The Xsociate Files

From the NY Times:

The Central Intelligence Agency has closed a unit that for a decade had the mission of hunting Osama bin Laden and his top lieutenants, intelligence officials confirmed Monday.

The unit, known as Alec Station, was disbanded late last year and its analysts reassigned within the C.I.A. Counterterrorist Center, the officials said.

The decision is a milestone for the agency, which formed the unit before Osama bin Laden became a household name and bolstered its ranks after the Sept. 11 attacks, when President Bush pledged to bring Mr. Bin Laden to justice 'dead or alive.'

The realignment reflects a view that Al Qaeda is no longer as hierarchical as it once was, intelligence officials said, and a growing concern about Qaeda-inspired groups that have begun carrying out attacks independent of Mr. Bin Laden and his top deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri.

There you have it. From this day forward, the name Bin Laden can no longer be exploited by President Bush or any other administration toady. The next time they try, they should be asked this simple question: If Bin Laden is as dangerous as you claim him to be, why was the C.I.A. unit assigned to track him down disbanded?

But don't expect this line of questioning from the lapdogs in the mainstream media. They love getting their leashes yanked too much (notable exceptions being Helen Thomas, Keith Olbermann and perhaps a few others on occasion).

(h/t AMERICAblog)

Posted by The Xsociate on Tuesday, July 04, 2006 | Permalink