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Osama's `death'

This refers to a French newspaper's announcement that Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden died in Pakistan on August 23 of acute typhoid (Sept. 24) and Saudi Arabia's denial of the report (Sept. 25). Whatever the truth of the matter, the timing of the speculation about Osama's death seems rather doubtful. It comes at a time when U.S. President George W. Bush is facing flak, both in the U.S. and globally, for failing to nab Osama even five years after launching his war against terror. Recently, Mr. Bush declared that he would not hesitate to send troops to Pakistan to capture the Al-Qaeda leader and the Pakistan President promptly responded by stating that he would not allow the sovereignty of Pakistan to be breached. Behind all the diplomatic parleys, the strain in Pakistan-U.S. relations is beginning to show.

Nalini Vijayaraghavan,
Thiruvananthapuram

The report of Osama's death appears to be a conspiracy of the ISI to avoid the humiliation of American troops arriving in Pakistan to nab him.

R.S. Shanmuganathan,
Sriharikota, A.P.

The controversy about the Al-Qaeda chief's death should not divert the world's attention from its efforts to rid the globe of the scourge of terrorism.

H.P. Murali,
Bangalore

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