New Osama Bin Laden tape.

[Stevinator]

New Osama Bin Laden tape.

I hear from my trusty radio that Osama has released another tape. it seems the CIA thinks it's really him.

Apparently within the tape he asks for a truce amoung europeans and muslims. he promises to stop bombing them if they agree.

I heard what the talk radio people think of this. they think this is an attempt to divide the US from it's allies, to divide the US amoung itself in a hotly charged election year and hopely(for OBL) to get kerry elected instead of bush because kerry wants to tone down the war on Iraq.

Do you think these are his real intentions. sure seems plausible, but you can't always dig through the spin. anyone know where i can get a translated transcript...not just a report that they got a tape? I'd like to look at the wording myself if possible...i know something will be lost in the translation, but perhaps i can glean something from it on my own.

also i have heard that European leaders as well as Japanese leaders have already decided not to accept his truce. Will we see more attacks in europe? Do you think AQ will lay off america until the election Pollsters and politicians indicate that another major terrorist attack would likely pull the country back together...which would help bush in the election. I'm not sure I believe that...i'm sure it would be blamed on him and it would hurt him(I mean elections are nasty, we all know that, and this one will be one for the books--in nastiness anyway). what do y'all think?

I know...meaty topic...lots to discuss on this one. let's all try to not let this one spiral into another hate thread. thanks.

 

[Deceit]

Duh.... what happened a few weeks after the yalta conference in the ww2 time.... duhhhh truman + churchill + stalin = happiness? how can i answer this... no....

 

[Anakha1]

I could make all sorts of predictions as to his intent and the future results of the refusal, but the fact of the matter is that I'd be pulling every one of them out of my ***.

 

[Xynrx]

A link for those who wanted one:

'Bin Laden' offers Europe truce

Bin Laden is widely believed to be still alive
Two Arab TV channels have broadcast an audiotape said to be from Osama Bin Laden in which he offers Europe a truce if it "stops attacking Muslims".
But the speaker in the tape, aired by al-Arabiya and al-Jazeera satellite channels, said the offer would not be extended to the US.

He vowed to avenge Israel's killing of Hamas founder Sheikh Ahmed Yassin.

US Secretary of State Colin Powell said that, according to the information he had, the voice was Bin Laden's.


CIA analysis had earlier suggested the voice was likely to be that of the al-Qaeda leader.

Attacks 'payment'

The voice on the tape said that "the door is open" for about three months to forge a truce, although this could be extended.

Stop spilling our blood so we can stop spilling your blood

Voice on tape alleged to be Osama Bin Laden


Full text of audiotape
Playing to Europe
The truce would begin when "the last soldier" leaves "our countries", it added.

However, Spain, Britain, Germany and the European Commission have all rejected such a move, with EC President Romano Prodi saying there was "no possibility for negotiation under [a] terrorist threat".

The tape also refers to the 11 March bombings in the Spanish capital, Madrid, and the events of 11 September 2001.

It said the attacks were payment for US and Spanish actions in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Palestinian territories.

"What happened on 11 September and 11 March are your goods returned to you, so that you know security is a necessity for all," the voice said.

"Stop spilling our blood so we can stop spilling your blood."

Spain has been a prominent member of the US-led coalition in Iraq, although its new prime minister has said Spanish troops could be withdrawn if the situation in Iraq does not improve.

BBC diplomatic correspondent Bridget Kendall says the timing of the tape's release - if it is Osama Bin Laden - is significant, emerging shortly after US President George W Bush gave a major news conference defending US policies on Iraq and met Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in Washington.

The tape, she says, could be a propaganda attempt to counter what the US has said about events in the Middle East and Iraq.

It may also be attempting to exploit divisions between European nations and the US and drive a wedge between both sides at a time when tensions on both issues are very high, our correspondent says.

The speaker used the Arabic phrase "mubadarat sulh", which can be translated as "reconciliation initiative" rather than "peace".

But talk of such an initiative is unlikely to lead nations into withdrawing troops from Iraq, our correspondent adds.

Earlier tapes

The tape also criticised US policy for ignoring the "real problem" which is "the occupation of all of Palestine".


Sheikh Yassin was killed in March in an Israeli missile attack
It said the death of Sheikh Yassin, spiritual leader of the Palestinian militant group Hamas, would be avenged.

"We vow before God to take revenge for him from America for this, God willing," it said.

Sheikh Yassin was killed in an Israeli missile attack in March in the Gaza Strip.

The tape also condemned the US-led occupation of Iraq as a money-making scheme for companies making weapons or aiding reconstruction efforts - specifically naming the American firm Halliburton.

Several tapes purporting to be from Osama Bin Laden have surfaced since the 11 September attacks - which the US has blamed on his al-Qaeda network.

The most recent, broadcast in January by al-Jazeera, condemned the occupation of Iraq and attacked Arab nations which supported the war.

The CIA later said that analysis indicated the voice on the January tape was that of Osama Bin Laden.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3627775.stm

 

[SuggestiveName]

I don't see how any of this matters, Bin Laden is effectually a fictional character. To think that he makes decisions or terrorist actions is delusional.

