India-Pakistan: November 18, 2004

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  American intelligence believes that Osama bin Laden is increasingly cut off from the outside world. The Pakistani army campaign along the Afghan border, and Pakistani police efforts in the cities, have forced bin Laden to keep moving, and keep his head down. Pakistani and American intelligence get brief glimpses of bin Laden's security forces from time to time. This reminds them that "something is out there," but not enough data to launch a raid on a specific location. These brief sightings have led to occasional stories that "we will have him soon." But until they find which mountain village or cave complex bin Laden is in, and actually take him, it's all nothing but hints and rumors. However, it has become increasingly obvious that al Qaeda operatives around the world are having a much more difficult time getting in touch with bin Laden, or hearing from him.