LA Times News

LA Times News

Osama bin Laden's surrender wasn't a likely outcome in raid, officials say

Posted: 03 May 2011 05:27 PM PDT

Officials revise their initial account of the raid on Osama bin Laden's compound in Pakistan, saying the rules of engagement all but assured the Al Qaeda leader would be killed.

U.S. commandos who attacked Osama bin Laden's compound were operating under rules of engagement that all but assured the Al Qaeda leader would be killed, officials have acknowledged, backing away from an initial account that Bin Laden was armed and used a woman as a shield.

Pakistan plays double game when it comes to militants, analysts say

Posted: 03 May 2011 05:11 PM PDT

Osama bin Laden's having been in Abbottabad aggravates a U.S. suspicion: that Pakistan paints itself as a reliable ally against militants even while helping some when it suits its interest.

 

Osama bin Laden's surrender wasn't a likely outcome in raid, officials say

Posted: 03 May 2011 04:31 PM PDT

Officials revise their initial account of the raid on Osama bin Laden's compound in Pakistan: He was not armed and didn't use a woman as a shield.

U.S. commandos who attacked Osama bin Laden's compound were operating under rules of engagement that all but assured the Al Qaeda leader would be killed, officials acknowledged as they backed away from their initial account that Bin Laden had been armed and used a woman as a shield.

Libya rebels seek ways to keep their economy afloat

Posted: 03 May 2011 07:58 PM PDT

Libya rebels based in Benghazi are about to run out of money and hope to use frozen Libyan accounts as collateral for a line of credit.

The money's running out, the fuel stocks are depleted, the oil has largely stopped flowing and most other financial activity has ceased. But the official running the economy of the rebel-held swaths of Libya says he's not overly worried.

Tunisian migrants squatting in Paris building refuse to leave

Posted: 03 May 2011 02:37 PM PDT

Many of them had fled instability in Tunisia and traveled to Italy first. City officials say the building is unsafe, and police want to send them back to Italy.

Tunisian migrants have occupied a Paris building deemed unsafe, refusing pleas to leave and offers of alternative housing Tuesday.

Moammar Kadafi should step down, Turkish leader says

Posted: 03 May 2011 10:15 AM PDT

Turkey's prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has encouraged democracy movements in the Arab world but resisted giving his full support to the Libyan uprising, now says it's time for Moammar Kadafi to go.

Turkey, a key player in the Muslim world, turned decisively against the regime of Libyan leader Moammar Kadafi on Tuesday, urging him to immediately step down from power.

How Bin Laden met his end

Posted: 02 May 2011 08:52 PM PDT

Targeting the Al Qaeda leader with a missile strike wasn't enough. President Obama needed proof he was dead — and a much bolder plan.

The nail-biting moment, the period when absolute disaster loomed, came at the very start.

Osama bin Laden killing may shift Afghan strategy

Posted: 02 May 2011 08:15 PM PDT

The raid emboldens policymakers who have argued for targeted strikes in the war on terrorism. Even some supporters of the troop buildup in Afghanistan are reconsidering their position.

The killing of Osama bin Laden has reignited a debate over how best to fight Al Qaeda-inspired terrorism, strengthening the position of those who argue U.S. strategy should rely on targeted strikes against militant leaders in places like Pakistan rather than send tens of thousands of American troops to wage war in Afghanistan.