 

[Freemason]

I'm sure much of Eupore has already forgotten the lesson of 1940. Germany signed a non-aggression pact with Russia. And 20 million people died for it.

 

[Suicidal Zebra]

I'm sure much of Eupore has already forgotten the lesson of 1940. Germany signed a non-aggression pact with Russia. And 20 million people died for it.

Hrm...

However, Spain, Britain, Germany and the European Commission have all rejected such a move, with EC President Romano Prodi saying there was "no possibility for negotiation under [a] terrorist threat".

Trust me Freemason. European memories of WWII are a lot stronger than those of Americans. I both don't see the parallels, nor do I see the EU rushing to accept this 'truce'.

Your anti-European rhetoric needs an oil change.


ADDED:

For those interested, the selected text from the Statement may be found at:

http://memri.org/bin/latestnews.cgi?ID=SD69504

with a link on the page to the full statement.

 

[nnndave]

IMO there is no such thing as a truce with him. I say we hunt him until we see him and shoot him three times in the head on first sight.

 

[IDupedInMyPants]

I think to predict the consequences of the truce's rejection, one must understand the reasoning behind the offer. I'd say that reasoning is likely to be because AQ wants to focus on Americans (the main aggressor forces) in Iraq and Afghanistan, possibly to deal with Europe later but that's irrelevant for the discussion of reasoning.

AQ is not a bunch of dummies. They realize they don't want to have too many enemies becoming committed to the war against them. They also probably realize that European forces, particularly British, have better training for the types of operations coallition forces now face in both nations. In particular policing operations which must preserve non-combatant lives. Americans as of yet are just not good at this, and thus with the higher civilian casualties it will be easier to sway Arabic public opinion against us rather than against us and half of Europe.

So essentially, it is my opinion that the truce was offered to refocus his own fighters and as a recruitment tool of sorts, to help influence Arabic opinion in his favor in the long term.

As a result of the rejection of the truce, Europe may (And I mean may, I'd give it 50/50 odds at most) face an increasing number of terrorist attacks from non-AQ groups, particularly from Morrocco into Spain and possibly France or Portugal. Actual AQ related activity in Europe will likely remain low profile and non-violent for a time in the hopes that Europeans may decide they don't like what they're involved in. Attacks in the theaters of war will likely increase, pushing the death tolls upward and helping influence that possible opinion swing. As AQ grows more desperate we may see a rise in attacks outside the current conflict areas, but I don't see that as a likelihood in the very near future. It is something however that Europe in general and America in particular should start gearing up for, since it is most likely only a matter of time.

 

[jimmyboy]

It was a smart move. But unfortunately for him, he fails to have much to bargain with. Smart wording that he wanted a truce between Europe and "Muslims." If rejected, he could turn that rejection into propaganda that it's indeed a holy war against the entire Muslim faith rather than solely him and his folowers.

I was surprise that he failed to first offer the truce to more neutral nations (China, N. Korea, Turkey, Egypt, Baltic states), just to build propaganda momentum before pushing it towards the West.

 

[PublicEnemy]

"What happened in September 11 and March 11 is your own merchandise coming back to you. We hereby advise you … that your definition of us and of our actions as terrorism is nothing but a definition of yourselves by yourselves, since our reaction is of the same kind as your act. Our actions are a reaction to yours, which are destruction and killing of our people as is happening in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Palestine.

Putting March 11 and September 11 attacks on the same level as Afghanistan,Iraq,and Palestine is hypocrisy;killing civilians in Spain and the USA is real terrorism;fighting armed enemies and unintentionnally killing civilians which were used as human shields or simply at the wrong place during war is not terrorism,this is only war;the main difference regarding death of civilians Iraqis and the terrorist attacks is the intention:the US army has unintentionnally killed civilians in a country in war whereas al qaeda has killed has many civilians as he could in countries which were not in war
The logic of bin laden is intentionnally biased to spread his crappy propaganda of Muslims against the world

"As for those who lie to people and say that we hate freedom and kill for the sake of killing – reality proves that we are the speakers of truth

Reality of attacks proves that bin laden and al qaeda are liars,cowards,and hypocrits;bin laden has distorded the truth to take it at his own advantage and especially for Islam;bin laden claims to defend Muslims of the world whereas al qaeda has killed many muslims in terrorist attacks all over the world;if he is the protector of muslims of the world,then why does he intentionnally kill the muslims who are against terrorism? Hypocrisy is the answer

PS: the quotes are from bin laden's tape

 

[Module88]

I agree with dupe and public. I mean really, the claim was "The tape, which ran more than seven minutes, vowed revenge against the United States for Israel’s assassination of Sheik Ahmed Yassin, the leader of the militant Palestinian Hamas movement, and denounced the United States as using the Iraq war for corporate profiteering."

Now look at that for a second. He vows revenge, against hte United States for ISRAEL's assassination. ? Ok, so why doesn't he blame Europe (for being our allies) and blames US for being allies of Israel? He kills Muslims and blames America for the actions of another country. Gee, that makes sense...