If true, that's more a comment on bureaucracy than a sign of Americans not wanting to get him. I'm a combat arms Soldier...not a mere trigger puller, but a commissioned officer, even... You practically need a lawyer present to let my joes fire. You're looking at a VERY big deal if you're talking about firing main gun rounds downrange. I'm not griping. It's the nature of the beast. Can't have it both ways.
I'm not sure about bureaucracy as not wanting to create a marter, I think alive he's a very powerful person but dead he'd be the biggest thing in the Muslim world. I think someone said in another thread the Muslim equivalent of Jesus. A rock and a hard place really.