The bounty
We are six months into the war in Afghanistan. We don’t know where bin Laden is, if he is dead (as a result of the bombing), on the move (dodging the bombers) or in hiding. America has put a bounty on his head. It is up to about $30 million US dollars. You would think this would bring some informant out of his hole to betray bin Laden. It certainly would in the United States if he was hiding here and someone knew where. But in Afghanistan, few people have any conception of what $30 million US dollars is. We are talking about a country where the gross domestic product is $800 per capita. It is also possible that no one (Taliban, Al Qaeda or Afghan) has any idea of where to go to strike the deal to get the money. What are the possibilities? Seek out the nearest American troops and try to cut a deal? Slink around the local bazaar and try to find someone from the CIA? Try to find an American consul somewhere who could pony up the dough and throw in a free ride to a place of your choice on an American plane? The bounty sounds good but it is unlikely ever to be paid.

If not already there, visit my website.
#45