Back before the Democratic National Convention started, the New Republic reported that the Bush Administration was pressuring Pakistan to deliver a HVT -- High Value Target -- during the convention.
Big news like that would take the steam out of John Kerry’s sails -- and bump him off the front pages of newspapers.
In fact, the New Republic reported in its July 19th edition that US government officials insisted that the HVT be delivered on one of three specific dates in July -- all falling during the convention.
The Bush White House was effectively accused of using the full resources of the federal government for the Bush Campaign.
As if that would ever happen.
The Pakistanis came through and actually captured a HVT, but it was before the convention. Not to worry. The US government insisted they not announce the capture until later on.
Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani was arrested on Sunday, July 25. He was wanted in the African embassy bombings.
He was captures the day before the convention began -- and a day before the New Republic predicted as the earliest the announcement would happen. But the announcement wasn't made until Thursday, July 29th.
Oddly, that was the very day John Kerry accepted the Democrat Nomination.
The New Republic suggested the administration pressured Pakistan to deliver a HVT on the first three days of the DNC.
There had been earlier reports that Abu Musab al Zarqawi, the badman du jour in Iraq was the actual prisoner. As if it was a trial balloon that caught no media wind, the name changed by Thursday.
Maybe we’ll hear about al Zarqawi’s arrest during the Republican Convention. Bin Laden could be safe until the night before the election.
It may depend on how much pressure the Pakistani Campaign Committee is under.
Nothing against rounding up terrorists. Just wish we'd seen more of this enthusiasm around 9/11 instead of leading up to election day three years later.
