The media reports: “The search is on” — for Osama bin Laden. Let’s look closer at this new pronouncement.

First, it makes sense, and it’s necessary. Capture or kill Osama; he and his ilk certainly deserve it.

The risks of finally getting Osama bin Laden include the reality that it’s not going to change the injustices in the world, which militants will continue to point to for recruitment; and, “Osama as martyr” will be used by radical Islamic henchmen to inflame their followers.

Whether Al Qaida is run like a conglomerate of sorts, tightly controlled by Bin Laden and his inner circle or its disparate cells, terrorists of all stripes must pay the ultimate price for their horrific deeds.

Some experts say, based on earlier medical reports, that they doubt Osama Bin Laden is still alive. And, video the world has seen since the 9/11 attacks tell a visual story of Bin Laden’s failing health.

But, without verifiable evidence that Bin Laden is dead, the U.S. must proceed with the search.

A legitimate question, however, is why has it taken more than seven years for the president to order, “Get Osama Bin Laden before I leave office,” as the U.K. media reported this past Sunday?

Could it be that with the “surge” in Iraq demonstrating progress there, coalition forces can now increase their focus on Afghanistan and the abutting areas of Pakistan where most intelligence analysts suspect Bin Laden is holed up?

Or, is it a case of “If he [Bush] can say he has killed Saddam Hussein and captured Bin Laden, he can claim to have left the world a safer place,” as one unnamed, and obviously cynical, U.S. intelligence source is quoted to have said to the British media.

Almost all Americans would have preferred this order and sense of urgency had been assigned years ago. The search for Osama Bin Laden – or his remains – must be successful. Until we know otherwise, it is wise for all Americans, including our leaders (who likely have more information), to assume Bin Laden is still alive.

Where might Bin Laden be? Most analysts specify the northern Pakistan area where he likely moves back and forth into Afghanistan with the help of local Muslims.

The Sunday Times of London noted that the British Special Boat Service (SBS) and the Special Reconnaissance Regiment have, for the first time, operated across the Afghan border on a regular basis, taking part in US-led operations to capture Bin Laden in the wild frontier region of northern Pakistan. This hunt was ‘completely sanctioned’ by the Pakistani government.”

Last week, Pakistani diplomats protested a coalition “air strike on a border post with Afghanistan that killed 11 of its troops.”

So the search is serious; the heat is on; and the mission is: Get Bin Laden — dead or alive.

The former is better than the latter in light of last week’s USSC decision conveying American Citizen-like rights of habeas-corpus to enemy combatants caught on the battlefield.

Richard Olivastro is president of People Dynamics, an executive leadership development company, is a professional member of the National Speakers Association and founder of Citizens For Change. He can be reached at Rich@Olivastro.net.