Just heard from leading Russian military intelligence experts, as reported by the Voice of Russia World Service, that the Afghan Government must FIRST be overthrown in order to obtain a U.S. victory over Bin Laden.

This is probably the reason for the giant warship apparatus that the U.S is now employing (it will require military muscle to accomplish this task!)

I believe today's statement by the Russians confirms what I have feared and mentioned here: that Bin Laden and the Afghanistan Government are one in the same. (They will have to be toppled according to the Russians) The Afghan Government is most likely hiding Bin Laden and moving him around to avoid his capture and/or death.

God knows how many American and Afghan lives this upcoming military action might claim and how long the issue of Bin Laden may take to resolve.

Even if the government of Afghnistan is overthrown, the U.S. military will still have the tedious task of locating Ben Laden in his never-ending sea of santuaries and rugged terraine.

This type of war is obviously going to take time; and, I am confident that the Russians have summed up the reality of what must and has to occur perfectly.

The Flags go up to Full Staff Today, and I just hope and pray they will not be used to drape U.S. soldiers in within the upcoming months and years. Most inevitably, however, they probably will as the neither the U.S. or the current Afghan government is willing to negotiate over the surrender of Bin Laden.

I hope am wrong, but I fear I am right!

Dewey