command, told the Senate Armed ServicesCommittee this week that bin Laden and the al-Qaida senior leadership have been”our priority target” since Sept. 11 but added, “It’s important for all of usto know that military forces do best in attacking the network as opposed tolooking for a specific person.”
Pakistan’sPresident Gen. Pervez Musharraf said in December 2004 “the trail has gonecold,” and U.S. officials largely agree.
