Lights, Cameras, Capture!

"It's not in the budget, but we're doing what we have to do," said the senior vice-president for news at CBS. "Clearly, if and when Osama is found, having resources over there is going to be critical," said ABC's senior vice-president for international news. Thousands of Pakistani troops and "a dozen or so" American intelligence agents are carrying out an intensive raid against Al-Quaeda leaders believed to be in Pakistan's South Waziristan region. CBS, ABC, NBC, CNN and Fox are getting reporters in place. It's a ratings war: "From a financial standpoint, the capture of Bin Laden can't come soon enough for some network executives." On Thursday, Colin Powell accorded Pakistan "major non-NATO ally" status, which allows the country to buy depleted uranium weapons and receive U.S. financing for weapons purchases.