New bin Ladin Video Tape

[jerseydevil]

A tape was just released to Al Jazeera directed at American citizens, supposedly explaining 9/11 and how it was not the plan to destroy the towers - but just to make a point. It also says if we stop the fighting - he will not attack us - that our security is in American citizen's hands - not in the hands of Kerry, Bush or Al Qaeda.

He also supposedly critizes Bush and compares him to Arab leaders who restrict the freedom of their people.

Who thinks it's important what bin Ladin has to really say? I find it rather funny (strange) that he's saying how he wants to explain his position on 9/11. I have a feeling he is trying to catch us off guard, trying to make it seem like "hey we can all get along" - while he intends to attack us anyway. I don't really think it's important what he says to us at all.

[Valandil]

How odd...

I wonder if he's feeling desperate, for some reason...

[jerseydevil]

Originally Posted by Valandil

How odd...

I wonder if he's feeling desperate, for some reason...

Well that's what I was thinking too. He says that Al Qaeda is a free people and that if the states fighting against al qaeda stop, al qaeda will not attack anymore.

CNN isn't proposing it as a tape of deseperation though - they of course are saying that it's a tape that shows that he is alive and that Bush's efforts haven't worked. But he's declared that his ultimate goal is the destruction of the west over and over again - that is his only goal. And now he's trying to basically say that if we lay down our arms - he will not attack anymore. yeah right.

[Telcontar_Dunedain]

I think he know's that America won't just abandon there arms though, so it'd be interesting to see what he does if they did. I don't think he'd be expecting that.

[inked]

A clear and pathetic attempt to influence the election especially after all the propaganda about destroying the West. Anyone else old enough to remember the similar attempt over Carter vs REagan and the hostages in Iran under As-sa-hole-a what-was-his-nama(Khourmaare roughe?)

Now, if I have the PURPORTED logic it goes:
We will destroy the evil West
We DID the Two Towers
We MEANT to do the TWO Towers
WE ARE NOT SORRY WE DID THE TWO TOWERS
we did them because of BUSH
DON'T re-elect him and (fingers crossed behind his back) we won't be naughty
WE STILL MEAN TO DESTROY THE WEST

Let's see, Clinton refuse ABL on 3 occasions offered by Libya, BUSH is elected, the TWO TOWERS are "accidentally" destroyed to make a point
NOW that adds up for Islamic terrorists, but DO they really think every one is as inane as they?

I note for emphasis that Dan (I'D) Rather (have it my way, just ignore the facts) broke the stroy on CBS. Another credibility issue... .

[jerseydevil]

Originally Posted by inked

A clear and pathetic attempt to influence the election especially after all the propaganda about destroying the West.

I agree. It's an attmept to say "elect someone who will be willing to lay down your arms - it's in your hands now america". Like that will happen. People can say what they want - but I think Bin Ladin would much prefer to have Kerry in the White House than Bush. He knows that Bush will not back down. I do not believe Kerry will do the same.

[Telcontar_Dunedain]

To be honest I don't think this will change many people's view on him. He still planned to knock down the Towers, whatever he says and of course he'll attack if America stop fighting. Although many people were against the War on Terrorism I think they'll be against moving American troops out of Afghanistan. They'll probably have the 'we started a job, so we'll have to finish it' attitude.

[Last Child of Ungoliant]

Originally Posted by jerseydevil

Who thinks it's important what bin Ladin has to really say? I find it rather funny (strange) that he's saying how he wants to explain his position on 9/11. I have a feeling he is trying to catch us off guard, trying to make it seem like "hey we can all get along" - while he intends to attack us anyway. I don't really think it's important what he says to us at all.

I think that he is coming of as a modern day Annatar, yet as he walks, the fair form he presents ripples like a cloak, and the flames are shown beneath, revealing him to be evil, and his fair guise should not, and will not, fool people.

If you undarstood all that metaphorising, then you are cleverer than me!

[jerseydevil]

BTW - I read this several days ago - but with the elections never posted it. The bin Ladin trascript had been released of the whole tape by al Jazeera - Bin Ladin is now claiming that the goal is to bankrupt the US by having us run around chasing ghosts.

Bin Laden: Goal is to bankrupt U.S.
Al-Jazeera releases full transcript of al Qaeda leader's tape
Monday, November 1, 2004 Posted: 8:07 PM EST (0107 GMT)

(CNN) -- The Arabic-language network Al-Jazeera released a full transcript Monday of the most recent videotape from Osama bin Laden in which the head of al Qaeda said his group's goal is to force America into bankruptcy.

