Am I the only one that feels Osama had some help from Pakastan a bit

[Severus Snape]

I mean he was living in a house 3 times the average size for a house where he stayed, and he and his followers built a 3 story wall.
If I built a 3 story wall where I live, I'm almost sure to get police attention (or at the very least the Home Owners Association).
Something tells me Pakastan pretty much knew where Osama was staying at and kept the info from until the last moment.

 

[BenBurch]

I mean he was living in a house 3 times the average size for a house where he stayed, and he and his followers built a 3 story wall.
If I built a 3 story wall where I live, I'm almost sure to get police attention (or at the very least the Home Owners Association).
Something tells me Pakastan pretty much knew where Osama was staying at and kept the info from until the last moment.

Nope, you are not the only one.

 

[Professor Yaffle]

I am quite confident that he got no help whatsoever from Pakastan.



















Pakistan, on the other hand...

 

[Pardalis]

If it hadn't been for their atomic bomb, Pakistan would have had the same fate as Afghanistan.

 

[dtugg]

If it hadn't been for their atomic bomb, Pakistan would have had the same fate as Afghanistan.

I wonder how difficult it would be to figure out where the things are and destroy them via B-2 bomber. They should do that if it is possible. Maybe India would take that as a cue for an invasion.

 

[Spindrift]

I wonder how difficult it would be to figure out where the things are and destroy them via B-2 bomber. They should do that if it is possible. Maybe India would take that as a cue for an invasion.

You would risk starting a nuclear war?

Just because you know where they are doesn't mean you can guarantee their destruction not matter what method you use. So if you attempt it and miss any, they will probably figure we might as well use the ones we have left.

On the OP: I wouldn't doubt if bin Laden had a lot of help from some Pakistani's.

 

[BenBurch]

You would risk starting a nuclear war?

Just because you know where they are doesn't mean you can guarantee their destruction not matter what method you use. So if you attempt it and miss any, they will probably figure we might as well use the ones we have left.

On the OP: I wouldn't doubt if bin Laden had a lot of help from some Pakistani's.

If I know where something is, a 15 megaton groundburst pretty much means that even the "where" is obliterated.

 

[geni]

I mean he was living in a house 3 times the average size for a house where he stayed, and he and his followers built a 3 story wall.
If I built a 3 story wall where I live, I'm almost sure to get police attention (or at the very least the Home Owners Association).
Something tells me Pakastan pretty much knew where Osama was staying at and kept the info from until the last moment.

Few problems. Firstly bin laden appears to have moved in after the home was built so any intial suspicions wouldn't have found anything.

Secondly it's entirely possible that some local tribal leader would have wanted that level of privacy and could have got their hands on the money to pay for it.

Thirdly once there he seems to have stayed there which removes the possibility of chance sitings. Which leaves you with what? A big house with a couple of families living it in with perhaps rumors of a third if you do some diging. They keep themselves to themselves but thats not really enough to justify further investigation.

To put it in US terms this is where L. Ron Hubbard died:

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Church_of_Spiritual_Technology_ranch_Creston.jpg

 

[geni]

I wonder how difficult it would be to figure out where the things are and destroy them via B-2 bomber. They should do that if it is possible. Maybe India would take that as a cue for an invasion.

And this kind of thinking is why it's rather hard to work with Pakistan.

Perhaps fortunately Pakistan's top brass know there are a few problems with it.

Finding all the missiles would be tricky and even if you could at least some of them are mobile requiring up to the minute intelligence. India is too busy making money to be interested in large scale war. It's already got local problems with the naxalite groups and it's in no position to occupy a country with a population of 170 million.

 

[dtugg]

You would risk starting a nuclear war?

Just because you know where they are doesn't mean you can guarantee their destruction not matter what method you use. So if you attempt it and miss any, they will probably figure we might as well use the ones we have left.

On the OP: I wouldn't doubt if bin Laden had a lot of help from some Pakistani's.

You can guarantee to destroy them if you know where they are. At least the US military can. That is why the invented the B2 bomber and smartbombs.

And it is not like they even have delivery systems which can reach the US while we can turn the entire country into a nuclear wasteland within 20 minutes. Them trying to use the nukes would be extremely poor move.

 

[Red3]

In a country like Pakistan, bribery and fear go a long way. He may well have had help from all over the place over there. But that's no reason to think the country as a whole supports him. It's a problematic region.

 

[Spindrift]

If I know where something is, a 15 megaton groundburst pretty much means that even the "where" is obliterated.

Sorry, I meant conventional weapons.

 

[ddt]

I mean he was living in a house 3 times the average size for a house where he stayed, and he and his followers built a 3 story wall.
If I built a 3 story wall where I live, I'm almost sure to get police attention (or at the very least the Home Owners Association).
Something tells me Pakastan pretty much knew where Osama was staying at and kept the info from until the last moment.

Don't forget the town he lived in was a major army town, with barracks and a military academy.

I bet that some people in the Pakistani military knew about him living there, or even helped him move in there.

 

[uruk]

Considering the civil inrest that is spreading throughout the Middle East, I wouldn't doubt that Pakistan cut a deal with the US to not side or aid with any rebel activity that may arise against thier government.

But them I'm the paranoid type.

 

[Spindrift]

You can guarantee to destroy them if you know where they are. At least the US military can. That is why the invented the B2 bomber and smartbombs.

And it is not like they even have delivery systems which can reach the US while we can turn the entire country into a nuclear wasteland within 20 minutes. Them trying to use the nukes would be extremely poor move.

B2s and smartbombs are not perfect. Plus one would think that they would not have them all in one place. According to this site, they have 70 to 90 warheads. http://www.armscontrol.org/factsheets/Nuclearweaponswhohaswhat

So unless they get them all at once, Pakistan would lob whatever was left into India and possibly at Israel. They have missiles capable of 2000km. So while they may not be able to reach the US, they could do damage to some of our friends. I don't think the US will ever risk that.

 

[The Central Scrutinizer]

I mean he was living in a house 3 times the average size for a house where he stayed, and he and his followers built a 3 story wall.
If I built a 3 story wall where I live, I'm almost sure to get police attention (or at the very least the Home Owners Association).
Something tells me Pakastan pretty much knew where Osama was staying at and kept the info from until the last moment.

Well, given that the government doesn't even control large sections of the country, I'm going to guess that they generally don't have very effective home owner associations.

 

[keale]

Well, given that the government doesn't even control large sections of the country, I'm going to guess that they generally don't have very effective home owner associations.

From the reports it seems the local HOA was the military

 

[dtugg]

B2s and smartbombs are not perfect.

Can you show me an instance of a B-2 loaded with smartbombs missing its target?

Plus one would think that they would not have them all in one place. According to this site, they have 70 to 90 warheads. http://www.armscontrol.org/factsheets/Nuclearweaponswhohaswhat

All in one place? No. But it is not like we only have one bomber. Whoever controls the launch of the weapons can be killed to add further confusion, also.

So unless they get them all at once, Pakistan would lob whatever was left into India and possibly at Israel. They have missiles capable of 2000km. So while they may not be able to reach the US, they could do damage to some of our friends. I don't think the US will ever risk that.

I highly doubt they are that crazy.

 

[Darat]

...snip...

I highly doubt they are that crazy.

Why not? The world lived with that type of crazy for what almost 50 years.

 

[Piscivore]

I highly doubt they are that crazy.

You're takling about wholesale bombing of a nuclear power, any and everywhere we suspect they have a nuclear weapon, and you don't think they could be that crazy?