Editorial: Hunt for bin Laden requires the best

Thursday, Sept. 5, 2002 | 9:12 a.m.

These are understandably frustrating days for commanders of U.S. Special Operations units in Afghanistan. Their search for Osama bin Laden has been under way daily since last fall. A faint radio signal possibly carrying his voice was heard in mid-December at Tora Bora during the U.S. bombing attack. Since that time, nothing. Now, some commanders are wondering if their elite troops would be of greater service fighting terror somewhere else. The New York Times reported Tuesday that some commanders think bin Laden was killed at Tora Bora and are suggesting that their units be moved on to other anti-terrorism assignments. Their reasoning is based upon who they are -- the most highly trained anti-terrorism forces in the world. They want to be based where they can do the most good.

That's why we feel they should stay right where they are, for now. There should be no letup in hunting for bin Laden in Afghanistan until he is found or there is consensus among top U.S. defense officials that he escaped the country or is dead. The official U.S. policy right now is that too little is known to reach any conclusion about bin Laden's fate. We recall the words of President Bush in announcing the war on terror: "We will not waver, we will not tire, we will not falter and we will not fail." If there is even the slightest chance that bin Laden remains in Afghanistan, the hunt there should continue relentlessly, with the best troops we have.