July Surprise on the Way?

Disturbing reports that the White House continues to play politics with the "War on Terrorism." First the Republican National Convention was set in New York City on the third anniversary of 9/11. The New Republic reports that rumors continue to build that a "July Surprise" is in the works -- a capture of Osama bin Laden timed for maximum political uumph. One source told TNR that:

"The Pakistani government is really desperate and wants to flush out bin Laden and his associates after the latest pressures from the U.S. administration to deliver before the [upcoming] U.S. elections."

Another Pakistani official told TNR:

a White House aide told [Lieutenant General Ehsan] ul-Haq last spring that "it would be best if the arrest or killing of [any] HVT were announced on twenty-six, twenty-seven, or twenty-eight July"--the first three days of the Democratic National Convention in Boston.

I would hope that these rumors are all speculation. But it is hard to imagine that it's been so impossible to capture bin Laden all this time. With all the bounties on his head and with the relatively-small geographical range he's lived in for three years, it would seem that our crackerjack commandos could have snatched him up long ago. If his capture is being delayed and timed for domestic politicing then this is a grave offense. Let us hope this is not happening. [Link courtesy Talking Points Memo and Tom Tomorrow. WarBlogging also has some good commentary.