Al-Jazeera aired portions of the videotape Friday but released the full transcript of the entire tape on its Web site Monday.

"We are continuing this policy in bleeding America to the point of bankruptcy. Allah willing, and nothing is too great for Allah," bin Laden said in the transcript.

He said the mujahedeen fighters did the same thing to the Soviet Union in Afghanistan in the 1980s, "using guerrilla warfare and the war of attrition to fight tyrannical superpowers."

"We, alongside the mujahedeen, bled Russia for 10 years until it went bankrupt and was forced to withdraw in defeat," bin Laden said.

He also said al Qaeda has found it "easy for us to provoke and bait this administration."

"All that we have to do is to send two mujahedeen to the furthest point east to raise a piece of cloth on which is written al Qaeda, in order to make generals race there to cause America to suffer human, economic and political losses without their achieving anything of note other than some benefits for their private corporations," bin Laden said.

Al-Jazeera executives said they decided to post the entire speech because rumors were circulating that the network omitted parts that "had direct threats toward specific states, which was totally untrue."

"We chose the most newsworthy parts of the address and aired them. The rest was used in lower thirds in graphics format," said one official.

U.S. intelligence officials Monday confirmed that the transcript made public Monday by Al-Jazeera was a complete one.

As part of the "bleed-until-bankruptcy plan," bin Laden cited a British estimate that it cost al Qaeda about $500,000 to carry out the attacks of September 11, 2001, an amount that he said paled in comparison with the costs incurred by the United States.

"Every dollar of al Qaeda defeated a million dollars, by the permission of Allah, besides the loss of a huge number of jobs," he said. "As for the economic deficit, it has reached record astronomical numbers estimated to total more than a trillion dollars.

The total U.S. national debt is more than $7 trillion. The U.S. federal deficit was $413 billion in 2004, according to the Treasury Department.

"It is true that this shows that al Qaeda has gained, but on the other hand it shows that the Bush administration has also gained, something that anyone who looks at the size of the contracts acquired by the shady Bush administration-linked mega-corporations, like Halliburton and its kind, will be convinced.

"And it all shows that the real loser is you," he said. "It is the American people and their economy."

As for President Bush's Iraq policy, Bin Laden said, "the darkness of black gold blurred his vision and insight, and he gave priority to private interests over the public interests of America.

"So the war went ahead, the death toll rose, the American economy bled, and Bush became embroiled in the swamps of Iraq that threaten his future," bin Laden said.

U.S. government officials said Friday that the tape appeared to be authentic and recently made. It was the first videotaped message from the al Qaeda leader in nearly three years.

So now his goal isnt't to have our streets run red with our blood? It's funny how he thinks he has so much power and he goes and on with the ridiculous rhetoric. This new report makes me feel that he isn't as strong as he once was - not that we should let down our guard - but I think he is weakened.

[Earniel]

Originally Posted by jerseydevil

So now his goal isnt't to have our streets run red with our blood? It's funny how he thinks he has so much power and he goes and on with the ridiculous rhetoric. This new report makes me feel that he isn't as strong as he once was - not that we should let down our guard - but I think he is weakened.

He's been hiding in his cave so long that he has lost touch with the situation, if you ask me. He's been outmanoeuvred and he doesn't like it but IMO he is no longer in control of the terrorists. Splinter groups are springing up with or without Al Qaida. The only thing that gives him the idea he's still a major player is making these silly videos.

[inked]

Lizra, oops! I forgot who uttered that lavishly nice phrase about liking older men. But now that I am corrected, let me abase myself to you in sorrow for such a neuronal dysfunction! *abases self* Pardon, mi'lady, a thousand pardons!!!

I note in the transcript of OBL's statement that he thinks he had a significant part in the fall of the USSR militarily and financially. Delusional is the term for diagnosing that level of self-absorption. He conveniently forgets the role of the USA in the equation. That probably works well with illiterates and persons unable to contact the outside world. No one with a sense of history could fall for it. And he thinks he can do the same to the USA and thus cause the West to fall? Interesting theory, but he doesn't have the resources either militarily or financially.

by the by, that last claim can now be shown not to be the product of American hubris but of OBL's braggadocio (for certain Irish posters who seemed to allege otherwise !)

[inked]

Won't be anymore of these videos to discuss. Even after a lapse of 6.5 years.

Good enough.

[BeardofPants]

How embarrassing for Pakistan that he WASN'T hiding in a cave.

[Valandil]

When I first saw this thread, I thought JD had come back to post it.

[inked]

Well, I would be interest in JD's take on the absence of Bin Laden...........