Pakistan makes a minor delivery, on schedule

[barking_iguana]

From The New Republic (subscription only) back on July 7 via Daily Kos, today's arrest was just what the doctor, very literally, ordered:

A third source, an official who works under ISI's director, Lieutenant General Ehsan ul-Haq, informed tnr that the Pakistanis "have been told at every level that apprehension or killing of HVTs [i.e., high-value al Qaida targets] before [the] election is [an] absolute must." What's more, this source claims that Bush administration officials have told their Pakistani counterparts they have a date in mind for announcing this achievement: "The last ten days of July deadline has been given repeatedly by visitors to Islamabad and during [ul-Haq's] meetings in Washington." Says McCormack: "I'm aware of no such comment." But according to this ISI official, a White House aide told ul-Haq last spring that "it would be best if the arrest or killing of [any] HVT were announced on twenty-six, twenty-seven, or twenty-eight July"--the first three days of the Democratic National Convention in Boston.

Well, not quite what the dotor was apparently ordering: I think Washington was hoping for one of the big three, not somebody Americans have never heard of.

Comments

Prescription delivery service

[chemoelectric.livejournal.com]

I suspect conflicting desires. It would be nice to have Osama's head on a pike, but it would also be nice, for the Bush, to have Osama out there blowing up Americans. Where would the High One be without a bogeyman by which to scare the children?

The Bush likes to embarrass his father by one-upping. Maybe Manuel Noriega could "escape" from prison, threaten America with mushroom clouds of cocaine mixed with itching powder, and -- when convenient -- be captured all over again. By Jessica Lynch, singlehandedly, armed with nothing but a nail file and a semi-automatic hair bow.