Hiding in plain sight

[DisMN]

Weren't we always looking for Osama bin Laden? How did he manage to build a house that stuck out like a sore thumb and live there for many years without anyone at least asking "Gosh, nice house...who lives there?"

How did he and his family hide in plain sight for so long? Live in an isolated cave in the middle of nowhere, sure, that's called hiding.....but build a huge 3 story concrete house surrounded by 12 foot high walls topped with barbed wire and then live there for what they think may have been 5+ years. Who did they think lived there?

 

[FireDancer]

While I believe there were people in the Pakistani military, government, or both that new I don't think our intelligence dragged their feet. I read a rather lengthy article today on the steps that were necessary to finally find him and it was like the playing 6,000 degrees of Kevin Bacon.

 

[eliza61]

Weren't we always looking for Osama bin Laden? How did he manage to build a house that stuck out like a sore thumb and live there for many years without anyone at least asking "Gosh, nice house...who lives there?"

How did he and his family hide in plain sight for so long? Live in an isolated cave in the middle of nowhere, sure, that's called hiding.....but build a huge 3 story concrete house surrounded by 12 foot high walls topped with barbed wire and then live there for what they think may have been 5+ years. Who did they think lived there?

Bin Laden was never seen. He had many what they are calling "couriers" out and about. Bin laden was not the owner (if I read the article correctly) so the neighbors may have seen people come and go without never knowing who was also residing there.

Also I believe as Firedancer previously stated, the building did arouse suspicion and intelligence began to put the pieces together ~ 1 year ago. Even still, they did not have 100% proof positive that bin laden was there. That was one of the reasons the President did not want to just drop a bomb, just in case Bin laden was not there.

 

[Tink888]

It's always been my experience that the best hiding places were the ones in plain sight.

Works every year with my kid's Christmas presents and apparently also pretty well for terrorists.

 

[golfgal]

We were talking about this yesterday. We figured that he could have been living next door to any of us and no one would really know. How many of you have neighbors you have never really seen/talked to, etc.

 

[Jennasis]

we were talking about this yesterday. We figured that he could have been living next door to any of us and no one would really know. How many of you have neighbors you have never really seen/talked to, etc.

+1

 

[momof1princess]

IMHO, the government of pakistan knew where he was. i heard a memo from the former U.S. ambassador to pakistan on nightline on monday night, and she said that pakistan was supporting no less than 4 terrorist groups, including al qaeda, and they wouldn't abandon them for any amount of money. if i were the president, i'd cut off that $1+ BILLION dollars in aid we give them each year. i think it's strange we pay other countries to hate us and smile to our face, while they stick a knife in our back.

 

[NY Disney fan]

How many of you have neighbors you have never really seen/talked to, etc.

There's never been an international manhunt that lasted several years to look for a neighbor. Pakistan has got some explaining to do.

 

[HelenaB]

if i were the president, i'd cut off that $1+ BILLION dollars in aid we give them each year. i think it's strange we pay other countries to hate us and smile to our face, while they stick a knife in our back.

Agree.

We in the UK are giving Pakistan £650million !!!! There's about 0.6 US dollars to the GB pound.

It's all in the distant hope that such aid will change their view of the US/UK.

I don't think it makes a tiny iota of difference and just think about the good that money could do in our own countries.

 

[Jennasis]

There's never been an international manhunt that lasted several years to look for a neighbor. Pakistan has got some explaining to do.

I'm sorry...I don't follow you. There HAS been an international manhunt for close to 10 years, and I contend that OBL could have been living next to ME for that time and I would not have known it.

That said, I do think there is a strong possibility that the Pakistani gov't knew he was there (or within their borders) and kept mum. Time will tell.

 

[diznygirl]

We were talking about this yesterday. We figured that he could have been living next door to any of us and no one would really know. How many of you have neighbors you have never really seen/talked to, etc.

We might not see or talk to them, but we sure as heck know who lives in the big ugly house. And prevented them from building the 8 foot walls they wanted.

Celebration residents tend to be a nosier, more intrusive bunch. We're just neighborly!

