If you were Osama (has)-bin Laden, what would now be your ranking of immediately desirable outcomes, from high to low??

1) Escape to a safe haven.

2) Die fighting the Northern Alliance.

3) Remain effectively hidden and operating as is.

4) Be taken prisoner alive.

5) Be killled and have your corpse discovered.

6) Be killed but never be discovered (with, perhaps, confidantes secretly burying your body)

7) Commit suicide alone and never be discovered.

8) Convert to guerrilla warfare tactics as an irregular fighter.

9) Other (you fill in)

My view is: 3, 1, 6-7, 8, 5, then 4.

I think that he would rather serve as an undiscovered terrorizing ghost still legendarily haunting the western world with the possibility that he is still alive in our minds than become a mere grunt guerilla in battle with other Arabs in Afghanistan.

Have you heard any rumors lately?

Do you want to start one?