CBS News' Bob Simon, Traitor Or Hero

To help my reader's make a decision here is what Simon did on the July 30 episode of 60 Minutes. He interviewed Abu Jandal, a former personal bodyguard of Osama bin Laden.

Jandal now lives in Yemen. Bin Laden dispatched him to there to help scout out a future base for al Queda in case its operation in Afghanistan was forced to relocate. Jandal made the trip, bought a wife for Osama, which Osaman felt would help ingratiate himself to the local Yemenis, but then bin Laden couldn't make the trip because he was a hunted man after Sept. 11.

Simon goes to great lengths stating how Jandal no longer totes a gun for al Queda, but instead is trying to become a civilian in his new home. However, Jandal did "happen" to be in Yemen when al Queda attacked the USS Cole, killing 17 sailots.

Some coincidence, huh?

One of Jandal's final comments was he hopes his young son can die as a martyr fighting for Islam. Great guy.

If, after the interview was conducted and Simon was safe, he did not contact the State Department, CIA or another government agency and tell them where this son of a bitch lives then he should be labled a traitor. However, if Simon did the right thing and turned over what he discovered then he considered a hero. Of course, such a move could not be mentioned during the show, but I am going to keep a close eye on the news to see if Jandal is picked up. Then we will know for sure. This could take months, but eventually the news will come out.

Jandal would certainly be a font of information if he were dragged to a prison and questioned. Any tidbit that could be derived that might lead to bin Laden or help stop another attack is crucial.

You can read the shows transcript at 60 Minutes.