 

[FireDancer]

We were talking about this yesterday. We figured that he could have been living next door to any of us and no one would really know. How many of you have neighbors you have never really seen/talked to, etc.

His civilian neighbors might not have known but he was living very close to their capitol (approx 31 miles) and a large military establishment. They should have known.

Let's put that into perspective. Quantico is approximately 35 miles from the Capitol and a military establishment. If Osama was hiding in a dwelling roughly the same distance to both of them I'd bet the government would have known or at least suspected and investigated even if none of his neighbors had any idea. I also suspect at least one neighbor, probably that nosy busybody that buts into everyone's business, would know. It doesn't take every neighbor to know, just one.

 

[Toad_Passenger]

IMHO, the government of pakistan knew where he was. i heard a memo from the former U.S. ambassador to pakistan on nightline on monday night, and she said that pakistan was supporting no less than 4 terrorist groups, including al qaeda, and they wouldn't abandon them for any amount of money. if i were the president, i'd cut off that $1+ BILLION dollars in aid we give them each year. i think it's strange we pay other countries to hate us and smile to our face, while they stick a knife in our back.

I was just reading that he had money and phones ready to flee if his compound was about to get raided. This would only have worked if he was tipped off ahead of time that the raid was on the way.

Hmm...with that kind of confidence, I wonder who would have been the one to tip him off? I'm looking at YOU Pakistan.

VERY smart move on our military's part to exclude Pakistan from the planning on this mission. I have a very strong suspicion if we would have shown our cards, he would have "slipped through our fingers" once again.

 

[4nana]

Sorry fokes, we'd either be naive or fools to believe Pakistan didn't question the only million $ house on the block and not know OBL was right under their noses . Perhaps it was easy to turn a blind eye on their war against terror as they graciously accepted $20 billion from US since the terrorist attacks of
2001 . Rest assured, if a million house was built in our neighborhood surrounded by a 12-18ft concrete wall topped with barbwire, the officials would be on them like a bee on honey!

 

[JessicaR]

Sorry fokes, we'd either be naive or fools to believe Pakistan didn't question the only million $ house on the block and not know OBL was right under their noses . Perhaps it was easy to turn a blind eye on their war against terror as they graciously accepted $20 billion from US since the terrorist attacks of
2001 . Rest assured, if a million house was built in our neighborhood surrounded by a 12-18ft concrete wall topped with barbwire, the officials would be on them like a bee on honey!

Exactly! The money train would stop if they turned him in. Come on were talking about Pakistan - they arent our friend.

 

[joviroxx]

We were talking about this yesterday. We figured that he could have been living next door to any of us and no one would really know. How many of you have neighbors you have never really seen/talked to, etc.

Yes, but if there was a million dollar home with 12 foot protective walls topped with barb wire in MY neighborhood, it would set off bells... Heck, neighbors go up in arms when people park incorrectly! This "compound" stuck out like a sore thumb. I can't believe no one questioned it. My question is, when they did question it, what were they told and by whom?

 

[MickeySP]

Yeah they knew - why else would we not inform their gov't we were going in?

Leaks to OBL is the only reason I can think of.

They are now making noise - shut up or we will cut of the billion dollar tap!

 

[mrsdon]

I also think the best place to hide is in plain site.
We also should cut off the money train

 

[PrincessKsMom]

IMHO, the government of pakistan knew where he was. i heard a memo from the former U.S. ambassador to pakistan on nightline on monday night, and she said that pakistan was supporting no less than 4 terrorist groups, including al qaeda, and they wouldn't abandon them for any amount of money. if i were the president, i'd cut off that $1+ BILLION dollars in aid we give them each year. i think it's strange we pay other countries to hate us and smile to our face, while they stick a knife in our back.[/QUOTE]

 

[OhMari]

There's never been an international manhunt that lasted several years to look for a neighbor. Pakistan has got some explaining to do.

The President of Pakistan was on tv and he said, "we are moving on, it happened, we are mad, the U.S. didn't tell us and we aren't explaining a thing."