The boogeyman returnth
Well Bin Laden has released yet another audio tape. In it he yet again promised more attacks on the US. But he also offered a “long-term truce” but didn’t specify conditions. He even did some plugging for American author William Blum when he suggested Americans should read the book “The Rogue State”.
Probably the most laughable part of the audio tape was were Bin Laden said that the reason he chose to address the American people was because of President Bush, who insists on pushing ahead in Iraq despite polls that show "an overwhelming majority of you want the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq." I find it hard to believe that Bin Laden is holed up in a cave somewhere in Pakistan reviewing polling data.
And has anyone else noticed the timing of the release of this latest tape? It comes only days after the failed attempt to assassinate Bin Laden’ deputy, Ayman al-Zawahri, in a missile strike in Pakistan. It also happens to be just in time for Bush’s State of the Union address. Bin Laden sure does seem to have a nice sense of timing. Now Bush can mention Bin Laden in his address, pointing out (yet again) that there are dangerous people out to hurt Americans (Boo!).
You may remember that the last Bin Laden tape came just shortly before the 2004 elections. It was almost as if it were planned in order to give Bush’s talking points more weight. The reappearance of Bin Laden gave Bush a huge boost because it reminded Americans how Bush handled the immediate aftermath of 9/11 (regardless of the fact that Bush promised to get Bin Laden dead or alive). Bin Laden’s tape was a godsend for Bush’s re-election effort.
The timing of the release of these tapes is rather suspect to me. The only time Bush mentions Bin Laden is when it seems like it might help him politically.
Update 1/22/06: Something else to note is that the reemergence of Bin Laden actually helps further the Bush agenda for unlimited executive powers. Bin Laden embodies one of the excuses that Bush is using to defend the warrantless wiretapping scandal. His reappearance now seems awfully convenient.
(Originally posted on Yahoo360)
Probably the most laughable part of the audio tape was were Bin Laden said that the reason he chose to address the American people was because of President Bush, who insists on pushing ahead in Iraq despite polls that show "an overwhelming majority of you want the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq." I find it hard to believe that Bin Laden is holed up in a cave somewhere in Pakistan reviewing polling data.
And has anyone else noticed the timing of the release of this latest tape? It comes only days after the failed attempt to assassinate Bin Laden’ deputy, Ayman al-Zawahri, in a missile strike in Pakistan. It also happens to be just in time for Bush’s State of the Union address. Bin Laden sure does seem to have a nice sense of timing. Now Bush can mention Bin Laden in his address, pointing out (yet again) that there are dangerous people out to hurt Americans (Boo!).
You may remember that the last Bin Laden tape came just shortly before the 2004 elections. It was almost as if it were planned in order to give Bush’s talking points more weight. The reappearance of Bin Laden gave Bush a huge boost because it reminded Americans how Bush handled the immediate aftermath of 9/11 (regardless of the fact that Bush promised to get Bin Laden dead or alive). Bin Laden’s tape was a godsend for Bush’s re-election effort.
The timing of the release of these tapes is rather suspect to me. The only time Bush mentions Bin Laden is when it seems like it might help him politically.
Update 1/22/06: Something else to note is that the reemergence of Bin Laden actually helps further the Bush agenda for unlimited executive powers. Bin Laden embodies one of the excuses that Bush is using to defend the warrantless wiretapping scandal. His reappearance now seems awfully convenient.
(Originally posted on Yahoo360)
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