Bin Laden's Last Tape

Tip of the hat to Sam Beckett. The audio is the rule, not the exception. Bin Laden's tried to turn his attention of the situation in the Gaza strip and focus on America's support for Israel. You have to review Bin Laden's last excuses over the years from American troops in Saudi Arabia to the invasion of Iraq and so forth. It's not the moving excuse that's interesting but what the purpose of the tape was. The framing of the tape --his introductory words and closing--have been used as signals in the past of future bombings. Some put a year time-frame on this one.

I thought the Administration handled it well. I always felt the Bush Administration just fed Bin Laden by broadcasting his tapes on every network and then having top officials appear on talkshows to warn Americans of real or imagined threats. This only fed Al Qaeda and its operatives and validated all their actions. Our own reaction became a recruiting tool. I thought Gibbs laughing Bin Laden off was the appropriate response and his view that this mass murderer was trying to get attention since we've moved on.

I personally believe Bin Laden's tape was aimed at the young recruits who must have thought their colleague burning his nuts off ridiculous. If the CEO comes out and blesses the operation, then maybe it was alright. I also think it was Bin Laden putting his seal of approval on his franchises--this one in Yemen. Usually, the little Al Qaeda operations are content making local mayhem without alot of international terrorism. It's one of the key reasons they are fading in popularity in the Arab World. What ever happened to the Great Arab Street? In the days post 9/11, we were lectured about how they supported the "Sheik". Those days are gone. Al Qaeda's body count these days is heavily Muslim, much to the consternation of the whole range of opinion-makers in the Islamic world.

I also think the emphasis on Gaza was to rekindle Al Qaeda's links to Egypt, since their number 2 hails from there and Egyptians have not been showing up in their ranks for quite some time.

I also don't think Bin Laden personally had anything to do with the Christmas bomb attempt. I think he was trying to cover his tracks and his affiliates by inflating their present position. Remember Al Qaeda has that American recruit who is probably tasked with following American reactions and suggesting ways to divide American public opinion. We should expect our conservative friends to take the bait and pound away on Obama's weak response to this brazen threat. Al Qaeda's secret friend right now is the Republican Right.

Of course, they have a friend in Bob Gates, who claims that Al Qaeda is trying to start a war between Pakistan and India. Really? That would't take much.

What was missing? There was nothing about Afghanistan. The same was true with his last message, which only suggested that Obama would be stuck in a "Middle Eastern country". Maybe the Taliban are getting tired of hosting this guy. From Chechnya to Iraq, military analysts have noted that insurgents tend to fail as Al Qaeda gets involved. It might give strategic advice but it always involves killings that drive away the population. They could be said to be the "Ugly Muslim".