REWARD: $5 billionUSD

Most of the "common folk" of the middle east cannot comprehend how much money 25 million US dollars is, let alone 5 billion. I saw a program where a U.S. soldier tried to explain how many Rupees 25 million dollars equals; it was clear that the Afghani feller could not grasp it.

And for the Jihadists, its a religious thing. 5 billion or Martyrdom and Paradise forever after.

Happy to be agnostic in these times.

People in general don't understand numbers this size. Not a slam on people, just a statement that huge numbers completely escape our brain's ability to comprehend them. $25 million is enough to live very comfortably forever. Why offer more?

I think rewards have been offered before to no avail. The people who could hand him over or divulge his location are not likely to be interested in money -- or they wouldn't be living in caves.

But in general, I do think capturing him would help symbolically. Especially if we could manage a trial and prison rather than instand martyrdom.

Would you give up George Bush for capture and probable execution for $5 billion?

I don't think it takes a fanatic (religious or otherwise) to refuse blood money.

Some would give up freely given what one can read on somethreads.

How about 5 dollars?

Cycloptichorn

My point is that most of the people around Osama think of Osama the way that Brandon and Rayban think of Bush...

... for that matter, many people in that part of the world think of Bush the way that rayban thinks of Osama.

I am pretty sure I wouldn't accept blood money (even $5 billion) for Bush (and I hate Bush as much as anybody). I don't think this makes me a fanatic.

I am just pointing out that not everyone in the world is American.

All this presupposes, of course, that OBL is still alive, something of which I see no evidence.

If we are using Bush administration rules of evidence, then he is to be considered alive until he tells us he's dead.