Fox News is reporting Al Ajazeera is going to air a new bin laden tape at 4:00 ET. Apparently it's been authenticated by the US Gov't as legit. Discuss. EDIT: I think it's a video tape, not just audio.
Ah, it may be "legit," but how old is it? Much speculation that Bin Laden's minions have been splicing together old tapes and rerunning them since a possible Bin Laden death at Tora Bora.
Q (March 13, 2002): Mr. President, in your speeches now you rarely talk or mention Osama bin Laden. Why is that? . . . Bush: So I don't know where he is. You know, I just don't spend that much time on him , Kelly, to be honest with you. . . . Q: But don't you believe that the threat that bin Laden posed won't truly be eliminated until he is found either dead or alive? Bush: Well, as I say, we haven't heard much from him. And I wouldn't necessarily say he's at the center of any command structure. And, again, I don't know where he is. I -- I'll repeat what I said. I truly am not that concerned about him. I know he is on the run. I was concerned about him, when he had taken over a country. I was concerned about the fact that he was basically running Afghanistan and calling the shots for the Taliban.
Who is "they"? So far all I've seen is the Reuters report linked in this thread and the Breaking News trailer on the al Jazeera web site.
Well, checking FNC (i know, guilty for even tuning into this channel) ...18 minute tape, will go into specifics ASAP....MSNBC, same thing....
From CNN's Breaking News Headline: Bin Laden video: Americans' security does not depend on the president they elect, but on U.S. policy. "Your security is not in the hands of Kerry or Bush or al Qaeda." Details soon Well, this is consistent with what he's said in the past. At least he's not a flip-flopper!
he said something along the lines that : "the security of your nation does not lie with Kerry or Bush, but is in your hands (i.e. the public)" ....Whatever.... Anyway, IIRC , studies have shown that terror alerts usually raise Bush's number by 2 points.... Now, this a$$hole shows his face after a long times....Could it have an effect? Heck, even if no terrror alerts are given, would people's fear translate into more support for one guy over another? I have no doubt people on both campaigns will try to bring this issue in some shape or form.... whether to scare people into voting or reminding you how we have not yet dealt fully with the direct threat terrorism represents....
From AP:The Arab television station Al-Jazeera aired a video of Osama bin Laden on Friday directly admitting for the first time that he carried out the Sept. 11 attacks and promising to outline ``the best way to avoid another Manhattan.'' Again, consistent with how he's operated in the past. If Michael Scheuer (sp?), senior CIA official and author of "Imperial Hubris", is to be believed, Bin Laden makes these offers to the American public ("you can avoid catastrophe by doing x,y,z") to demonstrate to the Muslim world that he is giving us an opportunity to convert and avoid the wrath of Allah.
Yes, but this isn't a DHS alert, this is a Bin Laden videotape. Might play better into Kerry's hands. "See, I told you Bush hasn't captured Bin Laden and hasn't kept us safe." We'll see...
Obviously, Rove is not behind this, because I'm sure even bin Laden knows never to release "important" news on a Friday.
from al jazerra: Friday 29 October 2004, 23:26 Makka Time, 20:26 GMT Usama bin Ladin claimed responsibility of the 9/11 attacks Usama bin Ladin appeared on Aljazeera television on Friday accusing US President George W. Bush of deceiving the American people. In an address just days ahead of the US presidential election, bin Ladin also said the US administration resembled "corrupt" Arab governments. He accused Bush of reacting slowly to the September 11 attacks, saying: "I never thought that the supreme leader would leave 50,000 of his people in the two towers to face the terrifying events alone at the time they were in need for him." Refering to next week's elections, he told Americans: "Your security is not in the hands of (Democratic candidate John) Kerry or (President George W.) Bush or al-Qaida. Your security is in your own hands ...." He accused Bush of "misleading" the American people four years after the September 11 attacks. Claiming responsibility for the attacks, bin Ladin said, "we decided to destroy towers in America," because "we want to regain the freedom of our nation." He added that "the reasons to repeat what happened" on 11 September 2001 remain. Is this guy actually starting to make sense?
which is precisely why the second paragraph of my post, from which you just quoted the beginning, reads: "Could it have an effect? Heck, even if no terrror alerts are given, would people's fear translate into more support for one guy over another? I have no doubt people on both campaigns will try to bring this issue in some shape or form.... whether to scare people into voting or reminding you how we have not yet dealt fully with the direct threat terrorism represents...." I'm honestly trying to ask questions here, not offer answers/opinions...At least not yet If there is something that unites all Americans, is our common hatred of Osama, regardless of what some people say.....
He's never made sense.... much like most violent radicals Edit: By the way, speaking of no political ramifications, are you guys (like me), hearing a lot of reporters mentioning again and again the possibility of another major attack? So all it takes is Fvcking Osama's mug to make today different than say, yesterday? Talk about oversimplication.... Stupid media.... Anyway, Bush, is being reported, will go on with a speech he is about to make, criticizing his opponent...Wonder if OBL's name will come up or when both candidates will use this issue to try and gain an advantage, because sadly there is no doubt that they will use this maniac's latest words to score political points....when one would think the 3 years post 9/11 would a far better way for voters to make their decision about who they want to vote for.....