Why did President Bush back down?

Question

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080712/ap_on_re_as/us_pakistan

Answer 1

Who wants OBL these days!!!!!!! They are after Iran's OIL now....

Answer 2

Many of the Pakistan people believe Bin Laden is a hero, the current Pakistanian government wants to cooperate more with the US but not anger the public.  This puts the Pakistani leader in a balancing act where they only help the US maybe half the time or risk being voted out of office themselves.

Bush knows that the US has been having economy strain, plus running our own war in Iraq is also expensive.  Pakistan though not always cooperative does more to help than every other Muslim country.  Even though it is possible to muscle what we want out of them, the cost in time/money would be to high at the moment.  And would most certainly end all further cooperation from Pakistan.

Bush is just making a judgement call based on his time left in office, military and political costs.  My reading of his action is it is better to keep an iffy ally than turn them into an enemy by crossing their border and taking Bin Laden by force.

Backing down gives respect to the pakistani government and allows them the option to capture Bin Laden themselves. (they may or may not)

It also shows he has faith in the Afganitan people to defend their own boarders and doesn't put any further strain or targets on american soldiers stationed in Afganistan.

This isn't the type of politics I like to see, but it is Pres Bush's call to make.