US President George W. Bush, who declared in late 2001 that he wanted Osama bin Laden "dead or alive," said Thursday that the Al-Qaeda chief was at large "because we haven't got him yet."
"Why is he at large? Because we haven't got him yet. That's why. And he's hiding. And we're looking. And we will continue to look until we bring him to justice," Bush said defensively at a White House press conference.
His Democratic critics have often charged that Bush's decision to invade Iraq drew resources and focus from the hunt for the terrorist mastermind, who is thought to be in a remote area along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.
The US president had been asked what he would have thought five years ago if someone had told him that the author of the September 11, 2001 strikes would be still at large and, in Bush's own words, looking to create a terrorist base in Iraq to plot attacks on the United States and its allies.
"I would say that five years ago, like I said, we're going to pursue him, and we are pursuing him. And he's hiding. He is in a remote region of the world. If I knew precisely where he is, we would take the appropriate action to bring him to justice," said Bush.
He noted that several top bin Laden lieutenants had been captured or killed and said of bin Laden himself "he's not out there traipsing around. He's not leading many parades, however. He's not out feeding the hungry."
"He's isolated, trying to kill people to achieve his objective. Those are his words. His objectives are his words, not mine. He has made it clear," said Bush.
Bush's public remarks about bin Laden have at times sparked controversy, notably when, in March 2002, the president said "I truly am not that concerned about him."
In late 2004, after his Democratic White House rival, Senator John Kerry, assailed him over that comment, Bush responded: "Gosh, I just don't think I ever said I'm not worried about Osama bin Laden. It's kind of one of those exaggerations."
